Be the Inspiration - Marion Johnston

Bob Smith had the enviable task of introducing Marion "It is indeed a special privilege and honour for me today to introduce our Governor for 2018-2019, Marion Johnston.

Marion becomes the second Governor from the Rotary Club of Whanganui North, the 6^th from the Wanganui cluster of Rotary Clubs and the 4^th woman Governor in District 9940. She joined the Rotary Club of Wanganui North in 2003, was Club President in 2008/2009, Assistant Governor of the Wanganui Cluster in 2013/2014 and 2014/2015, and served on the IYE committee in 2010/2011 and 2011/2012. - - - - Marion, it gives me very great pleasure to invest you with the chain of office of Governor for District 9940 for 2018/2019 and present you with the Governor’s Pin. We are confident you will lead the district with distinction in the coming year. I extend congratulations on behalf of all Rotarians (the full speech by Bob can be found on the next page)

Exerts from Marion's Speech

Thanks Mitchell for thinking outside the Square, or in the case of Rotafest, thinking inside the Square, and encouraging us to Go Wild about Rotary for the last 12 months - - -

Let’s also consider how we can Be the Inspiration to our own communities. Let’s be visible out there as we do good. It’s not so easy to be inspirational if we hold all our meetings behind closed doors, it’s not so easy to be inspirational if we work hard to raise money which we hand over to another charity to do the good and get the recognition. Let’s shift our focus back to service – let’s think about how we can make our projects more about the service and less about the fund raising ---we have so much we can share – our vocational skills, our business experience, our networks, our contacts, our access to the Rotary Foundation - - - Let’s work together, connect, partner, share, include and let’s showcase to the world the Rotary work that we are so proud of … in 2018-19 we will Be the Inspiration

Address: Introduction of DG Marion. 6 minutes.

Fellow Rotarians:

There is a book that I have read recently entitled 6 Minutes in May, an account of how, in 6 minutes in May 1940, Winston Churchill became PM of Britain .

6 minutes in July 2018 is all the time I have been given to introduce and invest Marion. I’ll do my level best to do this justice in the 6 minutes I have . ( Your Honour)

It is indeed a special privilege and honour for me today to introduce our Governor for 2018-2019, Marion Johnston.

Marion was born in Invercargill, received her secondary education at Christchurch Girls High School, and trained as a teacher at Wellington Teacher’s College. So you see she was working her way north but only made it as far as Wanganui where she and husband Mike purchased a long-

established automotive business in Wanganui which they have managed for the past 22 years. We are all the richer for having her in Wanganui.

Marion and Mike have 5 adult sons and growing number of grand-children.

Marion becomes the second Governor from the Rotary Club of Whanganui North, the 6^th from the Wanganui cluster of Rotary Clubs and the 4^th woman Governor in District 9940.

Marion joined the Rotary Club of Wanganui North in 2003, was Club President in 2008/2009, Assistant Governor of the Wanganui Cluster in 2013/2014 and 2014/2015, and served on the IYE committee in 2010/2011 and 2011/2012.

She was awarded a PHF in 2012.

Marion is multi-talented. She can turn her hand to anything. For example, she used to drive Mike’s truck in the early days when Mike was a truckie.

Indeed, Marion and Mike have a passion for cars and have a 40 year involvement in motor sport.

They are members of the Whanganui Vintage Car Club and each owns a vintage car, Mike a ’39 Dodge and Marion a Mark II Zephyr.

When Marion joins an organisation she gives 100% effort.
During the International Vintage Car Rally here in Wanganui in 2012 Marion designed and constructed the stage decorations for the evening entertainment. This involved 11 different bands performing over 11 nights and therefore requiring 11 different designs.

She has been involved in a similar capacity with the Motor Trade Association Awards nights being a key figure in coming up with the themes and decorations for those evenings.

Marion has also been involved with the historic Wanganui paddle steamer Waimarie. She applied for the position of Administration Manager at the Riverboat Centre.

