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About Onchan Rotary Club Onchan Rotary Club presently has a total of 55 members, including 3 honorary members and is particularly cosmopolitan (for the Isle of Man) having members of Manx, English, Irish, Scottish, South African, Namibian, Zimbabwean, German and Guernsey nationality. The Club meets every Monday Evening (except Bank Holidays) at 6:30pm for 7:00pm at The Max Restaurant, King Edward Bay Golf & Country Club, Groudle Road, Onchan, Isle of Man IM3 2JR. This page gives you the relevant details of the Club's Officers, a brief history of the Onchan Rotary Club, and provides links to other Rotary websites and related places and documents of interest. Principal Members of Onchan Rotary Club
Onchan Rotary Club History The Rotary Club of Onchan received its charter on 21 February 1997. It was formed by a group of young men, many formerly members of Douglas Round Table, with a substantial number of members from the Island’s main employment sector, the Financial Services sector. The founder members were assisted by two extension officers; the late Past President Ken Roberts and Past President Reverend Leslie Guthrie; from the Rotary Club of Douglas. (Both were made Honorary Members of Onchan Rotary Club). The Club’s President Designate, and first President was Past President David Clucas. From 1997 until late 2000, the Club met at Molly’s Kitchen, Harbour Road, Onchan. From 2000 the club met each Monday evening (Bank Holidays excepted) at 6.30 p.m. for 7.00 p.m. in the Quality Inn Hotel (Castle Mona) on the Central Promenade in Douglas; the former home of the Duke of Athol, Lord of Mann. Since September 8th 2003 the Club has met at The Max Restaurant, King Edward Bay Golf Club, Groudle Road, Isle of Man IM3 2JR. PAST PRESIDENTS 1997-1998 - David Clucas 1998-1999 - Denis Maxwell 1999-2000 - Muir Michelson 2000-2001 - Ray Smith 2001-2002 - Ron Berry 2002-2003 - James Vickers 2003-2004 - Paul Mercer 2004-2005 - Nigel Dobson 2005-2006 - Arthur Taggart Current President (2006-2007) - Ken Faragher. Recognition should also be given to Rotarians Alan Crowther and Walter Wannenburgh, who served as Secretary and Treasurer respectively, for the first five years of the club’s existence. Major activities of the club have included: THE RIVERBLINDNESS CAMPAIGN Starting in 1999, the club worked in co-operation with the Rotary Club of Kaduna in Nigeria, co-ordinated a campaign to raise £20,000 to pay for a Toyota Landcruiser, which was donated to Sight Savers International, formerly known as the Royal Commonwealth Institute for the Blind. The vehicle has been used, since 2001, to assist with the distribution of Mectizan, a drug which halts the reproduction cycle of the worm which leads to Onchocerciasis or river blindness. This affliction caused the eventual blindness of all the population living alongside rivers in Nigeria, prior to the campaign to administer Mectizan to every individual once per year. The idea to purchase the Landcruiser was first raised in the Isle of Man by Mary Emery, a visiting Rotarian who spends part of each year in Port Erin in the Isle of Man. The club set out to raise the funds with the assistance of the three other Manx Rotary clubs, Douglas, Rushen & Western Mann and Ramsey. Project co-ordinator Ray Smith explained that the total raised in the Island was £6,392 to which to which the North West District 1280 added a further £3,720 and Rotary Foundation awarded a matching humanitarian programme grant. Ray said, "The fundraising in the Island was a splendid example of co-operation involving the four rotary clubs and the people of the Isle of Man. Events organised included a motorised skip collecting around the Island in Tynwald week, a dinner at the Isle of Man College, barbecues, a photographic exhibition in Douglas and special events held by the four rotary clubs. Each time that we approached the target total, the cost of manufacture in Japan or the exchange rate fluctuated and the target seemed to be constantly increasing. We are very grateful to the Manx Government’s overseas aid committee which made the final donation to enable the increased target to be met." THE INTERNATIONAL AMBASSADOR AWARD Every two years the International Committee awards a plaque and a travel bursary to the organisation or individual who represents, or promotes the Island in an outstanding manner in the International Arena. Past recipients include: Manx National Heritage for excellence in promoting cultural tourism on the Island. John Bethell, of the Erin Arts Centre, for his international musical direction of competitions and exhibitions. Valmet (Isle of Man) Ltd for their work in obtaining sponsorship for the Isle of Man boat in the BT Global Challenge. Steve Colly for promoting the Island in the field of international trials motor-cycling. THE ISLE OF MAN COLLEGE From its inception, the Rotary Club of Onchan has enjoyed a symbiotic relationship with the Isle of Man College, aided by the fact that the College Principal, Ray Smith is one of our members. Each year (except for the inaugural dinner) the Charter Dinner is held in the College Training Restaurant, and each year there has also been a themed charity dinner for the club (including a trip on the Orient Express and the Titanic). The Onchan Rotary club supports the College, as do the other Island clubs, by offering prizes at the Vocational Awards Evenings, including an annual Apprentice of the Year, and by sponsoring a number of deserving students, who would otherwise not have the opportunity for a holiday, on Outward Bound programmes in Cumbria. In return the College acts as a base for pan-Island Rotary events such as the Presidents Elect Training, and the Island District Assembly. In December 2001, Club members organised an auction of students’ uncollected art work, and as a result £3,090 was donated to Manx Blind Welfare, to assist in the building of their new centre in Oncan. |