Gyro International is a non-profit social, service, and fraternal club for men located in the United States, Canada and Japan. Gyro was founded by Paul Schwan, Clarence (Gus) Handerson, and
Edmund (Ed) Kagy, three college friends, in April 1912 in
Cleveland
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
,
Ohio
Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
. The primary purpose of the club is the promotion of fun and friendship amongst men of all nations.
The first formal meeting was held on June 24, 1912, during which a constitution was presented and accepted, even though the club had no official name at the time. On January 7, 1913 the name Gyro (suggested by new member Jimmie Hubbell) was adopted. It was drawn from the word
gyroscope
A gyroscope (from Ancient Greek γῦρος ''gŷros'', "round" and σκοπέω ''skopéō'', "to look") is a device used for measuring or maintaining orientation and angular velocity. It is a spinning wheel or disc in which the axis of rota ...
, symbolizing the ability to maintain a desired course and attitude regardless of outside influences.
Playground movement
In Canada during the first half the twentieth century, Gyro clubs were notable patrons of
playgrounds
A playground, playpark, or play area is a place designed to provide an environment for children that facilitates play, typically outdoors. While a playground is usually designed for children, some are designed for other age groups, or people w ...
, along with other
service club
A service club or service organization is a voluntary nonprofit organization where members meet regularly to perform charitable works either by direct hands-on efforts or by raising money for other organizations. A service club is defined firstl ...
s like the
Kinsmen
A kinsman is a male relative (see kinship).
The term kinsman (or plural kinsmen) may also refer to:
Places in the United States
*Kinsman, Illinois
*Kinsman, Ohio
*Kinsman Township, Trumbull County, Ohio
*Kinsman Mountain, in the White Mountains ...
and the
Kiwanis
Kiwanis International ( ) is an international service club founded in 1915 in Detroit, Michigan. It is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, and is found in more than 80 nations and geographic areas. Since 1987, the organizati ...
.
Gyro parks are found in the Province of Alberta in the cities of Calgary, Edmonton, and Lethbridge.
In the Province of British Columbia Gyro Parks are in the cities of
Trail
A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or small road usually passing through a natural area. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a path or footpath is the preferred term for a pedestrian or hiking trail. Th ...
, Saanich (
Cadboro Bay Cadboro Bay is a bay near the southern tip of Vancouver Island and its adjacent neighbourhood in the municipalities of Saanich and Oak Bay in Greater Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
Cadboro Bay was the site of Sungayka, a village of the Song ...
), Penticton, Nanaimo, Victoria, Port Alberni, Prince George, and Kelowna.
The International Association of Gyro Clubs convention in Winnipeg from June 21 to 25, 1926 at the
Royal Alexandra Hotel
Royal may refer to:
People
* Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name
* A member of a royal family
Places United States
* Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community
* Royal, Illinois, a village
* Royal, Iowa, a ci ...
in
Winnipeg
Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749,6 ...
was claimed to be the largest international service club gathering held in Canada.
The Nanaimo club is still very active with parks and continues to donate money and manpower to build and maintain parks.
References
External links
*{{Official website, https://gyro.org/
See also
*
National Playing Fields Association
Fields in Trust, is a British charity set up in 1925 as the National Playing Fields Association (NPFA), by Brigadier-General Reginald Kentish and the Duke of York, later King George VI, who was the first president, which protects parks and green s ...
, established 1925, patron of playgrounds in the United Kingdom
Service organizations based in the United States
Organizations established in 1912
1912 establishments in Ohio