THE THIENSVILLE-MEQUON ROTARY CLUB FOUNDATION
The origin of this fund takes us back to the late fifties (1958-60) during the presidencies of Rudy Peters and Ralph Huiras. Ralph had been initiated into the mysteries of corn roasting by Doc Elbe, and very quickly Ralph conceived a plan for a family picnic to be known as the Annual Corn Roast and Bratwurst Fry. Others joined in on the development of the fundraiser which would also serve as a community service project. The net profits from the picnic were to be used to finance Boy Scout programs and school scholarships, and in some cases the fund could be used for other community projects. These profits were kept in segregated funds and invested separately from the club’s operating fund. Over the years, successive Corn Roasts continued to generate profits and the segregated fund grew to the point that earnings were enough to finance the Scouts and the scholarships. The goal had been set to build the fund to $25,000.
By 1967 when Jack Wiese because president of T-M Rotary, the fund had grown to $13,000. The time seemed right to set up the fund in a more formal and legal format. Wiese appointed a committee to study the entire Scout-Scholarship Fund situation and come up with a recommendation to the club. The committee consisted of Merton Campbell, Chairman, Dr. T. D. Elbe, Clem Freitag, Ray Hintz, Ralph Huiras, Francis Meer, Russ Risley, and Harry Schmit. After several meetings the committee finished its job, with Ralph Huiras providing the legal expertise. In September 1967, the report was submitted to President Wiese, who then presented it to the Board of Directors for its perusal. The Board accepted the recommendations with a few minor changes, and shortly thereafter the THIENSVILLE-MEQUON ROTARY CLUB FOUNDATION became a legal entity. The purpose was to provide scholarships to aid graduates of Homestead High School, to provide support to the Boy Scouts of America in the Thiensville-Mequon area, and to provide for emergency services connected exclusively with services to the communities of Thiensville and Mequon or to non-profit or charitable organizations within these communities. A Board of Trustees of five members of the Thiensville-Mequon Rotary Club was to administer the fund, and the method of selecting the Board was specified. The first Board of Trustees consisted of Ralph Huiras, Harry Schmit, James Schmitz, Harold Viste and Jack Wiese (past president). In 1986 the FOUNDATION was reviewed again and some amendments were made, namely; (1) A modification was made in the selection of Trustees, with the treasurer to serve a five-year term; (2) An annual donation of $1000 was to be made to the Frank J. Weyenberg Library Foundation; and an annual donation of $1000 was to be made to the International Rotary Foundation as a Paul Harris Fellowship; this became known as an Honorary Paul Harris Fellowship to be determined by the Club Board of Directors.
Shortly after T-M Rotary launched the Rotary Park project it was necessary to review the foundation again and amend it to cover the initial expenditure of $80,000 plus additional future expenditures toward this $2,500,000 project. Currently the fund is entitled the Thiensville-Mequon Rotary Park Foundation, Inc. The foundation continues to be a vibrant force, as was it’s predecessors for the past 33 years, in meeting the service obligations and commitments of Thiensville-Mequon Rotary Club as it serves our local communities.
The origin of this fund takes us back to the late fifties (1958-60) during the presidencies of Rudy Peters and Ralph Huiras. Ralph had been initiated into the mysteries of corn roasting by Doc Elbe, and very quickly Ralph conceived a plan for a family picnic to be known as the Annual Corn Roast and Bratwurst Fry. Others joined in on the development of the fundraiser which would also serve as a community service project. The net profits from the picnic were to be used to finance Boy Scout programs and school scholarships, and in some cases the fund could be used for other community projects. These profits were kept in segregated funds and invested separately from the club’s operating fund. Over the years, successive Corn Roasts continued to generate profits and the segregated fund grew to the point that earnings were enough to finance the Scouts and the scholarships. The goal had been set to build the fund to $25,000.
By 1967 when Jack Wiese because president of T-M Rotary, the fund had grown to $13,000. The time seemed right to set up the fund in a more formal and legal format. Wiese appointed a committee to study the entire Scout-Scholarship Fund situation and come up with a recommendation to the club. The committee consisted of Merton Campbell, Chairman, Dr. T. D. Elbe, Clem Freitag, Ray Hintz, Ralph Huiras, Francis Meer, Russ Risley, and Harry Schmit. After several meetings the committee finished its job, with Ralph Huiras providing the legal expertise. In September 1967, the report was submitted to President Wiese, who then presented it to the Board of Directors for its perusal. The Board accepted the recommendations with a few minor changes, and shortly thereafter the THIENSVILLE-MEQUON ROTARY CLUB FOUNDATION became a legal entity. The purpose was to provide scholarships to aid graduates of Homestead High School, to provide support to the Boy Scouts of America in the Thiensville-Mequon area, and to provide for emergency services connected exclusively with services to the communities of Thiensville and Mequon or to non-profit or charitable organizations within these communities. A Board of Trustees of five members of the Thiensville-Mequon Rotary Club was to administer the fund, and the method of selecting the Board was specified. The first Board of Trustees consisted of Ralph Huiras, Harry Schmit, James Schmitz, Harold Viste and Jack Wiese (past president). In 1986 the FOUNDATION was reviewed again and some amendments were made, namely; (1) A modification was made in the selection of Trustees, with the treasurer to serve a five-year term; (2) An annual donation of $1000 was to be made to the Frank J. Weyenberg Library Foundation; and an annual donation of $1000 was to be made to the International Rotary Foundation as a Paul Harris Fellowship; this became known as an Honorary Paul Harris Fellowship to be determined by the Club Board of Directors.
Shortly after T-M Rotary launched the Rotary Park project it was necessary to review the foundation again and amend it to cover the initial expenditure of $80,000 plus additional future expenditures toward this $2,500,000 project. Currently the fund is entitled the Thiensville-Mequon Rotary Park Foundation, Inc. The foundation continues to be a vibrant force, as was it’s predecessors for the past 33 years, in meeting the service obligations and commitments of Thiensville-Mequon Rotary Club as it serves our local communities.
