The Rotary Club of Lilydale marked its 60th anniversary on Sunday 10 August with a celebratory lunch at Eastwood Golf Club.
Guests ranged from current, past, and Honorary members to community supporters, District representatives, and visiting Rotarians from neighbouring clubs. They lingered over the memorabilia displays, each item a carefully preserved snapshot of the club’s six-decade history, lovingly maintained by the dedicated historian Helen Darvell.
Focusing on the last 10 years, President Cheryl Mackay and Vice President Des Shiel highlighted the Club’s major local and international community achievements—including raising more than $300,000 through the hard work of dedicated members and volunteers.
Adding a light-hearted touch, the afternoon featured a lively President’s Panel, where three past presidents engaged the audience with their responses to a series of questions, moderated by past president Arun Marappan. The panel was invited to reflect on their time as president, sharing their proudest moments and the ways Rotary had shaped their personal and professional lives. When asked which tradition he was glad the club had left behind, Ian Darvell replied, “the exclusion of women,” a response that drew warm appreciation from the audience.
During the delicious lunch, guests enjoyed one of Margaret Battle’s entertaining and comprehensive slide shows, filled with photos of club members hard at work on community projects or sharing good times at numerous social events.
True to Rotary tradition, funds were also raised through the sale of raffle tickets, with most prizes generously donated by current members and local businesses.
The celebrations ended on a sweet note, with the current president presenting a special cake to the past presidents of the last decade — a delicious memento that proved an irresistible take-home treat for all guests.
If you are a motivated local member of Yarra Ranges who wants to make positive changes in your community and the world check out Rotary Club of Lilydale’s webpage at rotarylilydale.org.au/ or email them at rotaryclublilydale@gmail.com.
