Long life celebrated

The Rotary Club of Umina Beach has celebrated the life of one of its "most treasured members", Rod Radford, on the occasion of his 90th birthday.

Rod has had a long association with Rotary and an even longer one with the local area.

The Radford family arrived on the Central Coast on holidays in 1932.

Later they purchased land at Wagstaffe Point where Rod and his wife Pat eventually settled.

Rod operated a pharmacy in Ettalong and used to make the journey from home to work in an amphibious car.

This was one of the first in Australia and it was also used to deliver urgent medicines to outlying areas such as Empire Bay, St Huberts Island and Daleys Point.

With around 60 years of service to Rotary, community service has also remained a central pillar in Rod's life as an active member of the Rotary Club of Umina Beach and a former member and past president of the Rotary Club of Woy Woy.

Rod is a Paul Harris Fellow and received a Sapphire pin to commemorate his 50th year in Rotary.

"Ten years on, we very much appreciate his honour, deftness as a raconteur, his choral skills, and above all we value his sense of humour," said long-time club member Mr Geoff Melville.

"Rod may have turned 90 years of age but he is still young at heart and has lost none of his ability to make connection with youth and their endeavours, an ability that has endured over the years."

Email, 28 May 2010 Geoff Melville, Rotary Club of Umina