April, 2006 My Fellow Rotarians - Rotary's Global History Fellowship

District 6440 Histories 2005
1994-95 - Contributions have been made to the International Rotary Foundation, which allows college
students from other countries to study in the United States and students from this country to study
abroad. Gathered and sent ten tons of clothing to Bergen, Holland. Created a group called ROAR
(Rotarians of Amateur Radio).
Glencoe Rotary accomplishments since 1996-97
Glencoe Rotary continued International Rotary Foundation contributions yearly—virtually all members
contribute. The club sponsored a village-wide blood drive four times a year. Co-sponsored the Fourth of
July village-wide parade, games, and art fair celebration. Sponsored a youth softball team in the local
league.
Our small club consists primarily of local retail merchants and professionals, local government and
nonprofit organization officials, and retirees. We do not have a large commercial area within our
village—a handicap in increasing our local business membership.
We have sought out women members—now numbering four—and have had five as president since
Rotary permitted women members in the late 1980s.
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Rotary Club of Glenview Chartered March 26, 1945
The Rotary Club of Glenview was founded March 26, 1945, the 13 th club to be formed in District 6440
and only the second to be formed after World War II. In this Centennial year of Rotary International,
we in Glenview celebrate our 60 th year.
The Glenview Club Charter Members 60 years ago were: Lester W. Coons, real estate; Frank Edward
Day, manufacture; Rev. Robert A. Edgar, minister, protestant; George K. Fiske, plumbing & heating;
Theodore H. Gewecke, pharmaceutical manufacturing; Dr. Christian F. Harbeck, optometry; Alfred J.
Haupt, funeral directing; Walter J. Hoffman, municipal government; Charles Levernier, retailing,
groceries; Ray J. Nehmzow, transportation, bus; Curtis S. Newcomb, retailing, men’s wear; Carl C.
Renneckar, retailing, drug store; Adolph Roth, laundries; Frank G. Rugen, retailing, general
merchandise; Ralph Synnestvedt, architecture, landscaping; Robert L. Wyatt, real estate
Sixteen prominent men of the Glenview community (Rotary rules then did not require 25 to begin a
club) got together to do something for Glenview.
To get a picture of whom those men were, Walter Hoffman and Frank G. Rugen have had Glenview
schools named after them. The club’s first president, Clyde Lyon (interestingly not listed as a charter
member) also has a school named after him. Robert L. Wyatt was one of the founders, in 1930, of
Glenview’s public library. The Reverend Edgar was, in 1941, the first full-time pastor of the Glenview
Community Church, one of Glenview’s landmark churches. Ralph Synnestvedt, a horticulturalist and
landscape architect, discovered (created, found?) a type of plant, which will forever bear his name. The
other charter members were all prominent business and professional men, men whose names still echo in
the community 60 years following the founding of the club, many having served in various capacities in
the boards and committees of Village of Glenview.
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