MESQUITE ROTARY CLUB HISTORY

A Short Essay from John Todd:

Rotary’s beginnings in Mesquite …During the June 1958 convention held at Dallas by Rotary International, a hospitality gathering was hosted by Dr. Sam Scothorn, physician and prominent Rotarian, at his home, attended by a group of convention delegates.  During a discussion of Rotary’s expansion in Texas, Dr. Scothorn conceived the idea of forming a club in fast-growing Mesquite, which then had a population of about 25,000.  He shared the idea with another Rotarian, past district governor Briggs Todd, who had taken the lead in organizing the East Dallas Rotary Club a decade earlier.  With enthusiastic support of several other Dallas County Rotarians, they began contacting prospective members for the club to be established at Mesquite.  It became part of Rotary’s District 5810.

Because a significant number of the club’s charter members were recruited at the newly-opened Big Town Shopping Center, the club was known for several years as the Rotary Club of Mesquite-Big Town.  Its first meeting was held in January 1959.  Frank W. Blackbourn, manager of the Volk Bros. apparel store, served as president for 1959-60, followed by Montgomery Ward manager Bill Davis in 1960-61.  Also among the early presidents was Udell Geers, the Woolworth’s store manager at Big Town.  James Cash Penney, founder of the big merchandise chain which opened a Big Town store, was the featured speaker a few weeks after the club was formed. 

Before relocating to the DAC Country Club, where weekly meetings are now held, Rotarians met first at the Holiday Inn for their lunchtime programs, then over at Eastfield College.

The club’s president in 1980-81, John B. Todd, joined Mesquite Rotary in October, 1970 when the roster included J. Henry Smith, Udell Geers and the only two charter members.  His father and his cousin, Briggs Todd and Dr. Scothorn, respectively, had been the principal organizers.  John’s brother-in-law Ron Price, also became a Rotarian in 1970.  Len Gibbons joined shortly after in 1970.

KEY FACTS THAT MIGHT BE USED AS “WHEREAS” POINTS:

The Mesquite Rotary Club was organized in 1959 through the efforts of  Dallas area Rotarians Briggs Todd and Dr. Sam Scothorn.

The club was initially called the Mesquite-Big Town Rotary Club since many of the charter members were retailers working at the new Big Town Shopping Mall, the first air conditioned mall to open in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

The club’s first meetings were held in January of 1959, and 1959-60 was its first Rotary year of existence.

The club has met in several locations, including the Holiday Inn, Eastfield College, and at the Dallas Athletic Club.

Members of the club who have worked for the benefit of the area community, and for the benefit of people all over the world through Rotary International, have included leaders in local municipal government, education, banking, insurance, real estate, retailing, restaurant, service businesses, and more.

The club is organized, as are all Rotary clubs, to promote the ideal of “Service Above Self.”

Rotary clubs are designed to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world.

Members work in the four Rotary “Avenues of Service,” including serving the needs of the club, the community, vocations, and the international community.

Early fundraisers utilized by the Mesquite Rotary Club included the annual fall “Turkey Shoot,” sponsoring carnivals, and parking cars at area events and festivals.

The club’s current signature fundraising event, the Rodeo Bike Ride, was first organized in 1995 by the 1994-95 president Steve Whitworth, and was produced in collaboration with the Mesquite Service League for the first three years.

More than 700 cyclists attended the first Rodeo Bike Ride in 1995, and 1,050 were attracted to the event in 1996.

After a two-year hiatus in 1998 and 1999, the club became the sole producer of the Rodeo Bike Ride, returning it to the area’s cycling calendar in 2000.

The Mesquite Rotary Club’s annual Rodeo Bike Ride has grown to an annual ridership averaging 1,700, and has become a signature event for Mesquite each June.

The success of the Rodeo Bike Ride has enabled the Mesquite Rotary Club to provide strong support to the area community, and in support of Rotary International efforts.

The club has been a strong supporter of Rotary International’s “Polio Plus” vaccination campaign to eradicate polio worldwide.

The club has supported Rotary International’s efforts to provide clean water for citizens in Third World countries.

The club has donated to support schools and hospitals in South Africa.

The club has sponsored a Rotary International Scholarship recipient in completing a master’s degree abroad.

The club has provided $1,500 college scholarships to deserving students from Mesquite ISD high schools and Dallas Christian School for many years.

The club has sent area high school students to the acclaimed Rotary District 5810 Youth Leadership Award Camp, or Camp RYLA, for many years.

The club has donated funds to support area institutions such as Mesquite Social Services, Meadowview School, the Mission East Dallas Health Clinic, the Mesquite Public Health Clinic, the Mesquite Police and Fire Departments, the Mesquite Public Library, Mesquite Youth Services, the Mesquite ISD Educational Foundation, Equest, Mesquite Parks and Recreation, and more.

The club has supported the Wheelchair Foundation in its work to provide wheelchairs to physically challenged people in the Third World.

The club has sponsored international teacher exchange programs and group study exchange programs.

As a special Rotary Centennial project, the club donated $50,000 in 2005 to expand the installation of equipment designed for physically challenged children at the City of Mesquite’s “Discovery Playground” at City Lake Park.

In 2010, the club donated $24,500 to Historic Mesquite, Inc. and Keep Mesquite Beautiful to fund the reconstruction of the Webb-Crownover Log Cabin, to be used at the head of the new educational nature trail at the Opal Lawrence Historical Park in Mesquite.

The Mesquite Rotary Club has shown by its actions and good works for the past 50 years that it is a significant asset to the community, providing leadership and funding good works and projects that have greatly benefited the area and its citizens, as well as people around the world.