History of the Rotary Club of Nome (1936 - 1946)
The first historical mention of a Nome Rotary Club appears in the Rotary International archives in Evanston, Illinois.
A Nome club was the subject of a memo, written to RI's Charles M. Dyer by Emery F. Tobin, Secretary of the Ketchikan Rotary Club, on June
13, 1936. At the time, Ketchikan and Juneau were the only two Alaskan cities with Rotary clubs. Tobin wrote:
"A leading citizen of Nome, Alaska - Mr. Lomen - recently attended our meeting and expressed the wish that they had a Rotary Club at Nome. But Nome has only about 400 people and is too remote."
On July 3rd, a handwritten note was added to the page and initialed "RM."
"ETA not spend time on corresponding re: Nome now --"
"Round trip by air is approximately $150,"
wrote "lb" on August 11, 1941,
"in extension work which this club is doing (or may be contemplating)..."
Another memo by this "lb," dated August 26, 1941, in connection with a visit by District Governor Dowrey to the Fairbanks club points to the fact that members were looking to initiate clubs in other Alaskan towns, with Nome as the prime candidate. However, the memo states
"Nome only town that might support a club but this club (Fairbanks) not sufficiently well under way to attempt sponsorship of a new club."
In 1945, Fairbanks Rotary Club President Frank Gray appointed a committee of C.J. Clasby, Al Polet and George Rayburn to
"see about sponsoring a club at Nome."
The Fairbanks club was only five years old at the time, having been sponsored by the Rotary Club of Juneau in 1940.
The following year, on August 22, 1946, Nome applied for its charter as a Provisional Rotary Club. A report from District Governor Roy J. Fletcher of Centralia, Washington indicated that Bud Harper, owner of Nome Motor Company, was prime mover, with Andy Anderson of Lomen Commercial Company acting Secretary. The two
"secured a list of 22 for the charter members."
According to the "Recommendation of District Governor," dated August 22, 1946, Nome Rotary
"first major undertaking is directly responsible for Nome getting a new hospital!"
Fletcher wrote on August 24th that
"there is no question in my mind but what it will be a good club."
In his report to Rotary International, Fletcher indicated that he had visited Nome personally.
The documents were signed and the $100 fee paid to Rotary International on August 29, 1946. In a letter of October 1st, Fairbanks club President Dan Lhamon quoted Bud Harper that
"each Thursday our luncheons are a greater success ....notables? Depending upon your political point of view, have been lunched -- Rotarian Governor (Ernest) Gruening and outside Delegate (Bob) Bartlett (both, later, Alaskans first U.S. Senators) were among them. We generally have at least one out of town guest."
According to the application for membership, the population of Nome was 1,559.
History of the Rotary Club of Nome (1946)
On September 19th, Kamilla Buehler, Extension Service, USCNB (in the Rotary International Secretariat) telegraphed District Governor Fletcher that the application had hit a snag, as three of the prospective members were employed by the same firm. (Aside from that, Buehler wrote "congratulations fine application Nome.")
Provisional president Harper wrote Fletcher on September 26th to erase United States Smelting, Refining and Mining from the record of William Herbert Cameron. Buehler had suggested that Cameron might be listed as manager - U.S. Stores Department of the company
"as he is manager of a distinct department."
Cameroonians classification was switched to
"General Merchandise - Wholesaling."
The second USSR&M employee was Bob Long, a civil engineer and architect with the company. Long
"is also a civil engineer offering his services to the community,"
President Harper wrote Fletcher, and Longs classification was officially listed as
"Civil Engineer - Self-Employed."
Carl Glavinovich, Assistant Manager for USSR&M, retained the mining company classification. Provisional president Harper wrote
"Many of us serve in dual roles in this far north community."
The classification problem may have delayed the granting of Nome's charter by as much as a month.
Governor Fletcher wrote Rotary Internationals Evanston, Illinois office on October 4th,
"that we can have charter night on November 7 -- the same night as Hope, B.C. expects to have theirs."
