About Us:

The Vermilion Rotary Club was chartered on October 31st, 1928 (CLUB # 3514).

The Vermilion Rotary Club was chartered in 1928. George Garthe and Paul Brown, from the Lorain Rotary Club, were active in calling on the business and professional men in town to try and get enough to form a club. In November of 1928 the club was chartered with 18 members, who were as follows: A.D. Baumhart Jr., Harry Coe, Charles Decker, Win Eastwood, Earl English, Albert Hart, E.J. Heinig, Myron Englebry, H.B. Kishman, Norman Ness, M. Okagi, Miles Lawless, Karl Shimanski, F.W. Wakefield, Harry Wheal, Earl Welch, and Francis Wilson. The first officers were Albert Hart, President; M. Okagi, Vice-President; Earl Welch, Secretary-Treasurer.

The Club met on Wednesday noon at the Old Congregational Church on Main Street for the first twenty years. Lunch was served by various church Ladies' committees at 50 cents per meal. After 1949 meetings were held at various restaurants over the years, from Knotty Pine, Matt's, Elberta Inn, Marina at Ruggles, E&R Church and finally to McGarvey's.The meeting stayed at this site for many years. In 1953 the 25th anniversary Party was held at the Antlers Hotel in Lorain, with George Kress at the Helm of Presidency. In 1978 the 50th anniversary was celebrated at the Great Lakes Marine Museum. Bill Jones was president at that time.

Some of the projects supported by the Vermilion Rotary Club have continued up to today, and then again, some have gone by the wayside as the club has picked up new projects to fund.

Every year, Rotary International President, a one fiscal year term, picks a theme of his choice. In 1981, the theme was "Take Time to Serve."