History of RCRCHistory of Richardson Central Rotary Club
as written by Richard Gilman and edited by Jim D. Pearson.
Discussion went on for several years at the Richardson Rotary Club about the need for a second club in Richardson to allow more community leaders the opportunity to join Rotary and also have a place locally to do "make-ups." Thus, Richardson Central Rotary Club was started by Tom Price in 1980 with Harry Scott serving as the first President. The provisional club of 24 Charter members elected officers on February 22 and started meeting on February 29 at Wyatt's Cafeteria. The official Rotary International Charter (dated March 21, 1980) was presented April 11 at the District Conference banquet at the Dallas Twin Sixties Inn with District Governor Nathan White, Jr. presiding. The official club logo, designed by Jim Rogers, was unanimously adopted by the board on August 26. The first annual installation banquet, chaired by L. Wayne Mayo, was held June 5, 1981 at the Canyon Creek Country Club. On September 25, 1981, the club started meeting at Taffey's Restaurant and moved again on January 15, 1987 to the Ramada Renaissance Hotel (renamed the Onmi Hotel and now called the Richardson Hotel) before moving to the Holiday Inn Select on November 30, 2001. Our last move was back to the Richardson Hotel.
The motto of Richardson's second Rotary Club is "Service is Central" and from the beginning the members have enjoyed "hands on" service projects from mentoring children at a low income elementary school to working security at the annual Richardson Christmas Parade to hosting an annual swim party / picnic for the Boys and Girls Club of Richardson. The club also has given financial support to many organizations and projects such as the Richardson Y.M.C.A., Circle Ten Council of Boy Scouts, Network of Community Ministries, Plano Children's Medical Clinic, Richardson Development Center for Children, Richardson DeMolay Chapter, Challenge Air for Kids, Richardson Fire Department, and college scholarships for vocational students. To finance these projects the club has used several past vehicles including a dinner / silent auction; automobile raffle; and more recently a giant garage and tool sale along with a raffles of a wide screen TV and Bose Surround Sound system. Currently RCRC is doing a United States flag program where U.S. flags are installed during specific holidays at residential subscribers homes. Smaller fund raising activities have included selling nuts and party mix; Queen of Hearts weekly drawing; selling ads in the club bulletin; Tri-Rotary Golf Tournament; and working booths at the Richardson Wildflower Festival.
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