ROBERTSDALE, Ala. — Visionaries with a plan…

That’s what Grady P. “Jimmy” Gilbert, Jr. , Raymond Fell, Huey Mack, Sr. and Percy Pearson were when they came together in December, 1975 to create the Central Baldwin Chamber of Commerce.

And in appreciation of their efforts, the CBCC along with the City of Robertsdale and the Robertsdale Rotary Club decided to have three flags erected on the front lawn of the Chamber and had a ceremony to officially raise them on Tuesday.

In the noonday sun, family members, friends and city officials honored the four men who were lifelong Rotarians by raising the United States flag, the Alabama state flag and the Robertsdale city flag.

Dennis Statska, a fellow Rotarian and owner of Statska Insurance in Robertsdale, welcomed everyone and commented on how important and instrumental these four men were in growing the business community and making the city what it is today.

Robertsdale Mayor Charles Murphy and Rotary Foundation President Kenny King thanked everyone for the support they had given for the project and how much of a lasting impact these men had on them professionally and personally.

The Rotary Foundation and the City of Robertsdale provided funding for the flags and the monument that reads “”This memorial is dedicated to the memory of the following fine Rotarians who had the foresight to establish the Central Baldwin Chamber of Commerce in 1975”. And underneath that reads “The Four way Test- Of all the things we say, do or think:

1. Is it the truth? 2. Is it fair to all concerned? 3. Will it build good will and better friendships? 4. Is it beneficial to all concerned?”

After the flags were raised, everyone was lead in the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem by Statska.

With a motto of “Service Above Self”, The Robertsdale Rotary Club was chartered in 1947 and has lunch meetings every week at Mama Lou’s In Robertsdale. The mission of the club is “to provide service to others to promote high ethical standards and to advance world understanding, goodwill and peace through its fellowship of business, professional and community leaders.

The Foundation is a nonprofit corporation supported solely by voluntary contributions from Rotarians and friends who share the same vision.