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The Rotary Club of LaGrange is celebrating its 100th anniversary this month with a pair of events to commemorate the centennial celebration. 

Rotary Club International began in 1905 in Chicago but has since spawned more than more than 46,000 clubs. The Rotary Club of LaGrange was chartered on Sept. 27, 1923, founded by Fuller Callaway under the sponsorship of the Rotary Club of West Point.

Service Above Self is the motto of the club, which aims to improve the lives of others through service, peace efforts and to end polio. Locally, the club has also taken on improving literacy as one of its primary goals. 

Throughout the years the club has supported the LaGrange community from planting Victory Gardens during World War II to providing scholarships for students at LaGrange College to the STAR Student program.

The club’s official anniversary on Sept. 27, coincides with their weekly meeting, held on Wednesdays at noon at the Highland Country Club.  

On Sept. 26, The day before the official anniversary, the club will hold a 100th Anniversary Gala at Del’Avant. Current and past Rotarians, family members and friends of the Rotary Club of LaGrange are invited to the gala.

Former Rotary International President Mark Maloney will serve as speaker for the event.

LaGrange Rotary Club President Tripp Penn said the biggest event that the public can celebrate with Rotary is their new 5K race.

The Rotary Club of LaGrnage is celebrating its 100th birthday by introducing a 5K road race this year called “Running for Rotary.” The race, which will also serve as a Peachtree Road Race qualifier will be held on Sept. 23 starting at 8:30 a.m. at Granger Park. 

The club planning to transition away from the golf tournament it hosts each year to holding the 5K as its big annual fundraiser. Club leaders believe the race will provide a wider audience and more participants. Funds from the event will go to support local literacy efforts. 

The entry fee for the race is $35 for adults and participants can sign up the day of the event or by visiting https://runsignup.com/Race/Info/GA/Lagrange/RunningforRotary.