The city of Greenwood, IN grew from 3,000 residents in 1950 to over 10,000 by 1965. The increase was due to the large influx of retail and commercial enterprises with the most noticeable impact being the opening of the Greenwood Park Mall. Improved highways from I-65 to the east and the widening of U.S. 31 into Indianapolis also brought new residents. This growth plus projected growth, created a fertile area for the establishment of a chapter of Rotary International.

Preliminary or basic planning meetings were held in December of 1965 and January of 1966 discussing the establishment of a Rotary Club in the city. These meetings included five local business and industrial leaders of Greenwood; the Immediate Past District Governor of District 658; and the president of the sponsoring club of Franklin, IN.

The first provisional meeting of the club was held in January of 1966, with the club being charted by Rotary International on May 16, 1966. The new club had 22 charter members and reached a high of 85 members in 2005.

The club has been active in supporting many local and international causes such as college scholarships for local high school seniors, Rotary International student exchange programs, and the very successful Polio Plus program.

The club is proud of its rather brief but successful history and looks forward to a rewarding future always based on Rotary’s “Four Way Test”:

1. Is it the TRUTH?
2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?
3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?