The Rotary Club of Thomasville just held its 100th year club celebration. The celebration highlighted the many accomplishments over the years and the role that Rotary has played in the community.
The club started when brothers Rhydon Mays and Crawford Mays “agitated” (as is noted in the club’s annals) to start a club. Its organizing members were Rhydon Mays, Ed Jerger, Hansel Watt, R.C. Balfour Jr. and J.B. Jemison, who was the first club president. There were 20 charter members of the club.
According to the president Wayne Newsome, “This club has a legacy of service, a legacy of achievement, a legacy of leadership in our community,” One of the accomplishments during our 100th year under the leadership of Past President John Brown was the completion of the Will Watt Peace Plaza and fountain at the Courtyard by Marriott. This also ties into the Georgia Rotary Student Program's 75th anniversary celebration - fitting since GRSP got its start in Thomasville under the direction of PDG Will Watt.
Service Above Self is the heartbeat of all that this club has done over this past century. The club brought aboard its first Black member, C.W. McIver, in the 1970s, and in 1995 made Marta Turner, the first female member and in 1999, made Fran Milberg its first female president. Past District Governor Fran said, “I just can’t imagine what Thomasville would be like without the Rotary Club.”
Cheers to 100 more years!