The Presidents changeover speech is a chance to remind ourselves of the activities the Club has been involved in during the year.
Alongside our regular activities such as maintaining McNally Track, supporting the Tramping Club and Youth Adventure Trust which involved a morning splitting and moving firewood, we have continued to contribute funds to a full range of activities supporting youth, examples include school sports trips, bursary’s to Outward Bound and Toko High bursary. We also supported several families in a time of crisis and continued our support for the Milton Community Health Trust and all the other contributions Suzie outlined earlier.
Alongside these regular activities we have cut, split and sold some firewood, hosted a Dn Central Club visit to McLay Boats, hosted a Bay of Plenty Club Rotary exchange with a visit to Calder & Stewart offices and steel shed. We provided some funding and put together a glasshouse at Toko High, have potted up several hundred native trees, ran a collection for child cancer, supported an inaugural Pink Ribbon event and after lots of discussion, have commitment from our club and the Clutha District Council for an appropriate memorial for Peter Vollweiler.
We have also worked closely with Balclutha Rotary Club, the starting point for that was Tania Lowrey’s cancelled 2020 District Conference, but both Clubs followed through with funding and delivering the projects that were planned as part of conference. We jointly won the L&L Wilson Cup for best collaborative project at District Conference. We have also collaborated with Clutha to run a successful “Meet the Candidates meeting” in the led up to the election and a joint meeting where families who have stayed at a Ronald McDonald House spoke of the support their family had from the charity.
This is by no means a complete list of our activities during the year, but in my view our small club continues to have a significant positive impact on our community, when you add the Tramping Club and the Youth Adventure Trust with whom we are closely connected, the trifecta is a very special mix that delivers significant benefits for our community.
I would like to thank all Rotarians and your families for your support during the year, the range of activities the Club has been involved with means all members have been active, thank you. I look forward to being involved as our new President Colin puts his stamp on our Club in the coming year.
Stephen Woodhead.