As another Rotary year ends, we now look to the future to “Imagine” what Rotary will and can do in the future. Several challenges remain:
•District and Club succession
•Membership
•Implementing change to meet our community’s expectations
•Regionalisation Pilot Program
•Increasing our work in the Environment focus of Rotary
•Increase use of technologies
Focus on these will enable Rotary to have more impact whilst at the same time expand our reach.
District Conference held in March was a great success, given the stop and start COVID implications that we faced. Conference provided the opportunity for Rotarians to share some much-needed fellowship. All speakers provided insights into a wide range of topics and issues. All presentations are accessible via the District Learning Management System. I encourage all Clubs to make use of this useful tool to further increase the connection with their members and communities.
Visits to Rotary and Rotaract clubs have been such an impactful highlight for me over the course of the year. Meeting committed Rotarians and Rotaractors, who together with their Clubs, have made a substantial impact on their communities and the wider world of Rotary around the Globe. This is evident via ongoing projects, events and support provided over many years. We celebrated several milestones this year:
•Clubs and Rotarians celebrating key anniversaries
•Clubs reengaging with their communities, fund raising and project activities as we emerged from COVID
•Charter of the new Djilang Rotaract Club and Kardinia International School Interact Club
•Approval for the establishment of the Camperdown Lakes and Craters Provisional Rotary Club Formation of a Satellite Nomads Clubs bases out of Swan Hill
•Completion of the various Centenary Grant projects
•Designated District Funds for scholarships to support our Defying the Drift and National Youth Science Forum programs for our youth
•Contribution to Rotary’s End Polio Now program and the RAWCS Flood appeal
•Financial support towards a Global Grant supported by Ballarat for a WASH in school’s project
•Clubs implementing changes so they are meeting community expectations
•Clubs undertaking joint projects and events
•The Big R of Rotary
•Clubs becoming more active under Rotary’s new area of Focus Environment
•Thirty nine Clubs now have a designated Environment Champion
•Eleven Clubs receiving their EnviroClub Awards certificates
•District Rotaract Representative now a member of District Board
A new year brings new opportunities with the BIG event being the Rotary International Convention in Melbourne during May 2023. What a fantastic opportunity to be part of this annual event right in our own back yard.
On a final note, I thank all Rotarians for their commitment to Rotary and our District. Our District Leadership Team and the various Chairs have all contributed to the working of the District and I thank them all for their commitment, advice, and support over the past year.
A special thank you to my Newsletter Editor Bethany McClean for her patience and dedication.
I wish incoming District Governor Kathy Rivett all the best for the year ahead. I believe that with the support of all Rotarians she will no doubt “IMAGINE” Rotary in so many ways.
