CAMDEN — The Camden Rotary Club celebrated the 100th anniversary of its founding on Saturday, April 5, 2025, with members recalling its history and anticipating further efforts in the coming years. 

Twenty-two Camden men, including educators, retailers, business owners, medical professionals, the local press, and others, met on April 3, 1925, to establish the Club. Rotarians from existing clubs in Waterville, Augusta, Bangor, Bath, Damariscotta, Gardiner, and Waterville advised them about the workings of Rotary International. The Club held its first weekly meeting at the Camden YMCA on April 7 and received its charter from Rotary International on April 21. 

The Club’s earliest endeavors combined fun and fellowship with fundraising and philanthropy. From day one, the Club focused on supporting young people, aiding those in need, and bringing people together to serve the greater good. 

Early activities included: 

• Financially supporting the privately funded Gale Hospital on Chestnut Street while it faced closure in 1927 and working with the Board of Trade to plan for the Camden Community Hospital on Mountain Street
• Establishing a Christmas Charity Fund for local people in need
• Collaborating with the Lions Club and the American Legion to collect and ship clothing to aid Europeans recovering from World War II
• Sponsoring Camden’s first Sea Scout Troop
• Raising money to help create “The Bog” skating rink off Park Street in 1946

More recently, the Club has: 

• Distributed nearly $300,000 in grants to local nonprofit organizations in Knox County and Lincolnville since 2017
• Awarded nearly $525,000 since 2010 in scholarships for local students seeking technical or college education
• Supplied weekly volunteers to deliver MCH Meals on Wheels to homebound individuals
• Run a week-long summer “fresh air” program for elementary school students from Camden, New Jersey, engaging host families and providing daily recreational activities for students with little or no access to nature.
• Hosted free “Music by the Sea” concerts in the Library Amphitheatre, Harbor Park, and Village Green on the 4th of July since 1991, with sponsorships generating funds for charitable grants
• Cooked and served thousands of pancakes at dozens of community breakfasts.
• Proudly sponsored the Camden Rotary Little League Team since 1988
• Collaborated with other concerned citizens to establish the MidCoast Regional Housing Trust to strengthen local communities by enabling median-income households to rent or purchase homes in our region
• Contributed $125,000 in the past 15 years to  Rotary International Foundation programs focused on public health (including polio eradication), education, peacebuilding, economic development, and more.
• Celebrated its centennial by funding improvements to the Camden-Rockport Historical Society’s museum building and caretaker’s cottage, which now houses two local workers 

The 57 men and women of the Camden Rotary Club will continue their tradition of putting service above self by supporting local nonprofit organizations, nurturing young people, and providing opportunities for fellowship and community service. 

Visitors are welcome to attend its Tuesday noon meetings at First Congregational Church in Camden and view an exhibit about its activities at the Camden Public Library in June. 

The Club seeks new members who wish to support its efforts to strengthen the Midcoast community. Membership applications are available at https://www.camdenrotary.org/page/join-us.