Centennial Project
Celebrating a Century of Service in Tulsa — Rotary's gift of public art to be unveiled in 2011.
While the year 2015 marks the centennial of the world’s seventh largest Rotary Club, the celebrating in Tulsa has already begun.
By Spring 2012, a $700,000 downtown Rotary Plaza with five bronze sculptures will call attention to Tulsa’s volunteer spirit and Rotary’s role in our community and around the world. This family gathering place will welcome downtown visitors and out-of-town Rotarians.
This gift of public art, created by noted sculptors Jay O'Meilia and David Nunneley, is part of Tulsa’s downtown redevelopment efforts and will be located in Williams Green at Third Street and Boston Avenue.
A 12-Foot Bronze Globe will Anchor the Plaza
It signifies (1) Tulsa’s international reach through local businesses, charities and ministries; and (2) Rotary International’s presence as the world’s largest service organization, with 1.2 million community volunteers in more than 200 countries and geographical areas.
Service to Youth
This sculpture represents Tulsa’s commitment to education and volunteers who work with youth. Through the efforts of volunteers throughout the community, a commitment to younger generations of Tulsans continues, through programs like partner-school relationships.
The figures are a Rotarian and Celia Clinton Elementary School student with whom he mentors
World PeacE Through education & Understanding
Through the Rotary clubs around the world, hundreds of thousands of high school students have been Rotary Exchange Students, and the clubs foster international business exchanges for community leaders, along with worldwide programs in conflict resolution. As the world’s largest privately funded international fellowship and scholarship program, Rotary also provides post-graduate and study opportunities abroad.
This bronze reflects an Asian student who represents the hundreds of students who have been hosted by volunteers in Tulsa, and the Tulsa students who have been able to study abroad
Freedom From Polio
Tulsa Rotarians joined Rotary volunteers worldwide in the commitment to eliminate polio from the face of the earth. Locally, Rotary members raised funds to inoculate more than a half million children, and served as volunteers in international service programs. Annually, the 14 Rotary clubs in the Tulsa area combine forces to help inoculate area youth for polio and other childhood diseases.
This bronze reflects a young woman with crutches cast aside as she celebrates freedom from polio
Safe Drinking Water
A goal of Rotary International is to bring safe, drinkable water to impoverished Third World nations, and the Rotary Club of Tulsa has contributed significantly to this effort. Since 2003, through its humanitarian water well drilling program in Nicaragua, Rotary volunteers from Tulsa have coordinated and drilled wells in the poorest parts of that nation. In many cases, safe water previously had to be carried several miles each day to their homes.
This bronze represents a Central American woman who is carrying fresh, clean water from a new community well drilled as a result of efforts of volunteers from Tulsa
