Club
Rotary Builds Communities and Bridges Continents – President Doug Baker
Rotary Club of Kenosha-West members are enthusiastic about what our club does to build a better community at home and around the world. Whether we are helping men, women, and children in need or hosting a great family sporting event, Rotary-West is here in Kenosha making this a better place to live and work.
Rotary is also a global network of community volunteers. Rotary International members are business, professional, and community leaders who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards, and help build goodwill and peace in the world.
Over 32,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas participate in a broad range of humanitarian, intercultural, and educational activities designed to improve the human condition. Rotary’s humanitarian grants support club projects that provide health care and medical supplies, clean water, food, job training, youth development, and education to millions of people in need.
Rotary is founded on four avenues of service – International, Community, Vocational, and Club Service.
International Service. Rotary West has a long history of involvement in Rotary International service projects and Rotary’s international youth exchange. The club works with communities and Rotary clubs around the world to support projects that meet basic human needs. The club also actively supports youth exchange programs locally.
Community Service. The annual Softball Tournament at Lincoln Park is now Rotary West’s largest fundraiser. Tournament proceeds are channeled through the Rotary West Foundation to support worthwhile community projects at a wide variety of area service organizations.
Vocational Service. As community business and professional leaders, Rotary West’s members carry on the tradition of Rotary’s founders by advancing high ethical standards through honest business practices and programs such as mentoring and youth education.
Club Service. Rotary West promotes professional networking opportunities for its members by providing a place for fellowship at weekly meetings and programs, as well as sponsoring events that celebrate the club and the accomplishments of its members.
Rotary’s purpose is well summed up in its motto,“Service above Self.”
History of our Club
When Al DeSimone was first approached to organize a new Rotary Club in Kenosha in 1971, it set into motion one of Kenosha’s most active service clubs. For the next 34 years and right up until today, Rotary West has been providing community services and activities to benefit local, national and even international causes.
The new club was spirited by the Rotary Club of Kenoshain commemoration of their 50th anniversary. By recruiting DeSimone, the success of the club was a foregone conclusion. DeSimone gathered 34 charter members as the club was officially inducted into Rotary International on December 30, 1970.
DeSimone was elected to the prestigious position of District Governor of Rotary District 627 (predecessor to today’s District 6270) during the Rotary year 1975-1976.
Rotary is founded on four avenues of service – international, community, vocational and club service. In 1974 the club won an award from Rotary International for a project they had sponsored in Leon, Mexico. The club contributed $10,000 to the Leon School for mentally and physically handicapped children and also delivered a fire truck to the community.
Kenosha-West has a long history of involvement in Rotary’s student exchange program, sponsoring both outbound students to many different countries as well as hosting inbound students from as far away as France, Belgium, Finland and Thailand.
Funds for Rotary-West’s community service projects have been raised in a number of ways through the years. In the early days, the club sponsored a corn and brat roast. The club’s annual Softball Tournament at Lincoln Park evolved from that. The tournament is Rotary-West’s largest fundraising initiative, with over $40,000 raised annually.
For the past several years, Rotary-West has also led District 6270 in total number of tickets sold for the annual Super Bowl raffle.
In the area of Community Service, besides raising and distributing funds to a wide variety of organizations and causes, Rotary-West participates in other community activities. These include the Salvation Army’s annual Kettle “bell-ringing” campaign, and the Christmas toys for needy children campaign organized by the Kenosha County department of Human Services.
Rotary-West is also the naming sponsor of the Boys and Girls Club annual Gourmet Food and Wine event and their inner-city Basketball league.
Vocational service by Rotary-West consists of organizing and conducting a Shadow Day program for area high school students, at which the high-schoolers identify an area of employment interest and spend time with Rotarians and others in that field of work.
Club service is the avenue which provides opportunities for social and fellowship activities within the club. These include the annual Charter Night celebration, Changing of the Guard, a Christmas Party, golf league and many other activities.
The Rotary Club of Kenosha-West prides itself today on continuing the proud tradition established by Al DeSimone and the other charter members. “Service Above Self” is the Rotary motto and at the Rotary Club of Kenosha-West it is adhered to enthusiastically.