Tom McDonald OBE*

Charter President, Tom was born in 1907 and educated in Taradale. As a 15-year-old he started work with a winemaker, Bart Steinmetz, and at 21 took over the business and changed the winery's name to McDonalds. He was production director of McWilliams Wines until he retired in 1975. He spent his entire life in Taradale but was widely known in national and international viticulture circles. He was well known for his gold medal winning wines cabernet sauvignon and pinot chardonnay.

In 1922 he established McDonald's Wines, which amalgamated with McWilliams Wines in 1962.

A past president of the Wine Institute of New Zealand, he was one of only four fellows of the institute. He served as president of the Hawke's Bay Winemakers' Association for 40 years. He also served as chairman on the Hawke's Bay Education Board and as a member of the Hawke's Bay Harbour Board.
The McDonald family established McDonald Transport Company, McDonald's Supermarket (now New World) and Waiohiki Sandand Shingle Company (now Napier- Taradale Shingle Company).

In Rotary Tom will forever be remembered as the Clubs Foundation President.

In his 25th year in Rotary, Tom received Rotary International's highest award, a Paul Harris Fellowship, and in his 80's he was persuaded him to attend his first stress seminar in Taupo, where he caught his full bag.

~

Arthur Stafford*

Arthur had a remarkable record of service to the community dating back to the 1950’s and his time on the Taradale Town Board and subsequently, for a time, on the Taradale Borough Council.

After relinquishing his role as an elected representative of that body he was instrumental in forming the Taradale Advancement Society.

In 1968 he became the Club’s 10th President. He also served as secretary for 3 years, and was organising secretary for the formation of the Greenmeadows Rotary Club.  He served on the committee of Camp Kaitawa for 30 years.

Arthur passed away in 2002.

~

Ron Schofield*

Ron led the team which co-ordinated the building programme which created the Atawhai flats. This was a magnificent achievement and Ron's efforts were recognised with the presentation of a Paul Harris medal at the official opening of the flats.

He represented Hawkes Bay on the National Kidney Foundation and has devoted many hours to help raise funds for the organisation. He was also a member of the Marineland Trust Board, an indication of his love of things aquatic.

As a Rotarian he has served as Director, and later led the development team which upgraded the Town Hall, the Club's most expensive and successful project.

~

Wyn Geenty*

Win was born 12th in a family of 14. Daily milking gave way to being apprenticed in cabinet-making in 1929. At the outbreak of WW2 Win, fought in Libya, Greece and Crete before being captured and spending the rest of the war in POW camps in Poland and Bavaria. After the war he tried to get a farm but discovered his health was not up to it, so returned to 33 years pf cabinet-making and outstanding service to the community and the Club as a President who constantly looked for local projects to assist the less fortunate and in need of help, particularly the elderly and widowed.

~

Ben Edginton*

Ben was a builder who drew universal admiration for his work. Soon after joining Rotary, he organised a BBQ tables building project, where he cut the parts and then had members descend on his home on Saturday mornings to assemble them, before they were sold off to generate funds for the Club.

His greatest effort for the Club was the building of the Atawhai Homes where not only did he give his time freely, but also co-ordinated the work effort of 77 other members. He was awarded the Paul Harris for his contribution to the Club and Community.

Later, in 1992,he worked with Clive Adams on the renovation of the Town hall. Sadly Ben died in 1997, after a lengthy battle with ill health.

~

Gil Atkins

Gilbert, the community's milkman for half a century. He was the last of the old school who delivered milk from horse and cart. As such he is a real identity within the community for which he has worked tirelessly during his very productive life. A passionate love of draughthorses has given him a national identity, and he has featured TV.

His work in Rotary has revolved around the Auction. This fundraiser became totally identified with Gil. He served as Convenor with Doug Rees and worked on its committee for over 30 years.

Doug Rees*

Doug spent a lifetime with the Daily Telegraph, learning all levels of the trade. He initiated the first Auction with a Paddy's Market in 1968, and repeat the exercise two years later, devising a blueprint which would be followed for the next 30 years.

