By David Hulme, Media Support and Resources Officer D9930
Years of dedicated service, much of it behind the scenes and across multiple districts, has seen Rotorua Rotarian Fergus Cummings recognised as this year’s District 9930 Service Above Self recipient.
Fergus, who served as District Governor in 1999-2000, was humbled and shocked when presented with the honour at the D9930 changeover lunch in Napier on Sunday.
Outgoing District Governor Grant Spackman says that following on from his time as Governor, Fergus had taken on roles as the District’s Foundation Chair (2003-2005), Public Image Chair (2008-11) and Probus (2017 – 2021).
“Fergus, along with his wife Barbara, has been a loyal servant of Rotary in Australasia,” Grant told the gathered 150 Rotarians from around the region. “Firstly he worked as a Director of the New Zealand Corporate Alliance Programme Limited focusing on promoting and developing mutually beneficial Rotary partnerships with business and organisations.
“This company was restructured to become Rotary New Zealand Project Support Limited in 2010 and more recently again as Rotary Oceania Zone Operations.”
Fergus was not only the District 9930 representative throughout his time, but also served as the organisation’s Treasurer until stepping down in 2020.
“He has always promoted Rotary and never let an opportunity slip in pushing the cause,” Grant says.
“Fergus has a bluntness in the way he sees things, a sense of humour and a huge knowledge of all things Rotary.
“Within our District he has a wisdom and knowledge that has, and will continue to be, valued, keeping the finger of the pulse as Rotary continues to evolve within our communities,” Grant says.
Fergus was typically humble on accepting the award.
“I was a huge shock – I knew nothing about it. I don’t do these things for this sort of recognition – it was just something I got involved with and became enthused with. It became something I got more and more involved with.
“NZ Cap was formed because Kiwis wanted their own promotional arm – the efforts were to provide a New Zealand wide company that would in essence gain funds for Rotarians and the community by using Rotary as the vehicle to get those funds for New Zealand and Oceania clubs,” Fergus says.
“As for the award, if others saw fit that it should happen, then so be it. It is more about all the people who have been involved along the way in this, it is not about me.”
Fergus, who joined Rotary in 1970 in Fiji, is a long-time member of the Rotary Club of Rotorua. Such is his standing in the New Zealand Rotary family, that Past District Governor Howard Tong (D9940) and former D9930 Governor Peter Signal (now living in Auckland) made the trip to Napier for the presentation.