The History of the Rotary Club of South East Nassau
During the later part of 1975, President Durward Knowles (now Sir Durward) of the Rotary Club of East Nassau conceived the idea of organizing the fourth Rotary Club of Nassau and seventh in The Bahamas. The South East Club started to meet as a Provisional Club in June 1976 and the club was granted its charter from Rotary International on July 19th, 1976. The charter was presented at a banquet on September 29, 1976 held at the Sonesta Beach Hotel (now known as Breezes) by District Governor Serge R. Mees of the Rotary Club of Pointe-a-Pitre Est., Guadeloupe.
The first President of the South East Club was Edwin L.V. Deal who had been a member of the sponsoring club, East Nassau. The Vice-President was Ernst Brokmeier, Secretary H.R. (Rusty) Scates, Treasurer, Donald McLeod and the Directors were Jerome Major, Alan Greenwood, Douglas England, Eric Carlsson and George Noble.
The club first met at the Gleneagles Hotel, Village Road & Shirley Street every Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. and it now meets at East Villa Restaurant, East Bay Street on the same day and time. Membership when the Club was first formed was 27, but by June 30, 1977 it was 41. Our current membership has more than 50 members.
The Rotary Club of South East Nassau is very proud to be the first Club in New Providence to induct women into Rotary. In April 1995 the first female member was Rowena Bethel, followed by Azaleta Ishmael-Newry in September 1995 and shortly thereafter, Linda McSweeney who was the wife of the late charter member Jerome McSweeney. The Club’s first female President was Carla McCombe who served in 2002- 2003 and today, our club continues to have a large percentage of women who make up its membership. The first club to induct women into Rotary in The Bahamas was the Rotary Club of Abaco and that Rotarian was Sandra Albury. The Rotary website states, “Women are active participants in Rotary, serving their communities in increasing numbers and serving in leadership positions in Rotary. The 1989 Council on Legislation vote to admit women into Rotary clubs worldwide remains a watershed moment in the history of Rotary.
The Club sponsored the Interact Club of St. Andrews School and the charter was formally presented on January 11, 1985 at ceremonies at the Ambassador Beach Hotel (now known as Breezes). We have since added the Interact Club of Doris Johnson High School and the Rotaract Club of South East Nassau Centennial. There is also the Early Act Club at Columbus Primary School.
The Rotary Club of South East Nassau had sponsored the Rotary Club of Cat Island which no long operates today due to lack of membership and we have successfully sponsored the Rotary Club of Eleuthera.
