By Larry Hannan, Contributing Writer
After 83 years as one of the key conveners for civic organizations and nonprofits to coordinate their activities, the Civic Round Table of Jacksonville is no more.
Founded in 1935, the organization held its final luncheon meeting May 11 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Jacksonville Riverfront on the Downtown Southbank.
“It’s been a challenge getting the youth to come into these organizations,” said former President Gail Pender.
With an aging membership, raising money has become a challenge and it also has become more difficult to recruit speakers for the monthly luncheons, and for the speakers to keep their commitment to show up, Pender said.
“Our members have done a lot of good in the community,” Pender said, “and we’ll continue to do good in the community.”
The final meeting was attended by about 20 people. Lawyer Hugh Cotney, a former president, remembered 75-100 people regularly attended meetings 20 to 30 years ago.
Speakers at the final meeting remembered a time when the organization was a key player in bringing nonprofits together to work on projects that required more than one organization.
“I was able to learn a lot about my community and myself,” former President Mary James said about her time as a member.
James fought back tears as she urged the people at the meeting to stay involved in the community.
Former President Suzanne Catto said the organization sponsored mayoral debates and remembered when incumbent Mayor Tommy Hazouri and challenger Ed Austin both told her they wanted to speak last.
She handed it off to the event moderator, with Hazouri giving her an annoyed look when Austin got the last word.
Another former president, lawyer Charles McBurney, said a lot of service organizations are dealing with the challenges that caused the Civic Round Table to fold.
He lamented the end, recalling that the Civic Round Table would work with many different civic organizations to help the larger Jacksonville community.
How people meet and communicate has changed, McBurney said, adding that he hoped the concept of the Civic Round Table survives in some form, likely in an electronic format.
“It was an honor to be associated with so many who were passionate about our community,” said McBurney, a former state representative who is running for a circuit judgeship.
Other former presidents include Donald Moran, the former chief judge of the 4th Judicial Circuit; Jacksonville attorneys Kevin Sanders and Michael Atter; Henry Moreland at Florida State College of Jacksonville; and Realtor Henry Rogers.
The first president of the organization, from 1935-37, was John Henderson Mulcahy, also the first president of the Pilot Club of Jacksonville.
Moran was unaware the organization had folded. He said organizations like the Civic Round Table just weren’t thriving as they did before.
“I think it served a good purpose,” Moran said. “It let other organizations know what you were doing.”
But the world has changed.
At the Civic Round Table, representatives of other groups gathered to discuss their programs, needs and events.
“If you belong to the Elks Club you’ve got to go to the Round Table meetings,” he said. “And it’s tough for the Elks Club to get people to their own meetings.”
Sanders also was unaware the organization had folded, but wasn’t surprised.
In the 20th century, organizations like the Civic Round Table helped people and organizations communicate.
With email, texting and other social media, face-to-face communication no longer is necessary.
Organizations affiliated with the Civic Round Table included the Duval Audubon Society, FSCJ, Friends of the Jacksonville Public Library, the Guild of the Jacksonville Symphony, the Salvation Army of Northeast Florida, Port of Jacksonville Pilot Club, Northeast Florida Astronomical Society and the Women’s Club of Jacksonville.
