Rotarians from the Rotary Clubs of Nambucca Heads and Macksville, N.S.W., gathered to celebrate Rotary International's 100th anniversary at Nambucca Resort on February 22. Pictured are, from left, Nambucca charter member Bob Provost, Nambucca President Sunny Brailey, Nambucca Resort manager Lynn Sheppard, of Nambucca Heads Rotary, President Don Keighran, of Macksville Rotary, Macksville charter member John Smith and Neville Hardge who was Macksville Rotary’s first member candidate.
Photograph: Courtesy of the Nambucca Guardian News.

Stayed up late to be early birds
from Don Keighran, President
Rotary Club of Macksville, N.S.W.
District 9680 Past Governor

Nambucca Valley Rotarians have a sense of history and stamina when it comes to celebrating a centennial.

A joint meeting was held on February 22, 2005, of the Rotary clubs of Nambucca Heads and Macksville in N.S.W. that celebrated the Centenary of Rotary International.

It was attended by the members of both clubs and their partners, also present at this meeting was the charter president of Nambucca Heads club, a charter member and the first inducted member of Macksville club, a visiting Rotarian from the Rotary Club of Woking, Surrey, England, in District 1140 and a number of visitors and their partners.

This celebratory meeting was closed in due form at 11.57p.m.

A new meeting chaired by the president of the Rotary Club of Macksville was opened at 12.01a.m. on February 23, 2005.

Present at this meeting were Rotarians from the two clubs, their partners and other visitors.

All items that are normally part of the procedures for the holding of a Rotary meeting were addressed and the meeting was closed in due form at 1.15a.m.

The members of the Rotary Club of Nambucca Heads and the Rotary Club of Macksville claim this meeting to be the first Rotary meeting in the world to be held in the second century of Rotary International.

The clubs would like to hear from clubs and individuals who dispute this claim.

The Rotary Club of Nambucca Heads, was chartered in 1954 and Macksville was chartered 1955.

Hamilton East claims the first PHF

The Rotary Club of Hamilton East, N.Z., believes it can claim the first Paul Harris Fellowship recognition of the second Rotary century. The award was made one second into February 23, 2005, New Zealand Summer time. Recognised as a Paul Harris Fellow was Past President Dale Jack, at right, by President Michael Nightingale at a meeting convened for the occasion.