Community

Around Town | 60 years strong: Mooroopna Rotary’s grand milestone

May 24, 2024

**Kelvin Rogash gives his speech.** Photo by Contributed

The Rotary Club of Mooroopna celebrated the 60th anniversary of its founding at the Royal Mail Hotel on Saturday, May 11, with over 70 attendees.

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Club president Richard Speedy welcomed all attendees, who included past and present Rotarians and partners, members of other Rotary clubs, representatives from the other service clubs and City of Greater Shepparton Mayor Shane Sali.

The club used the opportunity to award Murray Shields from the Mooroopna Kiwanis Club a Paul Harris Fellowship, the club’s highest award, to recognise his many years of dedicated service to the local community.

Rotarian Kelvin Rogash was presented with the Paul Harris Sapphire Award for his continuing involvement in Rotary, especially for organising the Stuart Davidson Memorial Charity Golf Club.

For a club as involved in the community as Mooroopna Rotary, there were many highlights from 1964 to 2024 that were mentioned.

Mooroopna New Year’s Eve Festival and fireworks
Fruit Salad Day
The community car raffle
Development of Rodney Park Retirement Village
Redevelopment of the war memorial cenotaph
WestSide performing arts centre
Newly erected sculptured community tree

Rotarian Adrian Ambrose researched and wrote the stories of some of the ‘heroes’ of the club. In the stories, he showed the interaction between the Rotary club and the development of many Mooroopna community facilities and events. The heroes are Frank Faulkner, Barry Campbell, Santo Varapodio, Stuart Davidson and Les Young.

It was a big night for Les, as he also celebrated his 89th birthday, and his granddaughter made and decorated the anniversary cake complete with the Rotary emblem.