Rotary Club of Oneonta

At a meeting of the Rotary Club of Oneonta, NY, held January 26, 1922 the application for a charter in Rotary International was signed by the following members of the club:  R. Bruce Colburn-Retail Cothing. Earle P. Elmore-Wholesale Grain and Feed. W. S Finigan-Retail Grocer. Howard W. Flhrer-Telephone. Harold R. Ford-Wholesale Grain and Feeds.  Herbert C. Getman-Retail Coal Dealer.  Frank M Gurney-Civil Engineer.  A. E. Hewell-Banker.  Everett Hicks-Commerical Organization Secretary.. J. Barton Lane-Retail Ice Dealer.  William H. Lunn-Retail Ice Dealer. David H. Mills-Surgeon.  Edward W. Rucker, Jr-Wholesale Grain and Feed, add'l active.  John A Sitts-Automobile Dealer.  Chas. J. VanDeusen-Life Insurance.  Eugene L. Ward-Retail Jewler.  Jerry B. Wilson-Wholesale Paper Dealer.  Ralph S. Wyckoff-Retail Florist.

At a previos meeting of the organization held January 12, 1922, the following were elected directors of the club: Earle Elmore, Herb Getman, Frank Gurney, Everett Hicks, David Mills, John Sitts, and Ralph Wyckoff.

The directors met for organization on the same date and elected the following officers:  Pres. Earle Elmore, Vice Pres. David Mills, Secretary Everett Hicks,Treasurer Herb Getman and Sergeant-at-arms John Sitts - so started the Oneonta Rotary Club.

The ball really started rolling 3 years previous when Earle Elmore was exposed to the atmosphere of the Binghamton Rotary Club.  At that time, Earle thought it would be a nice plan to have some sort of a luncheon club in Oneonta.

He approached Herb Getman and a couple of other fellows relative to the proposition, and in 1921 there was officially organized the "CAMELS"-why camel?  Purely the urge of high-pressure advertising in the matter of cigarette smoking.  The company responsible for the production of the Camel cigarette had succeeded in getting a utilitarian monopoly so far as the "walkamile" variety was concerned in Oneonta.  Kilkenny's upstairs on Broad Street used to be the place of weekly assembly as some fifteen or sixteen men gathered around the noon luncheon table on Thursdays to indulge in the atmosphere of friendly congeniality and to inhale the exhilarating aroma of a Camel or two. 

About 1921 the Binghamton Rotary Club began to cast around in Oneonta for an embryo Rotary group.  Through the smoke of a Thursday's luncheon meeting one week came the impressive propoganada of Messrs. Deisinger and Dillon of the fair Chenango city of Binghamton.  Incidentally, Binghamton should have been the metropolis of Central New York to adopt the Indian head as its official municipal insignia, but the Womens Clubs were not on their toes, so Oneonta's feminine fancy furiously claimed the Indian profile for Otsego, and Oneonta became the city of the Hills.

After innumerable trips to Oneonta, the spirit of Rotary became sufficiently imbedded in the Camel Club, unil it was voted by the club membership to apply for a chartered in Rotary International.  The names of Howard Fluhrer and Jerry Wilson were added to the Camel"s roster at the time the group affiliated with Rotary.  So began Oneonta Rotay's beginning od "Service Above Self".