History Bytes

Our Association with Camp Quality and Country Hope.

Club members PP Alan Pearson (then DG nominee) and PP Col Eagle organised a fundraising function to establish Camp Quality in the Riverina. This group, under the leadership of Vera Entwhistle, was to provide respite for families of children diagnosed with cancer and give the children a quality period away from hospital surrounds.

The fundraiser was substantially supported by celebrities Paul Hogan, John Singleton and Larry Pickering, and its success resulted in a camp being held in 1987, at Borambola National Fitness Camp (an earlier project of the Club).

Unfortunately, Alan Pearson died during this period and leadership was provided by Club member Alan Lean (President 88/89 - PHF 91/92), who continued in this role until 1993. In 1989, PHF Kaye Lean had established the Camp Quality Riverina Family Support Group, a group of volunteers who were funded by Rotary and implemented the activities provided by this charity.

In 1993 a separate community committee was formed under Alan Lean's Chairmanship ( a Past President of our Club) . In 2003 this group separated from Camp Quality and became Country Hope. Country Hope is currently chaired by John Studdert, also a member of our Club.

As you will see in the next story, Paul "Hoges" Hogan was awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship in recognition of his generous support of the Club in establishing Camp Quality in the Riverina.

Paul "Crocodile Dundee" Hogan - Paul Harris Fellow

People may be somewhat surprised that Hoges was made a PHF by the Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga on 25 June, 1987.

Photograph of Paul's PHF with his signature
Larry Pickering and John Singleton host a very successful fundraiser for Camp Quality

The first female member

Accepted into the Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga was Jeanette Yap on 31 October 2002. One week later, Julie Elphick was inducted. Julie is President 08/09 of RC Wagga Wagga Murrumbidgee.

The first female President

of the Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga was Dr Leone Harvey-Smith in 2007-2008. Due to a career move, Leone completed half her term and was replaced by PP John Studdert.

President Name Badges

In 2009, 80 gold President name badges are on the Presidential Chain - but only one name is repeated. PP John Studdert, President in our 75th Anniversary year of 2005, and again in 2007-08 when he took over from retiring President Leone (see earlier entry on this page).

PP John Studdert

Fine Boxes

There is quite a story behind the two beautifully handcrafted wooden fine boxes where we deposit our hard earned each week. Read Philip Cross' recounting of the story by clicking on this link....

The Missing Charter

Sometime in 1951, the Charter of the Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga, dated 18th January 1929, was mislaid. Strangely, nobody noticed it missing then. Many years later a number of Rotarians when trying to recall its last sighting, guessed that it seemed to have disappeared sometime in that year. The Club organised a replacement Charter from Rotary International in 1953

Imagine the incredible joy when in February 1995, the Charter was found! 44 years after it went missing!

A gentleman named Peter Quinane bought the 'dusty piece of paper' and decorative wooden frame for just $5 at the estate sale of the late Mr Ray Thornton in Murray Street, Wagga Wagga. Later when he looked at his purchase more closely, he realised the significance of his find. Mr Thornton had lived at this address for 40 years but nobody knows how he came to be in possession of the Charter. An employee of Wagga Rotarian Peter Veerhuis, Chris Quick, mentioned that she knew the whereabouts of the Charter and the rest is ... history! 

President of the day, Paul Rafferty, took possession of the slightly battered Charter and needless to say, it takes pride of place at every meeting of the Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga.

The Day Our Hearts Were Broken

Click this link to read The Sydney Morning Herald's first report about the tragic death of our dear friends Helen Walsh PHF and PDG PP Peter Walsh PHF just days after this photo was taken at the Chicago RI World Conference.

Photo taken by Rotarian Dr Alok Sharma PHF.

The Gifu Cup

The Gifu Cup is awarded each week to someone who demonstrates excellence in achievement - either under or over achievement!

The cup is a golfing trophy from Gifu, Japan. It lost one handle several times, although having been patched up by club member Graeme Callander, it now sports RI cloured ribbons instead.

The Mt Austin Girl Guides Hall

In 1988, during Arthur Nixon's presidency, the Board decided to build a hall for the Mt Austin Girl Guides.

Approaches were made to the Base Commander at RAAF Base Forest Hill to supply the club with a building suitable for conversion to the required hall. PDG PP Ken White surveyed the supplied land at Jack Ave and construction begun.

