The Port Hawkesbury Rotary Club is ceasing operations.
At the monthly public meeting of Port Hawkesbury Town Council on Tuesday night, club member Patrick Lamey gave an emotional presentation outlining 64 years of community service and honouring the many volunteers who contributed.
Lamey said the local club was started in 1961 by members of the Sydney Rotary Club. What started as primarily a men’s group, evolved into a group with many prominent female members, he noted.
Some of the projects in which Rotary was involved over the years, include the Rotary Christmas Ceilidh Concerts, the Port Hawkesbury Community Park, Seasonal Services, the community spring litter clean-up, Leeside Society, New Year’s Eve dances, community Christmas dinners, Granville Green, a golf tournament, the Port Hawkesbury Food Bank, the Coady International Institute, Interact Club, getting medical supplies to Africa, hosted election debates, the wine fair, school events, and hosted many social events over the years, said Lamey. In addition to serving the community, Lamey said Rotary offered fellowship with other residents.
Lamey said the decision was made to stop to allow volunteers an opportunity to take a break, and there was no need to continue an organization that was not maintaining its goals.
Lamey said Port Hawkesbury has had many great service clubs over the years but on the question of whether such organizations are still needed, he said that should be posed to a new generation of people with fresh ideas and fresh energy, or others ready to re-engage the community.