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Brief histories of the first clubs of each geographic regions or countries
HISTORY OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF HONIARA
The First Club of Guadalcanal, SOLOMON ISLANDS
A Part of Our History of Rotary in the
Pacific Region
Rotary International
District 9600
Although the Rotary Club of Honiara was not chartered until 27 March 1987, Rotary's interest in
Solomon Islands dates back to the early 1970s.
In that year, the Rotary Club of Nowra, NSW, commenced a program of sponsoring two students from King
George VI school to spend two months in Nowra at the beginning of the school year.
The club became involved in the program in 1996 and has widened the selection to cover other schools
in Honiara and nearby.
Gerry Meijer, during his year as District Governor, pressed for the
chartering of the Solomons first Rotary Club. In touch with Honiara
entrepreneur and past Rotarian of the Rotary Club of Goroka, Ken
Ferris, it was not long before the Rotary Club of Aspley found
itself meeting Gerry’s to support the chartering of the Rotary Club
of Honiara. The close association of these two clubs has continued
ever since.
Following the devastation of cyclone Namu in 1986, several FAIM teams visited the
Solomon's rebuilding
clinics and schools.
Since then FAIM teams have continued to be involved with projects.
The club has always been involved with youth programs
and in addition to the Nowra program has each year been involved with PACE
and RYLA.
It is always very pleasing to see the development of
these young people from shy to confident when they return from the various
programs.
The club has also been involved in introducing the
4-way test to all secondary schools in Honiara with approximately 8000
students receiving cards.
In 1999 the club was involved in the GSE program with
a Solomon Islander being selected to be a team member for the GSE team
visiting India.
In November 1999 a medial GSE team from D9650 visited
Solomon Islands for four weeks, and a GSE medical team from Solomon Islands
sponsored by the club, visited D9650 spending two weeks in Coffs Harbour and
two weeks in Tamworth, NSW.
The club is the recipient of international programs
and receives an average of six Donations in Kind containers each year.
The logistics of distributing the goods is a challenge
and fortunately with the assistance received from various NGOs it has been
possible to distribute the goods over a wide area of the Solomon's.
A pilot program for Malaria control was commenced in
the mid-1990s.
The success of this lead to a 3H grant and two
Matching Grants to provide bed-nets and other support for the Rotarians
Against Malaria program.
This program was originally for Guadalcanal but due to
the ethnic tensions on Guadalcanal it was moved Choiseul and Western
Province.
It is costing over US$500,000 plus the support of RWCS
with FAIM teams.
The program is due to finish in 2005.
It is possible that the Rotary Club of Honiara has been the
recipient of more Matching Grant projects than any other in District
9600 but when the circumstances demand it, Honiara meets its
obligations to the needy . There is no better illustration of this
than the five figure sum of money which the Rotary Club of Honiara
tipped into the Aitape Rehabilitation Fund following the devastating
tsunami of 1998.
Assistance has also been given with the promotion of
immunization days for polio and other vaccinations.
Involvement in Community Service has also featured
prominently in the club's program with continuing support for the Red Cross
School for special development and Patterson House Refuge for abused women
and children.
A visit to the National Hospital on Christmas morning
distributing gifts to patients and singing carols is a moving experience and
one wonders at the delight on the faces of the children.
The Easter Fun Run is held on Easter Monday each year
and attracts over 3,000 runners from very young children to the elderly.
Both these projects are well supported by the business
community in Honiara.
The Melbourne Cup Calcutta is a major fund-raiser for
the club followed by a Fun Day on the Tuesday which in some years has
included a fashion parade organised by the partners of the club members.
Another highlight is the Annual Rotary Charity Ball.
The club sponsored the Tenth Anniversary of the PNG/SI
Forum in May 1997.
All clubs in PNG attended this.
Whenever possible the club has been represented at the
Forum in PNG each year.
Since 1992 it has been the policy of the club for the
president-elect to attend PETS.
Membership of the club is mainly expatriates who are
on two or three year secondments.
This leads to a continuing challenge to replace the
twelve to fifteen members who leave each year.
Membership was greatly effected by the ethnic tensions
in 2000, but despite this, the club has continued to be very active.
The club inducted its first female member in 1990 and
has had two female presidents, Anne Thomas in 2001-02 and Mary Cole, a
Solomon Islander, in 2003-04.
The club has been the recipient of three district
awards.
In 1992 the Herrington Shield for club bulletin and
the Doug Biggs Trophy for Balanced Club Achievement in PNG or the Solomons
in 1993 and 2004.
The club was also instrumental in the chartering of
the Rotary Club of Gizo in 1999 and the Rotary Club of Auki in 2000 which
was unfortunately disbanded in 2000 due to the ethnic tensions.
Mr. Ken Ferris was an early mover and shaker in the
chartering of the Rotary Club of Honiara.
Contributed by Wayne Morris.
The first
President of the club was Derrin Davis who was elected for the 1987-88 year,
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