Guest Speaker - William Woods

Our Guest Speaker was introduced by David Hodge. William continued with that introduction, and we learned that he was the Charter President of the Griffith Rotaract Club, and ex officio, the District Rotaract Representative. Rotaract was active in district 9700, and Wollundry Rotary started and sponsored a club in the 1980's. Our most senior members would remember being rostered to attend Rotaract along with other club responsibilities, and then claim a make-up for that attendance. The last club, in Parkes, survived until 2006.

 

William told us of his introduction to the World of Rotary, initially through acceptance into RYLA, in North Sydney. He feels that a local connection through Yenda, his hometown shared with a Sydney Rotarian gained him the chance. From RYLA, the move to Rotaract at University was a logical progression, and after graduation, back in Griffith in June 2014, William found like minded friends and set up a community based club. Four prospective members attended the first meeting, and a facebook post attracted another three. By Christmas the group had grown to 25, when the conducted their first project - "adopt a farmer" to provide assistance to drought stricken landholders in central Queensland.

A fundraising project last week raised $1000, which was used to provide a Shelter Box, one of seven purchased nationally by Rotaract clubs.

 

The flow, from school aged interact clubs, to Rotaract, appealing to 18 - 30 YO, and then into Rotary is obvious to William, and he was passionate about the path of young people moving on from one stage and proving ripe pickings for the next. He also pointed out that RYLA is a fertile enlistment tool for membership in Rotaract.

 

William's enthusiasm for service work, for community involvment and for Rotary was evident, and his ability to motivate his peers impressed all of us at the meeting. He has also run for Parliament, as a labour candidate in Griffith for the 2011 State Election and was recognised with an award for his work within Young Labour.