A memo typed in the top margin of another letter from Buehler, author unknown, says
"the Kiwanis representative was in Nome, but about 24 hours late. Have not found out yet whether he tried to go ahead after he found that Rotary was ahead of him."
Nome's application went before the Rotary International board on October 4, 1946.
On October 7, 1946, the board of directors of Rotary International voted to certify the application and accept Nome Rotary Club. The decision appears to have been unanimous. Meetings were set for noon Thursdays at the Nevada Grill Lounge, which was located on the north side of Front Street, a bit east of Lanes Way. Bud Harper, owner of Nome Motors, was first president; Christian A. Rouse, manager of mining equipment retailer Glenn Carrington Co. was vice president. Lomen Commercial Company office manager Carl Dewey Anderson was Secretary; and Kenneth McVeigh Rank, co-owner and manager of grocery store U. S. Mercantile was selected as Treasurer.
The other charter members were (bold indicates Director):
William Louis Angell
Superintendent, Nome High School
Wilfred Amede Boucher
Owner, Nome Nugget newspaper
William Herbert Cameron
General Merchandise - Wholesaling
Murlin W. Day
Pastor, Methodist Church
Carl Stephen Glavinovich
Assist. Mgr., U.S. Smelting, Refining & Mining
Boyd C. Harwood
Partner, Nome Drug Store
John D. Hudert
Superintendent, Alaska Road Commission
Robert E. Long Civil
Engineer, Self-Employed
John A. McNees
1st Assistant, U.S. Weather Bureau
Paul Arthur Mandeville
Owner, Modern Cleaners dry cleaning
Stanley R. Morgan
Officer in Charge, Alaska Communications System
Edward M. Seidenverg
Proprietor, Bon Marche retail clothing
V. G. Seiffert
Manager, Northern Commercial Company
James Bruce Tucker
Manager, Surgeon, Maynard-Columbus Hospital
Joseph Wallace
Partner, Wallace Hotel
Oliver S. Weaver
President/Manager, Northern Light & Power
Richard B. Webb
Branch Manager, Wien Alaska Airlines
M. B. Young
Owner, Arctic Oil Delivery
The club charged an admission fee of $10.00, and annual membership dues of $15.00.
History of the Rotary Club of Nome (1946 - 1949)
Formal engraved invitations were mailed, and the Nome Club's charter presentation ceremony was held in the Bering Sea Club at 7:30 PM on November 14, 1946. Guests included the Commanding Officer and Quartermaster of the Nome Army Garrison with their wives, the mayor of Nome and his wife, and Nome's professional and business elite and their spouses.
Fairbanks Club President Dan Lhamon, who was manager of the Northern Commercial Company Cat Department, served in the role of special representative to District 101 governor Fletcher, and was featured speaker. Lhamon's round trip fare from Fairbanks was
The program began with an invocation by Nome Rotarian Rev. Murlin Day.
President Harper accepted the club's charter, following a dinner of roast turkey with all the trimmings, including lettuce salad, ripe olives and "crisp celery," some accomplishment in the frontier Nome of the 1940's.
In his report to District Governor Fletcher, Lhamon wrote that
"the ceremony closed with the presentation of the Canadian and American flags and the entire party raised their voices in singing the Star Spangled Banner."
"that this group will grow in strength and importance, that the Fairbanks organization will continue their interest, and that you may well be proud the Nome club was added to District #101 during your tenure."
The club was only Alaska's 8th, and by far its most remote. To Ketchikan and Juneau, during the war years Rotary had grown into Fairbanks (1940), Anchorage, Sitka and Petersburg (1941) and Kodiak (1942).
On August 1, 1947, Nome received its first visit by a District Governor, Frank Doherty of Victoria, British Columbia. Doherty described the club as
"inexperienced but willing and is on its way...they needed a lot of explaining as they did not know what it was all about."
According to Doherty's August 7, 1947 report to R.I. the Nome club in the previous year
"raised $2,500 for Boy Scouts and they intend to carry on. In this group they are made up of native, halfbreeds and whites."
