POLOKWANE – Members of the Rotary Club of Polokwane lifted their glasses last Monday evening to celebrate the club’s 72nd anniversary at the weekly meeting at Our Home/Ons Tuiste.
Veteran member of the club, Jules Coetzer gave a short overview of the club’s history since its establishment on 14 May 1951 and explained that the club was chartered by the Rotary Club of Johannesburg in August that year.
Rotarian Vinesh Devchander presented a slide show named “Adding to the Time Capsule”.
He explained that the purpose of the presentation was to preserve institutional memory, to create a digital record of the club’s projects and achievements and to pass the club’s ethos to new members.
The presentation included information about the club’s major fund-raising project, the safaris for visitors from abroad that yielded an income of between R60 000 and R80 000 each, with at least two groups per year.
The club’s virtual charity concert that was hosted in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Monterey Pacific in the US, resulted in donations in excess of R150 000. All the money raised will be donated to charities.
The Rotarians were responsible for an Early Childhood Development and Training Programme for teachers and assistants at Kabosadi village, as well as rainwater harvesting projects in the rural areas. The Enviro Loo project provided dignity to people dealing with the challenges of pit latrines. “The Rotarians were ever busy feeding the destitute and homeless and distributing mattresses and blankets where needed,” Devchander said.
The Siloe School for the Blind has a special place in the hearts of the Rotarians and regular visits were accompanied by food hampers and presents.
Music lessons were given and a band was formed, while others were introduced to the skills of weaving. Young patients at the oncology ward of the Pietersburg Provincial Hospital were not forgotten and received presents and a party at Christmas.
