Rotary Club of Classic City of Athens – Some History
In the early 1970s the Rotary Club of Athens, then part of District 692, began the process of extending a new club in the Athens area. The Rotary Club of Athens West was officially organized April 8 and admitted to RI April 24, 1975. Past district governors H. Randolph Holder, Billy Hudson, and Ed Benson assisted in the chartering process, and the club’s early meetings were held at the home of Randolph and Clementi Holder. In 2000, our club held a celebration to commemorate our first 25 years, with a party attended by many former members as well as current ones.
On February 9, 2006, the Board of Directors of Rotary International officially approved our club’s request to be renamed “The Rotary Club of the Classic City of Athens, Georgia USA.” As Classic City Rotary Club, we are open to members from anywhere in the Athens area, and have a diverse and active membership.
Each year, our club takes on significant service activities locally and internationally. Club members have helped lead Rotary service and fellowship projects in Zimbabwe, Costa Rica, Italy, Afghanistan, and Mexico. Innovative fund-raisers that have helped support this service over the years have included Vidalia onion sales; auctions; chili cook-offs; celebrity roasts; wine tastings; music events; and raffles.
