Keyboard player Jason Prabu entertained diners at Cafe Brie last Saturday as part of the Rotary Youth Music Festival. The Year 11 Longburn Adventist College student played his own arrangements of music from a range of popular artists. Photo / Malcolm Hopwood
Keyboard player Jason Prabu entertained diners at Cafe Brie last Saturday as part of the Rotary Youth Music Festival. The Year 11 Longburn Adventist College student played his own arrangements of music from a range of popular artists. Photo / Malcolm Hopwood
On May 29, it will be 100 years since 15 men gathered in the borough council chambers to form Palmerston North’s first Rotary club.
Then mayor Frederick Nathan was elected the president and as part of a Help the Poor Movement, each Rotarian undertook to look after a family in need.
About 120 past and current members and partners are expected at the centennial dinner on Saturday.
Member Steve Parsons has put together a slide show, Looking Back to Look Forward, providing a snapshot of the club’s history.
“How do you put 100 years into 16 minutes? It’s a bit of a challenge.”
With help from Chris Klein, Parsons has added the history of the last 25 years to the 75th anniversary booklet written by Ian Malcolm and Arthur Hall.
Parsons said the club has been part of the city fabric for 100 years.
It led other Rotary clubs in the building of Massey University hall of residence Rotary Court, fundraised for the refurbishment of Camp Rangi Woods at Tōtara Reserve, and developed the Kahuterawa Bush Reserve.
It helped host the 1990 Special Olympics and supported the establishment of six other clubs.
The club runs a youth music festival, offers a Musica Viva scholarship, and gives away tickets to Circus Qurikus.
Students outside Massey University hall of residence Rotary Court in 1986. Opened in 1970, its construction was initiated by the Rotary Club of Palmerston North. Photo / Manawatū Heritage
Palmerston North became the first Rotary club in the world to fundraise in the new millennium when members sold light sticks on December 31, 1999.
In 2003, Maureen Ax-Doolan became the club’s first female president. Steve Paterson has been the secretary since 2007.
In his centennial greeting to the club, international president Gordon McInally writes Rotary remains as relevant today as it was in 1924. It is now the responsibility of Rotarians everywhere to inspire future generations of Rotarians to continue serving others for the next century.
Parsons spent about two and a half years on the history project. “I put my head above the parapet and said ‘we need to do something for our 100th’.”
The retired travel agent has been a member for 43 years, joining when he was new to the city and didn’t know many people in commerce. Rotary is a good way to get involved in the fabric of the city and get to know people.
Current president Dave Gaynor said for 100 years members have lived up to the Rotary ideal of service above self. Current members look forward to setting the course for the next 100 years.
Herbert Bennett was one of 15 foundation charter members of the Rotary Club of Palmerston North and the first secretary. Photo / Manawatū Heritage
Palmerston North City Library holds the club’s records including handwritten minute books. Parsons is keen to find a way to digitalise these and make them available on the Manawatū Heritage website.
Judith Lacy has been editor of the Manawatū Guardian since December 2020. She graduated from journalism school in 2001, and this is her second role editing a community paper.