For many years was a tireless worker for it. He was also instrumental in the formation of the Greenmeadows Rotary Club.

Within the Club, Doug was famous for his "swindle" raffles on rugby matches, but for a long-lasting contribution, nothing can beat the wonderful "Buzzers" he put out for several years in the late 60's. His impish sense of humour and love of language shines through these volumes.

~

 Bob Twaddle QSM

Bob was born in Gisborne and educated at Wellington College and Palmerston North. He was appointed principal of the new Taradale High School in 1969.

For six months he juggled being principal of Paeroa College, Thames, being part of the Ministry of Education's inspectorate and trying to get Taradale High School up an running. During his teaching career Bob was also involved in scouting and sports coaching.

When he retired as principal in 1984 he threw himself into Taradale community affairs. He was a foundation member and served several years as president of the Taradale and District Community Development Association, a committee member of the High School and School Foundation, was one of those instrumental in having the community's library relocated to the former Taradale Rugby Club building and drove a campaign to retain the community policing centre.

He was a member of the 1986 Taradale centenary committee, is a life member of the Probus Club and a Taradale Rotary Club Paul Harris Fellow. He was President of the Club in 1978-79. One of his more recent projects was his involvement with the Taradale RSA to have the Taradale's memorial clock tower lit.

He has served for  many years on the Kelvin Tremain Memorial Education Trust as well as annually producing the Club's handbook.

~

1990

Sloan Millar*

Sloan spent much of his life as a Mason, and worked tirelessly for the establishment of the Masonic flats.

A man of vision even when he could not see. A forthright man with an incredible repartee and sense of humour, such a man was Sloan Millar

In Freemasonry he received the OSM (Order of Service to Masonry), a high honour of which there can be no more than 20 at any time.

For 21 years he was Secretary of the Napier District Masonic Trust of which he was a founder member and "father" of a capital contribution scheme for housing the elderly.

Sloan's last report to the Napier District Masonic Trust in October 1993 ended "May I conclude in well known words that I ended in "peace, love, and harmony". How true those words are in August 1994. - John Lister.

Sloan was awarded the Paul Harris Medal in recognition of his outstanding work to the community. He died on 2/8/1994.

~

Harold Howard

Educated at Christchurch Boys' High School, Harold has served the district of Taradale for over 40 years.

In 1989 he and his wife Jane left for 4 weeks in Hong Kong to work with Vietnamese "boat people", refugees from the political fallout after the Vietnam War. The programme he worked for was an RI 3H scheme to find volunteer dentists prepared to spend time working with refugees. While he worked in the camp clinics, Jane worked with the children of the camps.

On return, Harold encouraged the Club to sponsor a matching grant scheme to raise $US10,000 to upgrade dental equipment. The project was successful and the new equipment installed. Harold and Jane returned twice more in 1989 and 1991.

The Club awarded Harold the Paul Harris Medal in recognition of this outstanding contribution to humanity as well as a life time of service to the local community and the Club.

~

Ron Ward MBE

Ron has been a major figure in education in Hawkes Bay since he and his wife, Estelle taught a the Kaitawa Hydro School in the late 1950's. After a brief spell in Wairoa, he moved to Napier to take up a position as Principal of Napier Intermediate. During this time he took a great interest in Outdoor Education, and with assistance from the Club, founded the Camp Kaitawa Outdoor Education Centre and for 38 years, he took a very active involvement in its development, serving as its chairman for many years.

During WW2 he served with the NZ Air Arm in the Solomon Islands, crewing with Sir Edmund Hillary, and began a life long love of the Catalina Flying boats.

Ron also took a keen interest helping schools in the South Pacific, and in 1986 travelled to Savai'i to set up a water tank for the school of Logoi'pulotu with goods donated by the Club.

In 1991 Ron's interest in the environment led him to encourage the Club to join the R.I. movement called Save Planet Earth, thus starting the Club's ongoing involvement in the Dobel reserve.

