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History of The 100 Club...
The concept of the 100 Club was born in Detroit in 1952 following the fatal shooting of a young Detroit officer. A gentleman by the name of William M. Packer, who was the largest Pontiac Dealer in the nation and a friend of the Police Commissioner, wrote to 100 of his friends encouraging them to donate to a fund for the fallen officer. The response was 100%. Packer and the Commissioner met with the expectant widow, reviewed her finances and arranged to pay off the mortgage on their recently purchased home, pay all the bills, set up an education account for the yet unborn child and deposited $7,000 in the widow’s checking account.
In 1965, a young Phoenix officer was killed in the line-of-duty. Several acquaintances with knowledge of the Detroit 100 Club got together and started the Phoenix 100 Club, which was officially organized in 1968. One of the earliest members was Frank Haze Burch. Frank's father was the first Phoenix police officer killed in the line-of-duty in 1924 when Frank was just five years old.
The charter mission of the 100 Club was to come to the immediate financial aid of the family of an officer who gave his or her life in the line-of-duty. As time passed, this mission expanded and changed. At one time education assistance and medical insurance were provided to survivors. The club even paid for a fallen officer's mother's yard to be mowed for several years, until her death, because the officer had always mowed her lawn.
Today, education through college and medical insurance are entitlements of surviving families through several government branches. The 100 Club expanded its mission to include firefighters and county, state and federal public safety officers in Arizona. In 1994, the 100 Club elected to provide immediate financial assistance to firefighters and law enforcement officers seriously injured in the line-of-duty in addition to the families of officers’ who died in the line-of-duty. In 1997, Native American reservation tribal firefighters and law enforcement officers where added as recipients. Today, the 100 Club of Arizona is there for all firefighters, correctional and law enforcement officers at local, county, tribal, state and federal levels serving and protecting the citizens of Arizona.
In 2002, there were seven line-of-duty fatalities and twenty-four serious injuries. The 100 Club immediately dispersed $105,000 to injured public safety officers and survivors. In addition to the funds distributed directly from the 100 Club, individual memorial donation accounts were established at Bank One for the surviving families, providing a means for other caring people and corporations to make donations.
The 100 Club members realize that money can never make up for the loss of or disability of a loved one, but it can be helpful in covering immediate expenses. In addition, the 100 Club has a committee of experts, a Professional Advisory Team including members of the fallen officer's agency, CPAs, attorneys, trust officers, brokers, financial consultants, insurance consultants and employee benefits consultants. This team, at the survivor's request, will advise and counsel families in a wide range of areas without cost or obligation.
We need to continually grow our membership to meet the ever-increasing injuries, fatalities and increase the amount of immediate financial assistance to public safety officials and their families. If you are a civic-minded individual and support the 100 Club mission, there is a place for you among this group of extraordinary people. We simply want to help those who are always there to protect us.
The funds to assist our public safety officers and firefighters are raised through our membership dues, charitable campaigns, endowments and donations from those supporting our mission. We do not use telemarketing fund-raisers. The 100 Club is a volunteer, benevolent, nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization. Federal T.I.N. 23-7172077.
The 100 Club is managed by a volunteer Board of Directors elected by the membership at the annual meeting. They meet quarterly or as needed and determine policy and direction while undertaking the responsibility of stewardship for the 100 Club.
Membership in the 100 Club is open to everyone and provides minimum effort and maximum satisfaction. There is only one short meeting per year, followed by dinner and an entertaining speaker. Your dues include the cost of the dinner. Command officers, representing the various public safety agencies throughout Arizona, are invited to attend this yearly gathering as our guests.
The 100 Club includes more than 2500 members and is seeking to raise the awareness of its mission and gain new members from all walks of life. Your commitments to join are to: be a civic-minded individual, support the mission of the organization, pay your annual dues of $150 and that you cannot use your membership for personal or professional gain. Corporate memberships start at $500 per year, but are open ended. Some organizations have been able to provide as much as $20,000 annually. The fulfillment you receive from aiding these families is a treasure that money can't buy.
The 100 Club - Providing Assistance At A Moments Notice
When tragedy strikes, the effects are swift and devastating. The 100 Club recognizes the need to respond immediately with support and understanding. Whatever the need - financial, advisory or moral support, the 100 Club is there to ease the pain of the family of a firefighter, law enforcement or correctional officer injured or killed in the line-of-duty.
Past Presidents
The 100 Club wants to express their gratitude to those who have provided leadership to the organization by serving as president of the board of directors.
Past Presidents
1971 - 1973 Frank Middleton*
1973 - 1975 Ira Lavin*
1975 - 1977 Norman P. McClelland
1977 - 1979 Webb Todd
1979 - 1981 Robert M. Charles*
1981 - 1983 William G. Farrow
1983 - 1985 Donald B. Schwenn
1985 - 1987 Daniel L. Finch
1987 - 1989 Lyman A. Davidson*
1989 - 1991 Don Charles
1991 - 1993 William B. McKee
1993 - 1995 Charles W. Hall III
1995 - 1997 W.G. "Fred" Homes
1997 - 1998 Miller B. Lee
1998 - 1999 Steve Patchen
1999 - 2000 Diane Scherer
2000 - 2001 Robert Withers
2001 - 2002 Bob Schoneberger CFP
2002 - 2004 Thomas Jonovich
2004 –2006 Russ Homes
*Deceased |
