The Rising Rotarians, A Brief History
Orange County East, Rotary's First Breakfast Club

It was August of 1968 a few young professional men, thirty-five in all, enjoyed forming a new concept in Rotary, a breakfast Rotary Club. First it was a meeting over coffee, doughnuts and orange juice at Norma's Restaurant, currently the Holiday House on Aloma Avenue. These men were dedicated to making the community a better place because of their service. They wanted to build a better Central Florida.

Over the years OCE did just that. They sponsored Little League Teams and provided officers for Little League. These Rotarians, under the direction of President P. D. Meadors, charter member and Pediatri­cian Dr. Ray Scala and Dr. Louis Pesce founded the HarborSchool for exceptional children. In 1976, OCE began its major fund raiser, The Tip-Off Classic basketball tournament. Over the years this tournament has raised over $250,000 for such organizations as the YMCA, Central Florida Helpline, Winter Park Little League, The Boy Scouts of America, Junior Achievement, Special Olympics, The Buffalo Soldiers, Brookshire, Aloma and Lakemont Elementary Schools, The CITE Program, Salvation Army, Better Living for Seniors, Migrant Workers, The Miller Center, various high school athletic programs. OCE also sponsors the Metro Cup Regatta on LakeMaitland for local university and high school crew teams.

OCE founded its own charitable foundation in 2000.
The foundation will benefit area youth in future years.

Four of our members have been selected to serve as District Governor. In addition to the Tip-Off Classic and the Metro Cup Regatta, many of our members serve the community in the following ways:

• Serving Meals on Wheels to home-bound seniors;
• Collecting food and clothing for the impoverished and the homeless;
• Assisting migrant farm workers with clothing and household items;
• Sponsoring deserving teens for the annual Rotary Youth Leadership Assembly (RYLA);
• Serving as mentors for at-risk students;
• Organizing regular blood donor drives;
• Contributing to the Foundations of Rotary International and OrangeCounty East Rotary Club;
• Sponsoring an annual elementary school "4-Way Test" essay contest of things we think, say and do;
• Providing leadership and candidates for the Rotary Group Study Exchange of young business persons;
• Providing leadership and liaison with local governmental and military agencies on community issues;
• Assisting with funding of District 6980 Rotary Scholars;
• Donations to world disaster funds including the September 11±Fund;
• Assisting in building and developing dental/medical clinics in the offshore islands;
• Youth sports leagues organization and coaches;
• Providing assistance to Age-ing to Sage-ing Council program development.

Our Club's history is one of service to the community, our nation and the world. Our aim is to try to make the world a better and safer place because of our activities in such service. If you wish to join a group of community leaders dedicated to such service, join us on Thursday Mornings at 7:45 a.m. for breakfast and pursuit of our theme "Service Above Self". Our members come from all professions as is the practice with rotary clubs.