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THE ROTARY CLUB OF MATANZAS, Cuba
A Part of Our History of Rotary in Asia
This is the section dealing with the "Rotary Club" in the "Social Institutions"
of Matanzas in the copy we have of the "Magazine of The Struggle" published in Cuba.
It does not indicate date of publication, however, the latest dates on timelines and other data
are from 1923.
Many of the photos in our example are quite deteriorated and it is impossible to be able to see
them properly.
"Colony was installed by the holiday club for children."
The third Rotary Club in Cuba was organized by the Havana
Club and held its first meeting on July 14, 1918, during which the following
positions were created:
President: José Trinidad García.
Vice President: Bonifacio Menéndez.
Treasurer: Sixto Lecuona
Secretary: Victoriano Parroso
Directors: Paúl M.Bohn, Luis Cuní, José M. Domínguez, José Cabarrocas, John
J.Urquiza, Manuel Garcia and F. Laurentino Lavandeyra.
The membership application was lodged with the International Association
of Rotary Clubs and consequently, the Club was incorporated in Matanzas on
February 1919 under number 445.
At the International Convention held in June of that year, the club was
represented by the Matanzas officer in the person of Rotarian Miguel
Caballero.
In the elections of 1919 were elected Lavandeyra, Cabarrocas and Joseph M.
Domínguez for the posts of President, Vice President and Secretary
respectively.
The following year brought to the Chair and Secretariat, respectively,
and the doctors Cabarrocas José and Miguel Caballero.
Those who were to represent the Club in the Atlantic City Convention (1920)
were Rotarians Recasens Antonio and Miguel Caballero.
In 1921 was elected José M. Altura and Antonio Recasens who were
elevated to the posts of President and Vice President, but Dr. Recasens took
leave of the presidency for almost the entire period, being confirmed in
office only in the elections of the next year.
Mr. Florencio Calderon and JB Skidmore were delegates to the Los Angeles
Convention in California in 1922.
The current Directive (1923) consists of the following persons:
Chair: Dr. Mario E.Dihigo
Vice President: Joaquin Quintana
Treasurer: Juan J. Alcover
Secretary: Dr. Florencio Calderón
Past President: Dr. Antonio Recasens
Directors: José Cabarrocas; Joaquín de Rojas; Gustavo Pérez Jacomino; José
B. Skidmore; Joaquin Añorga; Manuel G.Migoya; and Salvador Massip.
Sergeant of Arms: Akiba Solomon.
The club currently has 43 active members.
Directors and some members of the Club
Since its inception the Rotary Club of Matanzas has been
working actively to improve moral, intellectual and material of the city,
most notably for children.
To list all works of collective benefits conducted by the Club or which were
due to its initiatives would be extremely tedious.
It is sufficient to cite only a few, by way of examples:
The sustained campaign for greater care of children in schools;
the distribution of clothes and shoes among these children;
the settlement of several city streets, some of which were repaired with
money raised by Rotarians;
the introduction of a series of popular science and literary creations at
the children's playground "Felix Casas";
the restoration of the Institution of Cuba Explorers (Boy Scouts);
all the summer school holidays where 40 or 50 anemic children were taken and
nourished;
or lymph pre-tuberculosis drives for rural folk, giving them abundant and
healthy food.
To cover the costs of this last work, the Club organized various festivals
each year and conducted a raffle based on the plan from the national
lottery, which left more than $2400, in addition to the value of the three
prizes given, which consisted of a house and two cars.
It is fair to acknowledge that the Rotary Club of Matanzas has been able to carry out many
works of public service, because both the authorities and society of Matanzas, have always appealed
to the Rotarians, helping them to better their businesses.
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