Columbia-Patuxent Rotary Club is celebrating the 40th anniversary of its founding on Thursday, Feb. 26, with a gala at The Collective Encore from 6-8:30 p.m. Longtime member Charlie McCabe and charter member Dushyant Patel are gathering historical pictures and memorabilia to retrace the club’s history. They’ve been compiling a list of names for invitations and reaching out to past presidents, as well as the original district governor and charter president—both of whom will attend. The event will recount the club’s four decades of service and community commitment, including details of its founding, milestones, and accomplishments.
Rotary has undergone a number of changes over the years. Charlie and Dushyant recalled how membership in the past was for men by invitation only—considered a privilege and primarily seen as a networking opportunity. Rotary’s history took an important turn when women were allowed to join. The move was prompted by a court ruling stating Rotary could not discriminate, making the inclusion of women both inevitable and beneficial. While some clubs initially resisted, the change did not spark much controversy here.
Whereas early membership targeted business owners and senior executives and focused on business-oriented goals, there’s been a gradual shift towards community service and relaxed criteria. The advent of online clubs has also changed the landscape. Charlie and Dushyant said Patuxent-Rotary has done a commendable job of balancing both networking and social aspects, which distinguishes it from other clubs.
“Our club has had a good mixture of both the business side and the social side,” Charlie said. “We’ve held on to that tradition. I think that's a very important part of our success. We love to get together, be together, and have fun.”
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