Club History In the Beginning
The formation of our Club began October 1983, with an organizational
meeting designed to attract a core group of twenty people needed to
charter a Rotary Club. In January 1984 we applied for a charter. The
official celebration of the chartering of the Rotary Club of Oyster
Point was held March 9, 1984 at the James River Country Club. Regular
meetings of the club were held Friday 7:30 AM at the Ramada Inn on J.
Clyde Morris Blvd. Membership had increased to 32 by June 30th,
1984. The club met the criteria for special recognition from the RI
President the first year.
1984-85 was marked by three major events. First: an Oyster
Roast. This was received with broad enthusiam and made an annual
event. Second: The first major fund raiser. In the Fall of 1984 nearly
$12,000 was raised at a dinner for the Cardiac Arrest Program of the
American Heart Association. Third: Change of meeting location. In the
Spring 1985 the meeting place was changed to the Terrace Room at
Christopher Newport College. The annual Charter Night was held in March
1985 at the James River Country Club. By June 30, 1985 the club
membership was 45. The club received recognition as the outstanding
club in Area 5 of District 760 for 1984-85.
1985-86
Four major events. First: An Oyster Roast involving ticket sales to
friends and acquaintances outside of our membership. Held at the
Mariner's Museum, 200 people attended. $700 was contributed to the
Mariner's Museum. Second: A Christmas program. Members children and
grand children attended weekly breakfast with special Christmas
program. Third: Group study. Oyster Point hosted one of the Group
Study team members from District 127, Sheffield, England. Fourth: Ten
members committed to become Paul Harris Sustaining Members.
the first annual spouses' night was held in the Spring. By June 1986
membership had increased to 51. During this year the Club: initiated a
fundraiser, "Party at the Point", in downtown Hampton on a Friday
evening; participated for a second time in raising funds for the
Newport News Cardiac Arrest Program. $23,000 was raised by 2 fund
raising events. 249 pounds of tuna was landed during a club deep-sea
fishing trip.
1986-87
Polio Plus campaign was kicked off with Oyster Point assuming a major
role by setting a goal to contribute $50,000. A fund raiser, The
Oyster Point Rotary Run for Polio Plus, chaired by Tom Herbert, had
over 600 runners. The largest 5 K run ever on the Peninsula. In
August the club manned the party at Mill Point in Hampton and raised
over $2,000 for Polio Plus.
Dr. Jack Anderson, President of Christopher Newport College became the first non-member named a Paul Harris Fellow.
The Oyster Roast at the Mariner's Museum in November raised $1,000 for
the museum and another $1,000 was given to Christopher Newport College
for a music scholarship.
In the Spring of 1987 the Rotary Club of Oyster Point sponsored the formation of the Rotary Club of Coliseum-Hampton.
The club hosted the Group Study team from Thailand. Rotary signs were
posted at the entrance to the Oyster Point Business Park announcing
club meeting time and place. Club membership increased to 57. The club
was given the Presidential Citation from Rotary International for
achieving all of the RI Presidents goals for individual clubs.
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