Fallon Rotary Celebrates 100 Years of Community Service

The Fallon Rotary Club held its centennial anniversary June 14 with a celebratory dinner that raised approximately $3,000 to continue its legacy of community service in Fallon.

At the following club meeting, Rotarian Steve Endacott reported that the District Governor and District Governor nominee both attended the dinner, and presented a certificate to the local club from Rotary International President Stephanie Urchick, who congratulated the club on their steadfast commitment to service.

The club is currently working on installing two Rotary-themed benches and a trash receptacle at Western Nevada College in Fallon.

Rotarians volunteer at Fallon Daily Bread and the No Hill 100 Bike Ride, and are involved in music and speech contests, scholarships for graduating seniors, providing dictionaries to all third grade students, and youth leadership programs.

The roots of Fallon Rotary date back to 1923 when Andrew Haight, Milt Wallace and George Coverston attended a meeting in Reno and discussed the concept of holding weekly social gatherings. At that time, the Rotary Club of Reno was the only club in Nevada. Fallon received its charter in 1925 with Haight serving as its first president. Reno Rotary members traveled to Fallon to install him, only to be trapped here for two days due to a storm.

The list of past club presidents reads like a "who's who" of Fallon, including former mayors, doctors, city and county officials, and businessmen.

"Fallon Rotarians were the movers and shakers in Fallon," Endacott said, explaining that 

Karla Kent was the first woman admitted to Fallon Rotary, Sue Sevon was its first female president in 2007, and every captain stationed at NAS Fallon has been a member of Fallon Rotary Club.

Hook presided over his last meeting as club president last week and jokingly noted that the special bell used to open all meetings, hand crafted in 1925, was kidnapped for ransom while he attended the celebratory dinner. It appears the bell has been "liberated" several times over the years.

"This has been a busy and exciting year filled with so much," Hook said during his final meeting. "I've had a lot of fun and it's been a great honor to serve this club." Hook said he helped bring the Rotary District Conference to Fallon this past year and enjoyed organizing the Labor Day pancake breakfast.

Hook was officially demoted at this week's meeting, making way for incoming president Nancy Upham.