The Power of One
By Ruth Howe, Red Wing Rotary Club President 1995 -
1996
We are all aware of the 'Power of One' that began with Paul Harris in
Chicago on February 23, 1905. Paul Harris, a struggling young lawyer,
was looking for friendship and fellowship, in a pioneer city that was
attempting to assimilate every element of a new and changing world. The
country was indeed growing rapidly and expanding westward and bringing
with it corruption. Paul, like other business and professional people,
questioned how his city and the country could survive and prosper as the
melting pot it had become without a more established moral code or system
of values. He called together three of his business associates, and they
listened to Paul's idea of how they might help each other while being
of service beyond their own economic interests.
By enlarging their own group and expanding groups between cities, states
and eventually countries, their businesses prospered, but so did their
'Service Above Self'. These groups became clubs known then as Rotation
Clubs. The first community/public service project of that first group
in Chicago was installing public restrooms in Chicago's City Hall.
The Object of Rotary was established, the 'Service Above Self' motto was
adopted, and Rotary grew. The extension of the Winnipeg Club by Minneapolis
and St. Paul made Rotary International. As of March 22, 1996, there are
1,185,431 Rotarians - 27,926 Clubs and 515 Districts in 154 countries.
In 1995, 468 new Rotary Clubs began.
One of the most significant 'service above self' programs of Rotary has
been Polio Plus, which began in 1985 through the Rotary Foundation in
coordination with the World Health Organization and UNICEF. Today, Rotarians
around the world can be proud that there are 144 countries polio-free
and the goal to eradicate polio from the face of the earth by 2005 is
a reality.
'Power of One'
Starts Red Wing Rotary Club
Just as Rotary International is the result of the power of one man - Paul
Harris, Red Wing Rotary is also the result of the 'power of one' - Roland
Wilsey. Early in the 1985-86 Rotary fiscal year, Roland approached District
Governor Harley Otto with a vision - extend a Rotary Club in Red Wing.
Harley challenged, "In seventy-five years, no one has been able to get
a Club started in Red Wing. What makes you think you can do it?" Roland
replied, "Well, if you appoint me, I'll do it and the Roseville Club will
be the 'Extension Club'".
And do it, he did - but not without a lot of effort, persevering, personal
expense, and over 5,000 miles (fifty-five round trips) to organize the
Red Wing Rotary Club.
Roland developed a plan. He wrote to Rotary Clubs in Minnesota asking
for their help in identifying people they might know in Red Wing. He called
on business and industry associates, Northern States Power and Norwest
Bank, for example. Those two contacts lined up D. Jerry Borgen, who would
become Red Wing's Charter President, and Richard Binette, who would become
Charter Treasurer. He talked with a former Jaycee friend Dick Tittle who
was instrumental. Norwest Bank President Norm Sampson provided Roland
with office space and a telephone. He spoke with Kiwanis members and asked
for their help. He told them he wouldn't ask any Kiwanis members to join
Rotary and there was a gentlemen's agreement that Roland would call on
the second or third in command, not "go after the top guy".
Citizens Security Spence Broughton suggested Bruce Tollefson for membership
and Bill Sweasy of Red Wing Shoe Company recommended Rollie Meffert. Nearly
every week, Roland was in Red Wing making calls, telling the Rotary story
and inviting men to join Rotary.
Charter member Mark Tesdall recalls Roland's persistence. "He must have
made six calls on me. At first, I was luke warm, but the more I learned
about Rotary from Roland, the more receptive I became".
Group Grows
And, one by one, the list of Charter Members grew to twenty-three. Roland
didn't stop there. It wasn't enough he had enough members for chartering;
he wanted those members educated in the Principles and Object of Rotary.
"As we began to get organized," Roger Sammon remembered, "Roland lined
up three or four speakers for each Avenue of Service".
Lee Whitson, Extension Chairman, effectively summarized Roland's accomplishments
in Red Wing in 1965-86. In his cover letter of April 25, 1986, with the
Charter application to Rotary International, Whitson wrote, "This represents
an outstanding achievement by PDG Roland Wilsey of the Roseville Rotary
Club who single handedly organized this club in a community with three
Kiwanis Clubs (one with 150 members) and a Lions Club, and which is fifty
miles from the Twin Cities."
Former Governor of Minnesota and also Rotarian Elmer Anderson wrote Roland,
"Congratulation on accomplishing what people have been trying to do for
years - get a Rotary Club in Red Wing. It was such a glaring omission,
yet no one could get done until you did."
Club Admitted to Rotary International
The Rotary Club of Red Wing was admitted to Rotary International membership
on May 1, 1986. On May 20 of that year, the Club held its Charter Banquet.
Rotary dignitaries attended. Dean R. Edstrom, PDG of District 5950, was
the keynote speaker. Making the Presentation of the Charter to Jerry Borgen
was District Governor Harley Otto. Bob Blumberg of the Roseville Club
led a sing-a-long. Nearly forty Roseville Rotarians came to welcome the
club it had sponsored.
Red Wing Rotary Club's Charter application was also accompanied by a letter
form its members requesting that the word 'men' be eliminated from the
Constitution and women be invited to join Rotary.
Roland dedicated the Club in memory of his friend Rotarian Gordon Bellingham,
Past District Governor of District 117, Cornwall, England.
Gordon served as President of the Saltash Rotary Club in Cornwall and
held the classification of attorney at law. Gordon and Roland had become
friends when they were both District Governors.
During the past ten years, Rotary had made a difference in our own community
as well as in the lives we have touched throughout the world.
This difference is all because of the Power of One - Roland Wilsey.
District Governor Harley Otto
Organizer Roland Wilsey
Extension Club Roseville
