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台北雙溪社Rtn OTTO 來函

拜訪加州Fremont市的Niles社

2001-2002年度RI社長 Richard D. King的HOME CLUB

  2004/11/09

　

Audi 社長您好： 

     上個月21號我至加州 Fremont 市的 Niles 社聯誼並與現任社長交換社旗（請見附照片1）。我的好友 PP (2000-2001) Harvey Ulijohn （請見附照片2）親自在門口迎接並給予非常熱忱的招待及介紹。 Niles 社現有 87 位社員，成立已有 60 多年了。 2001-2002 年這裡還出了一位世界扶輪總社的社長 Richard D. King，照片背景中的旗子即是，可見他們非常引以為傲。Harvey 對他們社做了一個簡單的介紹並附了他們社裏的訓練教材提供參考，請點選下網頁。 

     我已於上週五晚間回到台北，我會參加本週五的聚會，週五見。謝謝！ 

Regards, 

Otto Wang

Otto 

The orientation material is attached.  Page 7 has a brief history of our club, but you might find the entire orientation package of interest.  Each year we update it to reflect the current theme --- all I have is last year's version. 

Niles is famous for Chaplin and trains.     

1) The transcendental railroad ended in Sacramento, and there was a link that come down through Niles Canyon into Niles.  Then, a narrow gage service ran into Newark, where material for San Francisco was loaded on to barges for shipment across the bay.  After a few years they built the Dumbarton Railroad bridge so trains could go from Niles to Menlo Park.  Essanay Studios were formed by Bronco Billy Anderson (A), and some other guy whose last name began with E.  Essanay made hundreds of 2 and 3 reel westerns, using Niles Canyon and the surrounding hills for location shots.  There was a huge studio on what is now Main Street, along with dozens of supporting structures, some of which still exist.  Charlie Chaplin joined the Essanay Film Studies in 1912, and made four or five of his most famous films here.  It has been said that he developed his "Little Tramp" character while at Niles.  Around 1914 they decided the weather was more constant in Southern California, so the film industry moved to Hollywood. 

Thanks again for lunch.  It is always a pleasure to see you. 

Harvey 

History of Niles (Fremont) Rotary Club 

Our Rotary Club was founded 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 the Club 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 (now a biker bar) in Niles. Subsequently the Club moved to the International Kitchen on Mowry (which later became Mission Gardens) and at one time the Club met at Niles Hall. The Century House in Centerville has been our home for the past several years. 

For many years the Niles Club 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 the Fremont Club to carry the city name. We also sponsored Newark, and our ‘daughter Clubs’ sponsored Fremont Sunrise, Warm Springs, and Mission San Jose Clubs. 

Our Club has been active in many local projects. We’ve built stables at Ardenwood, a fishing dock at Central Park, and donated the flagpole for the Fremont City Hall. Niles is clearly the premier Rotary Club in the city, and has earned a long-standing reputation as one of the best Clubs in our Rotary District. Membership has always hovered around 100 + members, but at 1 July 1998 the Club had 110 members.