Silver service marked

By Lia Bichel
MEMBERS of the Rotary Club of Endeavour Hills have 25 reasons to celebrate this year.
The club will mark its 25th birthday on 22 May, but birthday festivities are already under way.
On 1 May, current and founding members of the Rotary Club gathered in celebration and met again for their weekly meeting on 5 May at the Endeavour Hills Chinese Restaurant – where the first meeting was held in 1986.
Rotarian Paul Morris said the club had been involved in numerous fundraising and community projects. Recently, the club sponsored an international aid program, now known as Disaster Aid Australia, providing shelter and fresh water to communities that had suffered from natural disasters.
Locally, the club has held many annual fundraising events including the Greater Dandenong Holden Car Show and the RC Endeavour Hills Annual Golf Day, and continuously donate funds to numerous causes.
In 2009/10, the Rotary club donated about $23,000 to different organisations including schools Hand Brake Turn, Life Education and Lighthouse Foundation.
“It’s a big accomplishment for us and we all aim to improve,” Mr Morris said.
“Obviously what we can donate depends on what we can get from our fundraisers but we would hope to raise more money each year.”
Mr Morris, who is a past-president of the Rotary club, said besides increasing the funds they donate, he hoped membership would also increase. There are currently 27 members, with only three aged in their thirties.
“Most of the members are approaching retirement age or are retired, so we would like to keep the club going and attract new members,” he said.
“I have been a Rotarian since 1990 and with the Endeavour Hills club for six years and I enjoy it because I get to give something back to the community and you get to make a difference.”
Anyone wanting to learn more about the club can visit www.rotaryendeavbourhills.org.au or contact Mr Morris on 0418 313 395.
Mr Morris said the birthday celebrations would continue throughout the month of May with younger members giving a presentation on the next 25 years of service.