Boronia’s Incredible Support Behind a Conference to Remember

As I reflect on our Conference weekend, I am feeling incredibly proud, not only of the amazing success of the Conference itself, but especially of the wonderful support shown by the Rotary Club of Boronia throughout the entire journey.

Taking on the role of Chair for a District Conference was not a decision I made lightly, but with the guidance, encouragement and support of committee member and past Conference Chair, Wil Cornelissen, I knew it was the right one. What we achieved together would not have been possible without our amazing committee, including the valued support of District 9830 representatives Heather Cong and Una Hobday, and especially my right-hand woman, Kehela Vandenberg, whose support meant so much every step of the way.

I also want to particularly acknowledge the incredible contribution of our own Boronia members, who showed up in so many ways and helped make the weekend such a success. Your help and support of this yers Conference means everything.

A very special thank you must go to Annette Griffin, who took on the enormous roles of Conference Committee Secretary and Gala Night Co-ordinator. Annette spent many, many hours collating information from both Districts for the Call to Higher Service slides and new member recognitions. It was a huge task requiring patience, care and attention to detail. She also led the co-ordination of the Gala Dinner, from theming and tables to decorations and all the finishing touches that made the evening look so special. I honestly do not know how many hours Annette put into this work, but it was a lot, and every single hour was worth it.  How good did we look all dressed up in our Nautical theme!  It all came together and we had all had so much fun!! Thanks to Julienne for getting everyone organised.

A special thank you also to Peter Malden, Jan Malden & Michele Post, who helped unload the packed van and sort all the boxes of 'stuff'.  Also thank you to Peter Malden and Geoff Griffin, who supervised the Care Pack Project. Thanks to this wonderful initiative, we were able to pack 350 bags of self-care products and socks, which have now been distributed to City Mission Hobart and City Mission Launceston. Both organisations were very grateful for our contribution, and it was a wonderful example of Rotary service in action. Thanks also to Glenn Tippett who helped out with the printing of lanyards, Gala Dinner Menus and table numbers.

Thank you also to Gonny for co-ordinating the RDU stand, and to Julienne, Helena and Bernadette, who worked backstage helping with the timing of the speakers. Their support behind the scenes helped everything run smoothly, and I am truly grateful.

To every other Boronia member who played a hands-on part throughout the weekend, whether helping set up, pack up, welcome people, support activities, assist at the RDU stand, assist behind the scenes or simply step in wherever needed, thank you. Your willingness to give your time and energy so generously is what made such a difference. Every helping hand mattered. Also to every one of you who attended Conference, it was special, and together we all had a fabulous time.  It really showed how well we bond and stick together as a Club.

We truly created a Conference to remember, with over 500 people in attendance. Having RI President’s Personal Representative Dr Jessie Harman AM PhD GAICD with us was also something very special. As a former Tasmanian, she brought such warmth and professionalism to the weekend, and we were incredibly lucky to have her as part of our Conference.

Our wonderful MCs, Maree McPherson OAM and Evan Burrell, brought that extra special spark to the weekend, and the musical elements added something truly memorable to the program. From the very special opening by the Derwent Valley Marching Band, to the light-hearted singalongs with Leon Moore, pre-dinner entertainment by saxophonist Mark Smith, the fabulous Wingin’ It band that kept people on the dance floor all night, the Lone Piper bringing a touching sense of occasion to the Call to Higher Service, the upbeat music for our new member and special recognitions, and of course the City of Hobart Highland Pipe Band closing the Conference in style, every detail helped make the weekend stand out.

For me, the most satisfying part was seeing the conversations, the smiles on people’s faces, and the joy of Rotarians sharing, learning and connecting with one another. It was also inspiring to see examples of the incredible projects that have come to life through the support of The Rotary Foundation.

I left the weekend feeling so proud to be a Rotarian, and so proud to be part of the Rotary Club of Boronia, who have been so supportive of my involvement with the Conference. The love and encouragement I have felt from my Club, knowing they have my back, has been truly special. Having 30 representatives from Boronia there to support me and enjoy this incredible Conference meant so much.

And on a personal note, having my parents there by my side made the experience even more special.

A heartfelt thank you also to DGs Craig Perkins and Peter Behm. They were an absolute delight to work with, and their vision for this Conference being one of the very best truly came to life.

Thank you to everyone who played a part. My heart is full.

Check out the photos that were taken over the weekend.  Link below.

Monique Smith

District 9815 Conference Chair 2026