History and Progress
(The script below is from a Cocoa Rotary 50 year anniversary program.)

The Cocoa Rotary Club received its charter at a banquet in the New Indian River Hotel on the evening of February 9 in the year 1924, during Florida's pre-depression boom days. At that time, Rotarianism itself was still a "teenager," having been started just 19 years earlier by Paul Harris.

In the year 1905, Einstein described his famous "theory of relativity," which opened the door to the incredible power of nuclear energy - a force that men today are looking to as a means of overcoming the "energy crisis" of the 1970's. On February 23 of that same year, Mr. Harris founded, Rotary - the first civic club ever organized - in Chicago. The Rotarian Magazine noted a similarity to the 1905 efforts of Einstein and Harris. "For 69 years, Paul Harris' personal 'theory of relativity' has been responsible for unleashing an equally incredible amount of energy - not by splitting the atom but by uniting men in improving the quality of life for their fellow men worldwide."

When the Cocoa Rotary Club received its charter in 1924, there were 23 original members. The charter members, as reported by the old Cocoa Tribute, were: H.M. Cogswell, Russell A. Field, J.H. Logan, A.H. Smith, R.L. Carter, Dr. Robert Schlernitzauer, Ralph Rubin, Roscoe McLane, Dr. L.T. Daniel, Jr., H.R. Shares, L.R. Highfill, Carl Fay, G.E. Hendry, R.L. Geiger, Jr., Amos Wooten, P.M. Childers, A.G. Porcher, Lewis S. Andrews,, Sr., J.B. Whitmore, S.M. Pinkerton, Fred Travis, A.R. Trafford, and C. Sweet Smith, Sr.

Over the years, our club has helped in many community activities, especially in programs related to young people. Some bits and pieces of club history:

• Four-way Test plaques placed in all classrooms at Brevard Community College,Cocoa High School, and Merritt Island High School.
• Pramfleet organized for Cocoa High School (later transferred to YMCA in 1965.)
• Bloodbank was established at Wuesthoff Memorial Hospital in 1952.
• Interact Club formed at Cocoa High School in 1965.
• Rotaract Club formed at BCC in 1970.
• Furnished films for Cocoa High School football teams 1955 - 70
• Sponsored and organized the Crippled Children's Clinic in 1964 which has grown into a great institution today.
• Active in supporting Boy Scouts, 4-H Club boys and girls, softball and baseball teams
• Organized Cocoa Beach Rotary Club in 1958
• Organized the Merritt Island Rotary Club in 1965
• Meeting places have included Women's Club on Delannoy, Old City Hall, Brevard Hotel and Cocoa-Rockledge Country Club.
• Pianists have included Mildred Jones (1936-60), Nester Hebert, June Rahm, and Mary Cathryn Park (1960 to present).
• Carl Colson, who joined the club in 1939, has served as secretary continuously for the past 30 years.
• Our club has contributed $3,430 to Rotary Foundation.