The Rotary
Club of Vancouver celebrated two special birthdays at the luncheon on Tuesday,
February 20th 2001. Shown here are Reg Rose celebrating his 100th Birthday and
Bert Perry, celebrating his 101st birthday. In the background are Dave Kirk,
District Governor and his wife, Sheila. Reginald Thomas Rose was born in Richmond, Surrey, England February 24th 1901, and came to Canada in 1912.
Reg started his Rotary membership in 1934 in Lethbridge, Alberta, continuing in Edmonton in 1938, becoming President of that club in 1942/43.
He joined our club in 1946, went on to serve in every office, and became our District Governor in 1967/68, and became a Paul Harris Fellow in 1976/77, and again in 2000/01.
He came into our club as a senior member of the staff of the Vancouver Board of Trade. With a finger on the pulse of business, help was always as near as Reg Rose. He retired as managing director of the board.
In the social field, as is business, he proved to be a tireless worker in the community. His devotion to his church and his efforts to help the less fortunate are well known to all of us.
Reg took a leading part in arranging the Board of Trade trips that would take leading businessmen to all parts of the world. As a result, his community expanded into the international community. Here is a man whose whole life has been a life of service and, on these trips, he continued to build bridges of friendship, leaving the seeds of Rotary wherever he went.
The great achievement of the club, however, was the completion of the fund raising effort toward the building of International House at U.B.C. Spurred on by efforts of five preceding presidents the goal was within sight when the year began. Thanks to unusually big Ice Show proceeds, the scouring of various funds available and to generous aid from embers, we secured the objective of $150,000, which was presented to the university. In consequence the “turning of the sod” was performed at an impressive ceremony, attended by many dignitaries.
In March, 1986, he was named to the Order of Civic Merit for the City of Vancouver.
To quote Reg: “There have been many memorable moments over the years but one stands out - the opening of International House at U.B.C. by Eleanor Roosevelt. My wish for the future is that the Rotary spirit will live on so many may joyously enjoy the fellowship and service Rotary provides.”