In the community he has been an active promoter of the Neighbourhood Watch scheme, and in 1988 he was awarded the MBE for services to the Community and education.

~

John Lister

John was educated in Napier and was a student at the Napier Technical College at the time of the earthquake. When war broke out he joined the RNZAF and served in the Pacific theatre.

Back in NZ he resumed a career in accounting and joined the Taradale RSA where he has served with distinction for 50 years, with two terms as President, as well as service to the National organisation. He is a Life Member of RSA.

As a Mason, he was a prime mover in promoting the Masonic Pensioner Housing scheme and helped in the development of the Masonic Retirement homes and villages in Taradale. He has been involved at all stages of the developments and had a major contribution in ensuring modern concepts of managing elderly was implemented. At the time of his retirement, he was the Chairman of the Trust, and maintained hands on control of daily affairs.

John is a past Director and President of the Club. During his time he has worked with the Treasurers for many years to help audit Club accounts and produce annual reports.

  ~

David Nichol

Dave explained why he was awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship in a 3 Minute talk one night. He attributes his success to 27 years of running raffles, some successful others not. Once they tried to raffle car, but couldn't sell enough tickets and had to return the money for all tickets purchased, by envelop, one ticket at a time. They made more money from the racing tip from a drunk at one of the hotels where they were trying to sell tickets !!

Dave graduated from choirboy in his early days to start a very successful glass business with expertise in stained glass and lead-lighting. He gave generously of his time to the glazing of the Atawhai flats and the Atawhai Conservatory. He has replaced windows at Camp Kaitawa, and responsible for the feature lead-lighting in the new Town hall.

In Rotary Dave is a Past President, Director and ran many lively Sergeant sessions.

Dave continued to be a major supporter of all Club fundraisers such as the Auction, of which he was a convenor, and the Charity Dinners.

However nothing can match his work inspiring, planning and bringing to a successful conclusion, the Taradale Charted Club which is now a popular community asset.

~

Jock Morris  MBE

As principal of Taradale Intermediate for many years, Jock has been a towering figure in local education for many years. During these years he also served on the Hawkes Bay Education Board before its was disestablished as part of education reforms at the time.

For Rotary, Jock, along with Tom McDonald, is the old member who has served as President for more than one year, stepping in to complete the term of Brian McKinley, who had to retire after 6 months. He has also served as sergeant and is renowned for his acute sense of humour and wide range of jokes. He served as the Club's first Chairman of the Education Trust once it was renamed in memory of the late Kel Tremain.

Jock was awarded the MBE under the old honours system.

Clive Adams

Clive was born in Waipukarau and became a master builder and moved with wife June and family to Napier where he joined Rotary in 1982.

The list of projects he has been involved in include the Town Hall renovations, the Rotary lounge entrance, the Atawhai conservatory, and constructing barbecue tables among many others. His work on the Town Hall where he not only served on the organising committee, but gave many of his own time to the reconstruction effort, lead to an Art Deco styled building which is now the pride of the community. For this effort, the Club was awarded  the prize for the Most Significant Project in District 9930 in 1992.

Clive had only been in Rotary 10 years when awarded the Paul Harris Medal

~

Brought up in Hawkes Bay, Mark and his wife Sue are long time identities of the Taradale Community.

In his active years Mark was a senior rugby referee, and remembers many a game where All Black Kel Tremain tried to run the game. Both became Club members and life long Friends.

Mark has served the Club in many avenues of service as President, Sergeant and a long supporter and worker for the Auction, for which he served two years as Convenor.

Mark has a wonderful sense of humour and his Sergeant sessions are legendary.

 Gil Cooper

There is nothing in the club that Gil hasn't done. President 1977-78, several directorships. But most remarkable is Gil's 37 years of unbroken attendance. That's 1850 meetings on the trot (at the time of the award. Gil is now well past 2000)  Gil has made-up in Europe, USA, Asia, the Pacific, Australia and NZ. The most memorable perhaps being Kings Cross where on being introduced as having a classification of Fertilizer Distribution, the host President quipped he was the first four legged variety with that job to visit the club.

