Charter Members, Past Presidents, Paul Harris Fellows
Club Chartered: 23rd November 1966
Sponsored by: The Rotary Club of Salisbury
The first meeting of the Rotary Club of Elizabeth was held at the Lyell McEwin Hospital on 3rd October 1966. The meeting, I am told, started 10 minutes late, which has been an excuse ever since for tardy presidents when a reason for lateness is needed!
The Club was chartered at a function held in the Octagon Theatre by the District Governor Fergus Ballantyne.
Charter Members
| Colin Freeman, President | Ian Dunstan, Vice-President |
| John Joel, Secretary | John Willshire, Treasurer |
| Ian Markey, Sergeant-at Arms | John Hoey, Director, Vocational Service |
| Paddy King, Director, International Service | George King, Director, Community Service |
| John Bulmer, member | Robert Booker, member |
| John Bigg, member | Edward Constable, member |
| Laurie Collier, member | Max Duffield, member |
| Justin Franklin, member | Reg Green, member |
| John Gardner, member | Kurt Heuer, member |
| Laurie Hunt, member | Harold Holman, member |
| Arthur Humphries, member | James Lewis, member |
| Robert Neller, member | Patrick Quigley, member |
| Robert Roll, member | David Robinson, member |
| Leo Verschoor, member | Arthur Woollacott, member |
Club Presidents
| 1966/67 | Colin Freeman | 1967/68 | Ian Henderson Dunstan |
| 1968/69 | Jack Hoey | 1969/70 | John Joel OAM (Dec) |
| 1970/71 | Colin Hainsworth | 1971/72 | Arthur S Woollacott (Dec) |
| 1972/73 | Donald K Rogers (Dec) | 1973/74 | Brian Hannaford |
| 1974/75 | Horrie Knight (Dec) | 1975/76 | Fred Humphreys (Dec) |
| 1976/77 | Ray Frost (Dec) | 1977/78 | Charlie Booth (Dec) |
| 1978/79 | John Cannon (Dec) | 1979/80 | Gordon Greig (Dec) |
| 1980/81 | Cyril Howard (Dec) | 1981/82 | Agnelo de Sousa |
| 1982/83 | Rolly Dickins (Dec) | 1983/84 | Arthur Eason (Dec) |
| 1984/85 | Lyle Green | 1985/86 | Bob Langrehr (Dec) |
| 1986/87 | Bill Hancock | 1987/88 | Rolf Eidam |
| 1988/89 | Ian Murray | 1989/90 | Les Brazier |
| 1990/91 | Richard Green (Dec) | 1991/92 | Wes Robinson (Dec) |
| 1992/93 | Ron Watts (Dec) | 1993/94 | Pat Quigley (Dec) |
| 1994/95 | Kurt Lehmann (Dec) | 1995/96 | Reg Driver |
| 1996/97 | Brett Dixon | 1997/98 | John Watson |
| 1998/99 | Alun Hughes | 1999/00 | Theo Nitz |
| 2000/01 | Sheila Hall AM | 2001/02 | Alun Hughes |
| 2002/03 | Bob Triggs | 2003/04 | Brian Alford |
| 2004/05 | Theo Nitz | 2005/06 | Laurie Hunt (Dec) |
| 2006/07 | Les Brazier | 2007/08 | David Adamson |
| 2008/09 | Elizabeth Adamson(Dec) | 2009/10 | Raelene Trickett |
| 2010/11 | Rolly Dickins (Dec) | 2011/12 | David Adamson |
| 2012/13 | Alun Hughes | 2013/14 | Linda Brown |
| 2014/15 | Raelene Trickett | 2015/16 | Jim Buckoke |
| 2016/17 | Jim Buckoke | 2017/18 | Alan Murphy |
| 2018/19 | Elizabeth Adamson(Dec) | 2019/20 | Eryn Halls |
| 2020/21 | Anthony James |
Regular meetings of the Club were held at the Elizabeth Hotel on Philip Highway on Wednesday night at 6.00pm. In 1969 the Club moved to the Kariwara Hotel on Peachey road, still on Wednesdays but at 6.30pm. A change of ownership of the hotel in 1985 brought a change of policy and the Club moved to the Elizabeth Brass Band Club requiring a meeting night change to Monday nights.
