CHRISTCHURCH SOUTH ROTARY CLUB
CLUB OFFICERS
President:
Mel Opie
Immediate
Past President:
Shirley Harris
President Elect:
Alan Stewart
Secretary:
Viv Ellis
Treasurer:
Alan McKinnon
Foundation Director:
Diane Peterson
Membership Director:
Athol McCully
Service Projects Director:
Geoff Bailey
Public Relations Director:
Alan Airay
Community and
International Service
Chair:
Mike Bruce
Youth and Vocational
Service Chair:
Sara McKenzie
Awards Committee Chair:
Diane Peterson
Fund Raising Committee
Chair:
Alan Stewart
Social CommitteeChair:
Lew Brown
OUR ROTARY CLUB
We are a group of about 30 men and women who span a wide age range, from different ethnic backgrounds and occupational pursuits who work together to serve our communities in the spirit of Rotary’s Service Above Self. We meet weekly on Wednesdays at 6:00pm at the Cashmere Club, 50 Colombo Street Christchurch. Alternative entry 88 Hunter Terrace.
A Brief History
On 20 November 1956 two members of the Christchurch Rotary Club met with three potential Rotarians to consider establishing a Rotary Club in south Christchurch. An inaugural meeting of the Provisional South Christchurch Rotary Club was held on Wednesday 13 February 1975 attended by 23 of the 27 charter members along with representatives of the sponsoring club, Christchurch, and the Riccarton, Rangiora and Kaiapoi Clubs. The meeting was held at the Sign of the Takahe and George Falloon was elected president.
One week later the first regular meeting of the club was held at the Takahe. Eighteen meetings of the provisional club were held until on 26 June 1957 when, with 159 in attendance, the Charter was presented and the Rotary Club of Christchurch South was declared legitimate. The annual membership fee was $6.30 and the meal cost $0.60. This photograph (click on it to enlarge) is of the charter members of the club. J.K. (Jack) McKessar and B.W. (Bernie) Lawrence are still members of the Club and R.S. (Ray) Newton is an honorary member.
The weekly 6.00pm meetings continued at the Takahe until the end of 1964 when the club moved to the Sommerfield Community Centre in Studholme Street. Two years later the club returned to the Takahe and stayed there until the pressure of numbers made the building unsuitable for the club’s purposes. In 1972 the club moved to the Sandridge Hotel in Sydenham and in 1984 moved to our present location, the Cashmere Club, Hunter Terrace.
Our Rotary Club of Christchurch South has a proud tradition of serving and supporting our communities – local, national and international – and Rotary Foundation projects. Over the years our service committees (Community, International, Vocational and Youth) have been actively involved in small to large endeavours assisting individuals, families, groups and organisations. And, as well, raising money to allow this to happen. On a weekly basis we share fellowship, a meal with members with widely differing backgrounds and listen to speakers on a wide range of topics.
Because of increasing membership numbers it was decided to sponsor a new Rotary Club and in 1975 the Rotary Club of Christchurch West was established, now known as the Rotary Club of Cashmere.
In 1994 our first two women members were welcomed into our club and 2013 saw our first young adult members.