Hello Members and Friends
DG’s Visit and Dinner with Friends
Well, our meeting last Monday night celebrating the visit of DG Ian McKay, was an outstanding success in my view.
Those who were able to attend, mingled and dined with our invited guests, each being Community Leaders in groups and organisations who also serve our community needs.
Our Directors gave short presentations on our activities and plans for the year ahead, all of which were well received. Torquay Lions President Brian Keane wrote in in his message of thanks, that he was reminded of how much we have in common in our aims to improve the community we live in.
Surf Coast Mayor Liz Pattison that while she was aware of some of our activities such as the Motor Show and the Business Excellence Award, she had no idea of the scope and depth of activities and project that both our club and more broadly Rotary International were involved in.
The work of Torquay Rotary is one of the best kept secrets in town, each one of us must take the opportunity to change that by connecting and partnering and developing relationships with others in our community.
District Governor Ian McKay was equally impressed and thanked us all for the service and commitment to our local community as well as our support of the Rotary Foundation and Australian Rotary Health Research.
As a sign of a successful evening, it was pleasing to see a number of our members and guests mingling and chatting after the meeting closed before eventually making their way home.
Monday night, went a long way in establishing, renewing and refreshing our relationships with some of the other key organisations and groups at work in our community. We must build on what we have initiated.
TOGETHER WE CAN DO MORE!
Inspiring Leadership In Rotary
Last Thursday night, John Oswald, Judy and I travelled to Ballarat to a dinner organised by RC Wendouree Breakfast and RC Ballarat South. The theme for the dinner was “Inspiring Leadership in Rotary – celebration dinner”.
It was a great evening catching up with Rotarian friends from across the District and to listen to some thought-provoking speakers about Leadership in Rotary.
Rotarian Pat Janes, a member of RC Ballarat South, spoke of his personal leadership development through RYLA. Pat was a shy young apprentice who took up the opportunity to attend the RYLA camps several years ago.
The facilitators at RYLA saw the potential in Pat and invited his back a as a guest facilitator and in the years that followed, invited him to join the Facilitation Team as a full member.
In terms of his developing career, Pat went onto being apprentice of the year on two occasions, invited to be a working partner in the business and forward today, where he now owns and operates that same business.
And the extra bonus was, he met his now wife on that very first RYLA Camp – BONUS!
PP Rob Mc Dougall, a member of RC Wendouree Breakfast, spoke of his own leadership development thorough taking on the role of Club President then Assistant Governor in the Ballarat area.
Rob led a Group Study Team of 4 non-Rotarians to Portugal, discovering on the night of their arrival, that they were expected to make a presentation in Portuguese and not being at all familiar with the language!
Rob was our District Trainer for several years who together with the District Governor Elect, prepared President Elects and Club Officers at President Elect Training and District Assemblies.
Rob now leads teams of Rotarians from his own club and RC Kardinia to Ambon in Indonesia each year to build, repair and develop the education of the locals. Rob’s father was a prisoner of war on Ambon during WW2. This ongoing project is in memory of those POW’s and the support of the locals.
Past Rotary International President Ian Riseley spoke also of his own personal development through Rotary. He spoke of the various positions he has held from Club President, Group Study Team Leader, Rotary International Director and on to RI President in 2017-18.
Ian spoke of the opportunities that being RI President provides you with in travelling and visiting many countries and seeing firsthand the true internationality of Rotary.
Ian’s Leadership Gem:
- Accept leadership opportunities early and when given.
- Recover quickly from the disappointments along the way.
- Accept the encouragement of others.
- Personal development happens with every opportunity or role you accept.
- Be influential, set a path for others to follow.
- Be a change advocate.
- Gender must never be an issue developing, encouraging, and selecting future leaders.
Ian also stressed the need for Rotary to be involved in Projects of Scale (locally, nationally and international) to have the opportunity to promote what we do. Partner with other clubs and organisations on larger significant projects, improves the recognition of the work we do.
Past RI Director Jessie Harman, a member of the RC Wendouree Breakfast, Jessie spoke of her early association with Rotary as a RYLA participant in Tasmania.
Jessie, in addition to various roles at club level, served us as District Governor of our District before moving on to Chair as Rotary International’s Membership Chair and then to becoming a Director of RI.
Jessie began with a humble thank you for the opportunity and development that Rotary has provided to her both personally and her career in senior education roles. In particular she mentioned the opportunity to experience membership of the RI Board.
Jessie’s 1%’s
- Value the little things that move us forward. Others will come behind us to continue the journey.
- We are more similar than different. There are no strangers in Rotary, only people we haven’t met yet.
- Doors of opportunity – be prepared to step up and open that door. Good things happen when people say yes.
- Styrofoam Cup (as recognition) regarding the privilege of being in the position not recognition of the individual.
Jessie closed with a saying that learnt of in New Zealand. Delivered in traditional Moari language, the translation is:
What is the most important thing in the World?
It is the people.
It is the people.
It is the people.
Create Hope in The World
Philip Beasley
President