THE Rotary Club of Cleveland celebrated its 50th birthday with more than 250 people joining festivities last Friday night, the exact anniversary date of its charter.
The club was chartered on February 3, 1962, and celebrations, held at Ormiston College, were attended by members and their partners, past Rotarians, members of neighbouring clubs, and an array of local community leaders.
Special guest was nonagenarian Norm Dean, a well known Redland identity who was the charter vice president of the club 50 years ago.
Under the guidance of Olympic gold medallist Duncan Armstrong and president Ron Loney, the function was a cavalcade of history of not only the club and its work in the community, but of the development of the Redlands itself.
A 25-minute pre-recorded video featured the history of the club and its achievements, most of which was told through Mr Dean and long-time Cleveland Rotarians Bob Mackie and Dan Holzapfel.
The most significant project of the club has been the establishment and ongoing support of the Redland Museum.
A small committee was convened by Mr Dean in 1968 recommending the concept of a museum for the Redlands. Subsequently the museum was established and has grown into a vibrant and important part of the Redlands in portraying the history of the last 150 years.
Another project was Rotary Lodge at Redland Hospital which was established in 1996 to provide temporary accommodation for relatives of patients.
Funds for the lodge were mainly provided by the club through its TAFERO House project, whereby the club combined with TAFE students to build and sell a house.
The club has provided support and funds for RDCOTA Cottage, a liberty swing for the disabled, Bowelscan, and simple projects such as park benches, parks, walkways and the environment.
The club raised $60,000 for the tsunami appeal to help rebuild a village in Sri Lanka, raised $12,000 for the Haiti earthquake victims, $14,000 for the Victorian bushfire appeal, $19,000 for survivors of Mexican floods and many other local, state and overseas appeals.
Cleveland Rotary has continued its support for the School of St Jude in Tanzania, sent members to Papua to help build a school and last year combining with the other Rotary clubs in the Redlands raised $90,000 at a garage sale for the victims of the Queensland floods, assisting rebuilding the community hall and sun shelters for the school at Murphys Creek.
Rotarians number almost 160 in the Redlands, following the formation of clubs at Capalaba, Wellington Point, Redlands Bayside (Victoria Point), Redland Sunrise (breakfast club) and Rotaract.
Mr Loney, the 50th anniversary president, said the club had achieved so much for so many.
"Our community is the richer for every Rotary project we have undertaken, but the question remains: Will the club still be serving its community in 50 years time?" he said.
Mr Loney said that to do justice to the past 50 years of service the club was making a positive start for the next 50 years.
"We are a club that uses electronic communication, not only with its members, but with the community with a first class web site. We are also on Facebook," he said.
District governor Debbie James conveyed birthday greetings from Rotary District 9630 and from Rotary International.
Paul Harris Fellowships, the highest accolade in Rotary, were awarded to past president Steve Haughtey, Alison Benfer and Kath McNeilly OAM.
Steve was club president in 2011 when South East Queensland was in the grip of natural disasters. Under his leadership, the combined Rotary clubs in the Redlands conducted the garage sale which went on to fund the projects at Murphys Creek.
Alison is wife of long serving Rotarian and past president Albert Benfer, and both have worked with the Catholic nuns from the Western Province of PNG which is supported through Rotary Australia World Community Service.
Kath is still a member of Zonta and joined Redland Chamber of Commerce in 1970 and became its first female president in 1992.
She was part of the original committee of RDCOTA and has been patron of many organisations, including the Redlands Celtic and Scottish Society.
Kath has been a member of the Redland Museum since 1986 including terms as president.
Email a friend