Page 13 - 1994 Plymouth Rotary Annual Report

during those trying times.
In 194 7 Plymouth High felt the need for a lighted football field. Rotary members
held a fund raising campaign which resulted in a lighting system being dedicated
on Halloween night at a cost of over $20,000. In 1964 we made another major
contribution to modernize the system.
In the late fifties, our club started a club picnic. serving barbecued chicken and corn
to assist members to become better acquainted. The first barbecues were only for
members and friends and totaled about 150. In 1960 the barbecue was turned into
the Plymouth Fall Festival. For more than thirty years the high point of the festival
has been chicken Sunday, with as many as 16,000 dinners being prepared and
served. The barbecue provided us with a steady source of income that has allowed
us to do more for the community.
We were one of the largest donors to the purchase of the portable band shell and
public address system that is used for entertainment at the festival and throughout
the year. We also were one of the largest donors in the building of the Gathering
which has allowed us to hold the barbecue, even if it rains, and provides shelter for
numerous events throughout the year. We were also able to help beautify Kellogg
Park with the addition of the Rotary Fountain.
In 1963 we donated two kidney machines to St. Mary's hospital. Over a five year
period we invested $20,000 to create a small scale farm at the high school to expose
youngsters in the community to some rural atmosphere.

Internationally we have furnished annual nursing scholarships to Nepal, supported
veterinary medicine clinics in Africa, provided more than $60,000 to the Polio Plus
campaign, supported youth exchanges and supported one of our members provid-
ing dental assistance in Hong Kong and Jamaica.
In 1970, in honor of the first Rotary International president from our district, it was
decided to create the Dick Hedke Award to honor the best all around club in the
district. The first award was won by the Plymouth Rotary Club and we have won
it twice since.
On this year's Hedke Award we are asked what is our most important community
service. Our most important community service is that we are involved and ready
to serve wherever needed. Over our 70 year history there has not been a major event
in the community that has not involved at least one Rotarian and there have been
very few non-profit boards of directors that do not contain at least one Rotarian.
Think not, though, about the past 70 years, but think rather about the future. We
cannot sit back and bask in the past. What we have done is very good, but pales
in comparison to what some Rotary Clubs are doing. We must make a collective
effort to ensure that years from now future members will be able to look back and
be as proud of our achievements as we are of our predecessors.