Seventieth – a Jolly Celebration

The 70th Anniversary celebrations could besummed-up in the words of the chorus from ‘Little Brown Jug’ sung by the Rotary Songsters –

“Ha ha ha! You and me
Port Macquarie Rot-ar-y”

It was a ‘jolly’ occasion enjoyed by 137 Rotarians & guests. MC Lynn Lelean jogged us along with her ‘jolly’ prattle. There were a number of ‘jolly’ good toasts & responses. Jolly old friendships were renewed with many past Rotarians returning for the celebration & families of Rotarians promoted to ‘Rotary heaven’ coming tohonour the 395 Rotarians who have made up the Port Macquarie Rotary Club over the past 70 years. Mayor Peta Pinson & President John Sheppard gave a’jolly’ good promotion of the book “Seventy Years of ‘Service Above Self’ as they officially launched it. The Songsters entertained us as we sang & laughed & were jolly gee-ed up by Ted, Neil, David & Terry.

Our club did a ‘jolly’ good thing in honouring Clive Chapman with a posthumous Paul Harris Fellow presented to his grandson Peter Chapman.

(Thanks to Kerry Medway for the article and Sheila Sam Openshaw for photos)

Cutting the 70th Anniversary cake. Lyn Bowen our 1st female member & President & our longest active Rotarian PDG Laurie Barber

The Rotary Songsters -Ted Giblin, Terry Crossley, David Meidling & Neil Porter

Book Launch Mayor Peta Pinson & President John Sheppard launching the book “Seventy Years of ‘Service Above Self’”. Mayor Peta said as she flew into Port Macquarie airport in the morning that she was very glad that Rotarians in 1947 had cleared the trees from the airstrip!