The original building was cut into two sections with chainsaws operated by Col Eagle and Arthur Nixon. The sections were then transported to the site using a low loader. Club member Gino Boetto had placed brick stumping in place, ready for the building.

Once the building was set in position, the laborious job of stripping the roof and walls of asbestos cladding began. A new Colourbond roof was fitted, as was a new roof. The internal frame of the building was erected from a good hard wood and looked splendid with new panel lining on the inside walls. Much assistance was had from PP Alan Pearson, the Manager of Buckmans Building Group.

Gino Boetto sheeted the entire building with red brick, purchased from Willis Bricks for 27 cents per brick. Colin Eagle bought beautiful Axminster carpet from the St George Leagues Club in Sydney. Local tradesmen helped with painting and the final touches.

Working bees were held every weekend for six months and our Rotarians not only enjoyed the hard work, but also the fellowship that ensued. Over 2000 voluntary hours over 30 weeks were given in this project by club members.

Each year our Club holds its AGM in the Guide Hall, catered for by the Girl Guides. Maintenance of the building is carried out by Rotarians when needed. In 2006/7, heating and cooling was provided.

In 2008, the Club received the news that the Mt Austin Girl Guides were going into recess. The Club was awarded a plaque to acknowledge its patronage, and PP Arthur Nixon received a special award for his continued interest in this project.

In 2009, the Mt Austin Girl Guides were officially disbanded and the land and building given to the Department of Housing. A very sad end to a long association.

Steve O'Halloran

Steve O'Halloran, architect, joined Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga in 1946. He was President in 1950-51, presiding over the establishment of a camp for boys at Borambola, out of which came the National Fitness Camp at that location. In 1956-7 he became Governor of District 30 (now known as D9700). After serving on many Rotary International committees, Steve served as RI First Vice President in 1967-68, the culmination of his Rotary career.

During his term on the Board of Rotary International, he successfully moved for official recognition of the Australian Rotary Institute, which was made up of current and past Governors of districts in Australia and New Zealand.

Steve was born on Christmas Day 1902 and died on 6th May 1983. His book, 'The Days That Are Gone' (1973) gives a nostalgic view of his childhood days and farming life in the early 19th century.

Sources:

'Seventy Five Years of Service - Rotary in Australia, Papua New Guinea and Soloman Islands - 1921 - 1996' - Paul Henningham

'Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga Souvenir of the Golden Jubilee 1930-1980'
'The Halloran Saga - a brief history of the Halloran family in Wagga Wagga 1838 - 2000' - Editor Colleen Shaw B.Ed., M.Ed Admin

Rotary wheels keep turning ... for 84 years

Whilst sorting through tens of thousands of books for our book fair, Michelle Maddison spotted an interesting find - a programme from the 1924 Boy's Week Exhibition, held by the Rotary Club of NSW (now the Rotary Club of Sydney). PP Philip Cross sent it on, and managed to get a donation for the book!

Here is an extract from Sydney Rotary Bulletin 30 Sep 08

It's amazing how one slim volume can excite a lot of interest from a variety of sources. To wit, the 1924 Boy's Week Exhibition programme, from our Club's first major community service project. The booklet came to us from Wagga Wagga Rotary Club via their immediate past Secretary Philip Cross. It had turned up, in pristine condition, at their fundraising Book Fair.

In turn, President Patricia and the Board agreed to send a $50 cheque as a 'thank you' and also to invite Sarah Ison from the Boys and Girls Brigade to join us for lunch to view the latest addition to our Club's archives. Sarah came and brought along some related memorabilia that had our honorary archivists very excited.
We shared our new found treasure with Alan Tasker, a field Librarian from the State Library - he too, was excited by the 'find'. The book has now been assigned,
with a significant portion of the Rotary Club of Sydney Archives, to the NSW State Library for preservation into the future.

Click here to see a scanned image of the actual programme from 1924

History in the Making

30 March 2009 saw the official opening of Centenary Drive. The culmination of a project started by PP Philip Cross in 2005, this avenue of trees planted along Red Hill Road is a celebration of 100 years of Rotary. Called Centenary Drive, this project also became a memorial for our member Peter Walsh, who along with his wife Helen, were killed in that same year.