In 1963, due to the will of Rotarian Kostas Petrakopoulos of Rotary Club of Athens, who was authorized by the commander of 197 Rotarian District at that time, Panagis Solomos, a meeting of some of our fellow citizens took place in E.V.E. of Iraklio, during which Rotarian Mr. Petrakopoulos described the aims of Rotary and proposed the foundation of a Rotary Club in our city. On 11th February of the same year, by initiative of Rotarian Eleytherios Malagardis, president of R.C. of Amaliada at that time and Rotarian of Athens Club in 1964, authorized by the commander, a second meeting of many fellow citizens took place in the hall of the Chamber of Trade and Industry. In this meeting, the foundation of a Rotary Club in the city of Iraklio was decided. Rotarian Mr. Malagardis analysed very informatively the aims of the foundation of a Club that will become a ring of the worldwide chain that is called ROTARY INTERNATIONAL. He also analysed the activities of the existing 27 greek Clubs and provided many statistics for many Clubs of abroad.

He also referred to the basic concepts and principles, the programs that govern Rotary, as described in the four declarations, as the Avenues of Service were said.

In this meeting - conference, the first administrative council of RCI was elected, which was named Temporary RCI until the reception of Acknowledgement Card of the ROTARY INTERNATIONAL. Thus the 28th Rotary Club of Greece was created. This is briefly the history of the foundation of RCI.

FIRST ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL


MARCH 1964

PRESIDENT                 STELIOS FIORAKIS (first President)
VICE PRESIDENTS       NIKOS METAXAS and KONSTANTINOS FANOURAKIS
SECRETARY                GEORGIOS GRIDAKIS
TREASURER                 FOTIOS VIGOPOULOS 
WARDEN                      GEORGIOS FOUZETIS


FIRST MEETING


The first meeting of RCI took place in 26th March 1964 at "Knossos" Restaurant.

Next meetings have taken place in the hall of Theotokopoulos Club each Thursday in 21:00 p.m. until rotarian year 1966.

From rotarian year 1966 till 1979 at "Asteras" Hotel, where the National Bank lies today.

From rotarian year 1979 till 1994 at XENIA Hotel and from rotarian year 1994 till today at Atlantis Hotel, which lies in the center of the city of Iraklio, 2nd, Ygeia Road, tel. +302810 229103.


FIRST RCI MAGAZINE


The first magazine of the historical and much loved universally Rotarian Club of Iraklio was published in November of 1964 by the Rotary Club of Mitilini under the name "EKTAKTO DELTIO". Rotary Club of Athens donated its logo of ROTARY INTERNATIONAL and since then the magazine of RCI was published, until rotarian year 1991. From rotarian year 1991 till today the magazine is constructed digitally and is photocopied 200 and more times.

EMBLEL OF ROTARY CLUB OF IRAKLIO


Rotarian Nikos Maniatis suggested that the emblem of RCI should be the Griffin, as emblem of our city, a suggestion that was approved in concert and stands to this day.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FROM INTERNATIONAL ROTARY


Official Acknowledgement from International Rotary took place in 22nd May 1965. As first president, lawyer Stylianos Fiorakis, rotarian of years 1964-1965 was elected. He remained president for years 1965-1966 and 1966-1967. Civil Engineer Nikos Metaxas was elected as second president for 1967 - 1968. Notary Georgios Kozyris was elected as third president for 1968 - 1969. Chairman of ETE Manolis Paterakis was elected as fourth president for rotarian years 1969 - 1970, 1975 - 1976 and 1976 - 1977.

ESTABLISHING MEMBERS


Ant. Antonopoulos oculist, Georgios Vailakis chemist, Fotios Vigopoulos assistant director of ETE, Georgios Gridakis raisin trader, Agisilaos Theodoridis pharmacist, Dimitrios Karnasiotis director of Bank of Greece, Apostolos Katehakis landowner, Stilianos Katehakis life insurances, Georgios Kozyris notary, Fragiskos Lamprinos trader, Adamantios Mathioudakis naval agent, Nikolaos Maniatis accountant, Nikolaos Metaxas civil engineer, Ioanis Metaxas confectioner, Iosif Miliarakis wine industry, Konstantinos Bostantzoglou director of Greek-American Institute, Alexandros Mikoniatis tax collector, Emmanouil Nisterakis philologist, Emmanouil Ksanthakis dentist, Nikolaos Pikoulas officer, Emmanouil Politakis secretary of court of first instance, Emmanouil Syligardos factor of machinery, Ioanis Schizakis cardiologist, Ioannis Sakellarakis archaeologist, Georgios Tzanakis leather trader, Mihalis Tzanakis oil trader, Konstantinos Fanourakis gynecologist, Stylianos Fiorakis lawyer, Georgios Fouzetis trader of agencies.

RCI has a leading role both in rotarian proceedings of Greece and in the local society


Rotary Club of Crete is one of those Clubs that each day since its creation contributes to the help to our fellow citizens and has a leading role both in its region (2470 of nowadays International Rotary) and in its birth place. Moreover, Rotary Club of Iraklio was honoured to elect commander of region 247 at that time, the ever memorable Rotarian Manolis Paterakis in rotarian year 1977 - 1978.