END of a SUCCESSFUL ERA
Past Rotarian (Berowra) Pharmacist John and the late Judith McKenna were the inspiration for the inaugural Rotary Club of Berowra Art & Craft Exhibition in October 1980, the first major event to be held in the then new Berowra Community Centre (which opened in September 1980). Their ideals formed the framework for the next 34 years, with modifications and innovations under the leadership of subsequent Rotarians.
This annual event introduced our community to a wide range of quality craft and artworks for pleasure, enrichment and purchase. Many novice artisans and hobbyists began their participation with confidence. The A&C Exhibition Gala Opening Night has been an opportunity to have a special night out with friends, without travelling far, and knowing that the entrance fee and anything purchased were helping others.
Berowra Rotary A&C over these years has raised over $500,000, all of which has helped numerous worthy causes, both locally and overseas. For example, the purchase of a tractor for Father Chris Riley`s Youth Off The Streets (YOTS) farm; play equipment for the Sydney Cochlear Implant Centre; Hornsby Kur-ing-gai Hospital refurbishment of the Childrens’ Ward; much needed medical equipment and more (the proceeds of the A&C raffle tickets sold at the annual Hornsby Kur-ing-gai Hospital Spring Fair); several Shelter Boxes for disaster relief throughout the world; Polio Plus – for the eradication of polio worldwide (there are now only two countries left in the world, Afghanistan and Pakistan, with evidence of polio); and the successful continuation of Rotary Youth Exchange Program. Other local beneficiaries have been Berowra Rural Fire Service, Hornsby SES, Mt Colah and Berowra Girl Guides, Berowra Rover Crew and Berowra Community Health Centre.
Approximately 80 young people in the local community have been recipients of the Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) which provides a weeklong leadership development “experience of a lifetime”; Annual Citizenship Awards are presented to the seven local Public Schools – an encouragement for future service to the wider community. Pride of Workmanship and Community Service Awards have been made at a special Annual Presentation Dinner.
Throughout the years the A&C had become a cooperative effort with the valued assistance to the Rotarians of many community groups such as the local SES and the RFS in the setting up and pulling down of the lighting and the art display boards; the Rovers and Girls Guides on the catering side; local musicians in the entertainment over the weekend; members of Probus and the families and friends of the Rotarians in the manning of the sales – and while this cooperative effort is really the spirit of Rotary i.e. ‘working together in the community’/‘service through friendship and cooperative effort’, nevertheless the increased effort for the reduced financial return has meant that, very reluctantly, the members of Berowra Rotary have made the decision to cease the Berowra Rotary Art and Craft Exhibition and Sale, and come to the end of an era!
We thank all those who have supported us in any way – exhibiting, selling, assisting, purchasing, and participation and we trust that those many beneficiaries of the proceeds will understand the decision and we hope to go on supporting as many of these as is possible in the years ahead.
(What a loss for the local community; thank you Rotary Club of Berowra for all the assistance you’ve provided over the past 34 years. The Art and Craft Exhibition and Sale will be sorely missed – Ed)
