History of Rotary Club of Eagle Grove

History of Rotary Club of Eagle Grove

The first meeting for the Eagle Grove Rotary Club, a group of seventeen in number, met at the Occidental Hotel, in an informal meeting the evening of April 27, 1921. The meeting was called to order by Lawrence Focht. Horace B. Cole acted as secretary. Prior to this meeting, all preliminary steps had been taken for this group to be formed into a Rotary Club, and that the Club at Webster City would be the sponsoring Club. On February 9, 1959, Rotarian Robert Blue, former Governor of Iowa, gave a talk to the Rotary Club on the care of the aged. He pointed out that Iowa had the largest percentage of citizens past 65 years of age in the nation. He also pointed out how modern medical techniques had increased the life span of the average individual approximately twenty years during the last fifty years and how the number of senior citizens in the country now totaled in the neighborhood of eighteen million. At the conclusion of his talk, he moved that Dr. Dale Harding be appointed chairman of a committee to study the feasibility of building a retirement home in Eagle Grove, and that the chairman be authorized to name the members of his committee. The committee named consisted of the chairman, Dr. Dale Harding, Robert Blue, Frank Sacquety, Roy Larson, Grigg Elkin, Dr. Martin Schaeferle, Dr. George Hogenson, Dr. Einar Johnson, M.B. Crabbe, Ronald Diggins and R.C. Allbaugh. On March 2, l959, Frank Sacquety, a member of the Committee, gave a talk entitled “A Rotary Club Home for the Aged in Eagle Grove.” On June 27, 1960, the tentative building plans were submitted to the Club which voted to proceed with the building of the Home and a new corporation called the Rotary Club of Eagle Grove Home, Inc. The Eagle Grove Rotary Club is separate but vital to the operation of the Home. Each club member is eligible to vote at its annual meeting held in May when club members select to Board for the Rotary Ann Home.

• In 1961 a site for the Home was procured and contracts were let for the building. This was funded through HUD with a 40 year low interest loan of $398,000.

• In l970 a four unit, all electric apartment complex was built.

• in 1971 a second four apartment complex was added

• In l974 two more four unit apartments were built. These are financed by 50 year Farmers Home Loan at 3% interest with each costing just under $44,000.00.

• In 1976 the Board approved the building of a separate fifty-one bed nursing facility.

• In 1980, 16 additional low-income 1 bedroom apartments were built on Park Avenue and financed by a FmHA loan.

• In the 1980’s an adjacent 10 acres was acquired.

• In 1990 2 duplex apartments were built. These have 2 bedroom, 11/2 baths and a 1 car garage.

• In 1999 the Board voted to build 3 new Duplex Townhomes on its 10 Acre site. This was accomplished with assistance from the city paying for the roads and storm sewer (in lieu of tax abatement) from the Stockdale estate, Memorial Trust Fund and Security Savings Bank.

• In 2000 Rotary Ann was one of 13 facilities to receive a federal grant $1,200,000 from HUD to convert to assisted living.

• In 2001 the Board approved 3 additional Townhome units located on Stockdale Drive.

• In 2001 two Townhome units were acquired on Washington Avenue.

• In 2003 the adjoining Tokheim Property was acquired for future development and expansion.

• In 2004 the Board approved and fund raising began for the cooperative venture with Wright Medical Center for the New Wright Medical Wellness Center.

• In 2005 The Board approved the contracts for the New Wellness Center after raising $1,500,000 of the $1,825,000 needed.

Rotary has been the fortunate recipient of gifts and estates which have helped it to grow and serve the community. Estates such as Margaret Rankin, Leona Franzen and Beatrice Stockdale among others have been visionary and helped strengthen Rotary Ann in its commitment to serving the community.

EAGLE GROVE ROTARY PRESIDENTS

1921 – 2009

1921-22.....Lawrence Focht

1922-23.....John W. McGrath

1923-24.....Frank Zeh

1924-25.....Ward Barnes

1925-26.....George Bonner

1926-27.....Arthur H. Barnes

1927-28.....Jack Logan

1928-29.....Dr. John Christensen

1929-30.....Lewis E. Beer

1930-31.....John H. Howell

1931-32.....Tom H. Kenefick

1932-33.....Bruce Corliss

1933-34.....Jim Martin

1934-35.....Ray Roper

1935-36.....Stan Bragdon

1936-37.....Roy Allbaugh

1937-38.....Dr. Ben McCullough

1938-39.....Everett McGrath

1939-40.....Martin Frey

1940-41.....Dr. Luther McNaughton

1941-42.....Guy Hinckley

1942-43.....Carlos McDowell

1944-45.....Ben Olson

1945-46.....Carl Thorson

1946-47.....Rev. Fr. John Byrne

1947-48.....Si Schrage

1948-49.....Robert Gibson

1949-50.....Marvin Franzen

1950-51.....Burdette Middleton

1951-52.....Gerhard Hanson

1952-53.....Howard Bockhaus

1953-54.....Dr. Harry Norris

1954-55.....Dr. Martin Schaeferle

1955-56.....Maurice Crabbe

1956-57.....Dr. Elmer Smith

1957-58.....Cornell Deeny

1958-59.....Dr. John Erlander

1959-60.....Roy Larson

1960-61.....Dr. E. C. Johnson

1961-62.....Grigg Elkin

1962-63.....Keith Voigt

1963-64.....Marcus Boe

1964-65.....Harold Duer

1965-66.....Dr. Dale Harding

1966-67.....Dr. David Varland

1967-68.....Kenneth Kimble

1968-69.....Lawrence McCoy

.... Ty Robinson

1969-70.....John Gannon

1970-71.....Kermit Knutson

1971-72.....Lyle Wilson

1972-73.....Tom Anderson

1973-74.....Ron Boyd

1974-74.....Wendell Bailey

1975-76.....Arnold Bradle

1976-77.....Richard L. Bell

1977-78.....Paul Niebur

1978-79.....Robert Oldson

1979-80.....Cal Tschetter

1980-81.....George McCart

1981-82.....John Gazaway

1982-83.....Kurt Knudsen

1983-84.....William Long

1984-85.....Mike Moffitt

1985-86.....Larry Ivers

1986-87.....Myron Amdahl

1987-88.....Roger DeWolf

1988-89.....Steve Nicklaus

1989-90.....Victor Victoria

1990-91.....David J. Miller

1991-92.....Gary L. Milks

1992-93.....T. L. Henderson

1993-94.....Dean Shutt

1994-95.....Ron Jensen

1995-96.....Virgil Umthun

1996-97.....Dick Sadler

1997-98.....Ray Kellogg

1998-99.....Kerry Amonson

1999-2000..Theresa Sadler

2001-02.....Rick Reiland

2002-03.....Del Kramersmeier

2003-04.....Chad Foust

2004-05.....Tom Martin

2005-06.....Jim Christ

2006-07.....Rodney Montang

2007-08…..Zack Moffitt

2008-09.....Paul Tokheim