"They are doing wonderful work,"
Doherty wrote. His impression of the club's officers was
"This club is at the end of the line,"
wrote Governor Ed Warner in August 1948.
"Good officers and interested members, fine standing in the community, intense desire to accomplish something," despite "for some reason which seems to be hidden - a hostile attitude on the part of the local Catholic priest which disturbs smooth operation of the club."
The Tacoma-based District Governor described
"Boy and Girl Scout work"
as the clubs most outstanding activity.
"In their own town the Rotary club has made it possible (for the Scouts) to own their own building,"
Warner wrote, though
"finding scout leaders is quite a problem..."
Nome's Maynard Columbus Hospital, on the northwest corner of 2nd and West C Streets, burned to the ground on March 11, 1948.
In his report on August 10, 1948, Warner noted that after the structure burned,
"the Rotary Club obtained options on a site for a new one and did other pre-organization work and had the whole so liquid that when the Board of the Methodist Ladies who operate the hospital came to look over the situation, they decided to rebuild at once. Their own statement (unsolicited) was that if the Rotary Club had not done what they did -- the hospital would not have been rebuilt. I saw the new building -- beautiful and seemingly adequate for the whole territory thereabouts, at least sixty percent complete and a full crew of men on the job."
This new hospital, Maynard MacDougall Memorial, served the town for almost thirty years. The Nome club was
but with only 12 attendees at the annual club assembly in 1949, according to the governor's report. Since the previous year, the club had been meeting Thursday noons at the Pioneer Grill.
"Does this club adhere strictly to the classification principal?"
asked the form.
answered Governor F. Jackson.
"To the standards of Rotary club membership?"
he wrote. The club, nonetheless, was
"very active in the community's various youth associations,"
especially the Boy and Girl Scout troops, and there was some involvement with the Red Cross into the early 1950's.
History of the Rotary Club of Nome (1952- 1958)
Five years after it was founded, the Nome Rotary Club appears to have run out of steam.
In his report of August 21, 1952, Nome Rotary president Boyd Harwood wrote regarding club service
"So far no outstanding activity has been accomplished."
Regarding vocational service
"...not been given very much consideration. Community service continued to focus on the Boy Scouts and it appears that we will have to support the Boy Scout program as we have been unable to produce leaders or other organizations to carry on this work."
"[Interntional]service, we have done very little with."
1953-54 president Jim Walsh set an ambitious series of goals, to improve flagging attendance.
"Movies provide a large part of our program material,"
Walsh wrote, although
"guest speakers are secured whenever possible."
"Club members are active in community affairs,"
said Walsh, with Boy Scouts still the primary program. The club began looking into sponsoring a scholarship, and, said Walsh,
"have actively supported a hot lunch program at our school.".
There were 12 members present for the club assembly on August 12, 1954. Governor George Maloney found the club
"quite limited in activities, however, they are very much alive."
Rotary continued to be committed to Boy Scout Troop 666, it helped with Little League baseball and
"established revolving fund for purchase of eyeglasses for persons unable to buy them,"
according to president Ben Young.
In 1955, president Dewey Goodrich was urged by governor Ralph Bartholomew of Ketchikan to have every member contribute $1.00 to Rotary Foundation. Goodrich’s report to R.I. on August 27, 1956 noted that
"under the direction of (community service chairman) Pearse Walsh, we expect to have a full program of activities...sponsoring the Boy Scout and Explorer Scouts...We have helped two Explorer Scouts find work to pay for their 10,000 mile trip thru’ 12 states...and next week will be sending (sponsoring) another six to Mt. McKinley encampment."
"The club has not issued a bulletin for a number of years,"
said a report from the club to Rotary International. Nome Rotary planned to provide members
with lists of meeting dates and times for make-ups, and intended to start music concerts during the winter.
