Researched and written by Oamaru journalist and author Jacquie Webby, Rotary Club of Oamaru, 100 Years of Service, 1925-2025 was commissioned by the Rotary Trust to document the many milestones the Oamaru club has celebrated since it was formed.
To date, the trust has funded many causes, including $50,000 to the new Network Waitaki Event Centre, a vehicle for the Oamaru Kindergarten, a chemo chair for cancer patients at the Oamaru Hospital, a 3-D printer for the Oamaru Library, and $15,000 for the re-establishment of the children’s playground at the Oamaru Gardens.
Rotary Trust chairman Peter Robinson said Miss Webby had done a "wonderful job" in documenting the club’s history.
"Part of the process of doing this, we managed to dig out the 50th, the 70th and the 75th booklets, and they were just booklets. While they were quite good information, they were nothing of the standard of this presentation.
"We’re absolutely thrilled with it," Mr Robinson said.
The 68-page book traces the early history of the club, the founding fathers, including its first club meeting at Bartrum Tearooms — now the Oamaru Mail/Otago Daily Times offices in Thames St — and the many milestones the club has celebrated since it was formed.
The book is a promotion of Rotary ideals and it is going to be a long-term record of the club, Mr Robinson said.
Co-researcher and co-editor Jill Grenfell also worked on the centennial book.
Miss Webby said the book cover of Oamaru stone represented strength and longevity and was a nod to the club reaching "a major milestone".
"It was an honour to do the 100th. Not many service clubs survive to that era — it’s a testament to the remarkable achievement of the club," Miss Webby said.
Along with copies at the Oamaru Library and Waitaki Museum & Archive, the book will also be available at the National Library of New Zealand in Wellington.
