Oak Lawn Rotary

Chartered April 3, 1961

  (Memories from Tom Salmon, Le Roy Corradino, Jim Weise)

And so the story goes...

Once upon a time back in April of 1961 the birthing of the Oak Lawn Rotary club occurred.  Sponsored by the Blue Island Rotary Club, it was time for a

new baby!  The biggest job the Blue Island Rotary Club had was to get 25 members necessary to charter a club.  The three strongest outside influences on the organization of the Oak Lawn Rotary Club were George Willey, Blue Island; Ted Gifford, La Grange (District Governor at the time); and Barney Wright from Maywood.  The Oak Lawn Rotary bank account was opened on March 24, 1961 and through charger dues, membership dues, and the various gifts from many

clubs in the district, by April 10th, had a whopping $1,040.00 in the account.  The club was founded by the movers and shakers of the Oak Lawn business world.

The charter members of the club were Ben Ruzgis, who became the first president of the club, Jack Kilty, Jim Sweeney, Sr., Emil Jiganti, Emil Ratajik, George Witous, Roy Clark, David Robinson, Donald Herman, Anthony Simenas, Sidney Wotman, Fred DePirro, A.R. McGowen, Frank Downey, Stephen Kizaric, J. Fenstermaker, Denzil Lee, Don Mattheisen, Stanley Glodek, Elias Mandel, Robert Perry, and Harold Bacon.  Along with Ben Ruzgis as the first president of the

club, Stephen Kizaric was vice-president, Emil Giganti was treasurer, George Witous was secretary, and James Sweeney as Sergeant-At-Arms.  Roy Clark was named the first bulletin editor.  The charter night was April 11, 1961 at Olympia Fields Country Club and the wives' (Rotary Anns) were invited.  The first meeting took place at Jack Kilty's Restaurant on the south side of the 4600 block of 95th Street.

The first donation made by the Oak Lawn Rotary Club was to the Garden School for the Handicapped on March 26, 1962 in the amount of $200.00.  The

check was presented to Mrs. Weiner on March 19th at the regular membership meeting.

One of the first recorded demonstrations of Rotary fellowship was at a gala splash party held at Emil Ratajik's house on August 6, 1962. Another fellowship activity became the annual Fun & Frolic, which was also a way to fundraise for the club.  Originally the club held its meetings at Jack Kilty's Restaurant and then moved to Banana's Restaurant on Cicero but in July 1968 moved once again and this time to the Holiday Inn.  In 2000, the club moved to the current meeting place, which is The Hilton Oak Lawn, located at 93rd & Cicero.

The "Mile of Flags"

The first project for the club was the "Mile of Flags".  This was completed after the widening of 95th Street, a main thoroughfare.  From Cicero Avenue to Crawford (Pulaski), new light poles were installed.  Rotary approached the Village of Oak Lawn and asked if they would maintain and display American flags on

all holidays if we were to purchase all of the brackets and flags needed for each pole.  The Village agreed and Rotary had to borrow the money from Oak Lawn Trust & Savings (Le Roy Corradino) in order to make the purchase. The members of the Rotary club were present with the village officials for the dedication of

the "mile of flags."  This was the first community service program initiated by the Oak Lawn Rotary Club. The dedication ceremony was held in front of Jack Kilty's restaurant.  The cost of this project was approximately $1400.00.  Dr. Denzil Lee and Jack Kilty each assumed half of the cost until the Oak Lawn Rotary was able to reimburse them.

The Annual Christmas Party for the Disabled...

Back in the late 1960's, Oak Lawn Rotary began throwing a Christmas party for the people from Park Lawn Association, Garden School for the Handicapped,

St. Germaine adult disabled, and Arrow School for the handicapped.  This was a lot of fun in which all club members enthusiastically participated.  The party was

held at the Holiday Inn in Oak Lawn for many years and included a traditional Christmas dinner with all the trimmings, presents, a great big Christmas tree,and a

visit from Old St. Nick!!! Our guests would begin practicing their table manners in the month of August in preparation of this gala event.  This has become a

favorite tradition of Oak Lawn Rotary and we still celebrate with our friends from Park Lawn and Garden School every year.

The Inception of Moraine Valley Community College...

