Following last week's article on David Wittner's Rotary Melbourne's 90th Birthday presentation President Philip received a lovely note from Past President Keith McNeil. Click read more to find out what he said.
------------------------
A Memorable Evening
Dear President Philip
Greetings from Brisbane.
I appreciate receiving the Club Bulletin each week and I was delighted to read again the speech given by PP David Wittner at the 90th birthday celebration in 2011.
Everyone that evening were struck by the quality of David’s address and delivery. He was an exceptional orator and an exceptional Rotarian and PP Phil Endersbee could not have made a better selection for the occasion.
Dame Quentin Bryce did not disappoint either. She gave a speech that captured the occasion perfectly. Later in the evening I met her aide de camp and commented on what a good address that she delivered. He mentioned that her speeches were always her own work and preparation.
A great occasion.
Regards,
PP Keith McNeil
--------------------------
On 23 May 2011 David Wittner delivered a moving Presentation on the 90th Anniversary of Rotary in front of Ms Quentin Bryce AC CVO, Governor General and other distinguished Rotarians and guests.
"Your Excellencies, President Phil, Distinguished guests and fellow Rotarians, I am honoured to have been asked to say something about how Rotary grew from its start in 1921, to the present day when we have some 34,000 members in 1,159 clubs in Australia.
It speaks volumes about the useful role played by Rotary on the world stage and certainly in Australia. You would know that the first meeting was held in Melbourne on April 21st, and Sydney’s inaugural meeting was on May 17th, 1921. The Presidents of the two clubs were Professor W.A.Osborne in Melbourne, and Sir Henry Braddon in Sydney.
In the year after their presidency, each became the ‘Commissioners’ for Rotary with Osborne’s territory embracing all areas south of Sydney, and Braddon’s being all areas north of it. Clearly there were expectations that the movement would grow, and the first two clubs were followed by Brisbane in 1923, Adelaide and Hobart in 1924, Perth in 1927 and Canberra in 1928. It was a sound move to initially establish Rotary in the capital cities, and the ceding of territory for the growth of suburban and regional clubs laid the foundation for the organization as it is today.
The formula for the establishment of Rotary clubs was astonishingly simple.
This was not only the formula for the formation of capital city clubs; it equally applied in country towns and suburban areas. It’s a formula that has served Rotary and the wider community very well. But history recalls that Australia in the 1920’s was very different. It took Professor Osborne six days to travel from Melbourne to Perth via steamship, and there was no daily service readily available! Flying there was not an option!
One has to marvel at the commitment to Rotary that our founding Presidents must have had to lay the foundations for the movement as it is today. After the capital cities, the Rotary Club of Melbourne got busy in Victoria, and ceded territory for the formation of clubs in regional areas. Ballarat, Bendigo and Geelong were all established in 1925, with Horsham, Sale, Warrnambool, Ararat, Mildura and Warracknabeel in the years 1927 to 1934, covering the period of the Great depression. Subsequently, the first suburban clubs in Dandenong and Essendon were both formed in 1935 and Footscray in 1937. But whilst this is a sketchy tale of the growth of Rotary in Victoria, you might ask what has been achieved, and what has been the lasting benefit of Rotary initiatives emanating from the Rotary Club of Melbourne?
If one was to ask members to rank the significant achievements, it’s highly likely that no two answers would be the same. But I challenged our club historian, Past President John Kendall to discuss this, and we emerged with these observations.
In 1925, the club launched the ‘Boy Scouts Appeal’.
World War 1 had decimated the young leaders of the Boy Scout Movement and it was in danger of collapse. Under the guidance of Past president Sir John Monash, the club launched an appeal that resulted in 14,000 pounds being raised. I am advised that in today’s currency, that equates to about $1,000,000. It was used to establish the Scout management plan and secretariat. Since that action, the Scouts have influenced generations of young men in their way of life to be concerned citizens.
