Tauranga Rotary's 70th anniversary is shaping up to be an "extraordinary weekend".
The Tauranga club was formed on March 19, 1945 and had 25 foundation members. Seventy years later, the club has 42 members and is celebrating its milestone together with past members and 18 representatives from the club's two sister clubs from Kasaoka, Japan and Broadbeach, Australia.
Club president Richard Speed told the Bay of Plenty Times the anniversary celebrations would make for an "extraordinary weekend". The festivities will begin with golf tomorrow at Omokoroa Golf Course and a dinner. Saturday starts with a visit to the Waihi gold mine, followed by a dinner at Tutereinga Marae in Te Puna. On Sunday, there will be a visit to the hospital ship MV Pacific Hope, operated by Marine Reach, which the three Rotary Clubs have supported for 15 years. Following that will be a walk around Mauao, then a visit to see how the Rotary Book Fair operates. The events will wrap up with a barbecue and petanque competition at Cliff Rd.
The Tauranga Rotary Club has been involved in many projects. It also offers a number of programmes for young people including an exchange for Tauranga Girls' College students who are studying Japanese with their sister club Kasaoka Rotary in Japan.