The Rotary Club of Oban held its 72nd Annual
Charter Night on Friday Evening under strict Covid -19 guidelines in the Royal Hotel.
The evening was chaired by current Club President Kees van
Rein and the top table included the
President of Campbeltown Rotary Club, Pat Healy and her husband Michael, and the President of Mid-Argyll Rotary Club, David Renwick, President
Kees’s wife, Wimmie van Rein, with guest speaker Campbell
Cameron, his wife Joy and Greig MacLeod, Secretary of Mid-Argyll Rotary Club.
Rotarians and
guests were royally entertained by our very own Campell Cameron with the key
note speech and music was provided by talented Connel Piper, Emma Hill. Grace was said by
Past President Ken Moncrieff.
Presidents: Kees van Rein (Oban) and Pat Healy (Campbeltown)
A sum of over £500 was raised during the evening to go towards the sterling efforts of Local Charity Mary’s Meals.
The Rotary Club of Oban held it's 69th annual Charter Dinner at the Perle Hotel on Friday, 23rd November, the Charter having been granted on 25th November, 1949.
The principal guest and speaker was The Very Rev Dr Angus Morrison who was the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland for 2015/16 and is now minister of the Orwell and Portmoak parish in Kinross. Dr Angus, who is also Honorary Chaplain to the Queen, served as a minister in Oban from 1979 to 1986 and he regaled his audience with reminiscences of his time growing up in Oban, where his father was a captain of the Northern Lighthouse ships, and then university life and the ministry culminating in his year of high office.
Our picture shows Dr Morrison with Rotary President Iain Mac Intyre who in his introductory remarks paid fulsome tribute to Dr Morrison's many scholastic and humanitarian achievements despite being " just a wee boy from Oban " and it was generally agreed that this was one of the best "Charter nights" in that it appealed to the mood of the audience.
A raffle was held during the evening and this raised £265 which sum was donated to Hope Kitchen, the locally based charity.
The audience was entertained by Emma Hill from the Oban High School Pipe Band and Neil McCracken, also from OHS, on the piano who was Oban Rotary's Young Musician of the Year.
Dr Morrison and Iain came together again on the following Sunday when Iain and his wife Jane attended the Gaelic Service and Communion at the Old Parish Church in Glencruitten Road. The service was conducted by Dr Morrison as a tribute to the much loved Rev Dr Roddy Mac Leod MBE who, until recently, continued to take the monthly Gaelic service despite retiring as a minister in 2011.
The Club held its 68th Charter Dinner at the Perle Hotel on Friday 24th November, the Charter having been granted to the club on 25th November, 1949.
As our pictures show, the Dinner was well attended with a good number of quests present who included Oban Rotary's District Governor Garry Louttit and his wife Christine. The top table and quests were piped in by Emma Hill from the OHS Youth Pipe Band and later the company was entertained by Oban Rotary's Young Musician of the Year Katie Houston who played the flute accompanied by her mother Joanna on the piano.
In his toast to the Club, District Governor Garry mentioned specially the many activities which the members now undertake in support of the local community and he praised the membership for being so active and successful. The principal speaker was local man Eamon Arthur from the Oban Speakers Club who spoke of the changes in farming since he was a boy working on a farm in the North East of Scotland. Eamons speech, which was well received by the audience, was delivered in a very professional manner interspersed with many humorous asides and anecdotes. A comprehensive Vote of Thanks to all concerned was delivered by Senior Vice President, Iain Mac Intyre. The evening was expertly compared by President Tommy McQuade.
A raffle raised the sum of £326 with the proceeds going to Hope Kitchen.
Oban Rotary Club held it's 67th annual Charter Dinner on Friday 11th November at the Royal Hotel, the charter having been granted on 25th November, 1949. As indicated in our picture, the event was well attended with all concerned of the view that it was a very enjoyable evening.
The intention was to have a highland hospitality night and the top table was piped in by young Emma Hill, from the OHS Pipe Band, who was later supported by Mrs Morag MacNeill, who sang two well known Gaelic songs to much applause. The principal guest, Roderick McCuish, Area Chairman, Argyll and Bute Council delivered a very humorous and entertaining speech. Roddy was also generous in his praise of Oban Rotary's charitable contributions to local and international good clauses and called for a closer relationship between the Council and Oban Rotary, given the latter's broad experience which is readily available to the community. A unique and well received toast to the club was delivered by Assistant Governor, Iain White, who attended with his wife Margaret.
A raffle was also held and £260 was raised for "Children in Need".
The evening was excellently chaired by Club President Graham Fraser.
