Goodbye Mr President, Hallo Mr President
I thank you all for the tremendous support and
friendship you have given me during my term of office and what has been so
heart-warming is that each member has contributed something to the life of the
club in his own special way. In a club like ours, it is inevitable that some
members do things better than others, but what I have always found is that the
people who find it difficult to do some things have other hidden talents which
they willingly contribute.
I have had a memorable year and the highlights were as
follows:
Regular club meetings (including visits from District
Governor Malcolm in
September and from Assistant Governor Niall at our Club Assembly), mainly
at Henley Golf club, but also at Henley Cricket Club, the Red Lion Hotel and
Leander Club, with Founder’s Night at Badgemore Park.
The induction of six new members which would have brought our total subscribing membership up to 34, had
it not been for Glenn’s departure to Winchester this month. Social events such as President’s Night at
Phyllis Court Club Grandstand; the Christmas party the District conference at Torquay where we
had a large contingent; the three “fifth Tuesday” meetings; the
unofficial trip to a day-night Pro40 match at Lord’s in
August; and the other
unofficial but extremely enjoyable fellowship visit to York in
October.
The quality of speakers throughout the year, too numerous to mention individually, all organised by our ever
efficient speaker Secretary
The Rotary Peace Conference at Oxford in September; the assistance with crowd control at the Olympians’ welcome home in October, followed the next day by marshalling and manning a water station at Henley Bridge’s half marathon;
assistance at Henley Bridge’s Sue Ryder Fireworks by a team
of club members from among those who weren’t going to York; the manning of the
usual mulled wine stall as well as assistance with general marshalling at a very
wet Round Table Fireworks evening.
Christmas bingo at the
Town Hall in December when we raised enough to pay for the first of two Pari E-flow nebulisers we gave
to Oxford Children’s Hospital this year; the appearance of the Dalek outside Waitrose on 20th
December with the “Exterminate Polio” campaign;
the local heat of “Youth Speaks” at the Kenton in January when
the Mayor kindly presented the awards, followed by the zone final at Marlow which had to be
rescheduled because of the weather. Presentation of awards at the Henley Youth Festival’s musicians’ evening by David Cumming standing in for me; the week-long hosting of the
Group Study Exchange team from District 5040 British Columbia at the end of March and the beginning
of April.
The fabulously successful Rotary Jazz Club
2009 at Christ Church in April, raising £2,500 for a water project for a
hospital in Uganda and the Hand up for Africa micro-credit scheme in Malawi, the
evening helped tremendously by all the musicians giving their services free, led
by our ever-enthusiastic honorary member Ken Fitt.
The Henley Midnight Matinee with the
double bill at the Kenton in May with anticipated proceeds of £5,000 which will
go towards the building of the pavilion for AFC Henley (formerly the Henley
Boys’ and Girls’ Football Club; the visit to our link club Næstved in Denmark also in
May at which we were joined by the President Melba of the Inner Wheel Club and
her daughter Nicola.
In June the first ever win by this club of the District Darts competition when our intrepid team of Sam
Lamden (captain), John Grout, David, Cumming and Mark Allum (standing in for
John Fenn who had played in all the other rounds) won the final against Gerrards
Cross; and of course the Primary Schools Kwik Cricket
competition held at Oratory School last Thursday.
It only remains for me to wish Karl all the best for his Presidency, the
second time he has carried out this duty for the club. If he is accorded half
the support and goodwill that I have enjoyed, he will have a very satisfying and
worthwhile year.
JL
Rotary at a glance
Rotarians — men and women alike — volunteer
their efforts to improve the quality of life in their own communities and beyond
their communities' borders. The world's Rotary clubs meet weekly and are
non-political, non-religious, and open to all cultures, races, and creeds. Club
membership represents a cross-section of local business and professional
leaders.
Rotarians initiate community projects that address
many of today's most critical issues, such as violence, drug abuse, youth, AIDS,
hunger, the environment, and illiteracy. Rotary clubs are autonomous and
determine service projects based on local needs.
Rotarians work with and for youth to address
challenges facing young people today. Through participation in Rotary-sponsored
Interact clubs (for secondary school students), Rotaract clubs (for young
adults), and Rotary Youth Leadership awards, young people worldwide learn
leadership skills and the importance of community service. Rotary Youth Exchange
gives high school students the opportunity to broaden their world view and build
international friendships.
Mission
The main objective of Rotary is service — in the
community and throughout the world. Rotarians build goodwill and peace, provide
humanitarian service, and encourage high ethical standards in all vocations. The
Rotary motto is "Service Above Self."
The Rotary Foundation
The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International was
created in 1917 for the purpose of "doing good in the world." It
supports Rotary's efforts to further world understanding and peace. Through the
Foundation, Rotarians sponsor international educational and humanitarian
programs, where some US$90 million is invested annually.