In 1995, the sudden closure of the Band Club forced a hasty search and relocation to the Central District Football Club. In 2005 it was agreed, after much discussion and debate, that the Club needed a new start by changing the venue to a hall in Elizabeth Grove owned by Les Brazier known as ‘The Grove Venue’. We moved there early in 2006, and this proved to be a great decision.
On the proposed sale of the ‘Venue’ in September 2012 the Club moved to The Grenville Community Hub in Playford Boulevard, close to the City of Playford Civic Centre and this is proving to be a positive move.
Paul Harris Fellows
The Club recognises people from the community or Rotarians, for exceptional service to the Club and or the Community, by recognising them as Paul Harris Fellows. To do this the Club must contribute $US1000 to the Annual Programs Fund for each Paul Harris Fellow.
| Don Rogers (Post-Hum) | 1977 | Horrie Knight (Dec) | 1979 |
| Cyril Howard (Dec) | 1983 | John Joel OAM (Dec) | 1986 |
| Gordon Greig (Dec) | 1988 | Rolly Dickins (Dec) | 1988 |
| Chris Illiopoulos | 1988 | ||
| Isabella Greig (Dec) | 1989 | Max Homes (Dec) | 1989 |
| Ray Frost (Post-Hum) | 1989 | Fred Humphreys (Dec) | 1990 |
| Arthur Eason (Dec) | 1990 | Colin Hainsworth | 1990 |
| Ray Broughton | 1991 | Charlie Booth (Dec) | 1991 |
| Les Brazier | 1991 | Bob Langrehr (Dec) | 1991 |
| Bill Hancock | 1992 | Laurie Hunt (Dec) | 1992 |
| Pat Quigley (Dec) | 1993 | Reg Driver | 1993 |
| Archie Forrest | 1993 | Bill Hall | 1993 |
| Richard Green (Dec) | 1994 | Ron Watts (Dec) | 1994 |
| Delwyn Watts | 1994 | Ian Murray | 1995 |
| John Cannon (Dec) | 1995 | Alun Hughes | 1996 |
| John Watson | 1996 | Joy Readett | 1996 |
| Wes Robinson (Dec) | 1997 | Alan Catmur | 1997 |
| Brett Dixon | 1998 | Karon Robinson | 1998 |
| Theo Nitz | 1999 | George Morris (Dec) | 1999 |
| Sheila Hall AM | 2000 | Hazel Brazier | 2000 |
| Janet Watson (Dec) | 2000 | Doris Quigley (Dec) | 2002 |
| Ruth Hunt | 2003 | Bessie Robinson (Dickins) | 2004 |
| Vicky Hughes (Dec) | 2004 | Les Brazier Sapphire | 2004 |
| Margaret Green | 2005 | Bob Triggs | 2005 |
| Brian Alford | 2005 | Val Driver (Dec) | 2005 |
| Judith Nitz | 2005 | Dick Pratt (Dec) | 2006 |
| Stan Tose (Dec) | 2006 | Dot Morris | 2006 |
| Elizabeth Adamson (Dec) | 2007 | David Adamson | 2007 |
| Les Brazier – Sapphire +3 | 2007 | ||
| Claire Korner | 2008 | Linda Brown | 2008 |
| Eddie Patterson (Dec) | 2009 | Theo Nitz – Sapphire | 2009 |
| Raelene Trickett | 2010 | Helen Driver | 2010 |
| Reg Driver – Sapphire | 2011 | Alun Hughes – Sapphire | 2011 |
| Theo Nitz – Sapphire +2 | 2011 | ||
| Pat Quigley – Sapphire (Dec) | 2012 | Laurie Hunt-Sapphire (Dec) | 2012 |
| Jim Buckoke | 2012 | Vivienne Valladares | 2012 |
| Raelene Trickett – Sapphire | 2013 | Reg Driver – Sapphire | 2013 |
| Ron Watts – Sapphire (Dec) | 2013 | Judith Nitz – Sapphire (Dec) | 2013 |
| Elizabeth Adamson- Sapphire(Dec) | 2013 | David Adamson – Sapphire | 2013 |
| Pandiyan Thevar | 2014 | Dorothy Joel | 2014 |
| Isabella Greig – Sapphire | 2014 | Delwyn Watts – Sapphire | 2015 |
| Sian Campbell | 2015 | Alan Murphy | 2016 |
| Jim Buckoke – Sapphire | 2016 | Reg Driver – Sapphire +2 | 2016 |
| David Adamson Sapphire +2 | 2016 | Raelene Trickett -Sapphire +2 | 2016 |
| Viv Valladares – Sapphire | 2017 | Jackie Webb | 2017 |
| Rohan Watts | 2017 | Glenn Docherty | 2017 |
| Elizabeth Adamson Sapphire +2 (Dec) | 2018 | Shirley Halls | 2018 |
| Anthony James | 2018 |
Ron Watts Award
In 2016, in recognition of the work and contribution to Rotary and to the club of former member PP Ron Watts, the Club decided to present annually a trophy to an exemplary member of the club for that year.