Meetings had been held Thursdays noon at the Bering Sea Club since 1950. The lounge was located in the Bering Sea Hotel at the foot of Bering Street. (The hotel burned to the ground in 1964).
In 1956, Rotary moved the meetings to noon Wednesdays.
In 1957, Rotary had
"a worthy campaign each winter to provide food for native children,"
though attendance continued to be a weak point.
In 1957-58, president J. M. Kroninger said that in addition to sponsoring Boy Scouts, one of the Nome’s club’s objectives was to
"aid the community in reviving Dog Team races, (and) have raised funds for the entertainment and feeding of the Native children."
The club was
"good and improving under present leadership,"
reported District Governor Mentor M. Boney in 1958. President Jim Blanning was
"an able man who is going to lead the club into wider paths of service."
In recounting the past year’s service, Blanning wrote that Rotary
"sponsored one local Boy Scout troop and one Explorer post...spearheaded community movement for general cleanup of the City of Nome...underwrote University of Alaska drama group production of 'Born Yesterday'."
In 1959, Nome was
"$120 return fare from Anchorage and $140 return fare west of Fairbanks,"
wrote president Ashby E. "Ash" Craft, who was head of the Nome Weather Bureau office and Boy Scout Leader.
Secretary was Herb Jenks, State Commissioner, Judge, Justice of the Peace, and according to District Governor Tom R. Morgan of New Westminister, British Columbia,
"solid, reliable and capable."
Nome was in a contracted phase, 1,700 population, said Morgan,
"the economy is government, gold dredging and some tourists."
27 members showed up for Morgan’s address on September 21st. Wrote Morgan,
"life in Nome is a way of life ‘Don’t do today what you don’t have to do until tomorrow.’"
History of the Rotary Club of Nome (1958 - 1962)
Between 1958 and 1959, Nome Rotary lost 6 members and recruited 8 new ones, reported president Ash Craft.
The club remained Boy Scout and Explorer sponsor, continued to spearhead Nome’s annual spring cleanup, and sponsored the annual show in October 1959
"in an effort to bring good entertainment of an educational nature to the community."
There were 23 Nome Rotarians present when District Governor Herb Lohr of Everett, Washington (phone number ALpine 2-2576) met with the club in August 1960.
"The club has some serious problems,"
Lohr wrote in his memo of the official visit.
"Attendance is the worst one...lowest in the district. Fellowship is also a weak point, due in part to a prejudice against Natives or persons of Native extraction. They also have had problems on classification due to one member operating 2 or 3 different businesses."
Lohr called president Bob Grant
"an excellent administrator...knows his job and recognizes the club’s weaknesses."
ohr’s suggestions were
"too numerous to mention...this club will always have problems,"
he wrote,
"Nome is entirely unlike any other town in the district. It has a way of life all its own. It is going to take time and help and patience to iron out problems due to the problems that are peculiar to this town."
"Attendance is our main problem,"
wrote Nome president Grant in 1960.
"Fireside meetings planned but no definite schedule yet...We consider the club bulletin one of the most effective media of exchange and communication. Last year we had none...due to peculiar local conditions, the Nome Rotary Club has never utilized subcommittees under the Vocational Service Committee..."
International service was
"not really applicable to Nome due to location."
"Certain frictions and petty jealousies threaten to undermine the structure of the organization,"
Grant wrote. Nonetheless, Rotary managed to underwrite a $500 scholarship to the University of Alaska, and, wrote Grant,
"plan to set the same for this year."
In July 1960, the club published
by typewriter, as
"our printer was unable to complete the printing."
The 13 members with 100% July attendance were: George Bayer, Gordon Osborn, Larry Flannagan, Boyd (Curly) Harwood, Dusty Rhode, Herb (the Jailer) Jenks, Billy Cameron, Jack Reed, Don Hoover, Bill ( Harbor) Brown, Con Potter, Keith Hedreen, and Ben Young.
Visitors for July 1960 included Senator Bob Bartlett.
"Mr. Harry Carter, Department of Health, discussed the rat problem which has developed here in Nome and requested Rotary’s cooperation in the eradication program about to be initiated."