As well as holding President and Director positions, Gil has been a keen supporter of International Caravanning Fellowship of Rotarians and enjoyed great fellowship through this movement. He has been the Club's link with the J.R. McKenzie Trust and currently a Reporter for the Bulletin.

 ~

Peter Sugden

Peter has given to the community extensively both financially and in terms of time to many organisations including the Vincent de Paul Trust.

He joined Ron Munro in partnership of Munro's Pharmacy, eventually managing the business for many years as Sugden's Pharmacy.

He is famous for his ukulele entertainment at the Stress Seminar weekends and the wheel chair derbies he organises at the Masonic Resthome.

In Rotary he has served as a Director, one of his past projects being to ensure the completion of the waterwheel in Taradale Park. He was Club President 1981-82.

~

Bill first arrived in the district as a Bank officer, but was encouraged by Jack McDonald to join his fledgling General Store business. He wasted no time in marrying the girl in the Crockery Dept, Jack's daughter, Sheena, and so became forever part of one of the most successful and enduring businesses in the district, McDonald's Supermarket, now the New World in Taradale. When Jack died he became Managing Director, and under his guidance the company has prospered and expanded its interests to include one of the largest Apple pack houses in the country.

Bill is a foundation member of the Club and was surrogate Treasure for the club while Jack McDonald was Club Treasurer, doing most of the book work. He Was Club President in the Club's 25th. year ( 1983-84)

~

Jim Dine

Except for his schooling years at Nelson College, Jim has spent nearly all his life in the Taradale district. During this time, he has devoted much of his time promoting his trade through his membership of the HB Electrical Apprenticeship committee, the HB Branch of the Electrical Contractors Association and as a member of the Electric Institute of NZ.

He was a foundation member of the Taradale Rotary Club and has been totally unselfish in his service to the Club. For the duration of t he Auction he spent many hours repairing and testing electrical goods, at one stage postponing a visit to Australia so that the job would be done.

~

Bruce McLeod

Originally trained as a teacher, Bruce gave up the chalk face for Vocational Guidance and transferred to Napier where he has spent the rest of his life.

During his career he was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to visit the USA.

 Once he retired he devoted his boundless energy to a range of community activities including Age Concern, Meals on Wheels, Probus etc.

He is a Mason and has been Knight Templar; is a member of the Civic Choir.

~

Ian Kepka

Ian was born in 1934 in the province of Bialystokin, Eastern Poland.  In June 1943 Peter Fraser’s Government offered hospitality to 733 Polish children one of whom was Ian.

In 1966 he was registered as a Master Builder. In the building field he established a high reputation, winning many architectural awards (one for our new look Town Hall).

At the same time Ian contributed to the community. In the fifties he was active in athletics coaching, and in his time in Jaycees the Princess Alexandra Hospital was the best known of many Jaycee’s projects that Ian assisted with.

He was Captain of the Napier Golf Club for three years then President for three, overseeing course improvements, and rewarded with a life membership.  He was made a J.P. in 1985.

Ian was a supervisor in the construction of the Atawhai flats in 1984.

He is Past-President of the Club and a past convenor of the Rotary Auction.

~

Selwyn Dyet

Selwyn, mainlander, joined Rotary in Dunedin South in 1975 where he was a Past President.

12 years later he joined Taradale and has served as Treasurer, serves on the Dolbel committee ( Preserve Planet Earth) and is a trustee to the Kel Tremain Memorial Education Trust.

~

Bob McCaw

Bob was awarded the honour in recognition of the number of international projects he initiated, including the Computers to Tonga project.

He spent 7 years working in the South Pacific, based in Fiji. While there he organised with his wife Glenys, books in to Fiji Primary schools, and later text books to Tonga for their new seventh form. While a member of the Suva North Rotary Club, he oversaw their Fish Pond project to provide a local boarding school with fresh fish.

On return to Taradale he continued with his work in the South Pacific, and twice organised eye glasses into Fiji, personally taking them with him when on working trips. 

