FELLOW Rotarians from the USA were guests at Dart­mouth Rotary Club’s annual civic lunch.

The visitors from Dart­mouth, Massachusetts, heard club president John Mills speak about service to the community.

Also among those present at the meeting in the Royal Castle Hotel were representatives from key organisations who play a leading role in the life of Dartmouth.

In his address, Mr Mills said: ‘Why do we in Rotary have a civic lunch? Although I had in the past 20 years been to a few I had never considered why this was on the calendar.

‘After some consideration, I decided that it was all to do with the Rotary motto, Service Above Self . So how does this react with civic duty? Surely the answer lies in the fact that Rotary with its Service Above Self should acknowledge those in the community whose role is in fact service to the community as a whole, that is, the general public.

‘The civic leader, in the case of Dartmouth, is the mayor, trying as he does to govern wisely and keep the council on the straight and narrow.

‘Following on from the mayor, we recognise the commander of Britannia Royal Naval College.

‘What would Dartmouth be without the college, I wonder?

‘I was quite stirred at last year’s service of rememb­rance to see the whole of the route lined with cadets from the college.

‘The harbour master; he has been in the news lately. The police sergeant... this meeting is going to overrun and I will be liable to a parking ticket.

‘The chief fire officer; and I have finally got a date for a party of Rotarians to attend a training session at the fire station and as it’s always a big boy’s ambition to ride on a fire engine. Who knows, the dream may come true.

‘The lifeboat operations manager; being an ex-merchant navy officer I have always supported the lifeboat, a great shame that the Government does not contribute to this worthy cause.

‘The principal at the academy; what is more important than the education of the generation following on behind?

‘The vicar, Father Will, could not get out of the habit of calling him Father Ted because of the television series of that name.

‘However, am now reform­ed, and recognise the importance of the spiritual role played in a community like ours.’

Mr Mills gave a special welcome to the Rotarians from Dartmouth, Massach­usetts, and extended greeting to its members.