In this period, Rotarians were deeply involved in the revival of dog mushing in Nome. The Nome Dog Derby, which had begun as a 20-mile race in 1956, was a two-heat 50-miler by 1961. The route took mushers out of town on Bering Street, up the road between Anvil and Newton Peaks, along the Seward Peninsula Railroad on King Mountain, down to Dexter and Osborne, and across the Osborne Road, over to Dredge #5 and back into town.
In 1961, the Nome Dog Derby was organized by the Arctic Club, a local social group, with a lot of help from Rotary. The race’s top official was Nome Rotary charter member Carl Glavinovich, and the 28-page race program was assembled and printed by Rotarians Jim Blanning and Ash Craft. Among the 46 advertisers, Rotary was one of the five who sponsored full pages.
In 1961, for the tenth year in a row, Nome listed Kotzebue as a possible site for developing a new Rotary club.
Nome had 27 members and for a year, was conducting meetings at the North Star Bakery.
To boost membership, the club had initiated competition teams, and there was another effort to create a club bulletin. Acting president Roy Snyder ("on behalf of president Jenks who is hospitalized at the present time" in Seattle) wrote that once again,
"the major objective of the year is to raise the club attendance."
The $500 scholarship program continued.
District Governor Ed Fletcher said he
"found a fine spirit in the club."
A year later, the assessment was quite different.
"The club displayed more ignorance about Rotary than any visited,"
said District Governor A. Holmes Johnson, visiting from Kodiak on November 5, 1962.
"Nome has the weakest club in the district...they were last in the district in attendance."
In the confidential memo of his official visit, Johnson expressed no faith in president Snyder or the club.
"Weak president...little preparation for governor’s visit...committee chairmen not conversant with jobs -- in some cases not known they were named. Club discouraged by $500 scholarship promised."
"I had to begin at the beginning,"
Johnson said.
"I simply told them that they were one of the weakest clubs in the district...I told the president that strong leadership was essential (which is impossible)...I went over everything from A to Z."
According to Johnson,
"this club has been raising $500 for a scholarship and has had no other projects and is submerged under it. "There are good men in Nome and I am hopeful that improvements will follow..."
History of the Rotary Club of Nome (1962 - 1969)
In 1962, Rotary began a 10-year stint at the Seaview Room in the North Star Hotel. At the time, the restaurant was Nome’s premier dining spot.
In 1976, the hotel was absorbed by mercantiler Alaska Commercial Company. AC linked the hotel to its existing building, and the former Seaview Room became the Front Street firm’s firearms/hardware department until 1995.
In 1963, the District found the Nome club still in decline.
"The club has lacked inspiration,"
Governor Russell J. Richards wrote in August 1963.
"A floundering club,"
wrote district governor Winfield A. McLean on August 14, 1964, after a 2-1/2 hour assembly in Nome attended by only 6 of the club’s 16 members.
"Recent attendance average reported 9, but no records kept, since no secretary...Got 3 months mail from Rotary box..."
McLean ascribed the low attendance to high government and school turnover, busy summers, the shut down of mining, the recent deaths of two charter members,
"uninspired present leadership and possible ‘cabin fever.’"
McLean said,
"the town desperately needs a strong Rotary club."
McLean wrote to Rotary International that the Nome Club recognized
"that they have to rehabilitate the club."
Conclusions as to general committee activity were "lousy." He suggested that the Nome group
"get themselves organized into a Rotary Club. Find out why there were 10 ex-Rotarians in town."
Said McLean,
"they recognized their position when I volunteered that they had better make such an effort or consider surrendering their charter."
Apparently, three ex-Rotarians wanted to return. Back from vacation, past president Jim Blanning was assigned the task of strengthening new member information as well as information for older members.
On April 2 and 3, 1965, Rotary packed the old Nome School Multipurpose Room on 3rd Avenue with "Showboat Time," an elaborate musical production written, choreographed and performed by Rotarians.