Since 1998 he has been a trustee on the Kel Tremain Memorial Education Trust, serving as Chairman for the last 5 years.

He has been Bulletin Editor for 9 years.

~

Kevyn Moore (Sapphire)

Kevyn was awarded a Sapphire Pin to go with the Paul Harris he was awarded by the Eastwood Club in Scotland, for his efforts on behalf of the Club and community.

A past-President, Kevyn has been the driving force behind our Charity Dinners. While a lot of members have helped in many ways, Kevyn has been the supreme organiser, motivating and guiding the Club through the process of staging these events. Kevyn’s contacts and skills have made the Dinners highly successful. These are all highlighted elsewhere in the website, but the bottom line is that Kevyn's efforts have raised $225,000 for different charity trusts, the major benefactor being the Kel Tremain Memorial Education Trust.

Kevyn is a Past President and past-Chairman of the Kel Tremain Memorial Education Trust.

~

Graham Duncan

 Graham was born in Nelson and attended Waimea College in Richmond were he became Captain of the College First 15 Rugby Team and Pipe Major of the College Pipe Band.

He married in 1971 to Tricia and they have a son Anthony and a daughter Phillipa

His public service includes Past President & Pipe Major of the Richmond & Districts Pipe Band, Past President of the City of Napier Pipe Band, and Past Chairman Taradale  High School Foundation. He is also a Queen Scout. Currently he is a Trustee on the Board of Child Cancer Hawkes Bay representing the Rotary Clubs of the Hawkes Bay District

Graham joined the Rotary Club of Taradale in March 1992  and lead a GSE Team to Southern England, the Channel Islands and France during 1997.

During his Presidential year 1998 / 1999 he was the driving force behind the "Bugsy Malone" project which raised $60,000 for the Child Cancer Hawkes Bay Trust and earned the Club a Citation from the World President.

During 2005 he was the organiser & driving force behind the Munich Styled Beer Festival. He enjoys Rotary and commits himself heavily to Club Projects.

 ~

Derek Ricketts

Derek was born at home on the family farm in Gloucestershire, England, the youngest of the family after two older sisters. The family farm was lost during the depression, so after leaving school at fourteen years old he worked in various jobs associated with farming until he met and married Audrey, a New Zealand girl and emigrated to New Zealand in 1956. 

After working briefly for JJ Niven, and then for four years at New Zealand Paint and Varnish  he had a few months at Williams & Kettle before he joined Bert Scott in the Paint Shop in Taradale. The business grew and joined the Mitre 10 chain in 1975. His sons, Graeme and Stephen, joined the business in the eighties and it has grown be an icon Hawkes Bay company.

He joined Taradale Rotary in February 1964 and was President in the 1976 / 1977 year. Derek is a behind the scenes worker for Rotary and is always found where work has to be done.

~

Alan Watton

Alan was born in Matawai in 1939. His family moved to Gisborne when he was a small boy and so schooling took place at Kaiti School & Gisborne Boys High School. In 1956 he left Gisborne Boys High School and entered into a cadetship with the Ministry of Works, as a civil engineering draughtsman.

He  moved to Hawke’s Bay in 1967 to a position in the design office of the Ministry of Works. In 1991 this member became Engineering Administration Manager for the Hastings District Council, and Roading Manager in 1995.He became a Registered Professional Engineer in 1992. In 1993 he was awarded the Treasury Prize for Accounting in Management, and in 1996 he obtained his Diploma in Business Studies from Massey University. Career highlights include a National award for the design of the Kaiteratahi Bridge, State Highway 2, north of Ormond.

Community interests and hobbies include squash and he was a Past president of the New Zealand Squash Assn. He was also a Past President of the Hawke’s Bay Branch of the New Zealand Institute of Engineers. On the 1st August 1991 he joined the Rotary Club of Taradale and has been Vocational Director and Programme Convenor.

In 2002 Alan was appointed as the Rotary Club of Taradale representative on the Napier Rotary Pathways Trust and was immediately elected secretary. Because of his engineering background he was an essential link for the Trust in discussions and funding negotiations with the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, Land Transport New Zealand and Transit New Zealand.

