The Hayward Area Rotary Club’s history in a nutshell
Back in 1983, local small talk in Hayward may have centered around the pennant-winning Milwaukee Brewers or Steven Spielberg’s box office hit “ET” or maybe even Ronald Reagan’s invasion of Grenada. But 28 Hayward businessmen and professionals also had something else on their minds that year – establishing their own local Rotary Club.
With that many committed to obtaining the necessary charter, and lots of advice and support from the Rice Lake Rotary Club, the application went in to Rotary International on June 22 that year.
During the next two months, the idea gained momentum. Count four more potential members when the Hayward club received its “welcome aboard” on Aug. 22 and then celebrated with a gala charter night event at Telmark Lodge on Nov. 5, 1983. The district governor, who couldn’t attend, was represented by the late Bob Rudiger, who soon joined the local club after moving to the area and led it as its president in 1988-89. Active to the very end, Bob died in 2008 at age 88.
Thus the Rotary Club of Hayward Area joined others in what was then the Madison district and has became one of nearly 34,000 clubs today in 161 countries with more than 1.2 million members. And two of its charter members, Pete Sanders and Bob Stuchal, are still active members of the local club.
Embracing Rotary’s basic ideal “Service above Self,” the Hayward crew soon rolled up its sleeves and made its presence and good will felt in its hometown as well as in distant lands. For example, since it began awarding scholarships to area students, the club has handed out more than $75,000 to individuals to further their education. Other major benefactors include the Shue Pond as platinum sponsor, the newly constructed Sherman and Ruth Weiss Community Library ($15,000) as our centennial project and most recently, the Park Theatre project ($12,000 for sound and lighting equipment). The total list is long and far reaching, and all these local projects would not have been possible without tireless fund-raising efforts by Hayward Rotarians.
Our community youth, in fact, are continuous benefactors of Hayward Rotary’s efforts. Each year, the club invites top high school seniors to luncheon meetings and participates in international student exchanges, hosting young students from around the world and often sending area students abroad. The club also presents every third grader in the county a colorful, illustrated dictionary each year and individual Rotarians mentor underachieving students in the club’s STRIVE program.
All these and other local projects are in addition to the many international programs undertaken to help other peoples during natural disasters or when victimized by disease, famine or contaminated water supplies.
The following are just a few “firsts” recorded by Hayward Rotarians:
1985 – First operated a food stand for skiers in the American Birkebeiner.
1986 – First year to run a beer tent during annual Musky Fest.
1986 – Launched student scholarship program, awarding $4,500 to seven students.
1989 – Barb Peickert, CEO of Hayward Memorial Area Hospital, becomes first woman to join local club.
1995-96 – Club experiences District 5960’s biggest percentage gain in membership, from 31 to 38 members.
1996 – Club members personally delivered school supplies to Costa Rica.
1996 – Hayward Rotary wins its first Presidental Citation Award from RI.
2003 – Club membership reaches 47.