The Illinois legislature decided to begin a state-wide system of Junior colleges.  They set up a matching fund system with any communities that could come up

with funds over a limited time period.  Oak Lawn was not actively pursuing this opportunity of beginning a local junior college.  The Oak Lawn Rotary spearheaded

a campaign to ask for a referendum to be placed on the ballot that would raise the money needed to match state funds.  Jim Sweeney, Sr. and other Rotarians went about encouraging voters to vote "yes" because of a great need for a college in our area.  After much hard work by the Rotary club and others, the referendum was passed and the college became a reality.  (Today, August 30, 2004, the current president of Moraine Valley Community College, Dr. Vernon Crawley is a member

of our club!)  A site, a name, and a president all had to be selected.  The Oak Lawn Rotary members were very involved and most of the selection committee for

the president were members of Rotary.  Dr. Robert Turner was to be named as the first president of the college and he set up a temporary office in the Capital Savings & Loan Building at 95th & Cicero.  Dr. Jim Koeller from Reavis High School in Burbank, Illinois was named as his assistant.  Both of these gentlemen became members of The Oak Lawn Rotary Club..  Dr. Roy Clark, Superintendent of Oak Lawn grammar schools, later to become the Superintendent of Schools

for Illinois, was also very influential in starting the ball rolling for the college.  He also served as Rotary club president (1962) before moving to Springfield, Illinois

to assume his new post.  When Dr. Turner retired from Moraine Valley C.C., Dr. Koeller took over.Oak Lawn Rotary did not stop its efforts once the college was built. Beginning in 1989, the club pledged to raise a total of $75,000.00 toward the constructionof the Theatre for Performing Arts.  This was done over a periods of three years and was accomplished by holding multiple fundraisers.

The Thanksgiving Ball:

Each year beginning in the early 1960's, we would begin the holiday season with a black-tie Thanksgiving Ball at the Willowbrook Dance Hall in Willow Springs.  This was a huge affair for all of Oak Lawn.  The Rotarians would sell tickets and with the money earned, the beginning of the scholarships that Oak Lawn Rotary

still hands out each year, was underway.  Originally, we gave out four, $500.00 scholarships for students wanting to go to Moraine Valley Community College. 

This money was, in turn matched with a state grant of $500.00 each totaling four $1,000.00 scholarships.  As time moved on, Oak Lawn Rotary began offering scholarships to high school students residing in Oak Lawn and this practice continues today.

Christ Community Hospital...

Oak Lawn Rotary supported the Christ Community Hospital Auxilliary Cotillion.  This was usually held at the famed Martinique Restaurant in Evergreen Park, Illinois.  Rotarian, Davis Boyd and his father-in-law, George Weigel would invite people to a pre-cotillion cocktail party held at the Holiday Inn on 95th Street in Oak Lawn. The cotillions began in the 60's when Christ Hospital came to Oak Lawn and the women's auxilliary commenced.

Oak Lawn Library Rotary Room...

Jim Sweeney, Sr. was president of Oak Lawn Rotary from 1986 to 1987. During his term, we paid for the construction of a board room for the library.  At the time, the president of the library had requested bids for the work which had to be done.  All of the bids that came back were too expensive and that is when we

got involved.  We, as a club went out seeking bids from our members and came back to the table with a greatly reduced bottom line.  We were given the job and

the board room was constructed and appropriately named the Rotary Room.

The Park Lawn van...

During the 1986 year, Rotary became aware of a situation at Park Lawn Association.  They were in need of a special handicapped equipped van to transport

their clients.  Ken Jilison, a Rotarian called a man named Jim Weise, who worked at Park Lawn to discuss this issue.  Jim agreed to come to a meeting held at Oak Lawn Trust & Savings and they would discuss the situation and try to come up with a plan.  Other Rotarians in attendance were Le Roy Corradino who worked at the bank and Brian Andersen.  Oak Lawn Rotary financed the new Ford van through the bank and Park Lawn was thrilled!  Jim Weise became a Rotarian six months later and is still with our club!!  Great Rotary story!

The Crisis Center for South Suburbia...

One of our members, Ken Jilison who has passed away was asked to serve on a committee to solicit donors for the Crisis Center.  Due to an impending illness,

he was unable to serve on this committee.  Le Roy Corradino, another one of our group began to serve on the committee and this was the beginning of the intervention between Oak Lawn Rotary and the Crisis Center.  We continue to make a donation in the name of Rotary each year to this wonderful organization. Please visit our links page to read more about them.

Oak Lawn Rotary Continues...

Over the last 45 years, the Oak Lawn Rotary Club has been involved in a myriad of projects and activities such as Youth Exchange, Interact Club, 500% Club, World Affairs Seminar at University of Whitewater in Whitewater, Wisconsin, RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) at George Williams College in

Williams Bay, Wisconsin, Ambassadorial Scholar Program, Group Study Exchange, Rotary District Conferences, Rotary International Conventions, many

community activities, Scholarship program, and much, much more.  Oak Lawn Rotary chartered its first Interact Club on May 28, 1970.  Interact is for high school students and they develop projects to create international understanding and to service school and community.  The Rotarian sponsors of the Interact Club were

Brian Andersen, Davis Boyd, and James Sweeney.  Some of the Interact members were from Brother Rice High School, Reavis High School, and Oak Lawn High School.  There are more stories to tell and as they are received, I will share them with all on our website. We hope you enjoy learning about who we are, where we came from and what we do.

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