The minstrel show was a hit, though according to reviews, it was long on local humor and slightly less long on talent, a "turkey," said one Rotarian, "but fun."
Talent included Fred "Kewpie" Cavota singing "Nobody" backed by a chorus which included Jim "Buttercup" Blanning, Frank "Hootchy" Couch and Don "Hummingbird" Hoover. The show was such a success that Rotary produced several other original stage shows over the next few years. Hope for a club rebound continued.
On July 20, 1965, Governor John Morrison of Ladner, British Columbia labelled the Nome club as having
"good fellowship, pioneer spirit."
"[McLean] must have been a good influence,"
he wrote,
"and inspired them to new heights during his visit there last year. This club has made a tremendous recovery."
While
"Rotary information to new members could be improved, no fireside meetings...lacking a tangible community project,"
Nome Rotary President Frank Couch was expected to breathe hope into the club. Past president Jim Blanning was Secretary.
In 1966, Rotary offered its 2nd annual stage production, April 16 and 17. Like its predecessor, the western-themed "Wagon Wheels" was created entirely locally, and elaborately costumed by Rotary wives.
1967’s show was "Century Notes," a farce written about old Nome. Most of the action took place in the lobby of the Gutter Palace Hotel and the bar of the Sleazy Saloon. The show entertained Nomeites March 4 and 5.
And in 1968, Rotary went south of the border with its themed show, "Fiesta," on the Multipurpose Room stage March 8 and 9. During their annual visits in the mid-60’s, District Governors gave club leadership generally high marks.
Attendance remained marginal, especially during the summer, and club activity stayed low but always with hopes and promises for the future.
In 1968, Governor John Vandenzich called committee activity
"not good but promise to improve."
In 1969, Governor Harold D. Stafford stated that
"the membership of club is constantly changing so that there is little stability."
As far as anyone could remember, Nome had not sent a representative to a district assembly or conference. Rotary’s elected secretary resigned to join the Nome Lion’s Club, and Lou T. Cox took his place.
A major in the U.S. Army, Cox
"is trying to pick up the threads,"
Stafford wrote in 1969.
"He has been a member of Rotary for less than 6 mo. A grand young man."
As for president Thor Weatherby, Jr. of the FAA, Stafford said he was
"an excellent speaker who if he can get the club going will make a significant mark in Rotary."
The $500 local scholarship continued, and Rotary was struggling to donate $400 to complete payment on a $2,500 operating table for the hospital.
Still, wrote Stafford,
"my experience with the officers would be somewhat similar to that one one would have on working with officers of a provisional club....this club is so isolated that it might fare better if it were in a different country."
History of the Rotary Club of Nome (1970 - 1980)
"Nome is the end of the world in three directions,"
wrote governor Floyd W. Hines of his visit to Nome July 15, 1970.
9 Rotarians were present for the two-hour assembly. The club was
"too busy doing nothing,"
wrote Hines,
"which is a common condition in an isolated arctic villa.
Generally doing nothing. No one attends district conference or convention. Government employees transfer every 2 years.
