Good fellow rapt with Rotary award

Kapiti earthworks heavyweight Rick Goodman received Rotary International's esteemed Paul Harris Fellow Award at the weekend, during the Waikanae Rotary Club's 50 Year Jubilee Celebration.

The Paul Harris Fellow title, deemed the 'service above self' award and the highest Rotarian honour, is awarded to no more than 150 recipients around the world each year and has been distributed to 30 New Zealanders since 1980.

Of the 30 New Zealanders, like Mr Goodman, just four were non-Rotarians.

"I'm overwhelmed. It's a complete and utter surprise," Mr Goodman said.

"You never think you do much in the community until you start summing it up."

Prior to his award, Mr Goodman, followed by his son Stan Goodman, spoke to guests at Southward Car Museum about growing up on his family's farm in Otaihanga, where Kapiti's award-winning Goodman Contractors first came to life.

The roading construction and earthworks business, now managed by his three sons and daughter, was acknowledged for employing almost 200 locals on the MacKays to Peka Peka Expressway project and sponsoring multiple community groups and projects.

Saturday's event also celebrated the attendance of two original charter members, David Murton and current president Graham Calvert.

Mr Calvert, a three-time club president, spoke of the club's efforts supporting a range of youth-related programmes since 1966, including the Rotary Club of Waikanae Book Awards, JR McKenzie Youth Education Fund, Rotary Youth Leadership Award, Rotary Science and Technology forum and Rotary International Exchange Scheme.

The club had also been involved with many local kindergartens and playgrounds, the Waikanae River Walkway, Waikanae Garden Trail and the Mahara Place sculpture garden.

An Open Air Rock Concert in April 1971 raised $6800 towards the build of the Waikanae Pools. In 1976, they sent an automatic block laying machine to Tonga, used to manufacture bricks to construct a new dining hall at Tupou College, Nukulofa.

Waikanae Rotarian Richard Campbell shared messages from some of the 20 international exchange students to have stayed with local Rotary host families since 1976.

Of 26 Kapiti students sent on overseas exchange by Waikanae Rotary since 1968, some joined in the half-century festivities, with live music, dinner and shared memories.

Mr Calvert said today, with the club's 22 members growing older, Waikanae Rotary hoped to draw in the younger generation to keep the division moving forward, "even if that means looking at a more fresh approach".

"We're still doing the fundraising part, but a lot of us can't do the physical now and I wouldn't want to see it die out after 50 years. The Waikanae Rotary Club is proud to be part of the community."