[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 101 (Tuesday, June 14, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E614]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  RECOGNIZING THE HAYWARD ROTARY CLUB

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                           HON. ERIC SWALWELL

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 14, 2022

  Mr. SWALWELL. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the Hayward Rotary 
Club, which will celebrate 100 years of serving the Hayward community 
on Thursday, June 23, 2022.
  Hayward Rotary, of which I'm a proud member, was founded in the early 
1920s when Hayward business owners regularly started to meet for lunch. 
Believing Hayward needed a service club, they petitioned their local 
Rotary District for sponsorship, and on June 23, 1922, Hayward Rotary 
was established.
  Hayward Rotary's first official action as a club was to sponsor the 
local Boy Scouts troop. During the Great Depression, the club partnered 
with the Lions and 20 to 30 clubs to create an annual Halloween party 
at the Hayward Plunge to provide a safe place for children to have fun. 
They also initiated an annual Christmas party for underprivileged 
children. During World War II, the club sent clothing and goods to war-
torn regions in Europe and helped finance and staff listening posts in 
the Hayward Hills.
  In 1957, Hayward Rotary funded benches at Hayward bus stops, many of 
which are still in use today. At that same time, the club helped 
develop Interact Clubs at Hayward high schools to instill the 
importance of service into the next generation. They also created 
``Let's Go Fishing,'' an annual picnic for disabled children in the 
community. Recognizing the importance of community spaces, they 
supported the construction of the Tea House in Hayward. Honoring their 
commitment to supporting international causes, the club oversaw the 
shipment of 75 tons of textbooks to schools in Pakistan in 1974 and 
began their Polio Plus Program in the 1980s.
  In 1990, the club officially incorporated the Hayward Rotary 
Foundation to help fund community programs. From 1994 to 1995, the club 
supported the construction of The Silva Pediatric Clinic, a full-
service pediatric facility, and later expanded to add a full-service 
dental clinic.
  In celebration of its 75th anniversary, Hayward Rotary partnered with 
the Hayward Unified School District to create the Hayward Community 
Technology Center at the Hayward Adult Education School in 1994. In 
1999 they created the Newmann Park in the heart of downtown to replace 
an empty lot left by a building fire. The club also carried out its 
``Field of Dreams'' project to improve lighting, provide scoreboards, 
and update facilities at Hayward high schools. In 2003, the club 
started its annual ``Back-to-School Child Spree,'' where it helped 100 
children get the supplies needed for the upcoming school year.
  Hayward Rotary has remained one of the premier service clubs in 
Hayward. During its tenure, the club has contributed over $3 million 
and hundreds of thousands of service hours to civic improvements and 
community programs in Hayward and across the globe. It continues to 
grow its Club Foundation Endowment and the Rotary International 
Foundation to allow for the completion of more successful community 
service projects in the future.
  For 100 years, Hayward Rotary has been pivotal in developing the 
robust community of Hayward. Hayward Rotary's accomplishments have 
truly exemplified its ``Service above Self'' motto. I join the club in 
celebrating its legacy and wish it many more productive years to come.

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