Tree Planting Marks a Centennial of Doing Good in the World
 

A hundred years of ‘doing good in the world’ was celebrated on Sunday as the five Nelson City Rotary Clubs planted a grove of trees to mark the centennial of the Rotary Foundation.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Around fifty members of the Nelson, Nelson West, Rutherford, Stoke-Tahunanui and Whakatu clubs, along with family and supporters, used a brief window of fine weather to plant 280 native trees, shrubs and plants just west of the skating rink at Tahunanui Beach. They also let off 100 blue and yellow balloons and unveiled a plaque on a bench seat commemorating the Foundation centennial planting.
 
 
 
 
The Foundation grew from an American Rotary president’s idea in 1917 for an endowment fund dedicated to helping people around the world. From an initial contribution of $26.50 the Rotary Foundation has grown into a powerful force for good that has spent $3 billion on life-changing, sustainable projects that have transformed millions of lives around the globe.
 
Supported by Rotary Clubs throughout the world, the work of the Foundation includes Rotary’s efforts to eradicate the polio virus from the world and the establishment of Rotary Peace Centres. It also helps fund local club and district projects such as the Nelson Young Parents’ School.
 
Event organiser Karen Stade said planting the native grove at the beach was a fun way for the city Rotary clubs to come together to celebrate the global reach of the Rotary Foundation and to make a lasting difference to the local community.
 
The clubs are in the process of welcoming in their 2017-2018 presidents and Sunday’s event was an opportunity for Bernie Goldsmith to take over as the president of the Stoke-Tahunanui Club. She was joined by the city’s two other new women presidents, Shelley Fleming of Nelson West and Karen Stade of Whakatu. The Motueka Club boasts the region’s fourth woman president, Tanya Bedford.
Glenn Morris leads the Rutherford Club and the Nelson and Richmond clubs are shortly to welcome Derek Newman and Alistair Ferguson as their presidents.
 
For further information: Karen Stade 021466288