The project undertaken by the Napier Rotary Pathways Trust in the five years 2002 – 2007 is valued at over $ 2 million with 16 kms of pathway laid.

Alan died in service early 2008.

~

Ron Ebbett

Ron was born in Wairoa in 1934 and when he was four the family shifted back to Hawke’s Bay to begin farming. He attended Wellington College as a boarder.

When he left school he returned to the family farm, played rugby for Eskview, and did his compulsory military training. To gain further farming experience he spent some time overseas  -  in the South Island.

Nominated by Past President Ned Holt he became a Rotarian in 1974. His involvement in Rotary has been consistent, wide, and varied. He has been Sergeant at Arms on several occasions, International Student Exchange Convenor, has served on every standing committee, and has been a Trustee of the Kelvin Tremain Memorial Education Trust.

Other involvement over many years includes, hosting Group Study Exchange members, hosting and participating in Rotary Friendship Exchange, and he has visited Japan on a Rotary Visit to our sister city club Tomokomai.

He was elected as Vice President in 1984 and President in 1985. Later he served as District Governor’s representative.

He has attended many conferences including fifteen in succession and recently attended the Rotary International Centennial Conference in Chicago.

~

Jim Lum

Jim was born in Waipukurau in 1930 to parents who had migrated from China early last century.

In 1956 the family moved to Napier where he spent six months at Napier Intermediate before going on to Napier Boys’ High School.

After leaving school he worked for Loo Kee. When he was 18 he had the opportunity to go to China for two years. He visited the family village, and studied at Ling Nam University which had a special middle section for overseas students. With the approach of Communist armies in 1949, he transferred to private tuition in Hong Kong for some months before returning to New Zealand. He has revisited China briefly three times since.

In 1951 he started his fruit shop in Marewa — then a bustling new shopping centre. After fifteen prosperous years there he joined his elder brother and a friend in market gardening at Bay View.

He married Mabel in 1956 and in 1958 they built a home in Taradale and moved in with their baby son Terry. Jim joined Rotary in 1958, as a member of the Napier Club, but in 1966 he transferred to the Taradale Club. He was Club President in 1973-74.

Jim had a strong interest in education, and served as Chairman of the Bledisloe School Committee. His was elected Chairman of the newly independent Board of Governors of Taradale High School in 1976 where he served three terms.

His daughter Kerryn  is a  the doctor and Terry and Murray both have degrees in Electrical Engineering, but sadly Mabel died some years ago.

~

Brian Neilson

Otago born in Port Chalmers and educated at Otago Boys’ High School, where he was Head Prefect in 1955.

When he left school, as a Rural Cadet, he worked on a variety of farms throughout New Zealand (Wairarapa, Southland, Bay of Plenty) while he continued studies at Lincoln College and Massey University. In 1960 he gained a Lincoln College Diploma in Valuation and Farm Management — and married Loretta.

He became a Farm Appraiser with the State Advances Corporation and worked as  District Appraiser in Timaru until 1981 when he moved his family to Hawkes Bay. The SAC had become the Rural Bank and then the ANZ, where he was Rural Manager for Hawke’s Bay and Poverty Bay. His farming associations led to many years’ involvement with such groups as Young Farmers, Farm Management Societies, and the A&P Society. He held numerous offices in these organizations, including a term as National President of the NZ Institute of Farm Management and Treasurer of the HB A&P Society for the past five years.

Another lifelong influence has been the Church, with active Bible Class and Boys’ Brigade membership in his teenage years. He has been a Presbyterian Church elder for over thirty years, latterly at St. Columba’s, Taradale.

Brian has been active in Rugby refereeing for forty-five years, as referee or referee coach.

He was Club President in 1968-69 when our club reached its thirtieth milestone. He was involved in negotiations with a reluctant City Council to lease the Town Hall, which they were running at a loss. This lease cleared the way for the renovation of the lower hall three years later.