- 2016 – Alan Murphy
- 2017 – Raelene Trickett
- 2018 – Anthony James
Other Special Awards
- Ron Watts, 1989 Australia Day Citizen Award, City of Elizabeth Citizen of the Year.
- Dot Morris, 2001 Diamond Friend ARHRF (Australian Rotary Health Research Foundation)
- Brian Alford, 2008 Special DG Citation (Centurion Club)
- Theo Nitz, 2011 District Governor’s award for service as District Treasurer over two years, made Paul Harris Fellow Double Sapphire
- Alun Hughes, PDG, received a special Paul Harris Fellow Award (Double Sapphire) from the retiring District Governor Eric Russell, June 2012, for services to the District.
- Gay Smallwood-Smith, Paul Harris Fellow (2005) and PHF Sapphire+2 (2013),
awarded by the Rotary Club of Munno Para - David Adamson, Tea Tree Gully’s Outstanding Citizen of the Year 2017
The Rotary Club of Munno Para
At the 1981 Christmas meeting in President Agnelo De Sousa’s year, IPP Cyril Howard said to PE Rolly Dickins, “How about me starting a new Club in your year Rolly?” and so it began – our first daughter club was on the way.
An extension committee was formed consisting of IPP Cyril Howard as chairman, Frederick Stokes-Thompson as Secretary, PP Colin Hainsworth and Rotarians Ralph Hall and Kevin Marks to meet at the Kariwara Hotel where our club then held its meetings.
The committee first met on 17 March, 1982. On 22nd March, DG Bob Perryman appointed PP Cyril as his special representative to form the new provisional Rotary Club, which was to share the same territory as our own club.
District Extension Officer PDG John May attended the April meeting. The map of our territory was to be divided into many small areas, one to be given to each Elizabeth Rotarian so that he could list business and associated men to be included in a master “follow-up” list.
It is special for anyone to be involved in the creation of a new Rotary Club because this is where Rotary’s true growth comes from. And involved we were! Every Rotarian was urged to survey his own section of the map for prospective members, noting that the usual confidentiality of respective membership in an existing club would not apply. We all went briskly about this business.
These prospective members were then invited to learn more about Rotary at a meeting in September and at a major interest meeting on 5th October,1982. In the mean time, comprehensive plans were put in hand with PP John Joel, for a Charter Night at the Octogon Theatre on 27th November 1982, covering all the various details for the assembly of a large number of people. By this time the extension committee had tentatively decided that the new club would be known as “The Rotary Club of Munno Para”.
The major interest meeting, which was held in the dining room of the Smithfield Hotel on 5th October 1982, became the first meeting of the provisional Rotary Club of Munno Para. It was attended by PDG Jack Turner, PP Cyril Howard with members of the extension committee, and President Rolly Dickins with numerous members of the Elizabeth Club.
It was interesting that all of the prospective members who attended became Charter Members.
At this meeting it was resolved that Rotarian Theo Ruckert be inducted into the Rotary Club of Munno Para as Charter President. Rotarian Theo, an experienced member of the Whyalla Club, had joined the Elizabeth Club earlier in the year. The fearsome reputation of the future Munno Para Sergeant-at-arms was well founded at this meeting when acting Sergeant Rod Thom raised $8.10.
Regular meetings of the enthusiastic new club were held during October. On 7th November, 1982, the Munno Para Rotarians became involved in their first community service activity when they assisted the Elizabeth Club at the Lyell McEwin Hospital Fete.
