Firstly, I respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which we are meeting - the Yalukut Willam Clan of the Boon Wurrung. I pay my respect to their Elders, past, present and emerging and to the Elders from other communities who may be here today. I acknowledge and uphold their continuing relationship to this land.
I welcome Dale Hoy DGN (almost DGE), Rosemary Waghorne our dedicated Assistant Governor who has lead us for 3 years and our incoming AG Lili Teichman. I welcome our Cluster Presidents and President Elects – John Williams (RCAP), Richard Chater (RCAP), Kevin Beagle (RCPM for 2 years), and any other visiting Presidents and members of other clubs.
Thank you to my current board – Pam, Sue, Bronwyn and Ron. Your support and guidance has been invaluable even if I didn’t really listen to you at times.
And a special thank you to you our members for your work throughout the year and having faith in me to take on this role for two years. We are a small club of 18 members but as they say, we punch above our weight.
For those who don’t know, I joined Rotary 5 years ago next month in Rotary St Kilda. 6 months later, our club folded and we merged with Rotary Melbourne South and 3 years later I was President.
Firstly I would like to acknowledge 3 key members tonight who have made a difference and been an inspiration to me:
- Joan Daniels OAM – 1st female Rotary member now at 31 years of membership who always has a smile and a word of encouragement – thank you J
- Bob Iverson – who recently turned 93 and will regale you with his stories from his early days to arriving in Australia and becoming a Collingwood supporter and now a Rotary member for 20 years on 16 June. If you haven’t bought/read his book, Swimming with Fishes I totally recommend it.
- And lastly Ron Adams – who celebrated 24 years of Rotary membership in May this year and who has also been my go to person for all things Rotary, Rotary Foundation and Membership and anything else I didn’t understand/couldn’t comprehend – especially acronyms LOL
I was hoping to prepare some photos but life has been a little hectic lately so luckily for you all – no tedious slide show LOL
However from “Be the Inspiration” to “Connecting the World”, for me it has been a wonderful 2 years and I hope you think so too.
I would like to mention a few key events that happened in the last 12 months that I did have photos for and I will aim to include some in the next newsletter (if Pam and Warwick will let me):
- We inducted 5 new members – Judy and Paul, Bec, Bronwyn, Wendy
- And unfortunately we lost Peter and now Julia.
- We celebrated International Women’s Day breakfast at Crown with Wesley College and Elwood College students
- We Walked for Polio around Albert Park Lake
- We sold Toasties and muffins at the Block in Grey Street St Kilda
- 5 Minutes of Fame at the St Kilda Sports Club with one of our guest members, Don McQueen, acting as Santa Claus and Pam maintained her reputation as the lady everyone wanted to dance with LOL
- Bushfire and Drought Appeals
- The Rotary Christmas Concert at St Stephens Church Hall in Brighton
- Midsumma Carnival in January
- Pride March in February
- South Melbourne Placemaking with CoPP – Love My Place
- Larry’s Lunch with Rotary Brighton North – thanks Meg
- Donating Encyclopaedias to Melbourne Park Primary School
- Care Packs for the Alfred
- Care Packs for the Seafarers through Stella Maris
- We are now members of Rotary DIK Warehouse – thanks to Bronwyn
- With COVID, I’m proud to say we now support Empower Food Relief Centre in South Melbourne who are supporting over 2000 people each week and this will hopefully become a cross cluster project which Pam will take forward.
- I’ve been blessed to attend many club meetings online but have thoroughly enjoyed Rotary eClub of Hawaii, Rotary Melbourne. Rotary Frankston Peninsula 2.0, D7730 (North Carolina) and to hear Sylvia Whitlock the first female member of Rotary was a highlight of my year.
- Graham Lockwood’s OAM award in the Queen’s Birthday Honours – Graham celebrates 32 years in Rotary
- And the Rotary International Virtual Convention which has just finished.
- And last but not least our Bunning BBQs with our wonderful A team and occasionally our B team got a look in LOL
Can I just say:
- We are People of Action
- We are Community Builders
- We are Community Creators
- We are Problem Solvers
- WE ARE ROTARY
2 years ago when I took over as President, I had a swag of quotes but there is one I would like to finish with tonight which I think is quite relevant and appropriate right now:
From Mother Theresa – I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples!
I now have great pleasure to hand the chains of command to Pam and I would like to formally induct Pam as your next Club President for 2020/21 and your centenary President: