Whitnall Park
Rotary
"Service Above Self"
Serving
Greendale, Greenfield, Hales Corners and Muskego - Wisconsin
Since 1975
Our Club - Celebrating 33 Years in 2008
Our club represents Greendale,
Greenfield, Hales Corners and Muskego - Wisconsin. Our communities are
located in the southwest area of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. Milwaukee
is just 10 to 13 miles northwest of our communities.
Our club membership includes, doctors, attorneys, advertising agency people,
clergy, professional photography, investment advisors, architects, city
engineers, cargo specialists, communications/consultants, insurance agents and
specialists, librarians, bankers, CPAs, manufacturers representatives, mortgage
brokers, automotive executives, healthcare administrators, media consultants,
and retired business people.
We meet at: Klemmer's Banquet Center -
103rd and Oklahoma
Ave.
Greenfield, Wisconsin
Club Mailing Address:
Whitnall Park Rotary Club
P.O. Box 62
Hales Corners, WI 53130
Telephone: 414-321-9595 -
Club secretary - Terri Delke - stargeorge@hotmail.com
Rotary
District: 6270
Club
Officers and Contact Information:
Club President - Bob Hollman –
414-870-6166 – bobh@thepark.net
President-Elect – Gilbert Frenn – 414-321-1335 – Gilbert@Frenphotography.Com
Secretary - Terri Delke – 414-321-9595 - Stargeorge@hotmail.com
Treasurer – Michael Eckl – 414-525-3278 – Michael.Eckl@associatedbank.com
Sergeant-at-Arms
& Webmaster – James Helminski – 414-425-7749 – Jhelmi@tds.net
Past President -
Jack Williams - 414-529-0239 – jbwilliams@milwpc.com
Club History -
Whitnall Park Rotary Club
1975-2000
In March of 1975 competing bankers Bert Hallman and Richard Kelly, had a
brainstorm. Why not, they said, have a member club of the world’s best service
organization in Hales Corners?
Enlisting the help of the West Allis Rotary Club, they contacted other area
business and professional leaders. That resulted in the Hales Corners Rotary
Club, which was chartered on April 16th of 1975.
The first meetings of the fledgling club were held at the Peddler’s Son
restaurant on Highway 100 in Hales Corners. Hallman served as president, Kelly
as vice-president and a young accountant named Nolan was the treasurer.
Among the charter members were a retail floral store operator, an insurance
agency owner, a real estate salesperson, a travel agency owner, a dentist, a
lawyer and a funeral director.
The West Allis club showed itself to be fully supportive of the new club.
Monies were donated so that the district could be a 10000 Rotary Foundation
donor. The bell, gavel and banner were donated also. Other clubs in then District
627 donated cash as well. By June 30th of 1975 the membership totaled 23.
In July 1977, the club decided that the name “Hales Corners” was too
restrictive, especially in view of the residences and/or business locations of
the members. Accordingly the present name “Whitnall Park Rotary Club” was
adopted.
Over the ensuing 25 years, WPRC showed itself to be among the most dynamic and
motivated clubs in the District. The members pitched in to perform a variety of
projects and functions.
Fund-raising events usually ended with unplanned social get-togethers which
added to a feeling of camaraderie that still persists today.
One of the events that many members remember most fondly is the Breakfast with
Santa held for several years in December. In 1984, that became the craft fair,
held at Whitnall High School. It now is the club’s primary fundraiser. It later
expanded to an Easter time fair complete with Easter Bunny and Belgian waffles.
An earlier project consisted of renting garden plots to city folk who had no
yards of their own.
In the late 1980’s a drastic change took place. not just in this club but all
over the United States. The Supreme Court, in a landmark decision, decided that
membership in Rotary clubs was of such general value and in such public esteem
that restrictions on gender were unlawful.
Accordingly women were soon becoming members all over the country. Whitnall
Park Rotary was no exception, and it soon became evident that we had been
missing a whole lot of talent and energy.
A tradition in the club’s calendar was the Changing of the Guard dinner, which
came to be one of the outstanding social events of the WPRC year. Each year the
chairperson of the event sought to outdo his (later his or her) predecessor in
menu and entertainment.
One of the more satisfying projects, which the club undertook, arose from the
club’s name. A bridge at the arboretum in the garden area at Whitnall Park was
needed for handicapped access. The ultimate finishing and dedication of an
artistic and virtually handmade span was the highlight of the year.
Over the years the club has taken pride in making donations to a variety of
local and international activities. Support of organizations like Little
League, Boy and Girl Scouts, Post prom parties, DARE presentations and similar
projects was given from the funds raised during the year.
Internationally, WPRC supported PolioPlus, the Rotary-inspired campaign to
eradicate poliomyelitis throughout the world, as well as donating to projects
like the digging of wells or the construction of low-cost housing in depressed
areas throughout the world.
