MEMBERSHIP PRESENTATION

 
John Stuckey and John Harris presented a very entertaining script on membership on RCW. Of note was something many of us may not have known and that is John Harris’ grandfather Paul Harris started Rotary with three other friends.
They spoke about Rotary’s 4 way test:
  • Is it the TRUTH?
  • Is it FAIR to all concerned?
  • Will it build GOODWILL and FRIENDSHIPS?
  • Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
Then moved on to a little bit of Club history. RCW was chartered by the Rotary Club of Melbourne in 1929 and over the years had famous members like Sir Fletcher Jones, Archie Graham, Reg Sobey, Eric Williams…. just ask him. RCW started the Eisteddfod which has given many young talented people a great start in life and who have gone onto better their careers in dancing, debating, singing and gymnastics.  A large Club project was the Camp Quality Cabin which started when the Club erected a unit at the Surfside One Caravan Park for families with a child suffering cancer, to have a holiday in Warrnambool. Last year the Club upgraded this unit to a two bedroom/kitchen cabin and the people that use it just love the unit and are very thankful to Rotary.
 
The four Rotary Clubs in Warrnambool worked together and built Rotary House near the Base Hospital, where people from out of town can stay when their loved ones are in hospital. Rotary House will be extremely useful when the new cancer centre commences operation and people receiving treatment will be able to stay there without having to pay expensive accommodation.
 
Internationally one of Rotary’s most ambitious programs is to eliminate worldwide Polio. This was started in 1985.  The Polio Plus program was launched to eradicate polio worldwide. Rotary has combined to eradicate this hideous disease and is very close to success, with great assistance from the Gates Foundation. Funding for international projects comes from an endowment set up at the 1917 convention by outgoing RI President Arch C. Klumph. This endowment is “for the purpose of doing good in the world”. In 1928 it was renamed The Rotary Foundation, and it became a distinct entity within Rotary International. Since the first donation of $26.50 in 1917, the Foundation has received contributions totalling more than $1 billion.
 
The Paul Harris Recognition is awarded by Clubs to their members for outstanding contributions to the local community. The Club pays a certain amount into the Foundation each year. With all the contributions, one third of this money raised in each district comes back in three year’s time to be used for ambassadorial scholarships, group study exchange and matching grants. RCW has a significant number of Paul Harris Fellows.
 
On 4 May 1987 the US Supreme Court ruled that Rotary clubs may not exclude women from membership on the basis of gender. Rotary issues a policy statement that any Rotary club in the United States can admit qualified women into membership. By 2010 the number of women in Rotary was approaching 200,000. Testimonies were given by Andrea Sampson, Rachel Furnell and Svet Lineham about their Rotary experiences. 
 
Other activities run by Rotary include BBQ’s; building of BBQ shelters at Lake Pertobe; man show gates for the local Agriculture Society; help local charities, support community; youth via Science Challenge; RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards), RYPEN – a residential weekend for young people in which they participate in a range of outdoor activities designed to build their self-worth in a way that they can value themselves as a “person of the year”; student exchange described by Terry O’Neill; Father of the Year described by Ian Cairns; The Rotary Lights Project described by Brian Tenery.
 
Anyone can get involved in projects and you can do as much or as little as you can.