[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 87 (Monday, June 11, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Page S3895]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               RECOGNIZING THE ROTARY CLUB OF LOUISVILLE

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize the Rotary 
Club of Louisville, which is celebrating its 100th year of service to 
the Louisville community this year. Chartered on July 22, 1912, it has 
left Louisville, the State of Kentucky, and our Nation better off 
thanks to its efforts over the past century.
  The Rotary Club of Louisville was the first Rotary Club in Kentucky 
and the 45th worldwide, welcoming members from 10 regional States. 
Today, between 450 and 490 Louisville-area residents are members of 
this organization.
  In its early years, the Rotary Club of Louisville engaged in several 
local service initiatives. One of the club's first major projects was 
to restore the burial place of President Zachary Taylor, a Louisville 
native. In 1918, members established a student-loan fund for young men 
at Male High School and Manual High School during World War I. When 
radio was in its infancy, a weekly radio program was broadcast by the 
Louisville Rotary Club in 1922 and 1923. In the flood of 1937, members 
of the club assisted in cleanup and repair throughout the State.
  During the World War II era, the Louisville Rotary Club expanded its 
outreach to the world, fundraising for the war effort and working with 
defense-related agencies. Many of the club's members also served in the 
Armed Forces. After the war, notable accomplishments included the 
building of George Rogers Clark Park, as well as founding the Harelip 
and Cleft Palate Foundation.
  In 1953, the Louisville Rotary Club began its time-proven training 
for new members, or ``Yearlings,'' which is still used today, and the 
following year, the Club adopted the Rotary International Constitution. 
In 1987, the historically male club admitted its first female member, 
Patricia W. Hart, the Club's executive director. Also in 1987, members 
of the club donated $137,000 to the Rotary International program to 
eliminate polio worldwide.
  The Rotary Club of Louisville has created several awards to honor its 
members for their contributions. In 1975, Howard Fitch was recognized 
as the club's first Paul Harris Fellow for his contribution to the 
Rotary International Foundation. Today, there are 275 Paul Harris 
Fellows. In 1991, the Rotarian of the Year Award was started, and in 
1999, the ``Lifetime Service Award'' was established and first awarded 
to Henry Heuser Sr., posthumously.
  In recent years, members of the Louisville Club volunteer locally by 
providing career guidance for high-school seniors and graduates and a 
mentoring program for high-school students. Along with this, members 
regularly work as bell-ringers for the Salvation Army. Internationally, 
the club works with student-exchange programs and various diverse 
scholarships, including the Ambassadorial Scholarship Competition, the 
International Scholarship Competition, and the Kentucky Rotary Youth 
International Exchange.
  In 1996, the ``Saving Lives Worldwide Program'' was created to 
collect and deliver U.S. medical supplies to the world's poorest 
countries. During its first 8 years, this program completed 17 
shipments valued at $4 million to 10 developing countries, including 
Nicaragua, Latvia, Nepal, Romania, Panama, Ecuador, Belize, and Ghana. 
Along with this, the Louisville Rotary Club has worked with clubs 
internationally to open six new dental clinics in Panama, Ecuador, and 
Nepal.
  The Rotary Club of Louisville has created the Rotary Leadership 
Fellows Program, which identifies individuals early in their careers 
with the potential to become community leaders. These individuals are 
then invited to participate in a 3-year Rotary Leadership Development 
Program.
  In honor of the club's centennial celebration, the Promise 
Scholarship program has been initiated to provide hundreds of high-
school graduates with grant money to help pay for college tuition.
  The past 100 years have seen the Louisville Rotary Club meet and 
exceed the Rotary International credo of ``Service Above Self.'' It is 
an honor to represent here in the U.S. Senate so many civic-minded 
Kentuckians of goodwill who understand the value of public service. I 
would ask my Senate colleagues to join me in recognizing the Rotary 
Club of Louisville for its 100 years of service to the Louisville 
community, the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and the world.

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