History of the Rotary Club of As

History of the Rotary Club of Asbury Park

Back to the 1950's 1960's To the 1970's

During the 1960 Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Week, the Rev. Billy Graham was the Club's luncheon speaker at the Homestead Restaurant on Ocean Grove boardwalk. For many years each summer, the club has visited Ocean Grove to hear the Camp Meeting's featured speakers.

Dr. Harold V. Garrity Jr. took the helm in 1960 following in the footsteps of his father Dr. Harold V. Garrity Sr. (d-1944-45). Harold Sr. is fondly remembered as a most distinguished gentleman and a champion golfer who often recalled, in great historic detail, the many businesses and merchants in Asbury Park and those extending South into Neptune and Ocean Grove. Harold Jr.filled with fond memories of his years as a Rotarian and recalls members by name and the support each gave to the numerous Rotary projects with which he was involved.

Richard B. "Dick" Brown (1961-62) was employed with the Asbury Park Press and was able to arrange an excellent array of weekly speakers. This working relationship continued with good press coverage of the Club throughout his presidency. John Haulenbeek (1963-64) was an outstanding President of the Club. He was a strong organizer and a hard worker. During his years in Rotary, John served on every committee, planned many celebrations and hosted parties. He coordinated one of the largest delegations when this Club attended the district conference at the Playboy Club at Great George in McAfee, New Jersey in 1971. Unfortunately, the hotel was overbooked so John and his Rotary-Ann Jane gave up their reservations so others could enjoy the weekend -and they did it with a great sense of humor!

The 45th President of Asbury Park Rotary was Thomas W. Appleby (1964-65) who guided the Club's largest membership of ninety. The Club donated $500 to the Shore United Fund. It was the spark of this Club that brought about the inception of the Trenton-Shore Parkway Project, now I-195.

Rotary International was sixty years old as Len Grasser (1965-66) and then Walter I. Quelch (d-1966-67) led the Club.

Ed Ambler (1967-68) showed effective leadership by coordinating sub-committee meetings with E. Donald Sterner, Chairman of the Monmouth County Planning Board, Ernest Lass, Publisher of the Asbury Park Press, Congressman James T. Howard and representatives of the Asbury Park Development Council to continue support for the Trenton-Shore Expressway. The Asbury Park Development Council, led by city manager, Kendell Lee, was the fore-runner of the Monmouth-Ocean Development Council.

After short stays at the Asbury Park Elks Club and the Howard Johnson's on the boardwalk, the Club's weekly meetings landed at the Terrace Gardens in Wanamassa. William T. "Bill" Adams (1968-69) was the 50th President and led the Club during its "Golden Anniversary". John Haulenbeek chaired the celebration that was held at the Terrace Gardens. The Club's many projects that year included park benches, Christmas gifts to nursing homes, donations to a low-income nursery, progress in building showers at Girl Scout Camp Sacagawea, donation of bathing suits to the Boys Club, a donation to the YMCA Camp Scholarship Fund and sending an young person with MIS to a special camp.

The Club worked with the Jaycees to send underprivileged children on a Christmas shopping spree and increased the annual donation to the United Fund to $550. Rotary members Les Stewart (d-1969-70), Tom Toohey and Dick Wellbrook hosted two Japanese teenage boys in their homes from our matching club of Tokyo-Edagowa.

Leslie R. "Les" Stewart Jr. (d-1969-70) will always be remembered for representing the Club in the American Heart Association's bicycle fund raiser -- the Cyclethon. He brought the trophy home many times for raising the most money of all the participating service clubs.

Back to the 1950's 1960's To the 1970's

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