"There is nothing stronger than the heart of a volunteer," according to a line from the movie "Pearl Harbor." One form of volunteering is through local civic clubs and organizations.

Many clubs and organizations are listed with the Grayson County Chamber of Commerce and will be featured in the Thursday editions of the paper, one each week. Continuing this feature, this week we learn about the Leitchfield Rotary Club.

The Leitchfield Rotary Club met for the first time in the Alexander Hotel on the square in 1938, with Henry Ross as its first president. The Charter members of the Leitchfield Rotary included: David R. Cannon-department store manager, Rev. T. Emerson Wortham, John F. Good-Carbonated Beverage Bottling Manager Henry L. Moss-Kentucky Utilities, R.T. Faulkner-agriculture extension, Chester O. Carrier-criminal law practice, Warren T. Stone-funeral director, John H. Ewing, Jr.-agriculture extension assistant, Allen Puterbaugh-education, public schools, Roy Carter-highway construction, A.L. Nichols-hotel manager, G.H. Roberts-radio equipment and supplies retail, Roy M. Lee-dairy farming, Charles Jones-dry goods retail, John W. Head-hardware distribution, Richard E. Lowrey-agriculture implement retail, L.C. Willis-automobile retail, Aubrey Moorman-wataer and gas service, H. Porter Meridith-postal service, Boyd Sisk-drugs retail, Fred Hughes-newspaper publishing, Allen P. Cubbage-corporation law practice, Dr. Layson Swann-public health service, Dr. J.C. Tucker-physician, Dr. W. L. Ozment-physical therapy and diathermy x-ray, and J. Hal Clagett-poultry hatching.

Rotary International was founded in 1905 in Chicago, Ill., by Paul P. Harris. Harris' intention was to develop a group of professional people who would recapture the small town spirit he had experienced in his youth.

The national motto is "Service before self." Rotarians are dedicated to contributing individual talents to serve local communities.

Locally the Rotary Club helps sponsor the Old Time Fiddlers Contest held each July at Rough River State Park and they offer a no-interest student loan program. The Leitchfield Rotary has standard fund raising with a fair booth in August and popular radio auction in October.

They have assisted the community in building little league fields, a softball field, lighting for the fields and tennis courts.

Leitchfield Rotary also has helped build ball fields, the chamber of commerce office and beautification efforts around the courthouse.

Rick Dennison, secretary, says, "Leitchfield Rotarians may receive a little political stature but the real benefit of the organization is the satisfaction of helping the local community."

Current president of the Rotary Club, Musial Pearson says, "The membership of the club consist of business men and women who care about children and their education and the community."

The name Rotary came from the meetings being rotated among members' offices. Today members do not have to worry about a rotating meeting, all meetings are held on Tuesdays at noon at Golden Corral.

For more information about the Rotary Club call Rick Dennison at 259-4601 or contact the organization through mail sent to P.O. Box 586, Leitchfield, KY. 42754 or check out the Rotary International website at www.rotary.org.