General News
2 August, 2023
Rotary to celebrate 75-year milestone
ROTARY Club of Terang is preparing to celebrate 75 years of its members giving back to their beloved community.
ROTARY Club of Terang is preparing to celebrate 75 years of its members giving back to their beloved community.
Over the decades some of Terang’s most respected names have served as Rotarians, undertaking a diverse range of projects to better the community or raise funds for those in need.
Club president Wayne Reicha said he felt a sense of pride working with a club which had achieved so much.
“The club has certainly achieved a lot, both in terms of within our local community and internationally,” he said.
“It’s been a proud honour to work with such a great club; some clubs do more than others, and this club always does more.
“We’ve achieved beyond what is expected thanks to the many people who have dedicated years of work in trying to help local people in the community, and around the world.
“That’s what we’re here for; we’re fortunate to be able to help people, and I think a good part of Rotary is everything we do and achieve is 100 per cent; nobody takes up the margins; every cent is spent without a finger in the pie.”
Club member Barry Wickham said the global network of Rotary groups not only made a positive impact in their respective communities, but also internationally in support of those who need it most.
“I think we probably raised between $20,000 to $30,000 each year, and that’s what we give out every year,” he said.
“It’s either $5000 to the hospital or doing something to benefit people overseas to some of the projects, such as with the war at the moment where we’ve sent a shelter box; we’ve sent about 10 shelter boxes over the years and they’re $1200 each.
“That gives a family a place to live, and includes things like a tablet to purify water.
“When someone gets one of those packages, it’s absolutely wonderful.”
Mr Wickham said among the international causes he was proud of was Rotary’s 35-year history as a founding partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, contributing more than $2 billion internationally to protect approximately three billion children.
“Rotary knows no boundaries, anywhere in the world, so we’ve been part of efforts to inoculate children against Polio,” he said.
“There was an example a few years ago where Rotary members wanted to go in to one of the states in Africa where there was fighting.
“They approached the bosses of either side and they stopped the war while Rotary went in and inoculated the kids.
“When we said we’d accomplished that, they resumed fighting. What other organisation can do that?”
Kerry Hicks, one of the longest serving members of the Rotary Club of Terang, said he was proud of the club’s involvement in the local community.
“We’ve certainly done a lot of international projects, but also a lot of local projects,” he said.
“To me, one of the greatest accomplishments for our club was the completion of the walking track from Terang to Noorat.
“It was a big project to get underway but we applied for funding and co-oped a lot of working bees, including with the support of non-Rotarians (Friends of Rotary).
“I walk it reasonably often, and people in our community use it every day; early and late. I thought it was a great project.”
Among the projects the Rotary Club of Terang has undertaken includes the development of the barbecue area opposite the bowls club/swimming pool entrance, the building of the Terang Information Centre and the development of a pathway connecting May Noonan to Terang.
The club also participates in a wide range of youth-focussed activities, helping to guide the next generation to excellence through programs such as National Youth Science Forum, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards and Rotary Youth Program of Enrichment.
In addition, the club also offers a wide range of awards throughout the community, recognising those who make their towns a little better.
“We do a lot for children through youth programs, sending kids out to camps,” Mr Reicha said.
“That’s one of our big things with the club; to provide an opportunity to young people to develop as a leader or develop confidence to come back a stronger program.
“We’re always looking for the right kids who want to experience another level and experience something more than they thought they could be.”
Member Wendy Driscoll said while each club operates independently, the wider network of Rotarians was willing to answer the call when help is needed.
“We have members from other clubs come; such as when the Ash Wednesday bushfires occurred, we had Rotarians come to spend the weekend help rebuild fencing,” she said.
“We also sent a truckload of posts to Gippsland, in addition to cattle.
“We’re still in contact with those people today.”
The club will officially celebrate its 75th anniversary with a function on August 22, with all current and past Rotary members welcome.
Anyone interested in joining the Rotary Club of Terang is invited to contact Wayne Reicha on 0429 921 091.