Who we are
Rotarians are business and professional leaders, retirees, volunteers, friends, problem solvers, neighbors, who take an active role in their communities while greatly enriching their personal and professional lives. A Rotary Club contains a diverse group of leaders from the community that the Club serves.
Niles Rotary Spirit
To explain what Rotary can bring to your life, here is Past Niles Rotary President Rick King, who served as RI President in 2000-2001.
Our History
Niles Rotary was founded on 9 December 1937. The assigned Club number was 4455 and our motto was “Double Four, Double Five, Small Club, but Doubly Alive.” The Hayward Rotary Club sponsored Niles Rotary and our charter meeting was at the Veterans Memorial Building on Second Street in Niles. Chuck Kraft was the charter president.
Weekly meetings began at the historic Hotel Belvoir on Mission Boulevard, and later moved to the Florence Restaurant in Niles. Subsequently the Club moved to the International Kitchen on Mowry Avenue (which later became Mission Gardens) and at one time the Club met at Niles Hall. The Century House in Centerville was our home for several years, followed by the Washington Hospital West building. We were uprooted by COVID-19 and returned “home” to Washington West in 2023.
For many years Niles Rotary was the only Rotary Club in what is now known as the Tri- Cities (Fremont, Newark, and Union City). In 1956, it was suggested that we change our Club’s name to Fremont to reflect the creation of the new city, but members wanted to retain the historic link with Niles and thus sponsored a second club, the Fremont Rotary Club, to carry the city name. We also sponsored Newark, and our ‘daughter Clubs’ in turn sponsored the Fremont Sunrise (now known as Fremont Morning), Warm Springs, and Mission San Jose Clubs. The Warm Springs club has since merged with the Fremont Morning Club.
Niles Rotary has been active in many local projects. We’ve built stables at Ardenwood, added a fishing dock at Central Park, and donated the flagpole for the old Fremont City Hall. More recently, we’ve taken on environmental projects such as tree planting and seed ball making and spreading.
Niles Rotary is the oldest and largest club in the Tri-City area and has earned a long-standing reputation as one of the best in our District. Niles Rotary has the special honor of being the home club of the late Past Rotary International President Rick King, who served as RI President in 2000-2001.
To learn more about the history of Rotary itself, visit the Rotary International website.
Niles Rotarian Life
Meetings. A typical Niles Rotarian is busy! Each week, we meet and share a meal–as well as a couple songs! Our President welcomes guests, we renew our commitment to the four way test and then committee leaders catch us up on current service projects. (Check out our International and Community Services pages for what type of projects we take on.) Finally, we share our news and ‘happy cup’ moments and update our calendars for service and social events.
The second half of the meeting features a guest speaker. We’ll hear from local help organizations, civic leaders, local artists and writers, historians, naturalists, people who are making a difference. These presentations keep us connected with what’s happening in our community and how we can both benefit from and help others.
Socials. The service aspect is important, but the social side of Niles Rotary is also key to our success as a club. Our Social Committee plans a host of fun events including a summer season of Fellowship Fridays where we simply meet and enjoy each other’s company. While anything from trivia night to a picnic at Ardenwood might be planned, we have some staples including a popular ‘Glamping’ event scheduled at least once a year, along with a couple wine tastings afternoons. There’s usually at least one local theater show or Music at the Parks event on the calendar as well.
Join Rotary
Rotary membership is open to adults of all backgrounds, but it is not “open to all” in the traditional sense. Membership is by invitation only and requires a vetting process to ensure candidates have established themselves in their profession or community.
The Core Requirements are as follow:
Professional Standing: Members are typically business, professional, or community leaders (such as proprietors, executives, or managers).
Character: You must demonstrate high ethical standards, integrity, and good character.
Commitment: You must commit to attending regular meetings, participating in club projects, and paying annual dues.
How to Join Niles Rotary
If you’re interested in joining the Niles Rotary Club, here are the steps to take:
- Attend a couple meetings and see if you think we’re a good fit!
- Talk to our Membership Committee Lead to learn about the costs and commitments involved.
- Still interested? Ask for a Niles Rotary sponsor, if you don’t already have one in the club.
- Fill out the provided application.
- The Membership Committee will contact you with the next steps.
Calling All Speakers!
Our Thursday lunch meetings always include a 30 minute speaker slot. We love hearing presentations from people making a difference in the community — whether it is a charity, a community organization, an expert on nature or someone with an inspirational story. Please let us know if you have something to share that would benefit our membership to hear about.
Use our Contact Us form to reach our Speaker Chair for more information.
