A legendary world leader will be brought to life at Rodman Public Library at 6 p.m. on Monday, June 3 when Sidney Zufall presents “Winston Churchill: The British Bulldog.”
The program, being held ahead of the 80th anniversary of the start of the D-Day Invasion, will explore the life and times of Churchill, who served as the British prime minister through World War II and rallied the Allies to victory.
Zufall, a retired management consultant, grew up hearing about Churchill from his father and six uncles, all veterans of the war. Several were wounded and another was killed.
“They all idolized Churchill and they quoted him often,” explained Zufall. “I grew up hearing about Churchill, and my father taught me how to tie a Blenheim bow tie, which was what Churchill wore and is named after the palace where he was born.”
Once Zufall was married with children and traveling all around the western hemisphere for business, he took to reading while on the road. His favorite genre was history and he started out by reading everything he could about the men he looked up to, starting with Churchill.
“Over 30 years, I read quite a bit about Winston Churchill,” said Zufall. “I became quite knowledgeable about his life and his famous speeches.”
Zufall, the current president of the Alliance Rotary Club and the reconstituted Alliance Circle, turned that knowledge into a program that he has given to local Rotary clubs. He has also presented the program to the Questors, one of three men’s literary groups that grew out of the legendary Alliance Circle, a group of influential and wealthy Alliance men that met monthly between 1893 and at least 1913, sharing meals and discussing various topics.
The event at Rodman Public Library, sponsored by Alliance Historical Society, Alliance Area Preservation Society, and Castle Crusaders, is the first time the program is open to the general public. Registration is required to attend.
For more information, call 330-821-2665, ext. 204.