The Rotary Club of Santa Maria was founded on October 10, 1922, with Jesse H. Chambers as its first President. Officially chartered on December 19, 1922, the club has sponsored multiple clubs, including the San Luis Obispo and Lompoc Rotary Clubs. Notable attendees like Cecil B. DeMille, who gifted a Rotary Wheel, and Paul Harris, founder of Rotary, have shaped its history. The club’s annual Rotary Harvest Gala raises $60,000 for projects, reflecting its commitment to "Service above Self" through local and international initiatives, including funding for Polio Eradication.
