Sam Catanzariti and Greg Murphy from the club presented Griffith City Council with a cheque for $100,000 for St Vincent's Private Community Hospital Griffith.

“We’re proud that we are able to assist in some small way with the construction of the new community private hospital,” Mr Catanzariti said.

“Our rotary club has probably 50 active members, unfortunately our average age is over 70 and we’re not getting any younger and it’s becoming more and more difficult every year to carry out our many projects that we have, projects we have so we can raise funds and donate it back to the local community. 

“I’m sure that the construction of the new private hospital here in Griffith is not only a great thing medically but also economically. I’m sure it will encourage a lot of people, certainly from out west, they can’t wait for this hospital to be up and running and operational so they can come to Griffith rather than travelling through to Wagga or Albury. 

“So I think it’s a great thing, a great thing for this town and something we have fought for for some time.”

Mayor John Dal Broi thanked the club for their contribution.

“Thankyou to Rotary for such a substantial amount from a service club, of which I’m a part time member,” Councillor Dal Broi said.

“This is good for the community. It certainly sets the pace for other community organisations to donate to this facility.”

Construction on the private hospital has already commenced and the completion date is just over 12 months away. 

“Joss have been the successful main contractor and they are putting on as many of the local subbies as they can to facilitate the project and to help our own tradies,” Cr Dal Broi said.

“I do know how hard Rotary works to raise funds and give it back to the community and this is indeed a credit to yourself Sam as director, and yourself Greg as incoming president, and again thank you so much for what you’ve done and this wonderful donation.”

The Mayor then took a certificate and presented it to the men from the club.

“You also had an involvement in the War Memorial Museum and the art gallery and council wants to recognise the work the club has done and also Angelo Maloni and Grant McKern, the two builders who did a lot of the work in-kind,” Cr Dal Broi said. “You’ve also contributed $5000 to the project so on behalf of council thank you so much.”

The second cheque from Griffith Rotary Club was for the Griffith War Memorial Museum Courtyard Rejuvenation Project.