During its June 10 Zoom meeting, the Rotary Club of Lake Spivey/Clayton County experienced an event unique in its 60-year history - a virtual birthday party.

This well-attended meeting, with fellow Rotarians facing each other and only a computer screen apart, included DG Jim Squire leading the group in a chorus of “Happy Birthday” and PDG Claudia Mertl providing a beautiful virtual birthday cake, which all in attendance feasted on without absorbing any calories.

The club also enjoyed a five-minute PowerPoint presentation with background music of “We Are the Champions” that presented a brief history of club activities through the years. A few highlights from that history include:

• Our start on June 10, 1960 as the Rotary Club of Forest Park, sponsored by the Rotary Club of East Point - with 21 members and Richard Bowdon as our first President.
• Changing our name to the Rotary Club of Clayton County in 1984.
• Sponsoring the creation of the Rotary Club of Clayton County Daybreak, which in 2003 changed its name to the Rotary Club of Lake Spivey. Joe Hamilton (pictured here) served as the first President of the new club. 
• The two clubs merging of the two clubs in 2016 to form the current Rotary Club of Lake Spivey/Clayton County.

During the 60-year history of their club, members have lived the Rotary International theme of “Service Above Self” by providing much vital service to many organizations and citizens of Clayton County. The dedicated service of these Rotarians has resulted in many awards from District 6900, including several Club of the Year and Runner-Up Club of the Year designations, as well as the honor of having club member Claudia Mertl serve as the 2005-2006 District Governor.