As the Rotary Club of Mt Eliza celebrates our 50th Year, President Sue has asked all members to write about their memories and highlights of our fifty glorious years of doing great work.
Getting into the spirit of things, Rotarian Graham Reid, foundation member of our Club (yes, he was here 50 years ago) has provided the Editor with five pages of memories.
Speaking to this theme Graham shared a wonderful Three Minute Talk at this week's meeting.
Other stories from Graham will be shared with readers over the coming weeks.
Graham reports that "... the Genesis of our Club was less like the "Immaculate Conception" and more like IVF.
The first provisional meeting was held on Tuesday 9 March 1971 with the Club's Charter Presentation held on 15 June 1971.
The then District 980 Governor John Emerton installed Wal Cubbin as the Charter President with Dr Bill Parsons as the Charter Secretary.
Graham sees Wal as the Father of our Club who saw fellowship as the cement or glue that held the Club together.
Over his many years of involvement Graham has enjoyed great personal pleasure from interactions with Rotarian friends, cobbers or mates.
Graham himself was installed as the third President of the Rotary Club of Mt Eliza in the 1973-74 Rotary Year.
Graham, thanks for so many memories which will be shared further in coming weeks (Ed).
A very handsome Graham Reid (he has also matured well)
Thanks also to Rotarian Brendan Hoban for the following story from the past:
Long term, but now deceased, Mount Eliza Rotary member “Uncle” Ted Humphries was a grouch, and outspokenly proud of it.
He was born and educated in England and spent much of his working life in Burma before coming to Australia. He was also a perpetual student, achieving a doctorate when in his eighties.
Ted was by profession an accountant and for many years did the audits for the Club.
One year, a proposed fund raising venture involved the production of a cook book for sale to members.
Ted loudly declaimed at the meeting that HE did not need a cook book, he knew how to COOK BOOKS!
He was born and educated in England and spent much of his working life in Burma before coming to Australia. He was also a perpetual student, achieving a doctorate when in his eighties.
Ted was by profession an accountant and for many years did the audits for the Club.
One year, a proposed fund raising venture involved the production of a cook book for sale to members.
Ted loudly declaimed at the meeting that HE did not need a cook book, he knew how to COOK BOOKS!