David Bowley's Canada - Evening Meeting with Partners, February 2018

43 AND OUT FOR LOCAL CHARITY HERO

One of Herne Bay’s longest-serving Rotarians has retired after 43 years of fundraising for projects in the town and much further afield.

David Bowley (82) once ran his family’s book-making business in Herne Bay and was Rotary’s District President in 2,000/2,001. Following the tsunami in Sri Lanka in 2002/3, he initiated a project that provided food, clothing and education for 72 Sri Lankan children for a year.

Around 60 Rotary Club representatives from across the Canterbury area gathered on 28 February to celebrate his decades of selfless fundraising. David, who joined the club in 1975, was presented with a Paul Harris Sapphire Award - one of the highest awards in Rotary – by Herne Bay president Chris Jones.

“David now feels it is time to take life more gently, although he will remain an Honorary Member of both Herne Bay and Chestfield Rotary Clubs,” said Mr Jones. “His dedication to helping deserving projects, wherever in the world they are, is an inspiration and represents everything that Rotary is about.”

At the event to mark his retirement, David wore a genuine cowboy hat as he entertained the audience with tales of his travels in the USA and Canada during the early 1960s. This included the time he managed to travel across the US for next to nothing by offering to deliver a new car to Las Vegas.

PICTURE:

David with Ann, his wife, who was presented with flowers by Vice-President Julia Branch-Evans.