The Rotary Club of Hamilton NSW Inc

Club charter number 7267 issued on 13 May 1949

The club held its charter night at Winn’s Shortland Room on 23 July 1949 with more than 300 in attendance. There were 32 charter members with Joe Morrison as President, Ian McKenzie as Vice-president, Bill Cannington as Secretary and Charles Kierath as Treasurer. By its 15th year, membership stood at 72 and reached a record 84 members in 1974-75. Numbers have fallen over the years, dropping to below 20 over the past year through ageing of members and the club is now looking to revitalise with a campaign to attract younger and more active men and women as new members.

The first meeting place was Anzac House in Tudor St and then to St Peter’s Hall in 1951, where the club met for 41 years. In its first year Hamilton took on the formation of Belmont Rotary and within 10 years had also “mothered” the Rotary Club of Adamstown.

SERVICE

Rotary has four avenues of service – Club, Vocational, Community and International Service, each with a director and committee to plan the year’s program. However, Rotary is bringing in a new leadership plan with the club structure to have five committees: club administration, membership, service projects, Rotary Foundation and public relations. These will incorporate the existing committees with Rotary continuing its service to the community, youth and international projects.

Each Rotary club is autonomous and plans its own program, but gains strong support from the District and Rotary International. Our District, 9670, extends from southern Lake Macquarie north to Dungog and Murrurundi and west to Bourke. There are great opportunities in the district to meet members from other clubs and towns and also to meet Rotarians from around the world at the International conventions. Recent conventions have been at Copenhagen, Chicago, Osaka, Brisbane and Buenos Aires.

PROUD RECORD

Hamilton has a proud record of service. In the community, the club provided the first rescue vehicle for the Ambulance Station, built a bat-wing bus shelter in Belford Street, glasshouse in Gregson Park, ran the Hamilton Art Show for many years and helped local charities like Red Cross, Salvation Army, Blind Society, Meals on Wheels, Crippled Children and Youth Service. Main fundraiser at present is the golf day with Charlestown Rotary, raising some $12,000 or more.

Youth activities are a top priority, including hosting overseas exchange students and sending students to various countries on long-term exchange, Bill Cannington awards for local students, summer science schools, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards and MUNA (model united nations assembly).

Internationally, the club has sponsored team members on Group Study Exchange to several countries and ambassadorial scholars. It supports the Peace Scholar program and the Rotary Foundation Polioplus project which has all but eliminated polio in the world.

Sausage Sizzle at the
Hamilton Food and Wine Festiva