Shades Valley Rotary
Holds Charter Meeting

"You are entering upon an adventure in service that will mean much to you throughout the remainder of your life," Dr. Leslie Wright, President of Howard College, told Shades Valley Rotary Club members last night at their Charter Night meeting.

The meeting, which was held at the Birmingham Country Club, was attended by the wives of the new Shades Valley Rotary Club members, and wives and members from 18 other clubs, 15 of which were from other cities.

Dr. Wright, a member of the Birmingham Rotary Club, said that the object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a worthy enterprise.

Following Dr. Wright's charter address, Rotary District Governor Herbert Smith presented Club President Dr. L. T. Reeves with their Rotary International Charter after praising members Raymond Hurlbert and Irvin Kinney for their outstanding work in organizing the new club.

 Established on October 14, 1963, under the sponsorship of the Rotary Club of Ensley, the twenty-eight charter members began meeting on Tuesdays at 12:30 p.m. The late Henry Wurtele, the late Irvin Kinney and the late Ray Hurlbert (later a member of the Rotary Club of Vestavia Hills) were the founding fathers. The Charter Meeting, held on the evening of December 10, 1963, was attended by Rotarians representing most of the other clubs in the district, as well as by the members of the new club.

Founding Fathers

The original area served by the club included Homewood, Mountain Brook and Vestavia. Then, in 1966-67, Rotary International extended the service area to include Hoover and Homewood Industrial Park.

Originally, club membership was based on the location of one’s business but, by action of the 1968-69 Rotary International Convention, membership was opened to residence as well. In May, 1988, the club inducted its first female members.

A significant action of the new club was its beginning as a 100% Rotary Foundation Club, and its present level is among the highest attained by any club in the district. Shades Valley boasts more than 100 Paul Harris Fellows, and many of its members are Rotary Foundation Sustaining Members and Benefactors.

Rotary Script, the club bulletin, was published for the first meeting, and it continues to be a vital part of the club’s weekly meetings and general activities. For many years, up until 2001-02, Lee Allen served as Bulletin Editor.  The 2001-02 editor is Bill Wingate.

The Rotary Club of Shades Valley has engaged in a wide variety of projects. Substantial cash contributions have been made to the Shades Valley Branch of the YMCA, to the Emmet O’Neal Library, to The Children’s Hospital, to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, to the Youth for Decency rally, to the Cahaba Girl Scout Council, to the Ronald McDonald House, to the Girls School at Chalkville, to the Disaster Relief Fund for the Pell City area and to many other worthwhile community endeavors.

A major early project was the building of the Rotary Friendship Circle Walk in the Japanese Gardens and presenting the Gardens with contributions of authentic decorations from a number of Rotary Clubs in Japan.

When the club first began meeting at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, it occupied a large, austere exhibition hall. A special committee pooled energies and talents to develop a renovation program which carried an $18,000 price tag. The club solicited a cost-sharing agreement with the Botanical Society, its Auxiliary, and with the Birmingham Park and Recreation Board to complete the renovation. It replenished its treasury in November of 1978 by hosting a gala opening celebration.

In 1987-88, the Botanical Gardens again underwent major work. The Rotary Club of Shades Valley contributed $20,000 toward the construction and finishing cost and returned to a new and more attractive Botanical Gardens Auditorium in January, 1988, available not only for the enjoyment of the club but also for thousands of others in our community.

Members have frequently sponsored or participated in career information and other programs for high school students. Examples are:

1. Helping to fund the 1985-86 Homewood High School Patriot Band to a competition in Orlando, Florida, where it was named Grand Champion of the Great Southern Contest of Champions.

2. Sponsoring students to the Model U. S. Senate Workshop at Birmingham-Southern College.

3. Sponsoring students to the World Affairs Seminar in White Water, Wisconsin, presented by the University of Wisconsin and Rotary District 627, and in Auburn, Alabama, presented by Auburn University and the Rotary Club of Auburn.

4. Sponsoring a salesperson for Junior Achievement to attend the National Junior Achievement Conference in Bloomington, Indiana.

In 1997, the Club awarded for the first time the Community Vocational Service Award to a non-Rotarian, with plans for this to be an annual award. The first recipient was Margaret Porter.

In 1985, the Rotary Club of Shades Valley Annual Vocational Service Award was initiated. The first recipient was Glenn Estess for his outstanding contributions to the local club, District 686, Rotary International and the local community.