Meeting in the Freestone County Courthouse, the Rotary Club of Fairfield was organized on 30 April 1945 by 21 local businessmen and professionals. On 14 May 1945 they were admitted to Rotary International by B. E. Masters, then Governor of Rotary District 128. At the time Rotary International consisted of some 5,350 clubs in 50 countries. Despite this being a time of war, Rotary International grew by 185 clubs worldwide over the war years.
Charter officers were C. E. Childs, President; Dr. L. L. Bonner, Vice-president; A. E. Stroud, Secretary-treasurer; J. D. Burleson as Sargent at Arms and E.H. Newman, Dr. M. S. McLiveen, and C. N. Williford as Directors. Other charter members included W. D. Herring, Charles M. Reed, Marvin Harris, T. R. Bonner, Boyd Loper, W. W. Steward, Jr., C. B. Richardson, J. J. Barber, H. L. Holman, O. K. Ray, and Clem C. Linnenberg.
C. E. Childs, the first President of the Rotary Club of Fairfield described Rotary as “A world fellowship of businessmen and professionals who are united in the Ideal of Service, which is thoughtfulness of and helpfulness to others.” He continued, “Members of Rotary Clubs endeavor to exemplify their motto ‘Service Above Self’ in all their daily business, social life, and civic contacts by placing the obligation to serve others before the profit for themselves.
Fairfield Rotarians began meeting weekly in Cook’s Café at 12:15 on Fridays. Their first meeting on 4 May 1945 was started by singing the first verse of “America” led by Clovis Bounds and the invocation given by Dr. Duke Pittman, both being special guest from the Rotary Club of Mexia. Dr. Pittman later spoke to the group on the principles of Rotary.
The meeting places and times, officers and members have changed over the years for the Rotary Club of Fairfield but its members’ devotion to the local, state and international communities has not changed. The Rotary motto of “Service Above Self” still holds true for local Rotarians. Local Rotarians have recently sponsored scores of projects. Just a few continuous projects are; scholarships to local high school seniors, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) camp for high school sophomores and juniors to develop leadership skills, sponsorship of the local Interact Club within Fairfield ISD, Rotary District Vocational Grants for local college students entering a vocational area of study, Rotary DAP Grants that have recently helped the local library, police department and volunteer fire department by the purchase of much needed materials and many more. The Rotary Talent Show has been a local show case for Freestone County talent for close to 50 years. Local Rotarians have supported international projects in Mexico, hosted guests from Hungary, Japan, Australia and the Philippines and raised funds for the signature program of Rotary International, PolioPlus. From the first days of forming in 1945 the Fairfield Rotarians have raised funds to eradicate Poliomyelitis from the planet. First giving directly to research to find a vaccination, then by supporting the work of the March of Dimes, and finally by contributing to the Rotary PolioPlus program directly and by organizing “Purple Pinky” programs at Fairfield ISD. Since the PolioPlus program was started and with the help of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, this horrible childhood infection is almost relegated to history.
Local Rotarians have also played major roles in Rotary International and Rotary District leadership with C. E. “Gene” Neal, Jr. and Joe Lee Kirgan, Jr. serving as District Governors and with Rotarian Gene playing a major role in the formation of PolioPlus on the international level in the 1980s. Three present Rotarians have served as Assistant Governors and several have performed the duties as club president.
Rotary International has grown to 35,000 clubs in 200 countries with 1.2 million members. The Rotarians of Fairfield are proud to be a part of and to serve this international community. The Rotary Club of Fairfield has temporarily suspended its Tuesday noon meetings at Sam’s in Fairfield due to the Corona Virus, but members continue to hold e-mail meetings in order to keep in touch for fellowship. A proper celebration is planned later this summer. Members will resume their weekly meetings soon but as for now, they will continue to serve Fairfield and Limestone County for another 75 years.
Much of this information was gained from the The Fairfield Recorder online collection through the Fairfield Library Association Inc.’s Portal to Texas History and History of Freestone County: Volume 2.
