Rotary is a worldwide organization of more than 1.2 million business, professional, and community leaders. Members of Rotary clubs, known as Rotarians, provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. There are 33,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas. Clubs are nonpolitical, nonreligious,
and open to all cultures, races, and creeds. As signified by the motto Service Above Self, Rotary’s main objective is service — in the community, in the workplace, and throughout the world. The Rotary Foundation
The mission of The Rotary Foundation is to enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty. The Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation supported solely by voluntary contributions from Rotarians and friends of the Foundation who share its vision of a better world. The Trenton Rotary Club is a supporter of the Rotary Foundation with 100% membership participation. The History of the Trenton Rotary Club
Found in an early journal of the Trenton Rotary Club:
Before the club was started in 1940, Trenton had a Business Men’s group that met Once a week at night at Mrs. The purpose of the group was to promote Trenton and at a meeting on January 4th 1940, John Choate, who was president of the Farmers and Merchants Bank, presided over the meeting and organizing a Trenton Rotary Club was discussed. It was stated that a Rotary Club to a community tends to make the community a more friendly one by promoting genial fellowship and thoughtfulness of others. The Gainesville Rotary Club became interested in sponsoring a club in Trenton and E.T. Batther who managed the Southern Bell Telephone Co. district office in Gainesville and who spearheaded getting Trenton’s new and mdern automatic dialing telephone exchange established,came—over for an evening meeting at J.F. Haigler’s home and discussed to the several men present certain steps to take toward creating a Rotary Club in Trenton. Satcher and ’Neal Cox of the Cox furniture Co., came to a meeting of the Business Men’s Club in Trenton and spoke in behalf of establishing a Rotary Club in Trenton. President Choate told those present that plans are being carried out in obtaining a Rotary Charter for the club and it shouldn’t be much longer until the charter is granted by the Rotary International. President Choate appointed County Agent, A.S. Laird; Fair Stone Owner, William Lazarus and Trenton Methodist Church Minister, Eldon Simmons to a committee to formulate plans. On March 28, 1940, it was decided that the Rotary Charter would be presented to the trenton Rotary Club April Bth 1940, John Choate was elected President and J.F. Haigler of the Trenton Coca—Cola Bottling Co. was Vice—President. The charter was presented to Trenton Rotary Club at the Hotel Thomas in Gainesville on April 8th 1940. The Officers were: John Choate, President; J.F. Haigler, V—Pres.; Asa L. Harllee, Secretary; Horace Arrington, Treasurer; C.E. Burkhardt, sergeant—at—arms; S.S. Laird, Archie Brown and S.B. Hardee members of the Board of Directors. Other Charter members of the club were: Hugh Hendrix, William Lazarus, F.Q. May, Earl Miller, J.C. Rowell and Eldon Simmons. Address and Presentation of Charter was made by District Governor James A. Franklin of the Fort Myers Rotary Club. Presentation of Gong and Gavel was by O'Neal Cox, President of the Gainesville Rotary club. A Program of entertainment and dinner was enjoyed.
