The Happy Wanderer
Singing in the Rain 
Let it Snow
Battle Hymn of the Republic
R-O-T-A-R-Y
and every military anthem ever written: these are a few of the favorite songs so perfectly
performed under the masterful leadership of Pekin Rotary Club's iconic Song Leader- Bart Haas.
Born and raised in Pekin, Bart's years at Pekin High clearly showed he was both versatile and talented. He was in drama and, naturally, chorus. "I was in every Fall play", he told me, "But none of the Spring ones". That was because of his involvement with the Pekin Swim Team where all practice and all meets were at the YWCA . "I couldn't swim more that one length without coughing, he said. "I had a choice to find something to do on the swimming team other that swimming or quit the swim team, so I took up diving."
It was there that Bart really made his mark.
He earned the highest score for six dives in dual meet competition. It was a Pekin High record that stood for 36 years!
"Back then, diving was a different experience at every venue. At "the Y" divers hit the bottom on every dive. We had to learn to deal with shallow water. I remember at Ottawa we had to push off of the ceiling
when doing a dive"", Bart said. "That was how we avoided hitting our head on the ceiling. Pekin High has truly a wonderful swimming and diving facility!"
Bart took his diving talent to the University of Illinois where he was part of their Swimming and Diving Team. He even recalls attended his 2002 Swimming the Diving Reunion and doing back one and a half flip. You can take the kid outta the school but.....
Graduating with a degree in Finance, Bart joined his father in the real estate business as part of Haas Realtors in 1973. Now known as REMAX Home Realtors, Bart has seen a highly successful career that includes many years teaching now successful Realtors the educational requirement for the licensing exam. It is a mentoring role that describes many Rotarians. He will also wax nostalgic telling you of his first car- a 62 Ford Galaxy 500 he bought while shoveling manure at the Peoria Union Stockyards one summer during college. That was followed by the purchase of a red 65 Corvette- a car he still proudly owns!
Even though Bart joined our club in April 1974, he distinctly remembers attending a Rotary meeting as a club guest as a member of the Pekin High Swim team back when the club met at the Sertoma Club- behind what is now Yesterday's downtown.
Of course, we all know Bart as our Song Leader. He followed the late Don Wilcox and continued our club's proud tradition. Sadly, few Rotary Club's sing anymore. More than likely it is because few in a club have the talent- or the courage- to stand up before a group and lead it in song. Bart is the exception to that. As I have said to many, Pekin Rotary has to have the best Song Leader in Rotary. Period.
Thank you Bart, for your years of service in that role.
Gary Gillis
