CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF SERVICE - REMEMBRANCES OF DENNIS S. FULMER, PRESIDENT 1997-1998

 

Our club’s membership stood at a strong 319 in 1997-98 so no special efforts were needed to encourage new membership. Our average weekly attendance was about 80%, or about 255 member attendees per week at the downtown Hilton Hotel. Attendance requirements were enforced and recognition was given to those with perfect attendance.

 

Several memorable programs that year included Richard Hokenson, Kenneth Blackwell, Mayor Richard Watkins, Timken executive Robert Leibensperger and several other local business executives.

 

Notable service projects included Joe Guenther, Marti Stockdale, Bill Clarke and Dave Schoen purchasing a used school bus and filling it with school supplies to donate to an orphanage in Managua, Nicaragua. Member Craig Young completely refurbished the bus and had it repainted, all at his own expense.

 

Jody Levitt chaired the Neighborhood Action Program known as the NAP House. Barb Dreussi operated this project which helped many families in Canton’s near NW neighborhood.

 

Our club paid for half the cost of a new Habitat for Humanity house using funds remaining from the “Guns Off The Street” Program, with the other half being raised by the Canton Police Department and the F.B.I. This effort was chaired by Gary Zink. We also built a playground near Heritage Christian School, a project chaired by Jill Hutsel.

 

In addition we completed the Entrance Arch at what became the First Ladies Library Park. This project started during President Joe Halter Jr.’s term.

Pancake Day raised $20,341; Canton Rotary Charitable Fund raised $16,435; Silent Auction at Pancake Day $4,864, and Holiday Card Sales netted $3,544.

 

At District Conference competition our club won the Robert Manchester Award for “Jobs for Ohio’s Graduates of Greater Canton (JOGS)", as well as the District Governor’s Citation for Outstanding Performance on the Club Activity Report.

 

I was honored to attend the RI Convention in Glasgow, Scotland. This was my first trip to Europe and my first RI Convention. I enjoyed meeting Rotarians from around the globe who were enthusiastically committed to improving the world through their Rotary service.

 

In 1997-98 the world economies were doing well and it was a relatively peaceful time. The technology bubble was raging on Wall Street and Tom Vignos would always ask me the price of AOL shares.

 

Joe Halter asked me to serve as his vice president and my year as president went very quickly because so many members were willing to help me serve our Rotary club. Jan Baker was the President’s Administrator that year and did an outstanding job for me and our club. Our offices were in the Bliss Tower.

 

Dennis Saunier sponsored me into Rotary and I joined initially to meet other business people in the area. Since then I have sponsored Laura Jo Hawk and Nick Perini. I have been greatly influenced by very many Canton Rotarians.

 

I have seen several notable changes in Rotary since becoming a member. The downtown population of business owners and professionals has shrunk which has hurt our membership potential. Our members are less actively involved in committees than before. The Rotary Scouts project has very little active involvement from Canton Rotarians now.

 

I especially enjoy my expanded circle of friends and contacts formed through Rotary. I believe it is important to remember that Rotary initiates and implements lots of very unique and effective service projects due to the wide range of talents that our members possess.

 

In 100 years I think caring members in our community will still want to be members of Rotary. This was a great year for me and I am very grateful I had the opportunity to serve as President of “The Finest Rotary Club in the World.”  

 

Respectfully submitted,

Dennis S. Fulmer

President, 1997-1998