Rotary Club of Magill Sunrise Inc

 

President’s Report 2004/05

 

It has been my honour, privilege and challenge to be your President in 2004/05.  It was a double honour to be President during Rotary’s Centenary Celebrations & a triple honour for having been President of The Rotary Club of Magill Sunrise nearly 10 years after receiving its Charter in 1995/6 when I was President of The Rotary Club of Morialta Inc.!

 

Our international President for the year emphasised Health, Water management, Literacy & the Family of Rotary with the theme “Celebrate Rotary”.

 

Closer to home, District Governor Euan Miller said that he wanted to be a “hands dirty DG” and he came to help at the Campbelltown Outback Rotary Experience farewell dinner very early in his reign.

 

He has also encouraged a 3% nett increase in membership (minimum 2 members, Pres.1).

 

In our club, Directors for the Year were:

1.     Membership: – all members responsible, actually achieved

4 new members (Lindsay Davis, Alan Edgar, Roseanne Vignogna & Matthew Graf)

2.   Club Service & President Elect – Maureen O’Flaherty

3.   Secretary& Risk Management officer: Mark Thompson

4.   Treasurer: Kevin Webb

5.   Community: Cheryl & Mike Pressley

6.   International: Brenton Oates

7.   New Generations: Graham Holcroft

8.   Fundraising & Fellowship:
Teresa Leonardi, Kevin Webb, Graham Holcroft, and Kathy Edgar

9.   Bulletin: Mark Martin

10  Vocation and Club Historian: Rita Stirling

11  Programme and guest speakers: Andrew Jones, Wayne Abbott & myself

12  Attendance officer: Bronwyn Hyder

 

Our club had a number of fundraising efforts during the year:

(a)    monthly BBQ service at the Campbelltown Rotary Club Shed sale ( min. $2000 )

(b)   Campbelltown Rotary Outback Dinner experience at the end of July 2004 – donations galore, Weber beef cooking, nett $1300.00 which was shared with TTG Inner Wheel RC for their Cord Blood project.

(c)    MG car club breakfast ( just over $1000.00 cleared)

(d)   Barn dance (primarily for fun and fellowship, but funds were still raised)

(e)    Wine (over $500.00 raised so far!)

(f)     Christmas cakes, cards et al.

 

 I’m pleased to advise that a number of local and community projects were supported:

 

A.     Completion of BBQ at Nightingale Park (with the very welcome assistance of some other G7 Rotary Clubs offering $500 towards the final total paid of $3740.00). Even the installation was eventful with the beaver like efforts of several members in February this year.

B.     Salvation Army Christmas Appeal $750.00

C.     Rotary Against Malaria for PNG village $1000.00

D.     RAWCS $40.00

E.      Water purification kit $350.00

F.      Asian Tsunami District Disaster Fund $500.00 (plus individual Rotarian donations)

G.     ROBIN project $100.00

H.     IMOG (RAWCS) $400.00

I.        Young Generations – Science Forum, imminent RLYA & Rotary Student Exchange to Denmark

 

A significant number of our membership enjoyed this year’s Rotary Conference in Port Lincoln Keynote speakers were Her Excellency Kirsty Sword –Gusmao of Timor Leste, Rt Hon Mike Moore, Joe Puglisi and Mariano Grivas (Rotary Peace Scholar).

 

Centenary Celebrations were held in February 2005: multi-faith Service at St Peter’s Cathedral, Government House, and Lord Mayor’s Cocktail Party Centenary Dinner at Morphettville Racecourse.

 

Board meetings were held every 2nd /3rd Monday night of the month at the Alma Hotel over dinner.

 

Presidential Citation was awarded at the District Conference on the bases of celebrated service in our club, in vocation, in community and in our world.

 

Challenges ahead are many, but I would suggest that some might be:

 

(a)    Supporting and nurturing everyone, & especially the incoming President.

(b)   Continue to explore ways to ensure at least one external guest speaker per month

(c)    By definition all Rotarians are busy, but given that main office bearers of the Club and caterers must attend every week, is it too much to expect apologies for non attendance?

(d)   Encourage $2.00  donations regularly or once off tax deductible donations for ‘Rotary Foundation Australia’ ($100.00)

(e)    Invite Rotary Club of Eastwood for a return visit with a keynote speaker

(f)     Getting at least 5 signatories, including the President, for efficient Club business operations

(g)    Think, debate and follow club procedures with Board sanctioning for projects rather than ‘policy on the run’. I have seen in other parts of the Rotary family where hard earned fundraising funds have not very productive outcomes. We should not be backwards in seeking independent views, just like I know that the Variety Children’s Charity Club will do in any out of the ordinary requests for financial support.

 

Finally, my annual award for the Rotarian who in the eyes of the President best fulfils the Rotary ideals of consistent service is Graham Holcroft.

 

I also wish to thank all members who have contributed in some way – (gifts handed out)

 

Yours in Rotary Service,

 

Peter Flett, President 2004-05.