A letter from Rotary International dated 10th November 1982 confirmed the inauguration of a new club effective from that date.
The charter meeting of the Rotary Club of Munno Para took place as planned at the Octogon Theatre on 27th November. It was a wonderful night that brought great joy to President Rolly Dickins and to Past President Cyril Howard. Past President John Joel was Master of Ceremonies. among the more than 250 who were present were District Governor Roly Day and Past District Governor John May.
Infomation from extension committee minutes prepared by Secretary Frederick Stokes-Thompson and from PP Cliff Tingey (Munno Para) and PP Arthur Eason (Elizabeth).
The Rotary Club of Munno Para handed in their charter on June 30th 2013. After many years of valuable Rotary service, all members received a Paul Harris Fellow Sapphire +1 Award, and most have transferred their membership to other local Rotary Clubs.
The Rotary Club of Two Wells
In August 1987 the Board of the Rotary Club of Elizabeth appointed PP Rolly Dickins, PP Max Holmes, IPP Bill Hancock and PE Ian Murray to be an extension committee for the formation of a Rotary Club at Two Wells. The Rotary Club of Gawler had done some preliminary work on this through PDG Roly Day, a member of Gawler Club. Roly approached Rolly Dickins who was at that stage living in Two Wells. The extension committee encouraged twelve Rotarians from our Club to interview 39 prospective members from the Two Wells district. Two Wells introductory letter.
At a meeting on the 10th March 1988 chaired by PP Max Holmes, with 16 prospective members present (and 3 appologies), together with President Rolf Eldam from the Elizabeth Club, with IPP Bill Hancock, PE Ian Murray, and PP Rolly Dickins and from the Gawler Club PDG Roly Day, met to form the provisional Rotary Club of Two Wells. PP Max Holmes was advised to apply for Chartership of the Club, and a committee was formed, led by PP John Joel to assist with the organisation of the Charter Night which was held on June 18th 1988.
On Friday, December 2nd 2011, The Rotary Club of Two Wells handed in it’s Charter to the District Governor; representing DG Eric Russell was Past District Governor Ed King.
Though it was a sad occasion, there was much to celebrate, considering the tremendous achievements of the Club over the years. The District of Two Wells has benefited greatly by the Club’s input. An article from the Echo of the occasion is pictured to the right.
The Rotary Club of Playford
In 1993 Rotarian Bill Hall raised the possibility of the Rotary Club of Elizabeth starting a lunchtime Club in the Playford area. The idea was discussed but it was not till March 1995 that the matter was given serious consideration and Bill was appointed District Governor’s Representative.
In September 1995 after a great deal of negotiation over all local Rotary Club boundaries and Constitutions, Rotary International at Parramatta eventually gave permission to start a Provisional Club.
Despite having three interest meetings at the end of 1995, the working group only really got down to business at the start of 1996 when it was decided that the new Club should meet for breakfast instead of at lunch time. Progress was slow, but with determination Bill stuck to his Rotary Dream assisted by the support of his wife, Rotarian Sheila, and the help of Past Presidents Ron Watts, Richard Green, Reg Driver, John Cannon, Pat Quigley, Colin Hainsworth, Bob Arstall (Rotary Club of Munno Para) and Pres. Elect Dennis Underwood (Rotary Club of Salisbury). The committee greatly appreciated the excellent support given at this stage by incoming Rotarian George Shaw.
The Club was chartered April 1st 1998.
Charter Members of the Playford Club with DG Peter Thomas (pictured below).
(picture courtesy Pat Quigley)
Community Awards
On Australia Day, the City of Playford recognises the outstanding achievements of community members and local heroes through the City of Playford Australia Day Awards. These awards acknowledge the valued work and commitment of our unsung heroes who give generously of their time and expertise to help others.
Being nominated for an Australia Day Award is a great honour and is a wonderful opportunity to pay tribute to someone who makes you proud to be Australian.
The Rotary Club of Elizabeth is proud to acknowledge the following members who have been Playford Council’s Australia Day Award, Citizen of the Year,
- 2002 – Les Brazier
- 2007 – Reg Driver
- 2010 – Pat Quigley