Club innovations he has been involved with have been introducing home-hosting as a fund-raiser, helping John Lister set up the Taradale Men’s Probus Club, and proposing two EIT scholarships.

His other Rotary activities have included active membership of the Dolbel Reserve Team, and twenty-six years on the Camp Kaitawa Trust Committee, including some years as Chairman.

He and Loretta had 3 children and now enjoy watching their extended family grow.

~ 

Robin Arnold

 Robin was born and bred in a rural community not far north of Napier and has lived nearly all his life in Hawkes Bay, except for a short stint at boarding school at New Plymouth Boys’ High School.

He spent some years learning the ropes on a number of farming properties and then at a relatively young age and newly married, in 1958 he gained a manager’s position on a property in the excellent farming district of Omakere in Central Hawkes Bay.

By the mid 1960's he owned a farm the Argyll district and he and his wife Jeanette now had a family of 4 children; 2 boys and 2 girls. Some years later the family moved close to Taradale with a property in Omaranui Road growing kiwifruit and grapes.

Robin and his family joined the St Columbus Presbyterian Church through which he has made a significant contribution to the Taradale community and in 1988 he joined the Rotary Club of Taradale. He is an elder of St Columbus Church and chairman of its pastoral committee spending a lot of time identifying, caring for, and visiting those parishioners who are unwell both at home or in hospital.

Within Rotary Robin has been a dedicated worker and works regularly for Camp Kaitawa, the Dolbel Reserve, the annual citrus drive, and being the Club’s welfare office, keeping a check on members, wives and partners who are sick.

Sadly Jeanette died several years ago, but their growing family is a huge support to Robin who continues with his welfare work for both Rotary and the Church.

~

John Aikman

John born in Wellington in 1951,the eldest of 3 sons of a father who was a member of the regular armed forces.  

His family moved to Hawke’s Bay when he was 13 and he attended Lindisfarne College. He was Captain of the 1st Hockey Eleven and the first day pupil to become a Prefect at the school.

On leaving school he wanted to join the police force and turned up weekly to be measured, but even with padding in his socks he was ½ an inch too short! He took up an apprenticeship with NZED and was stationed at Kaitawa as an electrical fitter and station operator. It was then that his love of the area was established.

At age 20 he became the inaugural President of Clive Jaycees.  He finished his apprenticeship with Neil Marsden at Taradale Electrical. He is both an Electrical Fitter and a registered Electrician.

After marrying Carolyn - and instant family of Sally and Sam — he was quick to boost the tally to 3 with Susie who lives in Gundary NSW.

John went into business on his own account, purchasing Taradale Electrical in 1978. About this time he also studied and gained his Advanced Trade Qualification.

John was an executive member of the NZ Electrical Contractors Assn. for some years, representing them on the New Zealand Apprenticeship Board, which involved many flights to Wellington to write the Unit Standard guidelines for Trade Apprenticeships.

He made time though to be a Venturer Scout Leader in Taradale for 9 years and many tramps in to the Kawekas, Ruahines and camps at Waikaremoana, Te Waka, Esk Valley and Puketitiri were enjoyed by the 14 — 19 year old boys and girls of his troop. Annual snow skiing trips to Ruapehu and water skiing trips to Hatepe on Lake Taupo were also undertaken and enjoyed. He was Club Captain of the Clive Water Ski Club for many years, going on to be President of the New Zealand Tournament Water Ski Assoc. where his daughter Susannah competed successfully, eventually representing New Zealand. He is a member of the Clive River Restoration Trust. Always interested in youth activities he joined the Camp Kaitawa Trust through Rotary and took on the roles of Secretary and Chairman of the Trust.

John was introduced to Rotary by Jim Dine and was inducted on 11 May 1989.  In 2004 he was Club President. During his year, the Club held a fundraising dinner, with celebrity guests  Georgina and Caroline Evers-Swindells. The event raised over $40,000, and with matching funds from the HB District Health Board, the Oliver Smales Memorial Trust was founded. John currently serves on this trust. He continues to serve of the Camp Kaitawa Trust.

