On Sunday 21 February 63 past and present members, dignitaries and guests gathered at the R.S.A to celebrate 50 years of Rotary in Katikati.
As they entered they were invited to view the club's history, displayed in decades, collated by the Steering Committee. Peter MacKay (who was also present at the Charter Dinner of the club!) stated during the opening of the formalities “I trust the short history as published, compiled by John Dallimore, has left an adequate record of our first 50 years”.
Guest speaker, Past RI President Bill Boyd spoke about some Rotary concepts, including reflection, core values, diversity, fellowship, integrity, and service.
“Your Rotary Club gets a very big tick because I think you have been outstanding there. There is a tendency in Rotary to regard Diversity as really meaning membership, do we have enough women, and do we have enough Maori members? Diversity is a lot lighter than that. Diversity is of service.In other words, are you serving yourself in your own little group, or are you serving the much wider world? ….. The Club has reached outside of its self in its own interest, to make the contribution and I think that Diversity is another big Tick, and you can apply the same to Fellowship. You have only done what you have done because of the fellowship that has motivated you. One of the great joys of Rotary is you are working with people who think as you do, who respond as you do, and whose company you enjoy. That is Fellowship, and your club has shown plenty of Fellowship. Integrity is a word, I think one of the most wonderful words. When I have had visions of what might happen in the future I think maybe that if I got this nice little gravestone that has the word “integrity” on it I think that would be the most wonderful thing that we can achieve in our life. That we have been honest we have always tried to tell the truth, we have been people you can rely on, I believe that this community believes that they can rely on something that the Rotary Club says because you have got that Integrity. I think that we show Integrity in the way we live our lives and I know you get a big tick for Integrity.
……. This Club (also) gets a big tick for Service. So I think you have got a wonderful Club, I think you have got a great history and you have got a very important future, and I am sometimes asked what Rotary’s role will be going into the future world and I have got to say I haven’t got a clue because I can’t see the shape of that future world. ….. So I don’t know where the needs going to be, but the one thing I am sure of that there will be needs.……. there will be areas that will need help, in support, and leadership and that will be the role of Rotary, and I think you have shown in your past history that you are very capable of addressing those needs, and I think you will be in the future, and I think there is wonderful times of service ahead for the Rotary Club of Katikati and congratulate every one of you”.
District Governor Grant Spackman then acknowledged the passion and the commitment of Ann Owen to the Rotary Foundation. He presented her with a pin, a Pendant and also a crystal recognition piece for her contribution of $25,000USD ($50,000NZD). He followed by passing on the congratulations of RI President Holger Knaack and presented a signed certificate recognising our 50th anniversary.Mayor Gary Webber commented that “for the contribution that Rotary Katikati makes I don’t believe you are rewarded all that well publicly. Most of the work you do you flies below the radar” and the community at some stage need to understand that a lot of those projects ….. both local and international, are a significant contribution to this community, to this district and to this nation.
The anniversary cake was then cut by both the oldest member (Clive Kenyon) and the youngest member (James Denyer).