This from the web page of the South Hilo Rotary Club:
Charter member Paul Schattauer had another view of why this club was formed.
Martin Pence was a strong Democrat, while the president of their Hilo Club was a strong Republican. When Pence
applied for membership in the Hilo Club, he was turned down; the Hilo Club had too many lawyers already. So Pence
decided to form his own Rotary Club!The Hilo Club set very strict boundaries on the new club’s geographic area of eligibility, which only left a small area in
which it could recruit members. It is interesting to note that not one of the members of the Rotary Club of South Hilo
was a transfer from the Hilo Club.Back then, most of the membership in Rotary was recruited by appealing to management of a business that they should have an employee (0) in Rotary.
Although the club was chartered on November 2, 1956, charter night festivities were held at the old American Legion
Clubhouse at Reeds Bay on January 11, 1957. Martin Pence, a prominent Hilo attorney was the first president. The
Reverend Abraham Akaka, pastor of Haili Church, gave the invocation and blessing. South Hilo’s Rotary meetings were
held at the old Naniloa Hotel, which was later destroyed by a tsunami.