Club History

Rotary Club of Calgary at Stampede Park Timeline

1955 - The "Rotary Club of Manchester" chartered; first President Harry Cleven, 44 members 

1957 - Club location moved from Palliser Hotel to "Fort Calgary House," Stampede Park

1968 - Club name changed from "Rotary Club of Manchester" to "Rotary Club of South Calgary,” later in 1991, “Rotary Club of Calgary South"

1972 - Tree Planting initiated by Bob Dawson for new members and in remembrance

1974 - International Youth Exchange; first Inbound and Outbound students

1977 - Stampede Dream Home lottery replaces garage sales as Club's primary fundraiser

1978 - First District Governor from our Club, Bob Dawson; Gardie Shaw, 1984-85; Ken Copithorne, 2004-05

1979 - "Rotary House" replaced "Fort Calgary House" as Club meeting place (on same site); initiated Welcome Song “We are glad you’re here….”

1980 - First New Member’s Auction to raise funds for Club operations

1987 - First women admitted to Rotary;  First woman in Calgary South, 1998; the spouses of Calgary South members first called themselves Inner Wheel, then Rotary Anns, and in 1998 "Rotaty Partners"

1996 - 87th Rotary International Convention held in Calgary, influential Club members were Gardie Shaw and George (Curly) Galbraith; 25,000 in attendance

2000 - George Adam, Charter Member, recognized as custodian of our records and our Archives

2003 - Opening of Rotary Challenger Park

2004 - Publication of Club History, Manchester to Calgary South, 1955-2005: Rotary Fellowship in Action, Peter Penner published, 385 pages (only 500 copies and an overrun printed, 400 copies distributed; the remainder kept for new members until they run out; no copies for sale)

2016 - Split 'Em 50 lottery ticket sales are added to our existing Dream Home ticket campaign during the Calgary Stampede

2018 - Craig Stokke leads a successful bid to host the 2025 Rotary International Convention in Calgary

2019: The Rotary Club of Calgary South changes its name to: The Rotary Club of Calgary at Stampede Park