Roy Collins started attending Townwest Sertoma six months after it started 20 years ago. It began June 30, 1981 as a sponsorship of the Southside Sertoma Club, Larry Coulson, project chair.
Back then, Townwest met at the Holiday Inn West near the Turnpike Gate.
He became a member when the club raised money to buy the Holiday Inn restaurant manager’s young son a wheelchair. He was getting around in a stroller when he got his new chair.
The president then was Floyd Hudson, a realtor. Mike A. Taylor is the only charter member still attending.
In June 2001, the group celebrated its 20th birthday with a cookout at the Scissortail Group building on Southwest Boulevard.
Community Bank and Trust provided a birthday cake. Members brought lawn chairs, potato salad, sliced tomatoes, onion, baked beans and chips.
Some 25 persons attended the event under the trees on the Scissortail parking. Guests parked at the old Bell Gas Station three doors away.
The club has met at several locations on the westside, including 13 years at Ollie’s. They meet Wednesdays at 7 a.m. at Ollie's Station Restaurant and Train Museum, 4070 Southwest Boulevard in Tulsa.
The club sponsors Happy Hands, Sertoma Hearing Aid Repairs SHARP, Sertoma Handicapped Workshop SHOP, college scholarships, the Route 66 Village, the Frisco 4500 Meteor restoration project, Berryhill and Sapulpa Schools hearing screening. They have also supported the Brush Creek Youth Ranch, Sherwood Manor, the Law Enforcement awards, Berryhill High School Serteens and Webster High School Serteens.
Gene Griffith is the current president.