On 1 July the City of Nedlands celebrates its 50th Anniversary at Tawarri. It was our own PP John Grosser and PP Charley Smith who met with three other members of the Claremont/Cottesloe Rotary Club, the day after the City of Nedlands was proclaimed, to form the Rotary Club of Nedlands, which was chartered in November 1959. PP Charles Smith was our first Club President, and reported his three greatest contributions to our community after 48 years in local government were the Nedlands Library, the Peace Memorial Rose Gardens, and our Club, The Rotary Club of Nedlands. What will be our legacy to the Nedlands community?
As we enter our 50th year as a Club, I would like to quote from a speech given at the 2009 Rotary International Assembly. It is, as if Rotary International President Elect John Kenny wrote these words especially for us. He said –
“Sir Isaac Newton once said If I have seen further than others, it is because I have stood on the shoulders of giants.”
Each one of us is standing on the shoulders of Rotarians past, and it is our responsibility to determine Rotary’s future. That is why the 2009-10 theme is, “The future of Rotary is in your hands.”
In our fiftieth year, I would ask you to charge your glasses as I would like to propose a special toast of thanks to PP John Grosser and the many other Nedlands Rotarians on whose shoulders we now stand. A Toast: To PP John Grosser and the Rotary Club of Nedlands. (John I’m a big guy and you’re probably tired of having me on your shoulders!)
This year Rotary Clubs world-wide will continue to focus on projects where we have proven our ability to succeed. These projects are:
Ø Water
Ø Health
Ø Hunger
Ø Literacy
It is my hope that our Club will support one new project in each of these areas in the year ahead, along with building our membership back to 50 active Rotarians. But in building our membership, we will not lose sight of our principles. It is still an honour and a privilege to become a member of the Rotary Club of Nedlands.
This will also be a fun year for our Club, celebrating 50 years of service in the Nedlands community. Next week, on 1 July, some members of our Club will join the City of Nedlands to mark their 50th Anniversary, and to open our 25 Year Time Capsule. Won’t it be interesting to see what advice PP Tom Oxley left for me in the Capsule?! And to mark our 50th Anniversary as a Club, we will commence selling envelopes for our 50 year time capsule project at this event.
What advise could I give our Club President in 50 years time? My advice would be, if you want a good club, you need a great Board of dedicated Rotarians. So it is now my pleasure and privilege to introduce to you the 2009-10 Board of Directors for the Rotary Club of Nedlands.
President-Elect - Rtn Peter Wickens
Treasurer - PP Mike Burrell
Secretary - PP Neville Blesing
Club Service - PP Rod Shea
Membership – Rnt Richard Lugg
Vocational Service – PP Ric Forlano
International Service –PP Deb Parkin
Youth Service – Rtn Doris Strahan
Public Relations – PP Tim Lyons
Planning – PDG&PP Eli Quartermaine
Sergeant - PP Barry Ryall
To the New Board, and to the Club I would like to close my address with the words of RI President Elect John Kenny –
“Whether Rotary will thrive, or whether it will falter,
Weather our service will mean much to many, or little to few,
Whether Rotary is known with respect, or seen as a relic of days gone bye,
All this is up to you.
For the Future of Rotary is in Your Hands.”
Yours faithfully,
Charles Bro
Nedlands Rotary
