Under the leadership of Club President Dick Bodine, the Rotary Housing Corporation was established in 1970 with Rotarian Arnold Sher as the Board President. A few years later, the first project of the Housing Corporation came to fruition. Sycamore Apartments, a senior citizen residence built with municipal and federal funds , opened in 1974. Rotarian Arthur Clifford - who served as the Club's President in the late fifties and who nominated over 200 Rotarians for membership - was named Rotarian of the Century. Later in 1974, Mr. Clifford would be honored as the Club's first Paul Harris Fellow.
80's.
With the opening of Laurelwood Residence in 1982,
the second project of the Rotary Housing Corporation was completed.
This brought the total number of Rotary sponsored housing units to 206
apartments.
Once again the Club responded to the needs of the community when in
1985- Rotarians Jack Stawarky and Sam Vimini led the charge to form
the Rotary Housing Rehabilitation Corporation to further serve the need
for affordable housing by acquiring abandoned houses, restoring them,
and then making them available at below market price.
Education and the well being of young people have always been priorities
with Rotary as witnessed by the establishment of Career Day Programs in
the Bridgeport Public Schools under the leadership of Rotarian Bill Hawkins.
To further motivate high school students, Rotarian Mark Fries and the Club
initiated the Free Enterprise Programs held at the Klein Memorial Auditorium,
1987 proved to be a banner for the Club! Women were invited to join Rotary!
Rotarian Phyllis Gustafson was the first woman to join. Phyllis later became
the Club's first female President.
1989 saw past Club President Abe
Gordon elected District Governor.