" Most members were past Presidents "who are loyal in their own way." "The club is following the same pattern as the town," Hines said. "Population receding, as well as the economy...the future is poor." A year later, District Governor Stan Smith termed Nome’s new President "a young keen Rotarian, a mining engineer at heart but now a retailer with music store...made President one week ago when elected President transferred. Most probably the best thing that could have happened to this club." The President was Leo B. Rasmussen. The club was so thin at this point that Rasmussen was the second president in a row who assumed the office with less than one year of membership under his belt. Even at that, Smith called Rasmussen one of only "one or two seasoned Rotarians." Rasmussen, incidentally, was thrust into the Presidency less than three weeks into the Rotary year, and only one week before the District Governor’s visit, when school administrator George White was transferred out of town. He was, wrote Smith "a mining engineer at heart but now a retailer with music store." In 1971, Rotary supported both Boy and Girl Scouts, and continued to do so for several years Governor John T. King called Nome "a fine club" in 1972. "Their long suit is community service." King said "attendance good for such remote area...community service, fellowship, willing workers," though there wasn’t much depth. The "club has only two or three seasoned Rotarians," King wrote. District governor E. L. "Andy" Andrews’ August 16, 1973 assembly was cancelled by bad weather. Nome’s runway was being rebuilt. Andrews was eventually shuttled to Nome by small plane, missing the scheduled assembly by two hours. "Unable to schedule another," he wrote. President Paul Sterling drove Andrews to meet Rotarians around town "at their place of business. Found good and interested Rotarians, solidly behind their quiet spoken president," wrote Andrews, in lieu of a formal meeting. Andrews judged that Sterling, who was the administrator for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, was "well respected by all. Apparently determined to build up his club and have a good Rotary year." According to Andrews, Nome Rotary was publishing "a good monthly bulletin. Do not have cliques. Direct the Midnight Sun Festival and parade." Rotary’s attendance remained low because of the large number of community leaders who were periodically transferred out of town. In 1974, Rotary had 25 members. 8 were under 40 years of age; 9 were in their 40’s; 8 were 51 and older. Nome Rotary’s goal was, over a 4 to 5 year period, to raise funds for a swimming pool for the town, a project led by Rotarian Jesuit priest Rev. Jim Poole, S.J. Governor Amos J. Alter of Juneau said Nome was a "good club serving a vital purpose under great handicaps of very small community, inadequate meeting place...." "Vocational and International committees may need special help," Alter wrote. November 11, 1974, Nome suffered a disasterous Bering Sea storm surge. Among businesses flooded was the North Star Hotel. Flood waters filled the basement, and smashed through the Seaview Room’s picture window, virtually destroying the hotel’s first floor. Rotary moved its meetings to the Methodist Church for a few months, and shifted to the Fire Hall on Bering Street in early 1975. Most meetings were catered "under plastic" by Nome Business Ventures (Ernie and Betty Gustafson), and some were brown baggers. Though only 6 Rotarians had attended the annual assembly, Rotary District Governor Robert D. Ladd gave an address to 13 Rotarians "plus 14 Rotary-Anns" on August 25, 1976. Ladd reported to Rotary International that Nome enjoyed very quality membership, was heavily involved in the new swimming pool project, and with a quarter of the membership being past presidents, had a solid knowledge of Rotary. He considered GTE telephone manager Vaughn Munn, in his second year as President, "very effective and dedicated, and Stan Summers, the club Secretary, "fine citizen...good leader and do-er." In the minus column, Ladd noted that attendance, international service and membership development were lacking. And the club still lacked a newsletter. Wrote Ladd, "Vaughn has tried and surveyed Kotzebue - but not ready yet - too few classifications." By 1977, Nome Rotary Club had collected $50,000 toward a Nome swimming pool, according to a report by President John Poling. The club had 23 members. "We provided funds for a children’s softball team," Poling wrote, adding that the club continued a "substantial annual scholarship award." Nome sent "a large quantity" of schoolbooks from the local school to a school district in the Philippines. The club did not enjoy tax exempt status, and lost a substantial sum to federal income tax paid on interest on the pool seed money. In 1979, Nome Rotary president (school superintendent) Darroll Hargraves "indicates a strong sense of leadership," wrote Governor John Schaeffer. There were only 5 present for the club assembly on July 17th, but 22 Rotarians attended Schaeffer’s address to the club on the 18th. 1980 District Governor Ben Cashman called Nome "a weak club because of its distance from other clubs and the smallness of its membership. It is difficult to see how this club can grow very much....it would be hard to develop a really strong club in such an isolated area." There is little information available on the club for the following three years. In 1983, the club’s meetings moved to the Fort Davis Roadhouse, on the Nome side of the Beam Road, where they remained for five years, despite a few members’ objections to the restaurant’s remote location two miles east of town. Theoretically, the club had 27 members. Apparently few were active.
