Remember When - 50 Years of the RC Mt Eliza

 

"I joined Rotary in 1971 with the Chelsea Rotary Club and later was accepted into the Mt Eliza Club in 1978. If memory serves me right James Webb was President that year and we met at what was then John Hancocks Music Hall, now I think, a Vietnamese Restaurant.

I have thought of the many club events over the years and I recall the memoirs and anecdotes of an annual event organised by the late Harry Goodrich, a long time member on RCME.

Harry invited any and all club members to join him each year on his house boat at Eildon Dam for a bucks weekend (no women in Rotary then).  His house boat slept 12 and if more wanted to come he would arrange for a second houseboat.

 

The following attached photo depicts some still in the club and the 2 house boats tied side by side. It would have been the early 1980’s.

Some of us would bring their fishing boats, ski boats or yachts. Evenings after a BBQ would invariably be cards and much frivolity, with a great time had by all with many  humorous occasions.

 

Some will remember PP Dr Allan Eagle and  Dr Bill George,

 

Both out of character, loved playing practical jokes. 

 

Then there were the dedicated fishermen. Namely Jim Simpson and John Gilbert.

 

I remember Jim choosing a fishing lure from the many in his tackle box, explaining that the last time he he used it he caught a 4lb Trout on that lure in 1965 (“The mind boggles”).

Another occasion, at my expense but to Harry’s amusement, was when I offered to pay for the fuel in his house boat. He said okay and we proceeded to the fuel pump where Harry took great delight in watching my expressions as the pump didn’t want to stop. Apparently his tank had a 2000 litre capacity. ( He let me off the Hook!!!)

Another example of Harry’s generosity; he had a market garden in Cranbourne growing potatoes and cauliflowers (where Bunnings are located) and on a club vocational visit and meeting to his farm, the guest speaker was a crop dusting pilot who demonstrated his flying skills dusting Harry’s crop while we watched. When asked at question time “how do you know when you are low enough over the crop” the pilot answered “When I can feel the wheels slapping the potato tops”. And that’s what it looked like!

 

Thanks Reg for these great memories.
 

 

Graham was installed as the third President of the Rotary Club of Mt Eliza in 1973-74.

 

That year, among a number of projects and activities, members provided an adventure playground for a Special School at the request of Past President Stan Spencer.

 

That year the Club made a pictorial presentation of their early work projects and the Club won recognition from the then World President of Rotary International, William C Carter (Rotary Club of Battersea, London).

 

Graham remembers that when our Club was chartered in 1971, we were sponsored by the Rotary Club of Mornington. Over the years a strong bond has existed between the two Clubs.

 

As Graham recalls, key reasons for our Club's early success were undertaking "hands on" projects and a strong emphasis on fellowship. Members of the, then, all male Club enjoyed each other's company and a number of fellowship activities were undertaking involving the member's wives and families.

 

Members who joined Rotary in the early years had a clear understanding of the Object of Rotary and were committed to the organisation's associated Mission - The Mission of Rotary International is to provide service to others, promote integrity and advance world understanding, goodwill and peace through its fellowship of business, professional and community leaders. 

 

Thanks to Graham it is worthwhile reproducing the full Rotary Object, as follows:

 

The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideals of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster the following:

 

FIRST. The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service;

 

SECOND. High ethical standards in business and professions,  the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations, and the dignifying of each Rotarian's occupation as an opportunity to serve society;

 

THIRD. The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian's personal, business and community life;

 

FOURTH. The advancement of international understanding, goodwill and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united inn the ideal of service.

 

Over the last fifty years, Rotarians of our Club have striven hard to achieve this object. It is timely to remind ourselves of the reasons for being and expectations of Rotarians.

 

Thank you Graham for such wonderful recollections.