Rotary centennial gala features the good work being done by club and its members

Last weekend, several hundred Rotarians, guests and community members gathered for the Cape Girardeau Rotary Club’s centennial gala.

Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. brought a level of excitement to the event as he recognized several dignitaries. Abbie Crites-Leoni, Mary Bennett and Robert Gifford also played important roles.

Rotary International president-elect Mark Daniel Maloney was in attendance and gave a keynote speech. It was informative and entertaining.

Even when the microphone stopped working at one point, Maloney improvised and joked of the technology failure with a dance on stage.

Rotary International is now 114 years old. The number of clubs at the centennial mark continues to grow, he said.

“Last year, we had 95 club centennial celebrations, this year we have 93,” Maloney said. “Next year, during my year as president, we have 235 centennials to celebrate.”

He then added in jest, “I will not make them all.”

As the evening closed, Limbaugh and Crites-Leoni announced $100,000 was raised and would be donated to the Rotary International Fund, the organization’s charitable arm, in honor of Maloney.

A video produced by Southeast Missouri State University students featured several local Rotarians sharing why the club was important to them.

Whether it was through a camp as a young person or attending an international conference to hear about how Rotary improves the lives of others, the significance was not lost on attendees.

A few notes:

• Crites-Leoni said Rotary International includes 1.2 million people from more than 100 countries.
• In recognition of Cape’s 100 years, the Rotary Club provided 101 trees to the Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department to plant on the campuses of local schools. The 101st was planted April 5 at Southeast Missouri State University.
• Gifford spoke of Rotary donating musical instruments to one college in Ukraine. When he visited, their instruments were held together precariously. Gifford worked with Rotary on a $10,000 donation to purchase new instruments for the school. When he returned last year, the instruments were still in use and the students, with much emotion, thanked him for the donation.
• Bennett spoke of attending the international conference in Singapore. On the main stage was a picture of Dr. Dan Cotner performing dental work in a third-world country. Bennett wanted those around her to know this was a member from her club in Cape Girardeau. Even thousands of miles from home, there was a connection to the Cape club.

That memory would later transition into the most emotional part of the night. Dr. Cotner, a local dentist, World War II veteran, musician and Rotary Club member was named Rotarian of the Century.

A former Southeast Missourian Spirit of America Award recipient and namesake of the municipal band amphitheater in Capaha Park, Cotner, who turned 96 on Thursday, has been an influential member of this community for years.

I did not realize the amount of time he spent on Rotary-based missions, traveling to foreign countries to provide free dental services.

In 1996, Cotner traveled to Mexico and provided $62,000 in dental services. Other trips included Kenya in 1998 and Thailand in 2001.

Congratulations to the Cape Girardeau Rotary Club on 100 years and thank you for all you do to help others both locally and beyond.

Lucas Presson is assistant publisher of the Southeast Missourian.