Many politicians become honorary members of Rotary Clubs. Some may see the title as ‘useful’ for political purposes or simply another honor to be added to the list. However, every once in a while, real Rotarians become Politicians. Current RI President Rattakul is an obvious example – Senator Richard Lugar is another.

Richard Lugar joined his home city Rotary Club of Indianapolis in 1957 aged just 25. Ten years later Rotarian Lugar was elected mayor of the city before becoming an Indiana Senator in 1977.

Lugar played a key role in the Community Service activities of the club in the 1960’s working with agencies involved in antipoverty programs. He also served on the club’s Board of Directors. Lugar’s mayoral election victory in 1967 was partly credited to his Rotary connections and Dick Lugar would continue to develop policy to eradicate unemployment ably assisted by Indianapolis Rotarians. Lugar would be a popular speaker at Rotary Club meetings throughout his terms of office between 1967 and 1975 on subjects as diverse as energy, the environment and unemployment and continued to speak annually to the club when elected to the US Senate.

Lugar was just speaker at the club’s 75^th Anniversary Dinner where he talked about the impact Rotary had made on his life.

Dick Lugar’s speech to the club on February 13^th 1991 focussed on the ensuing Gulf War against Iraq and Lugar (controversially at the time) argued that Saddam Hussein had to be removed from power. The impressive presence of Lugar at the Rotary Club meeting attracted about 25 peace protestors who managed to interrupt the Senator’s speech and some had to be forcibly removed from the meeting.

Source – The Rotary Club of Indianapolis by E Bruce Geehoed

Calum Thomson