NAWILIWILI — No one was present from the original Rotary Club of Kaua‘i, Friday.

Bill Harper, a Rotarian from the club for 25 years, said Friday’s meeting at JJ’s Broiler in the Anchor Cove Shopping Center, marked the 72nd anniversary of the club’s charter.

Holding a Velox of a portion of the Aug. 31, 1937 The Garden Island newspaper, Harper pointed out that some of the club’s oldest members would offer their perspective of the club’s history and its accomplishment over the 72-year span of the club’s existence.

“When the club was formed, there were basically four clubs throughout the state,” Harper said. “The Kaua‘i club was the only one on the island and at that time, there were more than a hundred members.”

Since that time, there are now six Rotary clubs from the Westside to the North Shore.

When the Rotary Club of Kaua‘i was formed, it met for lunch on Friday, a practice that continues today, but instead of meeting at the Lihu‘e Hotel, the club meets upstairs at JJ’s Broiler in Nawiliwili.

The initial club officers included W.P. Alexander, President, Ellington Wall, secretary, William Clark, treasurer, Albert Duval, Sgt. at Arms, Rev. Henry Willey, Dr. Sam Wallis, J.C. Plews and J.T. Orrick serving as directors.

Richard Olsen serves as the club’s president, today, succeeding Tyler Chihara, Harper said.

In the 72 years since the Rotary Club of Kaua‘i was chartered, the Rotary International numbers has swollen considerably.

There were 171,000 Rotarians in 4,004 cities and towns scattered through more than 75 countries, The Garden Island article states.

Today, the Rotary International membership ending June 30, 2008 lists 1,234,527 members in 33,790 Rotary clubs, states the Rotary International Web site, noting that was an increase of 3,044 members and 520 clubs from the 2007 year.

“Businesses in tough economies plan how to grow, and most businesses then do grow. Rotary clubs also have to plan for their futures and take action on those plans,” said Mike McGovern, chair of the Rotary International’s Membership Development and Retention Committee.

Rotary club members are volunteers who work locally, regionally, and internationally to combat hunger, improve health and sanitation, provide education and job training, promote peace, and eradicate polio under the motto Service Above Self, the Web site states.

The Rotary Club of Kaua‘i meets Fridays starting at noon at JJ’s Broiler.