REFLECTION from DENNIS SHORE
Over its more than 70 years, Rotary Hawthorn has been distinguished by many things but none more so than its strong fellowship. This was demonstrated by strong District Conference attendance, which so often included road trips with memorable adventures along the way and a shared sense of belonging.
Rotary Hawthorn members also loved nothing better than sharing their musical talents (or in some cases total lack of talent) but always with enthusiasm and energy. Sorting through the archives we found some wonderful records of those halcyon times.
One memorable fund-raising event was the “Naughty Nineties” gala on 25th October 1996 where guest were treated to vaudeville like never seen before. Many of the performers are no longer with us but keen eyes will notice some current members who may have wished their images remained locked away.
One participant was our exchange student that year, Jérémie Detober from Belgium, who really got into the swing of things and might have gone on to a theatrical career but perhaps realised that it was only the unique fellowship of Rotary Hawthorn that was the catalyst for his enthusiasm and performance on the night.
Although our club continues to embrace visits with other clubs, in earlier days we did more than just participate in a meeting; we also included a thespian activity as a bonus. We had a memorable couple of days with the Rotary Club of Alexandra and treated them to an unforgettable performance on 14th February 1999. Sadly most of the cast are now singing “Down by the Old Mill Stream” to a different audience.
Over the years since we became more sophisticated with our Schools in Harmony program and some memorable concerts featuring performers who could actually sing or play a musical instrument. They were fantastic events but nothing can quite capture the experience of our own members and partners giving profound meaning to fellowship.