A list of the past presidents of the club includes a minister, a former army
fighter pilot, three lawyers, five bankers, a dentist, a manufacturer’s
representative and a veterinarian, among others. Each of these lent his
or her own stamp of leadership to the club.
The club has always met at noon on Tuesdays. In keeping with Rotary
tradition worldwide, noon meetings end promptly at 1:30 so that the members can
return to work.
Meetings generally include a talk or presentation from persons or organizations
as varied as charities, local businesses, public projects and personalities.
Field trips occasionally replaced of the meeting. A first-hand look at St.
Josaphat’s Basilica, a trip to the control tower at Mitchell International
Airport and a visit to the schooner-building project at the lakefront were
among the more memorable.
Documented by George Weber
Written: June 2000 - for the 25th anniversary of our club
Paul
Harris Fellows: (51 "Fellows")
|
Robert Nolan - 1983 |
Larry Downer - 1985 |
Jim Bell - 1988 |
|
Bill Borgwardt - 1988 |
Harry Grossert - 1988 |
Jim McBurney - 1988 |
|
Jim Thorsen - 1988 |
Bill Godsell - 1989 |
Bill Kritter - 1990 |
|
Jim Bluemel - 1991 |
Gerry Hibbard - 1991 |
Frank Coulter - 1992 |
|
Henry Poehler - 1992 |
Bill Jones - 1993 |
Russ Klug - 1993 |
|
Ed Ballard - 1994 |
John Bennett - 1994 |
Ron Noeske - 1994 |
|
Joe Cronin - 1995 |
Dave Edquist - 1995 |
George Kaiser - 1996 |
|
Judy Kritter - 1996 |
George Weber -
1996
|
John Beckwith - 1997 |
|
Dick Demien - 1997 |
Gary Grobner - 1997 |
Jane Zielinski - 1997 |
|
Linda Greenfield - 1998 |
John Movroydis - 1998 |
Dick Riebs - 1998 |
|
Roger Brinkmeier - 1999 |
Tom Haarmann - 1999 |
Glenn Lemmenes - 1999 |
|
Glen O'Malley - 1999 |
Bill Banach - 2000 |
Bill Frey - 2000 |
|
Dennis Sampson - 2000 |
Gary Grobner - 2001 |
Larry Myers - 2001 |
|
Doug Nalbert - 2001 |
Betty Bell - 2002 |
Priscilla Riebs - 2002 |
|
Terri Delke - 2003 |
Paul Kaiser - 2003 |
Gene Kramer - 2003 |
|
Kathy O'Brien - 2004 |
Joan Stevens - 2004 |
Gloria Brinkmeier - 2005 |
|
Cyndi Fortier - 2005 |
Jim Helminski - 2005 |
Bob Holman - 2005 |
|
Roger Clark - 2006 |
Frank Coulter (2nd) –2006 |
Kris Simpson - 2006 |
|
Caroline Andrejat – 2007 |
Larry Feinstein – 2007 |
Kay Nolan - 2007 |
|
Don Schwartz – 2007 |
Laura Wilcox - 2007 |
|
Four
Avenues of Service Award:
|
Bob Hollman - 2006 |
Club Past Presidents:
|
Bert
Hallmann - 1975-76 |
Dick Kelly -
1975-76
|
Jim McBurney
- 1975-76 |
|
Don
Theissenhusen - 1976-77 |
Bert Kuhn -
1977-78 |
Larry Downer
- 1978-79 |
|
Warren
Sibley - 1979-80 |
Mel Schmidt
- 1980-81 |
Bob Nolan -
1981-82 |
|
Bill Godsell
- 1982-83 |
Donald
Ustruck - 1983-84 |
Don Hilbert -
1984-85 |
|
Ken
Martinsek - 1985-86 |
Bill Kritter - 1986-87
|
Gerry
Hibbard - 1987-88 |
|
Harry
Grossert - 1988-89 |
Frank
Coulter - 1989-90 |
Henry
Poehler - 1990-91 |
|
Jim Thorsen
- 1991-92 |
Russ Klug -
1992-93 |
John Bennett
- 1993-94 |
|
Dave Edquist
- 1994-95 |
George
Kaiser - 1995-96 |
John
Beckwith - 1996-97 |
|
Linda
Greenfield - 1997-98 |
Gary Grobner
- 1998-99 |
John
Movroydis - 1999-2000 |
|
Dennis
Sampson - 2000-01 |
Glenn
Lemmenes - 2001-02 |
Larry Myers
- 2002-03 |
|
Bob Nolan - 2003-04 |
Terri Delke
- 2004-05 |
Paul Kaiser
- 2005-06 |
|
Jim
Helminski 2006-07 |
Jack
Williams 2007-08 |
|
Created: September 2005
Revised: July 14, 2008
Web Connection: WPR@WhitnallParkRotary.Org