Baldock Rotary Club

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF ROTARY SERVICE IN BALDOCK

September 1953/2003
The Rotary Club of Baldock

50TH CHARTERED ANNIVERSARY YEAR

The Rotary Club of Baldock celebrates its 50th Charter Anniversary on the 18th September 2003. Commenced as a daughter club of Letchworth Garden City Rotary Club the club has embraced the Rotary Motto of “Service Above Self” to the full and has been able to provide valuable charitable and friendship forming services within Baldock and the local area.

To mark this momentous year numerous activities have been chosen so as to draw both club and town even closer together, namely:

UNDERSTANDING ROTARY

Rotary is a service organisation of business and professional leaders united world-wide to help those in need, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations and to work towards world understanding and peace.

Rotarians meet each week to enjoy fellowship one with another and to discuss ways in which they can serve others through four avenues of service.

Rotary is an association of almost 1.2 million service minded men and women actively involved in over 29,000 Rotary Clubs located throughout 162 countries.

Rotarians firmly believe in the motto “Service Above Self” and they use the following simple but profound guide to life:

The 4-Way Test (of things we think, say or do):
Is it the TRUTH; is it FAIR to all concerned; will it build GOOD - WILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS; will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned.

Our four avenues of service are:

CLUB SERVICE where distinct training programmes enable club officers to work as a team in support of their goals and objectives.

COMMUNITY SERVICE which is intended to bring specific support and benefit to the community and its residents. Rotarians, their families and volunteers donate time and effort to serve as student mentors and assist with transport for the disabled. If money is needed to solve problems our club initiate the necessary fund-raising projects.
VOCATIONAL SERVICE stressing the dignity of all vocations is available to assist students to make sound career choices. Our 4-Way Test is an excellent medium in helping ethical standards to be maintained.

INTERNATIONAL SERVICE generates universal peace and goodwill. Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarships and Group Study Exchanges are major Rotary International programmes. The Baldock Club is an active participant involved in hosting exchange and twin-club’ members in their own homes.

BALDOCK ROTARY THROUGH THE YEARS

The club has a current membership of 39. We have a thriving and vibrant fellowship, which together with our strong determination in organising charitable projects ensures we bring benefit to both international and local communities. Throughout the years we have provided transport for the local blind club, organised the senior citizens & Kids-Out outing/meals, arranged the town carol service, presented gifts to improve the lot of both young and old in Baldock, funded local charities and made a substantial donation to the World Refugee Year. A mini-van was purchased for the Women Volunteer Service together with a specialised bed and ‘Ambilift’ for Letchworth Hospital. Substantial support has also been made available for other deserving causes - £2k for the Ernest Gardiner Day Hospital; holidays for the pupils of Brandies Close and other needy families from Baldock. £7k was donated to the fund set up following the tragic death of PC Rod Hull and £7k was used to provide the roof on the new scout hut. Our fund-raising events include, Ox-Roasts, Barn Dances, Soap-Box & Donkey Derby’s. More recently, the sponsorship of a joint concert by the Lexington Brass Band from Kentucky, USA and Shannon Express; a celebrity evening with Fred Dibner and a charity golf day have helped fund the £3.5k donation to the Lister Hospital Maternity Unit, the £10k donation to the Ground Works Trust Nightingale Play Area Project and continual financial drip-feed to The Garden House Hospice. The club also sponsored Mr Phil Good of Baldock and his carer to participate on one of the Jubilee Sailing Trust’s Tall Ship Voyages that is specifically designed to assist those who are physically disabled. Internationally, we have provided educational support and books to overseas schools and have regularly supplied fully equipped Aqua and Disaster Relief Boxes to many parts of the world. Also, for the past 34 years we have been ‘twinned’ with the Rotary Club of ToftLund in Denmark.

Our efforts are not without fun. Theatre trips, days out, dine-out evenings with family and friends, barn dances and bowling evenings all provide adequate exercise and entertainment for all club members. An active Inner Wheel Club exists for the wives/partners of all Rotarians.