Richland Sertoma Club Information

Founded in 1959, its members have devoted nearly five decades to improving the lives of Midlands citizens. Richland Sertoma's leaders have been involved in launching numerous health, educational and recreational projects. Since 1959, Sportsarama has been the club's major fund raising event of the year. For the annual high school football jamboree, held in late August, the club sells advertising and publishes souvenir game programs as well as running the concession booths during the event. During the Sportsarama, the club crowns Mr. and Miss Sportsarama who are chosen from those nominated by each participating high school. Nominees are judged on the basis of scholarship and school/community involvement. Participating Midlands schools at Sportsarama have included AC Flora High School, CA Johnson High School, Cardinal Newman High School, Columbia High School, Dreher High School, Eau Claire High School, Heathwood Hall, Keenan High School, Fairfield Central High School and Lower Richland High School. In 1960, Sertoma International recognized the Richland Club as the best first-year club with the Wilshire Award. The Richland club was the first to be awarded the Diamond Circle for having qualified as a Gold Honor Club for ten years. In the early 1960s Richland and Columbia Sertoma Clubs pulled together to raise funds to build a zoo in Columbia. Richland Sertoma members contributed $3,500 for preliminary plans. The Sertoma zoo fund eventually raised over $40,000 and the expanded project evolved to become Riverbanks Zoo . During the "Stop-Polio" Campaign of the early 1960's, the Richland Club, in cooperation with the Columbia Medical Society and Columbia Sertoma Club , contributed 500 volunteer work-hours resulting in over 90,000 Richland and Lexington County residents receiving the Salk vaccine. In 1965 a similar program offered tetanus vaccine to thousands in this community. The Richland Club also sponsored the initial Boy Scouts of America Explorer Program in Greater Columbia and in cooperation with the Boy Scout ...