With great fanfare including the publishing of a history by Arthur Babbitt of the first 25 years of the Kent Rotary Club members celebrated their silver anniversary on Tuesday, November 20, 1945 at the Kent Methodist Church.
President Harry Longcoy presented a high school honor roll, dedicated to not only his son, Harry Smith Longcoy and his nephew Stephen Longcoy White, both of whom lost their lives in World War II, but to all Kent young men who were lost. Other Rotarians, several of whom lost sons, were among those present for the ceremony. That honor roll may still be seen hanging in what is now Davey Elementary school which at the time of the presentation was Theodore Roosevelt High School.
Also that year Rotarians were prominent in cooperating with the Chamber of Commerce for an annual meeting at which Rotarian Fred Fuller was honored with the first annual Kent Medal for Public Service (now called the W. W. Reed Medal) because of his active involvement with youth activities and of acquiring land for a city park for which he was recognized and for whom our park is named.
Outstanding names in our community and from our Rotary Club!
Jim Myers