~

Bob McCaw (Sapphire)

In June Bob was awarded with a sapphire pin to go along with the Paul Harris Medal awarded in 2004. This was in recognition of his work in preserving the Club history through the development of an extensive Club website. This website has more than 60 pages and remains a work in progress as it requires regular updating as current events pass into history.

In 2009, Bob, together with Club members, Warren Cooper and Frank Crotty, formed the Video History Productions, to record the complete history on DVD. This involves organising members in filming sequences to record their aural history of past events, and then editing extensive video and photographs to produce individual stories of the many events and projects the Club has been involved in.

Bob also made his computing video editing skills to produce mini-videos for the four years of Gourmet Experience, highlighting all exhibitors who were present. And at the Club's 50th Jubilee dinner, he produced two tribute videos celebrating the achievements of the recipients.

However, it is for his dedication in preserving the Club's history for which this award was made.

~

On Thursday 27 August 1959 Gil joined the Rotary Club of Taradale and On 27th August 2009 and 2450 meetings later he completed 50 years in Rotary with a perfect 100% attendance record. In recognition of this remarkable effort, the Club awarded him a Sapphire pin to accompany the Paul Harris Medal he was awarded in 1996.

Because attendance rules allow Rotarians to count their attendance by "making up" at other Rotary Club's, Gil has travelled widely with his wife Pat, and this has given him the opportunity to  visit Clubs in Australia, USA and England. This has given him a unique view of how other Clubs operate and he has been able to bring good ideas into the Club.

Through a  love of travel he and Pat have been members of the International Rotary Caravan Fellowship for nearly 30 years. He is a past-President of the group.

Despite his travels and many make-ups, Gil has used his retirement to gain new computing skills. He has been co-editor of the Bulletin for a number of years, and his photographs have played an integral part in enhancing each weeks production. He has used the same skills to enhance and simplify the production of the Club's handbook.

~

Kelvin Tremain (Posthumous Award)

Kelvin Tremain was born in 1938 in Auckland. His primary schooling was at Northcote Primary and Northcote Intermediate. His secondary schooling was at Auckland Grammar.

He excelled at rugby from an early age and played in the Intermediate Elixer Shield Team while still at primary school. He played for Grammar 1st XV.

Kel spent 3 years at Massey University and 2 years at Lincoln, where he obtained a Diploma in Valuation and Farm Management. He played rugby for Manawatu, Southland, and Hawke’s Bay, leading the latter though the three year tenure of the Ranfurly Shield 1966 – 1969. He was an outstanding loose forward and played 38 games scoring 9 tries for the All Blacks from 1959 to 1968. He is rated as one of the three great NZ loose forwards.

Following his retirement from rugby Kel became a successful and community oriented businessman. He joined Rotary in 1973 and was quickly involved with club youth projects included student exchange, both as a host family for incoming students and assisting New Zealand students heading overseas. In 1979 he was the prime mover setting up of an Education Trust as a Club 25th Anniversary project. The Trust was formed in 1983 and it first awards were made the same year. He was the inspiration in establishing the annual citrus drive, now a major annual Club project, organised members to concrete the driveway for the Crippled Children’s Home. Other involvements were clothing to  Pacific Harbour village in Fiji, the Samoan school water tank project, Planet Earth (now the Dolbel Reserve project), and the annual street auction in which he was auctioneer for a number of years.

Within the Club he love the fellowship and was a regular participant in the annual Stress Seminar in Turangi and Taupo. He was the Sergeant Of Arms a number of times. As a member committed the the annual Auction and served as its convenor 1974, 1976, 1985. He was Youth Director 1978-79.

Sadly Kel died in April 1992.  In 1993, in recognition of his outstanding work for the Club, and in particular his involvement with assisting children and youth, the Education Trust was renamed the Kelvin Tremain Memorial Education Trust in his honour.

He is survived by his wife Pam, who accepted the honour on the night of the Club's 50th Jubilee Dinner,and sons Chris, Simon and Mark.

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