HISTORY OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF AUCKLAND
The Rotary Club of Auckland is one of the longest serving clubs in Australasia. It was founded on June 13, 1921, with 55 Charter members by Special Commissioner Jim Davidson, from the Club of Calgary.
The inaugural meeting was held at Priors Restaurant in the Strand Arcade. Hon George Fowlds and Charles Rhodes did most of the groundwork in bringing Rotary to New Zealand and they honoured the Auckland Rotary Club as first president and vice-president. As the first service club in Auckland, Rotary pursued a vigorous community services programme.
- The First Quarter 1921-1946
- The Second Quarter 1947-1971
- The Third Quarter 1972-1996
- Fourth Quarter (1996-2021)
The first community service in the Club's first year was raising 900 pounds ($1800) for the Boy Scouts. Along the subsequent long record of contributions there was support for the Blind Institute in 1926, The YMCA Lodge Hunua in 1928 and the Plunket Society in 1930-31. The Club was also instrumental in the formation of the Crippled Children?s Society (now CCS) in 1935, and the Tuberculosis Association in 1944.
In 1945 the Club established the Obstetrical and Gynaecological Committee which led to 100,000 pounds ($200,000) being raised to endow a Professorial Chair in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Auckland and eventually to the establishment of National Women's Hospital in Auckland. By 1945, ten members had served overseas, the Club had organised 22 new clubs, and in conjunction with some of them helped to organise another eight. Top
This period saw great expansion. The Rotary Club of Auckland grew from 182 to 300 members. It also sponsored the establishment of what are now some of our strongest sister clubs including Newmarket, Pukekohe, Onehunga, and Otahuhu. In 1947, due to the growth in membership, the club established a permanent executive secretariat. A major achievement for the club was Harold Thomas' appointment as Rotary International Director 1950-1951 and again in 1960-61, still the only New Zealander to have held the office.
The 50th Anniversary of Rotary International was marked by the introduction of ROTA - Rotary Overseas Travel Awards - and this has since been adopted as the District's special project. After several successful years of operation, this was picked up by the Rotary Foundation, which adopted and adapted the project as Group Student Exchange, one of Rotary's most successful international programs. In 1961, the Outward Bound Trust was formed and it continues its character building adventure training to this day.
The club also contributed to the Children's Health Research Foundation and assisted in establishing the Junior Symphony Orchestra and the Maori Youth Centre.� A number of Rotary merit awards were initiated, including the Rotary Scholar Award (medical scholarship), Rotary Award of Merit for vocation service and the Trophy of Tradition for the nurse exemplifying the spirit of the nursing profession. Top
Among the many service projects and assistance to the community in the third quarter, some achievements stand out. During this period the Harold Thomas Rotary Trust and the Reaching Out Trust, now the principal component of Child Development Foundation, were established. The club worked with the District to help in the establishment of the Children's Health Foundation nationally.� Other notable achievements include the establishment of Boystown, a log cabin at Camp Adair, help with the Blood Unit at Auckland Hospital, a van for the Crippled Children?s Association, clothing for the Salvation Army, a substantial donation to a new hospital facility for the disabled at the end of the decade, and the sponsoring of Richard Yen from China to Auckland Grammar.
In 1994, the club staged the first Ellerslie Flower Show, which is now an annual event providing a venue and focus for New Zealand's horticultural industry to showcase its products. It also serves, as a better way for the club to fund some of the area's most worthy causes. The project brings together Club members, their spouses and friends at what is perhaps the biggest fundraising event for the Club calendar. Top
As the Auckland Club heads towards its centennial in 2021, there are many challenges that it will no doubt face. The changing face of Auckland requires new approaches towards meeting the goals of the club through the various avenues of service. Now is also a time to look back and reflect on the past years and learn and appreciate. From the initial membership of 55, the Auckland Rotary Club has grown to become the largest club in New Zealand with over 200 members. Throughout the years the club has continued to support the charities and organizations that it supported in its early years, like the YMCA, Plunket Society, and Salvation Army.
Rotary has remained a centre of goodwill, energy and direction for the city and continues to fulfil its role of building "bridges of friendship" in its international services. Rotary's ideals remain relevant today and will surely carry a message through the coming years. The history of the Rotary Club of Auckland is a history of its many services and charitable support. And with its dedicated members the club will continue to fulfil the Rotary objective by encouraging and fostering the ideal of service as a basis of wholesale enterprise. Top
