On the 17th November 2019 we celebrated our Club's 30th Anniversary!
A very successful function on Sunday 17th November 2019, held in the same room, on the same day and and at the same time as the Chartering of the Club on the 19th November 1989. There were 33 Members present at Chartering of whom 16 were present at the anniversary celebration. Of the founding members 13 are still active in the club and were presented commemoration plaques by Bill Boyd, New Zealand’s second and only living Rotary International President (2006/2007). Among the guests were our District 9920 District Governor Gary Langford and Assistant District Governor Graham Kearns.
At the celebration 22 out of 30 Club Past Presidents were present, including 3 of the 4 female Past Presidents.
“ The colour theme of the event was green and cream. There were prizes for best dressed woman and man involving the theme colours.
The judges for this event were Bruce McNeill our Charter President and his wife Joan. The woman’s prize was won by Marney Udy and the man’s by Bob Ainsworth.
Merrilyn Jacquiery of Whitford who had spoken at the Club a few weeks earlier and who is well known in New Zealand art circles very generously donated a print of Old Blue valued at $580 to be raffled. Old Blue is a well known painting of five black robins sitting on a branch and has been painted with acid free paints on rag cotton and is number 5 of 50 printed.
Second prize in the raffle was a book of Merrilyn’s work. The $500 of raffle proceeds have been donated to the Samoan measles epidemic appeal.
The cutting of the cake to mark the 30th Anniversary was done jointly by Bruce McNeill the charter President and Terry Daniell the current and 31st President of the Club. Bruce remarked the last time he jointly cut a cake he had to marry the other party. Terry was quick to leave the scene as there were marriage celebrants among the guests!”
The past 30 years has been a wonderful adventure as the Club has grown, thrived and served the community of Half Moon Bay and and played its part in the global network of Service Clubs that is Rotary International. Energetic fund raising through the life of the club, including a Corporate Sailing Regatta, long running Golf Day and more recently an adventure rally from Half Moon Bay to Bluff has garnered hundreds of thousands of dollars put to work in the community. Across the years local beneficiaries have included, among others, Life Education Trust, Trees for Survival, Stand Childrens Services, Duffy Books in Holmes and other literacy projects, Dementia NZ, and Multiple Sclerosis NZ. In addition we have been active members of Rotary International supporting global appeals and projects through the Rotary Foundation, hosting many international exchange students, hosting the RYLA personal development flagship course and supported clubs in the Pacific.
The anniversary function was not only a fitting and enjoyable celebration of the founding of our club, but also recognition of the vibrant, energetic and involved community organisation we have become. Our members enjoy time together, focussing on service projects and enjoying friendship and social time, or networking building the culture and success of their own enterprise and the local business community.
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