History of the Rotary Club of Dingley Village
During the year of 1977, DGE Neal Wickerton asked three members of the Rotary Club of Springvale if they would give their time to establish a club within the growing area of Dingley Village. Bob Seary, Keith Daniels and Cliff Mansfield agreed to the task.
Through many meetings and a great deal of hard work, the three established the club on March 29th 1978.
The Charter President of the club was Harold Box. (pictured right)
He led the club admirably and was awarded a Paul Harris Fellow in 1983.
The only charter member of the club remaining is Bill Warner. Bill has come back to the club after a short absence due to his many commitments and is an active contributor to the new Rotary Club of Noble Park – Dingley.
In 1979, the club hosted the first Group Study Exchange from the UK. Over the years, the Youth Study Exchanges hosted students from Canada, Japan, South Africa.
Dingley contributed to many Community based projects and even bought a “fund raising caravan in 1983 to sell its wares like jaffles, chips and sweets at the local craft market.
The club was represented at the Rotary International World Conference in Philadelphia USA in 1988 by Ian Graham, Keith Smith and Baxter Henderson.
By 1994, the club had raised $30,000 for a special Community house called the Abbeyfield project. Additional funds for the Apprentice of the Year Awards along with other Youth Awards were a feature of the nineties.
From 2000, Dingley also commenced the Jewellery ladies which still runs today. They make and sell jewellery to Conferences and Markets and raises much needed funds for the charity work the club undertakes.
In 2003, Dingley Village ran the District Conference at Deakin University, when a member and Past President of the club, John Glenn was District Governor.
By 2010, a program designed by the club called the Great Industrial Adventure hosted young people from the country at the homes of members, had taken them on tours to various industries and businesses which would assist them on career choices.
Since 2012 until today, Dingley have supported and run the Annual ANZAC Day Memorial which is attended by over 1000 people each year. It has been expertly run by Kevan Thomas with assistance from Sue Hilton and involves the local school population for this most important Australian ceremony.
The Rotary Club of Dingley Village
Year – President
1978/79 – Harold Box Charter President
1979/80 – Gary Harriden
1980/81 – Vin Lyttleton
1981/82 – Norm Hurrey
1982/83 – Max Tinkler
1983/84 – Norm McLeod
1984/85 – Colin Brown
1985/86 – Ian Graham
1986/87 – Bob Budden
1987/88 – Vic Smith
1988/89 – Keith Smith
1989/90 – Alex Luxford
1990/91 – Bruce Gilbert
1991/92 – John Wheeler
1992/93 – Kevan Thomas
1993/94 – Maurie Dennis
1994/95 – John Glenn
1995/96 – Terry Feehan
1996/97 – Jim Dowling
1997/98 – Helen Godolley
1998/99 – Peter Birrell
1999/00 – Malcolm Elliott
2000/01 – William Belt
Year – President
2001/02 – Pam Trevan
2002/03 – Daryl Canterford
2003/04 – Walter Martin
2004/05 – Clint Castley
2005/06 – Bruce Whitaker
2006/07 – Steven Brough
2007/08 – Heather Winch
2008/09 – Dudley Podbury
2009/10 – Alistair Law
2010/11 – Steven Brough
2011/12 – Pam Revan
2012/13 – Susan Hilton
2013/14 – Frank Jackson
2014/15 – Gail Robertson
2015/16 – Gail Robertson
2016/17 – Greg Wragg
2017/18 – Heather Winch
2018/19 – David Cugley
2019/20 – David Cugley
2020/21 – Club then merged with the Rotary Club of Noble Park – Keysborough and became the Rotary Club of Noble Park – Dingley.
PAUL HARRIS FELLOWS (PHF) – DINGLEY VILLAGE
What is a Paul Harris Fellow?
A PHF is a major Rotary Foundation recognition given to a person in the Rotary club or Community that has given outstanding service in helping others. Paul Harris Fellows assist in a broad range of humanitarian causes.
The recipients listed below are all Paul Harris Fellows.
1980 Bruce Wittaker
1983 Harold Box
1986 Norm Hurrey
1987 Keith Daniels
1988 Max Brough
1988 Gary Harriden
1989 John Hasler
1990 Keith Smith
1991 Ian Graham
1992 Alex Luxford
1993 Maxwell Tinkler
1994 Baxter Henderson
1994 Sue Hilton
1994 Pam Huber
1995 Victor Smith
1996 Robert Budden
1997 John Glenn
1997 Bruce Gilbert
1999 Kevan Thomas
2000 Tony Coyle
2002 William Belt
2003 Maurie Dennis
2003 Val Glenn
2004 Pam Trevan
2005 Vincent Lyttleton
2006 Lila Thomas
2006 Malcolm Elliott
2007 Heather Winch
2008 Kate Belt
2008 Steven Brough
2008 Dennis Sylvia
2008 Richard Long
2008 Helen Smith
2008 Janet Daniels
2009 Claire Graham
2010 Dudley Podbury
2010 Veronica Podbury
2011 Alister Law
2013 Margaret Vogt
2015 Gary Davies
2015 Pam Davies
2016 Anne McAlister
2017 David Hilton
2021 David Cugley