Club History

The Olathe Rotary Club was chartered on August 17, 1937. Our club was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Bonner Springs.  The 20 charter members represented a cross section of Olathe’s business and professional community leaders.  None of those charter members survive today, but the high standards they set for the Club have remained constant.  Tom Hall has been a member the longest, active since 1939.  He is still an active supporter of many Rotary activities. The Club honored Stan Roth (who later became District Governor) with its first Paul Harris Fellowship in 1977.  As of July 1, 2009, another 226 such honors have been granted since, representing contributions of over $385,380.87 to the Rotary International Foundation for its Worldwide philanthropic work. Since Olathe Rotary was chartered in 1937, Olathe Rotarians have given generously to community, regional, national, and international efforts. The club has distinguished itself, and received Rotary International recognition for many of its community and international projects. Olathe Rotary's most notable INTERNATIONAL efforts: Rebuilding a school in Belize, ongoing clean water projects and health fairs in Panama, ongoing clean water projects and community development efforts in Guatemala, re-construction of a fish market destroyed by hurricane Hugo in St. Croix, and the largest volunteer relief effort of its kind at that time in U.S. history, sending 75 tons of relief supplies on a C-5 Galaxy cargo plane to Moscow in 1992. The "Heart to Heart" airlift to Moscow gave birth to one of America's most efficient charities, Heart to Heart International. Today Heart to Heart is improving health in more than 60 countries, including the United States ...and our very own community. Olathe Rotary Club supports many LOCAL efforts annually: Seven scholarships, exchange student programs, District of Olathe Elementary School Rotary Reading Program, Rotary Teacher of the Year, Annual Rotary Youth Leadership, Habitat for Humanity, 4-H, Boys Baseball Team, Girls Softball Team, Graduation Project, Spanish/English Dictionary Project, Support our Farming Community Program, YMCA, TLC, Olathe American Cancer Society Relay for Life, park projects, Salvation Army, food drives, Rotary Youth Camp for underprivileged and disabled and much more. A project for the City of Olathe that commemorates Rotary International's 100th birthday, was dedicated May 2nd, 2009. The 6000 pound conestoga wagon and oxen sculpture, "Trail's West", created by Eldon Tefft, Professor emeritus of sculpture at the University of Kansas, can be seen in Lone Elm Park at the Southeast corner of 167th and Lone Elm Road. It is thought to be the only site in the United States where the Santa Fe, Oregon, and California trails crossed. The Olathe Rotary Club, the City of Olathe Parks Department, and Barnhart Specialty Contractors joined forces to erect this beautiful piece of art in Lone Park. During the Club's earlier years, John Burns was its Secretary. From 1967 to 2005, Marvin "Doc" Wollen has been Secretary, keeper of the records, and the local authority on all matters Rotarian. Doc was named Rotarian of the Year, July 2005. Currently David Miller is the club's Secretary, and Ernie Hicks is Treasurer. Olathe Rotary Club parented two new clubs, Spring Hill Rotary and Olathe Santa Fe Trail Club. The late R.R. Osborne, a great humanitarian, was a member of Olathe Rotary. He generously contributed to projects community wide that touched every Olathe citizen. Olathe Rotary Club member, Wesley McCoy, was the 2003-2004 District 5710 Governor. Wes has been an active Rotarian since 1987, President of the Club 1997-1998, and was named Rotarian of the Year 1998 and 2004. He initiated the club's "Points of Light" reading program, the District's Educator of the Year program, and many other substantial programs for Olathe Rotary and District 5710. He is a Paul Harris Fellow, and great humanitarian. In 2007, The Rotary Foundation Trustees recognized Wes and his dedicated service to promote the Foundation's programs and his outstanding service to the Foundation, by presenting him with The Rotary Foundation Citation for Meritorious Service. Our club members are proud to be instrumental in the district's current effort to provide medical supplies to the needy in Panama. From 1995 to present, over $4,000,000 in medical supplies and equipment has been distributed. Olathe Rotarians, Jon North (CEO of Heart to Heart International), Ed Pogue, and Wes McCoy have made this Panama relationship possible with our district. In 2005, Ed Pogue received the highest Rotary International service recognition in the history of Olathe Rotary, the Rotary Foundation Distinguished Service Award, for his ongoing Foundation and Humanitarian work on the District and International level.