At last week's meeting, we had a special presentation by Rotarian Dr. John Kulba who walked us through 60 years of Rotary in 20 minutes. For some it was a trip down memory lane. For those of us who are newer to the Stroudsburgs Rotary it was inspirational to know the Club's history and provided some ideas for what could be done in the future. When John joined in 1961, Alex "Buzz" Bensinger was President of Stroudsburgs Rotary. There were still members from 1922 when the Club began.
He fit right in immediately and felt welcome. This began his journey to live a life of service above self. As a young graduate, Dr. John Kulba selected the Stroudsburg area to be where he would establish his optometry practice. To be successful in establishing a practice, he knew he had to be engaged in community service. He selected Stroudsburgs Rotary and we are glad he did.
He walked us through the changes from when he first joined. There was a dress code – jacket and tie required for the sit down plated dinner. There was a succession of pianists to accompany the singing. They would be appalled at our a capella renditions from the Rotary songbook. At the time, it was truly a Men’s Club and women would not be invited (allowed) to join until Jane Driscoll became the first female member in 1987. In 1194, Eileen Holder became our first female President.
As you can imagine, the Club fundraisers have evolved over time. There have been regattas on McMichaels Creek, basketball tournaments to purchase vans for the American Cancer Society and auctions with used cars. The annual dinner before the Turkey Day game honored high school football players. That event has evolved into an event that honors over a hundred high school seniors for their leadership potential.
John has volunteered in many activities over the years. But his signature project has been the Roadside Cleanup. As part of the PennDot cleanup highways project, John led teams of volunteers to pick up thousands of bags, tires, TVs, etc for 30 years. He personifies Service Above Self, one of the basic principles of Rotary.
So why Rotary – fellowship, friends, discussions, good speakers and more. But more importantly, John stuck with Rotary because of its impact on the community, the nation, and the world. He is as proud of the Club as we are of him. Thanks, John, for being such an important part of our Club’s history.
