History

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History
Rotary Club of Albury
Rotary International District 9790
 
The Rotary Club of Albury was chartered on 2 November 1927 with charter number 2691 presented by District Governor of District 65, Mr Fred Birks of the Rotary Club of Sydney. Albury was the 17th club established in Australia and The Rotary Club of Sydney was the sponsor Club.
Mr Charles Griffith was the inaugural President and Mr Claude Lillyman the Secretary. DG Fred Birks gave the Charter Meeting address and installed the Club Officers and all 20 charter members.
Our oldest Charter Member and Past President Mr Percy Burrows was still a member when he died aged 101.
 
Foundation Members of Rotary Club of Albury
 
Albury remained the only Rotary Club in Albury until 1963 when the club sponsored The Rotary Club of Albury North. To date Albury has sponsored 9 other Rotary Clubs including:
  • Corowa (17 April 1939)
  • And many more
The Club also sponsored the Charter of the Apex Club of Albury on 20th October 1931. At the time it was only the 4th Apex club in Australia.
Paul Harris and his wife Jean visited the Club on 30th March 1935, as part of their Australian tour. Since then numerous Past RI Presidents have visited the Club including Angus Mitchell, Clem Renouf, Royce Abbey, Glenn Kinross (70th Anniversary) and Bhichai Rattakul (in March 2003 for the Club’s 75th Anniversary).
The Club has provided 2 District Governors and have made 45 people Paul Harris Fellows. Members have served as discussion leader at the 1973 International Assembly in Lake Placid USA, RI Youth Activities Committee 1973-75 and RI Young People’s Consultative Committee 1981-82. Members who have served at District level or beyond include:
  • Past District Governor Bill Purtell. Member of RCA from 5th Feb 1951 until his death on 9th Dec 2003.
  • Alf Sellars, Distric Governor
  • Gordon Miller, Assistant DG 2000-2003
The Rotary Club of Albury has been a very active club over the years and continues that fine tradition of service today. Some of the community service projects with which we have been involved include:
  • Provided 4 electric clocks for Albury Railway Station tower.
  • Built sensory room at Wewak Street School for disabled children.
  • Built garage/store and other works for Kalparin Special Education school for the disabled.
  • Erected 30m flag pole for Albury City
  • Supplied 100 queen bees to establish honey industry in Ludhiana, India
  • Conducted drug & alcohol awareness seminars for high school students
  • Conducted picnics for orphaned children
  • Distributed food parcels to less privileged at Christmas
  • Established the Eastern Hill lookout and park.
  • Provided materials and labour for the Moira Kelly Open Door project in Kilmore, Victoria.
  •  Support for indigenous high school students to encourage further study.
  • Ongoing donations to Polio Plus, The Rotary Foundation and Australian Rotary Health
  • Conducted driver training schools.
  • Donated a stained glass window for the reconstruction of St Matthews Church.
  • Conduct a one week science program for high school students at Murray Darling School of Freshwater Research under the Preserve Planet Earth Program. See separate story under Projects.
  • In conjunction with Albury Lions Club, conduct Camp Quality camps for children with cancer. See separate story under Projects.
  • Major sponsor of Sunsmiles dental hygiene program.
  • Major donor to Hilltop Carers Accommodation Centre at Albury Base Hospital.
  • Support the Albury Show Society each year by manning the showground gates.
  • Assist with local co-ordination of Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal
  • Supplied a car for Albury Palliative Care Service
  • Graham Turner Bursary for medical students working in regional areas.
  • Fred Heath Agricultural Scholarship presented at Albury High School.