The position initially involved limited hours which meant she could still look after her boys at the automotive business she and Mike manage . At the Riverboat Centre Marion introduced procedures and systems that enabled her to ensure the viability of this wonderful tourist attraction.

Her customer focus shone as she engaged with the many tourists that visited. As the workload grew Marion needed help and it was decided to employ an office junior and progress Marion into a managerial roll, looking after the volunteers and staff, a roll she was already comfortable with from managing her garage staff, including Mike. Her people skills shone in this role. Marion then had to make a choice between the family business and the Waimarie and resigned her position. However, being so committed she couldn’t keep away and volunteered to Chair the Waimarie Trust, a position she holds today.

Marion, it gives me very great pleasure to invest you with the chain of office of Governor for District 9940 for 2018/2019 and present you with the Governor’s Pin.

We are confident you will lead the district with distinction in the coming year.

I extend congratulations on behalf of all Rotarians.

Marions speech

Kia Ora koutou

E nga manuhiri, nau mai haere mai ki Whanganui

Firstly I need to thank the fabulous Social Committee of the Rotary Club of Wanganui North, supported by our AG Tony Stuart and the outgoing and incoming presidents of the Wanganui Clubs, for the amount of time and energy you have put into the planning and delivery of today’s unique multi-changeover event

2 Thanks to the District Nominating Committee who in 2016 offered me the chance to really push myself out of my comfort zone and lead our District

Thanks Mitchell for thinking outside the Square, or in the case of Rotafest, thinking inside the Square, and encouraging us to Go Wild about Rotary for the last 12 months

Thanks to my District leadership team – the 13 Assistant Governors who bring a huge range of Rotary knowledge and experience to their clusters, our District Committee Chairs and other financial, communications and administrative support officers – all of them committed Rotarian volunteers who are there to support our clubs.

And more thanks – to Bob and Margaret Smith for your support in getting me this far. For initially convincing me I could do it, for being a sounding board, for being my counsellors, a great source of advice and a lot of laughs

It’s a special thrill to have Bill and Kim Biehler here today. Bill introduced me to the Rotary Club of Wanganui North in 2003

Thanks to family and friends who have turned out to support me today … And Mike – for putting up with me when I get all stressed and bossy – there’s a whole year more to come, mate

Now… 2018-19… what do I see ahead for us in District 9940?

We’re challenged by RI President Barry Rassin to Be the Inspiration. He has challenged us all to inspire our members and our clubs to do more, to be the best we can be

At a global level, let’s BE the Inspiration to the world community – let’s put some significant effort into funding the last vital push for the End Polio Now programme and achieve the elimination of this cruel, crippling disease from our planet. We’ve battled this disease since 1985!! With only 11 cases in the entire world so far this year, why would we give up at this point??

Let’s shift our focus back to service – let’s think about how we can make our projects more about the service and less about the fund raising… if a community group comes to us for help to address a need they have identified, rather than just handing over a cheque to solve the immediate problem, can we create a partnership. It’s a fact – membership is ageing and declining in our part of the Rotary world, but we have so much we can share – our vocational skills, our business experience, our networks, our contacts, our access to the Rotary Foundation – to use the old analogy, we can teach a man to fish, rather than just handing over the fish. We can empower our community groups, we can inspire them to do more, to be the best they can be

If we’re working in partnership with our communities, if we’re prepared to be seen working with them, shoulder-to-shoulder to address the challenges we face, we will be Inspirational, we’ll be the organisation that our community members aspire to be part of – we can create opportunities for ourselves - to attract the members we need, to be responsive, to be representative of the communities we live in, to develop strong, vibrant Rotary clubs to continue to do good in the world

Let’s work together, connect, partner, share, include and let’s showcase to the world the Rotary work that we are so proud of

… in 2018-19 we will Be the Inspiration

R J K S 1 July 2018