PolioPlus is Rotary's commitment to eradicating
polio. Through the efforts of Rotary and its partners in the fight against
polio, more than one billion children worldwide have been immunised since 1985.
By 2005, Rotary's financial commitment will reach a half billion US dollars. Of
equal significance is the huge volunteer army mobilised by Rotary International
for social mobilisation, vaccine transport and immunisation activities.
Rotary's international network helps link people in
need with Rotarians in other countries who can provide resources. The
Foundation's humanitarian programs improve health care systems, support
sustainable sources of food and water, and provide literacy and vocational
training — particularly in developing countries.
The Rotary Foundation's educational programs include
Ambassadorial Scholarships, the world's largest privately funded source of
international scholarships. More than 1,300 scholarships are awarded annually
for study in another land. Grants are also awarded for university teachers to
serve in developing countries and for international exchanges of professionals.
History
The world's first service club was the Rotary Club
of Chicago, Illinois, USA. The club was formed 23 February 1905 by lawyer Paul
P. Harris and three friends — a merchant, a coal dealer, and a mining
engineer. Harris wished to recapture the friendly spirit he had felt in the
small town where he had grown up. The name "Rotary" was derived from
the early practice of rotating meetings among members' offices.
The first Rotary club was formed to promote
fellowship among its members. Word of the club soon spread and other businessmen
were invited to join. By the end of 1905, the Rotary Club of Chicago had 30
members. Three years later, a second club was formed in San Francisco,
California, USA.
As Rotary grew, its focus shifted to service and
civic obligations. Early service projects included building public "comfort
stations" near Chicago's City Hall and delivering food to needy families.
In 1913, the 50 Rotary clubs then in existence contributed US$25,000 for flood
relief in two US Midwestern states.
By the end of its first decade, Rotary had grown so
large (nearly 200 clubs and more than 20,000 members) that a district structure
was required. During Rotary's second decade, clubs were launched in South and
Central America, India, Cuba, Europe, the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand,
and South Africa.
During World War I, Rotary discovered new areas of
service — at home in war relief and peace-fund drives as well as in active
service and overseas in emergency efforts. After World War II, many clubs
disbanded during the war were re-established, initiating a new era of service.
Clubs in Switzerland and elsewhere organised relief efforts for refugees and
prisoners of war. Forty-nine Rotarians participated in the 1945 United Nations
Charter Conference in San Francisco.
The Rotary Foundation was established in 1917 as an
endowment fund and became The Rotary Foundation in 1928. When Paul Harris died
in 1947, Rotarians donated generously to the Foundation as a memorial.
The Rotary Foundation's first program was Graduate
Fellowships (now called Ambassadorial Scholarships), which sent 18 students
abroad to seven countries in 1947.
23
February 1955
Efforts extending over some years to
form a branch of the Rotary International in Henley were brought to fruition
Friday last when, at an inaugural dinner at the Catherine Wheel, 29 founder
members voted unanimously in favour of establishing a club, the territorial
limits of which will embrace the Borough of Henley, the area of the Henley Rural
District Council and the Parishes of Wargrave and Remenham.
The dinner which was held two days
after the Rotary Movement celebrated its Golden Jubilee, was presided over by
the chairman of District No.9. Rotarian Chichester-Miles and the large
attendance included the President of Rotary International in Great Britain and
Ireland, Rotarian Birchnall and many representatives from other clubs in
District 9.
Founding Notes...District Extension officer Henry Colbeck recalls
that efforts to form a club in Henley went back to 1948 but it was not until
July 1954 that he met three Gentlemen at a meeting in Maidenhead who talked to
him in earnest about a club in Henley. Those three were Arthur Rowe, A.S Martin
and Paul Rosewarne, who eventually presided over the first official meeting on
February 25th 1955. That meeting and several others after that, were launched,
according to a former member “on a sea of Vodka”. Reg Pearce, founder member
and local watchmaker had offered the rowers accommodation in his flats on the
Fair Mile. There were great celebrations when the Russians beat Leander by two
and a half lengths in the final of the Grand and when the crew returned home
they left behind a large quantity of their favorite tipple.
During all the time of formation,
doubts had been expressed whether a dormitory town like Henley could provide
“a sufficient variety of classifications who would be able to keep up the
attendance rule.”
Finally on July 25th 1955 this Club
was presented with its official charter at a special dinner at the Catherine
Wheel.
We meet at Henley Golf Club, Harpsden,
Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire except for emergencies.
Meetings take place each Tuesday - 12.15 for 12.45pm
EXCEPT any 5th Tuesday in the month - 7.00 for 7.30pm.
If
you wish to join us for Lunch, please contact our Secretary
Rtn.
Karl Kuhnke
by Monday 12pm
To book and for further information
telephone 01491 640998 or e-mail karl@kkuhnke.com