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Rotary Club of Chariho
About Our Club
Chariho Rotary is a network of neighbors, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers who see a world where people
unite and take action to create lasting change – across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.
Solving real problems takes real commitment and vision. For more than 110 years, Rotary's people of action have used their passion, energy, and intelligence to take action on sustainable projects. From literacy and peace to water and health, we are always working to better our world, and we stay committed to the end.
What we do
Rotary members believe that we have a shared responsibility to take action on our world’s most persistent issues. Our 35,000+ clubs work together to:
- Promote peace
- Fight disease
- Provide clean water, sanitation, and hygiene
- Save mothers and children
- Support education
- Grow local economies
Chariho Rotary, In the Beginning
The Rotary Club of Chariho was actually chartered as the Rotary Club of Charlestown-Richmond-Hopkinton back in 1974. The name was changed to Chariho in 1984. It’s quite possible with the incorporation of the town of Exeter as a service area, perhaps the name will be changed again in the future, to better reflect the communities served. Several Rotarians have said that the Club name did include Exeter, but we have not found the supporting documentation.
Joe Costanza of The Rotary Club of Wakefield visited Jacques de Laporte, (former owner of KayDee Handprints) in 1974 to introduce Jacques to Rotary. Joe then asked Jacques if he would like to join Rotary and help him “start up” a club for the Charlestown-Richmond-Hopkinton area. Jacques responded that he was just too busy, but he would help Joe find members. So Jacques and Joe found 2 interested people to join. And lo and behold! Busy Jacques deLaporte became president of the club, and not for one year, but for two!
To this day, Jacques says that “Rotary transformed my life”. I have been a Rotarian for 33 years, having “made up” visits in Chili, Argentina, Columbia, British Virgin Islands, Germany, France, Italy and Holland. I have been received, as a Rotarian, with such warmth, all over the world.” Jacques really appreciated the time and effort of the Wakefield Rotary Club in forming the Rotary Club of Chariho.
The club was admitted into Rotary International on May 3, 1974. It served a population of about 11,000. The Club held their weekly meeting at lunch time at the former “Top of the Hill Restaurant in Hope Valley.
The first officers were:
|
President |
Jacques de Laporte | Kay Dee Handprints, Inc. |
| Vice President | Edward Newman | Edward H. Newman Law Offices |
| Secretary | Phillip Friend | Washington Trust |
| Treasurer | Harold Kenyon | Avery Funeral Home |
|
Sergeant-at-Arms |
James E. Mello | Comfort Engineering |
The Directors were:
| Robert B. Bitgood | Western Auto |
| H. James Fleming | Flemings Department Store |
| Harry Jones Greene | Wolf Rock’s Restaurants |
| Richard Perrson | Nordic Lodge |
| James Mello | Comfort Engineering |
| Clifton (Gus) Woodmansee | Woodmansee & Son |
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The original membership also included
| Gideon Allen | Greene Plastics |
| Richard C. Antonelli | Washington County Mental Health Center |
| Father Magar Bedrosian | St. Elizabeth’s Church |
| G. Stuart Douglas | Chariho Vocational Facility |
| Bradley Friel | Suburban Cleaners |
| Glenn Godden | Glenn Godden Agency |
| John F. Grills | Sun Valley Motel |
| William C. Harrison | Speedcraft Volkswagen |
| Robert A. Perreault | Perreault Motor Cycles & Power Equipment |
| Richard Perrson | Nordic Lodge |
| Anthony Rinaldo | Hope Valley School |
| Thomas G. Russell | University of Rhode Island |
| Charlie Sokolosky, Jr. | Narragansett Electric |
| Raymond Thorpe | Town & Country Painting |
| Father Samuel Turillo | St. Joseph’s Church |
| Ralph H. Woodmansee | Woodmansee Insurance, Inc. |
The First Project
One of the first projects that brought the club together was the rehabilitation of an old market building in Hope Valley, off of Mechanic Street. This would be the future home of the first Health Center in Hope Valley. The Rotary of Chariho members got together and gutted this building. Under the direction of Harold Kenyon, the Rotarians partitioned off the area, put in the plumbing and the electrical. In a unique manner of fundraising, Jacques and some of the members would solicit other community citizens to “sponsor” carpeting. So you could donate enough money for one yard or several yards, whatever your wallet could spare. This was the manner in which the carpeting was purchased…and it was installed for free by Westerly Furniture Co.
More than just the knowledge of knowing that they were working to resolve a need in the community, Jacques still loves to think of the camaraderie that the group shared while working together, especially when they were painting the outside of the building.
The Strawberry Booth
One of the next projects was to build a permanent Strawberry Booth at the Washington County Fairgrounds. Ed Newman tells of how Harold Kenyon would somehow load a giant work shed onto a truck, and haul it to the Washington County Fairgrounds for several years. This would be the structure that the club would sell Strawberry Shortcakes from. Finally, the group got together, under Harold’s stewardship, and built the Strawberry Booth that exists today at the fairgrounds. Ed spoke of how every year Tiny Greene (of Wolf Rock’s Restaurant) would supply the cream, and the shortcakes would be freshly baked at West’s Bakery in Hope Valley. One year, a decision was made to purchase “pre-made” shortcakes. “Oh, they were awful”, said Newman. They have been freshly made shortcakes every year after that.