BRIEF HISTORY OF OUR CLUB
Rotary Internal Club #1079, chartered on January 29, 1931, is one of the oldest and most respected service clubs in Utah. As of July 1, 2020 membership stands at 64 active members and 7 honorary members.
In January 1931, when the Rotary Club of St. George was first chartered, there were 18 original members of the club. Below is a list of the charter officers and the members who started Rotary in Utah's Dixie.
Charter Officers
C. W. Love, Jr., President
Milton E. Moody, Vice-President
John Stauffer, Secretary
H. C. Thomas, Treasurer
Charter Members
George W. Hail
Charles E. Bowler
Hyrum C. Thomas
Joseph S. Snow
Frank E. Miller
Chester A. Kemp
Donald A. McGregor
Milton E. Moody
Charles W. Love, Jr.
Joseph J. Milne
John Stauffer
Ellis J. Pickett
LeRoy H. Cox
Wilford J. Reichmann
Gordon Mathis
Dr. Francis Campbell
H. T. Atkin
Walter F. Smith
The most notable projects in SGR’s 80-plus-year history include creating safe, vented stoves in Guatemala, our international project, focused on bringing improved air quality and relief from poverty to the Mayan people located in this Central American country. the creation of the Dixie Rotary Bowl, known as the nation’s premiere junior college bowl game was another remarkable SGR project; and SGR's Dictionary Project has resulted in the distribution of more than 15,000 dictionaries to 3rd grade students in Washington County schools during its 14 year history. In the past, our club also partnered with Dixie State University to develop the 7-acre Encampment Mall on the university campus and partnered with the City of St. George in the creation of the Rotary SK8 Park.
The Rotary Club of St. George is also proud to have had six members to serve as Past District Governors for District 5420 (Utah Rotary) They are Eldon McArthur, RY 1987-88 (deceased), Doug Quayle, RY 1989-90 (deceased), Sterling Spafford, RY 1996-97 (deceased), Jim Coleman, RY 2000-01, Gilbert Trujillo, RY 2010-11; and Linda Sappington, RY2020-21.
Rotary Club of St. George Pedigree
In 1931, Rotary Club of St. George, Utah was sponsored by Rotary Club of Cedar City, Utah which was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Salt Lake City, which was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Oakland, California, which was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Chicago–Club One.