• To the Rotary Club of Traverse City, which is celebrating 100 years of service to the region. It was chartered in May 1920, just 15 years after the first Rotary Club was formed in Chicago.

Some projects over the years: In 1989 Rotary took on the Park Place Hotel, completed a total renovation in 1991, and sold it to Regency Hotel Ventures. In 1997, Rotary started to fund and stabilize the State Theatre until 2012. Today, Rotary has 50 different committee projects ongoing.

Past Rotary Charities Executive Director Marsha Smith feels that outstanding leadership may be one of Rotary’s greatest gifts to the community. 

“I believe that the true legacy of Rotary and Rotary Charities has been the leadership it has provided to the community. And how Rotary leaders have served as role models to others in the practice of caring, committed, and balanced civic leadership,” Smith said.

There’s more to come, too, from the club and separate-but-related Rotary Charities said Executive Director Becky Ewing. The planned Rotary Square project will honor the club’s 100 years, and the foundation put $1 million toward making it a reality.

Club President Homer Nye said he’s proud of the difference the Rotary Club has made in Traverse City in the past century.

“It’s almost like a time for the club to come together and say, ‘By golly, good things have happened and we’ve been a part of it,’” he said

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