Rotary New Zealand
As at August 2007 there were 10,253 Rotarians in 269 clubs in the six New Zealand-based Rotary Districts. Karori is in District 9940. It is the largest Rotary district in New Zealand, and has 60 clubs, and approximately 2,300 Rotarians.
Rotary has existed in New Zealand since the early 1900's and has spawned additional organisations such as Rotaract and Interact, these were started during the turbulent 1960s. Interact (for youth ages 14 - 18) and Rotaract (for young adults ages 18 - 30) clubs operate under the guidance of a sponsoring Rotary club and give young people opportunities for community service and leadership development, and to promote international peace and understanding. Service to youth remains an important focus of Rotary.
Rotarians extend their vocational service into the community in many ways. Assistance to school leavers through mentoring programmes, mock job interviews, and work experience is as important today as it has been over the years.
Rotary in New Zealand over the years has been the driving force behind the formation of:
- Karitane Hospitals
- First mobile TB clinic
- Milk in Schools
- Crippled Children's Society
- The first Health Camps
- Defensive Driving Courses
- National Kidney Foundation
- Riding for Disabled
- Asthma Society
- National Children's Health Research Foundation
In 1938 Sir John McKenzie established the J R McKenzie Youth Education Fund. Rotary Clubs administer the Fund in the major cities.
Many communities have adventure play grounds, fitness trails and walkways provided by Rotary clubs. You will see community Police driving vehicles carrying a Rotary wheel, and similar vans driven by other community organisations. Fire engines have "Jaws of Life" and sophisticated heat seeking equipment funded by Rotarians. The Ellerslie Flower Show, the largest flower show in the Southern Hemisphere is a project initiated by the Rotary Club of Auckland.
In 1945 the Rotary Club of Auckland established the Obstetrical and Gynaecological Committee which led to the equivalent of $200,000 being raised to endow a Professional Chair in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Auckland and eventually to the establishment of National Women's Hospital.
In 1961 the same club, with the support of the Governor General Viscount Cobham, industrialist Wolf Fisher and others formed the Outward Bound Trust.
To recognise the Golden Jubilee of Rotary in New Zealand in 1971 the National Child Health Research Foundation was established and significant funding towards the chair of paediatrics at the Auckland Medical School was initiated.
When a tsunami hit Papua New Guinea, Rotarians contributed their money and emergency boxes and followed this with work teams of Rotarians who paid their own expenses to travel to work beside the locals in the rebuilding process.
Other New Zealand initiatives have developed into major international programmes. An example is the ROTA programme (Rotary Overseas Travel Award). And GSE (Global Student Exchange).