In 1947, the club established a Mental Health Committee that saw the need to separate the mentally ill who required long term care, from the intellectually handicapped whose prime need was for training by qualified staff. This led to influencing the State Government to legislate for the ‘Mental Health Authority’. Nineteen years later, our continuing interest in mental health culminated in the establishment of a personal emergency service in conjunction with the Wesley Central Mission of Lifeline. Today, Lifeline continues its valuable work in counseling and helping people in need. And the recent Federal budget has highlighted that Mental Health is still a key community issue today!
The Club’s interest in Vocational Training for the young led to the formation of apprenticeship legislation in 1927. The depression of the 1930’s saw a major decline in manufacturing and apprentice opportunities for young people. The club formulated links between Technical Colleges and Industry for apprentice training, leading to the establishment of the ‘Apprenticeship Commission’. This became the model for similar legislation throughout Australia.
Whilst these projects give a picture of some of the initiatives in the first 45 years, what can be said of the next 45? The club has been successful in working with outstanding partners in special projects that have long-term community benefit. Some examples come to mind.
In 1976, the rebuilding of the ‘Claremont Homes for the Aged’ in South Melbourne saw the coming together of our club with neighboring clubs in organizing and funding the works over a three year period. Today, it provides accommodation for 56 people, the majority of whom require high care services.
In 1984, the club joined forces with the Salvation Army in launching the ‘Crossroads Youth Project’. The purpose of ‘Crossroads’ was to support staffing and provide accommodation for homeless young people. It was an immensely satisfying community project and continues to satisfy a community need today under Salvation Army control.
In 1987, the club joined with the Baker Medical Research Institute in establishing the Heart Risk Reduction Clinic. But our affiliation with the Baker has been long and fruitful, for in 2007 we funded the ‘Healthy Hearts beyond City Limits’ program which enabled people outside Melbourne to undergo heart risk evaluations. Both of these had a central focus of identifying people who were at risk, and encouraging medical treatment in a timely manner. Has it been beneficial? People whose lifestyle changed as a result certainly think so!
Not all of our initiatives have been limited to activities in Australia.
We have been in Timor Leste since 2000. During that time the East Timor Roofing Project has grown to employ 23 local people. We have funded a Rotary Liaison Officer enabling dozens of other Rotary projects to also be completed.
Our support for East Timor also extends to the current building of the embassy for that country in Canberra.
In 1984, a member of the club Dr George Tippett sought club assistance for a cataract eye camp in Nepal. Over the next fifteen years, the club launched under his direction a series of major medical aid programs in India, Thailand and Indonesia.
In 1992, George led a team of 10 health professionals to Vietnam. The first tour lasted three weeks. It was followed by a further 20 visits at intervals over the next six years. In each instance, the Australian professionals worked without financial reward alongside local health care practitioners, sharing their considerable expertise.
It was a marvelous example of what Rotary can and does do!
But this record should acknowledge other initiatives. I refer to
The Donydji homelands project in the Northern Territory.
SecondBite and the market collection of food for people in need.
The Cambodian Leprosy project.
Support for the “Very Special Kids”
Our involvement in the Homeless World Cup last year.
Tonight, I have spoken only of projects that have had a lasting community benefit, and in isolation, this does not do justice to all the things done in the name of Rotary.
Whilst we speak here of the Rotary Club of Melbourne, it must be remembered that clubs all over Australia have their own proud record of achievement.
In 1980, the question of the admittance of women into Rotary was a matter of keen debate and controversy. It was assumed that because of our conservative outlook, the club would not support change. But a plebiscite on the question revealed otherwise, with 67% in favor, 21% opposed and 12% abstaining! Ours was the first club in Australia to support the admittance of women. Clearly, we are all the better for it! And so is Rotary worldwide, with female representation now 17% of total membership.
As Rotary in Australia looks forward to its centenary, what role should the club play in the next ten years?
I can only recommend that we do exactly what the founding fathers adopted from the outset, namely-
Rotary has a proud tradition of service in Australia over the last 90 years.
Long may it continue!"
Happy Anniversary Rotary Melbourne.
