Changeover Night
Changeover Night and was celebrated with a dinner at Queens Park Golf Club
Address of the Incoming President 2013-14 — Telsa Stubna
Ladies and Gentlemen, I ask you to picture yourself as someone who dislikes cleaning and tries to avoid it at all costs, but then suddenly undertakes a frenzy of activity over the weekend –
· Washing windows in the middle of winter, even if they didn’t need it
· Vacuuming frantically to justify the need to rush to the stocktaking sales to buy a new vacuum
· Chopping a pile of kindling large enough to sustain yourself through winter
Anything to procrastinate in writing this speech! And then I thought ‘I’m among friends here, many of whom have stood here and made a similar speech, and in the words of PDG Jessie Harman I agreed that;
”Rotary will survive…..despite me!!”
Scenario number 2: Now picture yourself as someone who can’t afford carpet on their floors, who doesn’t in fact have a house to clean, a water supply even for drinking and washing, let alone a pile of wood to chop. Who may not own pen and paper to write upon, or even know how to read or write. These are the people I want to help, and they’re not all overseas.
Incoming World President Ron Burton has said when Rotarians get involved, when they really get engaged in what they’re doing, then lives are changed. He joined Rotary because someone thought to ask him.
Ron has said the new Grants Model makes it an exciting time to be a Rotarian, it takes all that is wonderful about Rotary and raises it to a new level, by encouraging bigger and more sustainable projects, while also providing increasingly flexible local projects which address the needs of the community.
Paul Harris Fellowships — Christine, Jo White and David Fisher announced the candidates proposed and to be accepted as Paul Harris Fellows at Rotary International. They are:
· Bev Burch — Bev has attended numerous working and fundraising events as a Friend of Rotary for many years, as well as partaking in many other volunteering roles within the community
· Jan McGowan — For her unstinting support of the Christ Church Meals Program; “always working and always there”
This is the major award bestowed by Rotary International and the Club expressed its delight on the new Fellows. This year it has been bestowed gratefully on two persons from outside the membership. Congratulations to both.
This Was the Year That Was — Jo White introduced a ‘slide show’ of photos from activities partaken by members during the past year. A good and amusing reminder of the year past. Thanks expressed to David White for the technical expertise and the results.
Judy Beasley — Secretary’s Report. Judy outlined the successes and failures of the past year. Our major concern was the loss of a good President and other members during the year. She exhorted all to pull together to get the Club back to its former strength. Judy thanked all members, Committee Directors and Executives for their on-going efforts through-out the year.
There are numerous new initiatives within Rotary, just browse the websites (listed in the blue book), flick through one of our magazines, or grab ideas from District meetings:
· Blue light camps in Millicent SA for disenchanted youth, providing enrichment of life skills and a new chance in life for those who’ve fallen through the cracks
· Swags for the homeless, an Australian initiative that’s now gone global
· Christ Church Community Meals Program Medical Service, ask Colin or Jan about this one tonight
· Sponsorship of the migrant & refugee community, ask Gavin Fitzgerald or Diversitat
· We must continue to give to Foundations POLIO + projects to finally eradicate the disease. We’re nearly there!
· Rotary Action Group has accepted a challenge from the United Nations to reduce the lack of access to safe water & sanitation by 50%, by 2015. We can visit the website (www.startwithwater.org) to undertake a clean water project HOW MANY LIVES WOULD THAT CHANGE?
We’re good at communicating, but we’ve been asked to use less acronyms because not everyone knows their meaning: (I propose a $1 fine at meetings whenever we use one without explanation.)
We’ve been asked to find a synonym for the ‘F’ word (fellowship), which I have refused to use for at least 18 months. It’s an old-fashioned turn-off to young people and we need to ‘get hip’. In writing the Bollard I’ve said ‘enjoy supper and friendship/communication/a chin wag/social intercourse.’ Simon has thrown out a challenge on facebook for a new all-encompassing word. Who will come up with one?
To spread the word and to encourage young people in our club, PR Simon and Sec. Peter have developed our Clubrunner and facebook websites, with the aim of having the best sites within the year. There are plans for a TUSIG group (Technology Users Special Interest Group) and a training plan for members. I’m sure our New Gen members can probably run that one Simon!
Lots of members join Rotary to serve the community. But we have to be realistic, avoid ‘volunteer burnout’ because ultimately, people vote with their feet.
To encourage membership and strengthen our club I’ll be receptive to suggestions, while we can’t implement them all, I will listen and appreciate suggestions….I have a few ideas, some we will achieve!!
· Happy hour once a month, prior to meetings
· More ‘member talks’, (not just from new members) because they’ve been of such high calibre
· Involvement with our New Gen friends, starting with a special evening in their honour very soon
· CPR training organised for late July & hopefully a defibulator training session
· Encourage todays Rotaractors, Interactors, RYLArians, Youth Exchange students, Foundation Scholars, Group Study Exchange members, recipients of scholarships and awards, to join us
· Set up a ‘skipe’ night with a RC in Alice Springs, to discuss our ‘dream project’ at Mutijula Community Health Clinic
· Pizza, pasta & red on Fridays, at least quarterly
· A ‘painting technique’ demonstration by an accomplished artist; a hands-on evening
· Member nights, including a ‘Rotating Restaurant’ where-by we walk between venues for courses
· A women-in-Rotary evening full of interesting activities to encourage the stronger sex to join us
· A club trip to Sydney for the 2014 World Conference
· We have some great plans on hold from earlier in the year, including a mystery trip and one to the Herald/Sun, followed by supper at the Casino
We’re a great little club who should be justifiably proud of what we have achieved thus far. As your President I hope to show patches of brilliance, but I can’t do it alone. I may lack polish and sophistication, but does it really matter? In the clubs bi-laws one phrase I remember vividly is ‘you can be assured of the utmost cooperation of all members of this club.’ To that I do look forward with relish, because together we can:
“Engage Rotary, Change Lives”
NEW BOARD
PP Christine introduced the incoming President for 2013-14 Telsa Stubna. PP Christine presented the Collar of Office to President Telsa with the best wishes of the Club.
President Telsa spoke of the objectives of the Club for this year (the address is printed herewith) and introduced her new Board Members and Committee Chairs for the year.
· Secretary — Peter Kavenagh
· Treasurer — Chris Sims
· President Elect — Judy Beasley
· Community & Vocation — Daryll Webb
· Membership & Fun — Jo White
· Foundation — David Fisher
· Fundraising — John Spiteri
· New Gen — Peter Hynes
After two raffle draws the meeting was asked to partake of a game of Bingo to get people up and moving, meeting and greeting our guests and prospective new members. Without any familial assistance, Telsa’s sister, ex-Rotaract member Glenda Clark was the clear winner through sheer determination.