Remember When - 50 Years of the Rotary Club of Mt Eliza

Rotarian Ray Manchester joined Rotary in Traralgon and after many years service he transferred to the Rotary Club of Mt Eliza on 17 October 1995.

 

Ray chose to join Mt Eliza because Clarrie Heron, one of his close Rotarian colleagues in Traralgon, had a nephew who was a member of our Club: Our current Club Service Director Neil Heron.

 

Ray has promised to put pen to paper and write some of his favourite memories of our Club in next week's Bulletin.

 

A kindly reminder to members asking them to send the Editor their stories and recollections of our Club.

 

 

Graham remembers that at the time of formation of our Club in 1971, the thought of starting a Club in a residential area with an evening meeting was a new and controversial concept.

 

The were only a few residential/ evening clubs in Rotary at that time, with most existing clubs being in cities and towns and with the majority meeting at lunchtimes.

 

Two members of the Rotary Club of Frankston who were great mates, District Governor John Emmerton and Wal Cubbin, initiated what would lead to the formation of the RC Mt Eliza. Both newsagents in Frankston, they called a meeting to gauge interest in February 1971.

 

After strong interest was shown at that meeting, they telephoned Mornington Rotarian Bill Parsons and persuaded him to become Charter Secretary.

 

Mornington was the Club that sponsored the formation of the Mt Eliza Club and both that Club and Frankston gave strong support as the early steps to chartering our Club took place.

 

Graham would like to recognise, give special gratitude to and thank three Rotarians in particular who, with their hard work and persistence, ensured the successful start of our Club:

Graham feels sure that these three would be pleased that our Club has measured up to our original Charter.