What does a renowned world class orchestra and the oldest service organization have in common? In 1916 a successful business owner, Arch Klumph, also a flutist with the Cleveland Orchestra, started the Rotary Foundation with $28.50. Thousands of Rotarians and community leaders, and members of the Cleveland Symphony celebrated the 100 year anniversary of the Rotary Foundation at a Sunday afternoon concert in Severance Hall on the eve of World Polio Day. With a modest start the Rotary Foundation has combined individual contributions and savings  to grow to hundreds of millions dollars for funding  international eradication of Polio, clean water projects worldwide, entrepreneurial encouragement, international youth exchange for high school students, and post graduate International Peace Scholars.

Allen and Karen Porter, and Bon Russell, members of the North Coast Rotary that meets in Avon Lake attended the celebration with thousands of Rotarians, friends, family and community leaders from Northern Ohio.

The concert included works by Beethoven, Claude Debussy and John Williams. There was also a special video segments highlighting the history of Rotary.

Immediately following the concert, a Centennial Celebration Dinner was held at the InterContinental Cleveland to honor donations to The Rotary Foundation in honor of The Foundation’s 100th Anniversary. The evening’s events also included a very special induction of four members into the Arch Klumph Society with some traveling from as far away as the Philippines to be honored in Mr. Klumph’s hometown.

Highlights of the evening included presentations by honored guests.   To honor the leadership of Cleveland Rotarian Arch C. Klumph, The Honorable Frank G. Jackson, Mayor, City of Cleveland declared Sunday, October 23, 2016 as Arch C. Klumph Day in honor of this “Renaissance Man,” the Father of The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International who had a dream 100 years ago of “Doing Good in the World.”