Charter Members
SIXTY-THREE YEARS OF SERVICE ABOVE SELF
In the fall of 1952, Butler Rotary was interested in sponsoring a Rotary for the Pequannock Township area including Pompton Plains and the Boroughs of Lincoln Park and Riverdale. A committee from Butler Rotary comprised of Al Arnold, Doug C. Francisco, Carl Hesse, Joe Speaker and Gordon Winslow met with a group from Pequannock-Pompton Plains which included Howard Creed, Steve Gerace, Ray LeBoeuf and Joe Schmidt to study the formation of a Rotary Club in Pequannock Township.
This group met during the following year, recruited members and made plans that resulted in the Provisional Pequannock Valley Rotary Club being formally organized on November 11. 1953. Douglas C. Francisco, representing both Butler Rotary & Rotary International, presided.
Pequannock Valley Rotary’s application for admission, with 22 charter members, was approved by Rotary on January 9, 1954.
Howard Creed was elected President, Richard Drukker, Jr. Vice President; Whit Francisco, Treasurer, Stanley Richards, Secretary and Hans Gropp, Sergeant at Arms. Additional Directors were Arthur Jansen, Thomas E. Miller and Nathan Rubenstein. A list of charter members and their vocations as listed on the application for recognition covered a cross section of the community appears below.
Warren F. Arata, 1st Nat. Bank of Bloomingdale, Mt. View Office
William J. Carlton, Carlton & Smith Printing
Howard W. Creed, Creed Real Estate
Richard Drukker, Jr., Sand and Gravel
Whit Francisco, Fuel Oil
Steven J. Gerace, Superintendent, Pequannock Township Schools
Charles F. Glabau, Painting and Decorating
Hans Gropp, Triangle Hofbrau
Arthur Jansen, Structural Engineering
Raymond E. LaBouuf, , LaBoeuf & Gaffney Agency – Insurance
John N. Lanthier, Sunset Supply, Water Works Machinery Mfg.
Thomas E. Miller, Physician and Surgeon
Allen J. Pellett, General Contracting
Frederick B. Pridmore, General Law Practice
Stanley Richards, Richards Meat Market – Meat Retailing
Peter J. Rooney, Rooney’s Tavern
Nathan Rubenstein, Dentistry
Jack Schmutz, Sunset Supply, Water Works Machinery Mfg.
Joseph Schmidt, Electrical Construction
Albert M. Striker, Van Ness Lumber Co.
George Umstadter, Plumbing
The fall of 2015, we will celebrate the 64th Anniversary of the beginning of our service to our communities. We remember and honor the charter members of Pequannock Valley Rotary for embracing the spirit of Rotary and leaving a legacy that thrives today.
(Originally written by Steven J. Gerace; annotated by W. Jay Wanczyk.)
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