About Rotary
Our local Rotary Club
The Half Moon Bay Rotarians are a welcoming group of men and woman who meet weekly at the Bucklands Beach Yacht Club (BBYC). We enjoy an early morning cuppa overlooking the marina and out to Rangitoto, once a week, while hearing speakers covering various topics of interest and discussing club business. We also attend periodic social gatherings and get behind community events throughout the year.
We’re privileged to hear from interesting and varied speakers and have a member base that includes current and retired professionals from diverse sectors and business interests. Being involved with the Half Moon Bay Rotary Club is a fulfilling pastime that keeps us informed, connected, and facilitates community service.
Half Moon Bay is a well-established club with a stable core membership of 45+ Rotarians. We welcome expressions of interest from potential guest speakers and potential new members.
We meet at 6:45am every Wednesday at Bucklands Beach Yacht Club.
Rotary District 9920
Rotary has clubs in virtually every community. Within New Zealand and the Pacific there are six geographic administrative ‘districts’. Half Moon Bay is part of District 9920.
Our district includes half of Auckland as well as seven Pacific island nations (American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Samoa, Tonga). This is the largest maritime district in Rotary and this unique Pacific influence provides Rotarians with wide ranging and interesting service opportunities.
There are 53 Rotary clubs within District 9920. Clubs range in size with many comprising approximately 25-30 Rotarians. Rotary clubs are autonomous and self-governing.
Rotary Oceania
Since Rotary started in New Zealand in 1921 it has spread throughout New Zealand and the Pacific to include 10 Pacific Island nations. Although each club has their own priorities and operations, based on their unique community needs, Rotary Oceania provides a hub for New Zealand and Pacific districts.
Rotary membership across the five New Zealand-based districts is per capita among the highest in the world with an ever-increasing number of women and couples joining Rotary for the contribution to volunteerism and lifestyle it offers.
Rotary in New Zealand has contributed to or started many programmes that are now independent and respected organisations such as CCS and the Kidney Society.
Rotary International
Rotary is a global network of 1.4 million neighbours, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change – across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.
Solving real problems takes real commitment and vision. For more than 110 years, Rotary's people of action have used their passion, energy, and intelligence to take action on sustainable projects. From literacy and peace to water and health, we are always working to better our world, and we stay committed to the end.
Rotary members believe that we have a shared responsibility to take action on our world’s most persistent issues. Our more than 45,000 clubs work together to:
- Promote peace
- Fight disease
- Provide clean water, sanitation, and hygiene
- Save mothers and children
- Support education
- Grow local economies
- Protect the environment
Rotary History
In February 1905, lawyer Paul Harris (then aged 37) and three friends met in a small office in downtown Chicago. These men wanted to rekindle in the turn-of-the-century city the spirit of friendliness they had known in their hometowns. Word of the club soon spread, and others were invited to join. They named their new club “Rotary” to describe the practice of meeting in rotation at the members’ various places of business.
Originally formed for fellowship, the first Rotary club quickly evolved to use the talents and resources of its members to serve the community. By the end of 1905, the Rotary Club of Chicago had 30 members. Three years later a second club was established in San Francisco, California, USA. The next year three more clubs were established on the west coast of the United States and a fourth in New York City.
Within a few years other groups formed service clubs based on the Rotary model. The first clubs in New Zealand were in Wellington closely followed by Auckland in 1921 and the first in the Pacific was in Suva in 1936.