The year was 1967 and the Pacific Grove Rotary board of directors met at the Roof Garden restaurant (The Old Bath House). Then incoming president Wilfred Schofield proposed that the club sponsor and fund an annual track meet with Pacific Grove High School. Coach Richard Chamberlain was consulted. He offered to organize the meet and with the help of Rotarians and volunteers the Pacific Grove Rotary Invitational Track meet was born. The first meet was held in 1968 under the presidency of Wilfred Schofield and consisted of Twenty-five schools. Medals were granted for the five top finishers in each event, a tradition which continues today.
The first track meet chairman was Jack Hackett. Ted Voigt then took over the chairmanship and in 1992 handed it over to Michael Krokower, who continues to chair the event.
The annual track meet has been held every year since 1968. Coach Richard Chamberlin ran the event until his untimely death in 2007. He was an integral part of the meet and will always be remembered.
The annual track meet is evidence of Rotary’s continuing commitment to community service and our motto, “Service Above Self.”