Rotary marks 100 years

NEW LONDON — May 4 was a very special day for the New London Rotary because it marked the club's 100th birthday. Founded on May 4, 1926, the club has been a vital part of the community continuously for a century. Today the club runs the United Fund, organizes both the Firelands Festival Labor Day and Halloween parades, chooses and honors the Citizen of the Year, provides scholarships, performs a roadside pickup, participates in mock interviews for high school seniors and hosting the graduating students with a lunch. This year's senior lunch happened to fall on May 4, and Rotarian Brad Romano told the over 70 seniors about the club's extraordinary birthday and what Rotary is locally and worldwide. He said, "Rotary is ordinary people working together to achieve an extraordinary impact through service to their local and the world's community." He added, "One measure of success in life is what you do to contribute to others, and participating in Rotary or similar organizations is one way to do this." The seniors were asked to introduce themselves and share their future plans with the Rotarians. Some will join the military, others are already in the workforce or soon will be, and some will undertake further schooling to study fields as nursing, engineering, animation, masonry and veterinary science. The club is now planning other events in honor of its birthday, but sharing the actual day with future leaders seemed an appropriate way to begin its centennial year.