The Rotary Club of Ayr Inc
In April 1955, at the request of the then District Governor Staff, Betteridge, the Rotary Club of Townsville again sent representatives to Ayr to endeavour to re-establish a Rotary Club in Ayr and assisted by members of the original Rotary
Club of Ayr: Bert Duggan, Les French and Dough Haigh, arranged an inaugural meeting for the 5th May, 1955, in the Council Chambers.The first meeting of the second provisional Rotary Club of Ayr, then formed, met in the Queens Hotel on the 1st June, 1955. Charter No. 955 was granted to the Club on 30th June, 1955 and presented by the then District Governor, Joe Griffen, on the 8th October, 1955 in the Methodist Hall, at a capacity meeting of Rotarians and guests.
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1955: Our Charter Members to start the Ayr Rotary Club were:
- Pres. Nick Nichols, (Sugar Manufacture);
- Geoff Arnold (Finance, Saving Bank);
- Jack Batstone (Sugar Manufacturing – Engineering);
- Ron Brandon (Life Insurance);
- Secretary Jim Buik (Motion Pictures);
- John Connor (Variety Store);
- Eric Culla (Dry Cleaning);
- Joe Cullinane (Automobile Retailing);
- Chas Dempsey (Pharmacy);
- Bert Duggan (Dry Goods Retailing);
- Adie Evans (Ambulance);
- Les French (Optometry);
- Treasurer Chas Green (Iron and Steel Industry);
- Doug Haigh (Local Government);
- Bob McConnachie (Building Industry);
- Ken McKenzie (Secondary Schools);
- Basil Powell (Food Industry);
- Stan Rennie (Painting and Decorating);
- Garney Robbins (Finance – Banking);
- Wilfred Tapiolas (Building Material);
- and Bill Vickers (Electrical Industry).