FOUNDING OFFICERS OF DEPUE MEN’S CLUB STEP DOWN AFTER 40 YEARS OF SERVICE

Aer 40 years in operation, the DePue Men’s Club has undergone a changing of the guard as three of its founding members have decided to step down.

President Steven “Slick” Solorio, Vice President Eric Bryant and Treasurer John Widmar o cially passed the baton onto a new generation during the club’s April elections.

Other departing o cers included Dave Marquez, who has been club secretary for the past 12 years, and Steve Rauh, a club director for the past 13 years.

e DePue Men’s Club was o cially formed in 1982, though its actual roots go back to 1979, when Bryant —who coached both Solorio and Widmar at DePue High School — talked the pair into helping launch a DePue Jaycees chapter.

Solorio was elected as president, Bryant as vice president and Widmar as treasurer of the new club, which quickly grew to about 25 members.

Yet while the club was active and successful, some members became frustrated about sharing their dues with a national organization. Within a couple years, the club opted to dissolve and reincorporate itself as the DePue Men’s Club.

“We felt it was something we had to do to help keep money in the community,” Bryant said. “And probably it was the best thing we could have done.” e club’s o cers remained the same — and essentially stayed that way for the next four decades.

“Once we got out of the Jaycees, the guys said ‘Why don’t you stay in as