Our Stories

My Rotary Story

Read about some of the members of Rotary Rotorua Sunrise, what made them join Rotary, their best Rotary moments, and what they love about staying involved.

Darryl Church

In 1996 I started business as a sole practitioner from a home based studio. This involved weeks of isolation, never leaving my home and very little contact with people outside of my family and visiting clients. After two years I started to look for an organisation or group to join and attended a couple to “try them out”. They all left me feeling a little hollow and dissatisfied about their purpose. About the same time I met Rex Merrick and he mentioned his Rotary Club to me, the Rotary Club of Rotorua Sunrise. I attended once, and felt an immediate connection with the people and the purpose of Rotary.

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Judith Stanway

I only joined Rotary because a certain member of the Rotary Club of Rotorua Sunrise asked me along so many times that I thought it might keep her quiet if I turned up once! It was one of the best things I ever did.

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John Prentice

I became aware of Rotary in the early 1970’s while working at Precision Plastics Ltd in Mount Albert, Auckland. My employer was one of three partners that owned Precision Plastics Ltd and I had noted that he always went to his Rotary meeting on Thursdays at lunch time . I had worked my way up in this company from working in the tool room repairing plastic moulds, moving into production over a period of years, and then on to Plant Manager

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 Kay Clarke

My introduction to Rotary was in 1979 when I took part in the Rotary Student Exchange programme, hosted by the Rotary Club of South Yuba Linda in California.  The youth exchange experience became a major influencer in my career choices, and life direction, for which I will always be indebted to Rotary International, and my amazing host families.

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Rex Merrick

Rex’s story is one that truly meets the ideals of the establishment and bestowing of a PHF – Paul Harris Fellowship Award – to honour long and commendable service to the community that fulfills the ideals of Rotary for the betterment of humanity, and is not made for personal or family reward or remuneration.

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