The Mossman Rotary Club has marked an impressive milestone, celebrating 70 years of community service with a dinner and drinks event at Hughies in Mossman on May 31.

The celebration brought together 43 guests, including past and present members, partners, and friends of Rotary. 

Alongside the celebrations, the event also helped support their ongoing community work.

Several hundred dollars were raised through ticket sales and raffles, with proceeds to be shared between Rotary International and local community support efforts via the Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS) program.

Club President Robyn Gray said that despite having just a dozen active members, Mossman Rotary continues to achieve big things.

“One of our most impactful recent projects was helping locals affected by Cyclone Jasper,” she said. 

“Members Susan and Craig led the way in securing more than $68,000 in prepaid gift cards, which went to families who had lost furniture, household items, or even their homes.”

“It didn’t really hit me until a couple of weeks ago;wow, we actually did that. It’s such a massive contribution to the community.”

The club meets twice monthly, once for a board meeting and once for a social gathering, and is often spotted at the Mossman Markets cooking up sausages to fundraise for local causes. 

Their hands-on projects include hospital garden upgrades, beach clean-ups, and breakfast catering for events like the boxcar rally.

Robyn said having a club like Rotary in the region is essential. 

“It’s one of the last service organisations like this in the area,” she said. 

“We know what’s going on in the community, and when help is needed, we’re able to respond, or reach out to other clubs to pitch in.”

As they celebrate 70 years, the Mossman Rotary Club is also looking ahead. “We’d love to welcome more members,” Robyn added.