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Rotary celebrated its 100th birthday on June 10th and what a GRAND night it was!

The party was held at the Saint Paul Hotel which was also celebrating its centennial year. As Rotarians and guests mingled during the social hour, they were entertained by the Moudly Figs. When the doors to the ballroom opened everyone found their seats. President Doug Hartford stepped to the podium and welcomed all to our birthday party, the culmination of our year-long centennial celebration. He introduced a number of special guests including current District Governor Newell Krogmann, Assistant DG Dave Hanson, several past District Governors and two of the three finalists for our first Century Scholarship. Carol Bufton gave the invocation after which a delicious dinner was served. Judge John Guthmann served as the MC for the evening's festivities. The theme was "Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow." John announced he was going to begin "at the beginning." He brought out volume 1 of our history book and began reading.

A comotion in the back of the room moved Sergeant Jerry Faletti to investigate and he soon brought the troublemaker to the podium.  The source of the disturbance was a young man from the east - a Mr R. (Rip) Van Harris  who it seems had just emerged from a time warp.  Mr Harris, a representative of the Rock of Ages quarry in Barre Vermont had come to town in 1910 to meet with Fred Listoe - a local undertaker and charter member of St. Paul Rotary.  He had booked a romm at the newlt opened St. Paul Hotel and planned to meet Mr. Listoe and the newly formed St. Paul Rotary Club the next day.

Through some quirk in the universe he awoke 100 years later, looked out his window and realized something had changed.  An inquiry of the desk clerk provided the information that the Rotary Club was meeting in the hotel at that very moment and so the young man set out to see if he could locate Mr Listoe.  We also learned that he had been referred to St. Paul Rotary by his uncle, Paul Harris.  A fact soon confirmed by an amazing call to Judge Guthmann's cell phone!

In seeking to bring Mr Harris up to date on what had happend during his 100-year nap, members and guests were treated to a light-hearted and intereting history of St. Paul Rotary's first 100 years.  Presenters included President Doug Hartford, Past Rotary International Director Jerry Meigs and Vice President-elect Doug Bruce.  There was a great sigh of relief at having been spared the reading of the history book!

Following the program, members all received their "birthday" presents - the newly completed volume two of the Club history book.