Los Banos Rotary Club History
Rotary Governor Visits Local Club

Joe Dale, well known Fresno coffee merchant and District Governor, District 158, Rotary International, was an official visitor in Los Banos Monday evening and Tuesday, conferring with directors and officers of the local club relative to Rotary functions, and addressing the club at the regular weekly luncheon Tuesday noon.

Drawing on his own experiences as a 34-year member of the Fresno Rotary Club, Dale spoke on "Dividends in Friendship," declaring the friendships of his fellow man, both in Rotary and in business, has been his richest reward in life, and if practiced universally would eliminate all of the strife, bickering and bloodshed throughout the world.

Stating that his decision to accept the district governorship was based more on the opportunity to make new friends rather than to extol the four major virtues of Rotary – club, community, vocational and international service—Dale said he has been richly rewarded for the time and effort thus spent. This came easy for Dale, who in addition to his regular business as a coffee merchant, has through the years taken an active part in civic affairs. An ardent supporter of athletics, he has been especially active in support of the Fresno College Bulldogs and has followed them for many years on their games away from home. The Fresno State Alumni Association recently honored him with a life membership in the Association.

The Rotary activity closest to his heart is the recreational program at Roeding Park, and Rotary's sponsorship of a zoo at that place. There Rotary has established a kiddies playground, with electric trains, merry-go-round, ferris wheel, and other rides, all receipts from which are used in building up and expanding the zoo, which is fast becoming recognized throughout the valley for its excellence.

Dale invited all local school groups to go to Fresno for a special day and picnic at the zoo and playground, and said special arrangements will be made to care for all such groups by contacting his Rotary office at 210 California Hotel building, Fresno. Guides will be furnished to conduct the groups through the zoo and personally tell of the various animals, their characteristics and original habitats.

Expressing amazement at the growth and development of the West Side and the tremendous agricultural activity, Dale said that just traveling through the area was in itself rich reward for his trip. "Every man," he said, "should take a week off once a year just to travel about his community and see what is going on that he has missed while rushing about caring for his own business."
Monday evening, while several members of the local club were assisting with the Halloween party at the grammar school, Rotary directors and committee chairmen honored Dale at a dinner at Carlo's Villa, and later gathered at the fire department club rooms for two hours of informal conference on Rotary activities and procedure.

November 4, 1955

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