72nd Anniversary of the birth of Rotary in Macau

After a visit to a meeting of the Hong Kong Rotary Club, Henrique Nolasco Jr. returned to Macau impressed by the fellowship and the ideals of Rotary determined to establish a Rotary Club in Macau. Meetings were held with then District Governor Arthur Woo and others who gave their assistance and advice for setting up a Club. On January 11, 1947, a dinner was held in the Fat Siu Lau Restaurant at which 36 founding members appointed their first Board of Directors. The Rotary Club of Macau was thus formed and began functioning as a provisional club. The provisional club created the “Welfare Fund of the Rotary Club of Macau” which supported such worthy causes as Homes for the Destitute and Aged, the Portuguese Red Cross, the Canosian Institute, the Salesian Orphanage, The Rotarian Children’s Library for primary school children and other worthy causes.

The Club received official recognition from Rotary International on June 16, 1947. In 1949 Macau hosted the District Conference and in the 50/51 Rotary Year Past President Pedro G. Lobato was elected District Governor. In 1951, the Rotary Club of Macau opened the Lara Reis Anti-Cancer Clinic. Major projects in the 60’s,70’s, and 80’s included building a reservoir at the Ka Ho Leper Colony, establishing vocational workshops at the Boy’s Home run at that time by the Macau Police Force, and improving orphan dormitories at the Sao Jose School in Ka Ho. Smaller projects were also carried out including the provision of bus shelters, children’s playgrounds, donations and scholarships to students in need and subsidies for canteens, old people’s homes, refugee centers and dental health programs for students. In the 90’s in support of Rotary’s “Preserve the Planet Earth” motto, the Club supported environmental education programs, tree plantings as well as support for the elderly in cooperation with other Macau service organizations.

The Rotary Club of Macau, encompassing people of various professions and nationalities, has been the meeting place for a wide cross section of Macau society and a place where visiting Rotarians from around the world meet up. A survey of the members indicates that the Club’s membership has included 21 nationalities speaking a total of 16 languages. This is why, for many years now, English has been the working language for the Club meetings and proceedings.

Please visit the following websites for more information on:

Rotary International: www.rotary.org