Club History  //  Chartered December 1st, 1916 

   
 
   
Chartered December 1, 1916
 
The oldest and largest club in the district, the Rotary Club of Charlotte has been serving the Queen City for nearly 92 years. It was the fourth NC club established following Raleigh and Wilmington, and Asheville. Many clubs in District 7680 were sponsored by Charlotte Rotary including Gastonia, Mooresville, Statesville, Monroe, Shelby, Wadesboro, Albemarle, West Jefferson-Jefferson, Mount Holly and Dilworth. It was a co-sponsor of eight other Charlotte clubs.

The Charlotte Rotary Club Certificate (at right)

Twenty-two RI presidents have visited the club including Paul Harris who in April, 1939, planted a tree from the soil of Illinois on the grounds of the Mint Museum of Art. (In 1959, a pruning from the English walnut - which is still very much alive - was made into three gavels: one for the Rotary Club of Chicago (the first club), one for the RI president and one for our club. Three other RI presidents have participated in tree plantings a long-time and successful club project -- restocking trees in the city's public places.

Notable projects include establishing a Student Loan/Scholarship Fund (now used by Central Piedmont Community College students), establishing a Juvenile Court, creating the Crippled Children's Clinic (now the Charlotte Institute for Rehabilitation), and establishing the annual local Boy Scout Show (which moves this year to Erricson Stadium, home of the Carolina Panthers). More than 250 club members have become Paul Harris Fellows.

Current number of members: 314, plus 16 honorary members.