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Rotary and WE-GO History

Rotary is a unique institution

Paul Harris formed the world’s first service club, the Rotary Club of Chicago, on February 23, 1905. Rotary’s motto is "Service Above Self" and, as it celebrates its 102nd anniversary, the club and its 1.2 million members around the globe continue to focus on furthering truth, fairness, cooperation among all cultures and world peace. A 1942 Rotary conference held in London planted the seeds for the development of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and some 50 Rotary members served as delegates and consultants at the founding of the United Nations. Today Rotary holds the highest consultative status with the United Nations of any non-governmental organization. In this capacity, Rotary has a strong voice within the UN system and access to its people and resources worldwide.

WE-GO is a remarkable club

WE-GO's History: The Westtown Goshen Rotary Club, widely known as WE-GO, was formed in the summer of 1975 through the efforts of members of the Rotary Club of West Chester. This was a culmination of discussions started in the summer of 1974 which resulted in WE-GO being chartered by Rotary International on June 20, 1975. Nine members of the West Chester Club, along with one member from the Concord Club, formed the nucleus of the new club. They, along with 16 newly recruited first-time Rotarians, made up the original 26 charter members. Much help was given by the West Chester members in the initial formation. On July 31, 1975, the Club's Charter Night Dinner-Dance was held at the Treadway Inn, and was attended by all the new club members and their wives. District Governor Paul A. Vaughn and District Governor elect F. Munro Purse, and many members of other clubs were present. Weekly meetings were established on Thursdays at 6pm. The venue initiated at the West Chester Treadway Inn and later transitioned to the West Chester Golf and Country Club and then back to the Day's Hotel.  We now meet at Timoth's in the Parkway Shopping Center.

One of our first projects as a club was to restore the Westtown Township's Oakbourne Mansion Water Tower.





WE-GO is the Greater West Chester area's club devoted to community, fellowship and service.

We meet online and in person. We are a small club of active Rotarians committed to making the world a better place by giving service, expertise and financial support where we can.

Our members live in the West Chester area mostly.  Some have moved away, but stay active online.

West Goshen, Thornbury Chester County, Thornbury Delaware County, Westtown, East Goshen, Exton, Willistown, Glenn Mills, Downingtown, Kennett Square, Chadds Ford


In the Beginning:

WE-GO Charter Officers and Board of Directors 1975

President
Norman M. Baker, Jr.

Vice President
Thomas Smith, Jr

Treasurer
Denis E. Forrest

Sergeant At Arms
Joachim H. Nussbaumer

Directors
Herbert A. Nussbaumer
Robinson B. Dunwody
Winni Nussbaumer
Ira Hicks

WE-GO Charter Members

Norman M. Baker, Jr.
Norbert P. Breslin
Robson B. Dunwoody
Denis E. Forrest
Nicholas C. Gagliardi
Leroy Glauner
Joseph J. Hassler
Ira Hicks
William I. Hicks
Howard A. Jones
James Latta III
Orville R. March
Herbert A. Nussbaumer

Joachim H. Nussbaumer
Winni J. Nussbaumer
Charles F. O’Keffe
Ralph E. Petersen
Luther L. Rife
Howard F. Riley, Jr.
Charles Scipione
Thomas J. Smith, Jr.
Edmund D. Tegethoff
Robert K. Tomlinson
John M. Townes, III
Robert C. Wiggins