The Rotary Club of St. Marys, Pennsylvania was chartered in 1950. In the spring of that year two gentleman, Rotarian Dr. Julius Campbell, a dentist from Emporium (Cameron County Pennsylvania) who was District Governor of Rotary District 735 and Rotarian Dr. Ernie Church ,president of Potomac College in Keyser West Virginia and Past District Governor, approached local businessman Daniel R. DeLullo about starting a Rotary Club in St. Marys. The two gentlemen gave Mr. DeLullo full details about Rotary’s objectives and about how to organize a club. This was the seed that started our club.
In 1950 St. Marys had only one service club in town. There was a great need for another club to help make St. Marys a better place to live. For several months Mr. DeLullo met with Dr. Campbell and Dr. Church. Numerous individuals were approached about joining and by March 28th, 1950 there were 23 potential members signed up with dues paid. The application submitted to Rotary International, dated March 28th, 1950, was sent to Rotary International Headquarters, then located in Chicago Illinois, and was received on April 1st, 1950. The application was approved by Rotary International for membership as a new club on April 18th, 1950.
From the small group of 23 original members, the club grew to 46 members. Over the years scores of wonderful people have come and gone. Still in 2013, the club consists of 23 active members and continues to be extremely involved in the community of St. Marys.
One of the first club projects was entitled “A ton of Pennies” which was started in the fall of 1952 when the club received word that the Community Nurses Organization was in need of a four wheel drive vehicle so they could access patients located in rural Benzinger Township and other areas where it was difficult to gain access, especially in winter weather. By early 1953 enough money was raised to purchase a new 1953 Willys Jeep Station Wagon from Pistner Brothers, and ownership was transferred to the Community Nurses. Many other projects would follow throughout the 50’s and 60’s including donating a full assortment of playground equipment to Memorial Park after the park was completed in 1954. A Scout House was built adjacent to the park in the 60’s.
In 1970 the club was made aware that the Benzinger Township Police Department was in need of rescue equipment to render assistance at automobile wrecks and other accidents. The police department’s main concern was that they would have to wait for an Ambulance or Fire Truck to arrive before assistance could be provided on an accident scene, losing critical time. The Rotary Club came to department’s aid with a donation of several pieces of rescue equipment.
One club member (George Bauer) was honored with the Governor’s Safety award from Raymond P. Shafer Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. In the 70’s, scholarship programs were started for both Elk County Christian and St. Marys Area High School.
Today the club is still a strong part of the City of St. Marys and the surrounding areas. The club annually holds a Radio and TV Auction on the last Sunday of February, a Beef Sandwich sale in June and a Halloween Parade in October. The club continues to donate each year to Memorial Park, the Community Nurses, the Food Bank and many other worthy organizations.