By KATHRYN BERMINGHAM
YOU don’t meet many people like Charlie Huyskens.
Last week, Charlie celebrated 50 years of continuous service as a member of the Rotary Club of Pakenham with a dinner held in his honour. He was also presented with the Paul Harris Ruby pin to mark the special milestone.
With much of his family present, members of the club shared their experiences and thoughts on Charlie’s service, which has been nothing short of incredible.
Charlie joined the club on 6 August, 1965, and in 1967/68 served as International Chair, before becoming president in 1969.
After his term as president, Charlie’s other positions included sergeant-at-arms in 1974/75, and community service chair in 1984/1985. In 1977/78, Charlie was instrumental in the Rotarian Potato Project.
Speaking at the dinner, former president Peter Van Diemen said the Huyskens family were crucial to the success of the project.
“This project was only possible through Charlie and his family providing the land and special potato growing equipment and by Rotarians providing the labour,” he said.
“At the time I was only a new member of a couple of years and remember thinking, ‘Wow! If these guys put their minds to it, they can do anything’.”
In 1987, Charlie was presented with a Paul Harris Fellow Award and in 1990 was made the inaugural chairman of the P.B. Ronald Trust, a position he held up until 2011.
Outside of the Rotary Club, Charlie served as a shire councillor from 1971 to 1977 and was involved in a number of other local projects such as Minibah and the Kooweerup Flood Protection Authority.
Ken Rook met Charlie in 1985 and shared some memories they have shared over the years.
“Charlie has served on many and varied committees and if not on the committee you can be sure he would be there helping with the project in some way,” he said.
“Charlie was Rotary Information Chairman for a while and he used to invite new members to his home after a Rotary meeting and run a very interesting session about Rotary. Great value for the new members.
“Of even greater value were the Dutch treats Anna put on for supper.”
He spoke of Rotary’s response the 2011 flooding in Queensland’s Lockyer Valley. Local livestock agents held a market to raise funds to assist the affected people, and Charlie travelled to Queensland to present a $15,000 cheque to the Rotary Club of Gatton, which was severely damaged.
Fifty years after first joining the club, Charlie’s commitment is stronger than ever. His main role now is as cashier and he helps out with the barbecue.
The Huyskens family said they were very proud of Charlie’s achievement.
“We congratulate dad on his special achievement of 50 years of service to the Pakenham Rotary Club.
We were pleased to be invited and present at this special event. It was lovely to hear all the contributions he made and still is making to the community with the support of Anna our mum.”
Though the night was full of accolades for an exemplary Rotarian, it was perhaps Ken Rook who put it most succinctly, with help from the Rotary International President.
“The RI President’s theme for this year is ‘Be a Gift to the World’,” he said.
“Charlie, you are a gift to the world.”
