The Athletic Round Table of Coeur d'Alene, established in 1939, has a wonderful reputation of civic and service help to all worthy causes in North Idaho for 44 years. Ron MacDonald who has served as its manager, is known throughout Idaho as "Mr. ART."
A high school graduate from IHM in Coeur d'Alene in 1930, he went east to college and was graduated from Boston University in 1934. He was an outstanding basketball player for BU. Ron worked for the Forest Service until WWII, then he saw service with the U.S. Navy until 1946. Ron returned as manager of the ART at that time.
During the early years of the ART, the club under MacDonald, contributed many hours of community service and many dollars to athletic teams, schools throughout North Idaho. Through MacDonald's able leadership, the club provided funds for all types of activities including schools, playgrounds, wildlife, law enforcement, and fire prevention.
MacDonald pledged the club's help in the early stages of the founding of the Vandal Booster organization. Idaho president Jess Buchanan cited Ron and the ART for their great work during his years at Idaho. Ron and the ART were the guiding forces behind the many successful Diamond Cup hydroplane races. Ron with his brother, Don, also were the prime movers in the starting of the Cd' A Turf Club in 1967, to bring racing to the North Idaho area.
It was also Ron, who along with Bob Maker, started the Idaho Hall of Fame and he furnished the location for this great place to honor Idaho's fine athletes and community minded citizens. Ron "Mr. ART" MacDonald is truly one in a million with the athletic history of our beloved state.