Club Beginnings

Rotary Club of Canterbury

Early in 1987 Alan Thomas, Special Representative of Governor John King of District 980 (later District 9800) of Rotary International, contacted a number of business and professional people in Canterbury and nearby areas to ascertain if they were interested in becoming members of a new Rotary Club of Canterbury. Alan was a member of the existing Rotary Club of Balwyn, which was to be the sponsoring club.

A Formation Meeting was held on Monday, 16 March at the Canterbury Elderly Citizens’ Centre. The Club’s Constitution and By-Laws were formally adopted and the Board of Directors for 1987-88 was confirmed. The Board membership was as follows:

• President: Geoffrey Verco
• Vice President: George Williamson
• President Elect: Ralph Hartnett
• Secretary: Neil Mackenzie
• Treasurer: Alan Stevens
• Assistant Secretary: Bill Vaarzon-Morel
• Community Service: Garry Young
• International Service: Bob May
• Vocational Service: Richard Goss
• Youth Service: Alan Gray

The first normal club meeting was held on Monday, 30 March. Monday was chosen as the meeting night as it conveniently fitted into the program of the Canterbury Centre, where the established Rotary Clubs of Camberwell and Balwyn met on Wednesday and Tuesday nights respectively.

The club was formally chartered on 7 April, 1987 with a membership of 36. The charter was presented to the club by District Governor John King at Argenti’s on 11 May, 1987.

The club’s new office bearers and members very promptly mapped out, and began implementation of, a wide ranging program in the various areas of service. The Youth Service Committee was quickly off the mark with the selection of a candidate, Michael Skilbeck, for a Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) in 1987.

For 1988 another two candidates, Lawrence McNamara and Matthew Seale, were selected. The committee also supported the Rotary Youth Program of Enrichment (RYPEN) by sponsoring four teenagers (Michael Carruthers, Julie Baldock, Mary-Anne Vella and Ivan Tubb). Another project adopted was the Peer Support Program, and in the first year a PC and system skills were donated to the Peer Support Foundation administration office.

The youth theme was also in evidence in the International Service Committee’s plans, in the form of the Youth Exchange program. The club’s nominee, Tatyana Rodda, was accepted by District to go to Denmark, and the first incoming student, Bettina Laursen, came from Denmark. The International Committee also launched several other projects: A total of $5000 was donated to Polio Plus – a Rotary International project aimed at eliminating polio and other childhood diseases from the third world. A candidate for a Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholarship was endorsed and the nomination submitted to the District committee. Links were also established with International House, First Avenue in Motion (FAIM) and Interplast.

Rotary Club of North Camberwell

On the 2nd October 1984 the Rotary Club of Balwyn sponsored a new club to be known as The Rotary Club of North Camberwell. It was the fifth club to be formed in the City of Camberwell, with members drawn from a wide range of businesses and professions throughout the Balwyn area.

District Governor’s Special Representative Peter Blundell was responsible for establishing the Club and briefing the new members in Rotary matters and in assisting them in electing the first Board of Directors.

The first luncheon of the Provisional Rotary Club of North Camberwell was held at Argenti’s on September 26, 1984 with 29 members present. The first official meeting was held on October 10.

The Charter Night was held at Leonda’s Receptions in Hawthorn on November 11, attended by several hundred Rotarians and their spouses. Rotary Clubs from throughout the District were represented and gifts such as the Club Charter, a table lectern (Collingwood), Copper Bowl, Fines Box (Brighton), Sergeant’s sash (PDG Jack & Marj Nankervis) and many others were made.

The Wembley Wheel of Friendship was also presented and was traditionally held by the new club until the Charter Night of the next newest Rotary Club some weeks later.

Charter President Frank Libman said of the night “…it gave me personally a great insight into the professionalism of our mother club, Balwyn, and particularly District Governor Ray Salmon’s representative Peter Blundell. Accepting the Charter from Ray was an unforgettable moment in my life.”

Since none of the new members knew each other very well (if at all) it was decided to concentrate on building fellowship in the first year.

The picnic barbeque at Banksia Park was a good start, followed by a cricket match against Balwyn which promised to become a regular “grudge match” in years to come.

The Christmas Party at Argenti’s featured the late “Uncle” Doug Elliot as guest speaker. PP Frank recalls, with some delight, Maggie McLauchlan’s outrageous dress that evening. “Neither members nor their wives could keep their eyes off Maggie!” said Frank with a far-away look and a hint of a smile.

CHARTER MEMBERS