“慶祝扶輪”開放論壇“Celebrate Rotary” Open Forum

David D. Morgan, RI Director

Grand Hotel, 12F. Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.

2005年5月7日星期六Saturday, 7 May 2005  / 0900-1030

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Chairman

President Glenn & Fellow directors; P/P + Trustees Chair Elect Frank and Other Trustees

Distinguished Guests; Senior Rotarians

Ladies, Gentlemen 

It gives me particular pleasure to tell you about some of the celebrations and commemorative events arranged in Great Britain and Ireland to mark Rotary’s 100 years of service to the people of the world. 

As in other countries there’s been an abundance of tree planting, additional school amenities, seating at vantage points and in cities to provide a rest for the elderly, park displays and so on. But there have also been many major celebrations which unfortunately I’ll not have time to mention today. 

However, I trust that the following “one off” events and permanent centennial facilities will give you a flavor of the way in which this important milestone has been marked in Great Britain and Ireland.  

Perhaps the biggest event was the Gala Centenary Celebration at the Royal Albert Hall in central London, where 4000 people came to hear the Bands of the Coldstream Guards and the Band of the Scots Guards play music which included a ‘Celebrate Rotary March’ written by Dr. Peter Graham. 

The event raised £40,000 for Leukaemia Research and a further sum for The Rotary Foundation. And was a great PR exercise….. event entitled ‘show fantabulous was held in our second largest city Birmingham Joe Loss Band. 

Then the Rotary Club of Caterham organized a musical extravaganza featuring Rotary around the world with Richard Stilgo. And twenty five “Thanksgiving services” were held in major Cathedrals throughout the country. 

Moving now to something entirely different, Bolton’s seven clubs, financed a Rotary Way footpath some 50 miles long which encircles the city of Bolton and which provides eight easy stages for rambling and scrambling in the open countryside for people of all ages. 

Then Rotary featured in the Chelsea Flower Show this year and in the South of England agricultural show and the Rotary club of South Cotswolds provided a Rotary glade at an Arboretum in Gloucestershire, opened by Prince Charles, where a hundred varieties of maple tree were planted forming the biggest collection of such trees in the world.  

Also the five Rotary clubs in Wolverhampton raised £50,000 and in two acres of woodland at Penn Hall formed a family bike ride and a special trail for handicapped children. 

Other innovative projects and events included the fitting out of a double-decker bus as a mobile Rotary display, and various school events. 

Indeed Rotary’s 100 years of service has been well and truly celebrated in Great Britain & Ireland and there are very many permanent reminders of the event, which will be used by the public in years to come, and be a constant reminder of what Rotary is, and does.  

Thank you Mr. Chairman.