By RUSSELL BENNETT
AT THE Emerald and District Rotary Club’s 34th presidential changeover dinner at Upper Beaconsfield’s Pine Grove Hotel recently, outgoing leader Kristine Ash recited a telling quote from the 36th President of the United States.
“Being president is like being a jackass in a hailstorm. There’s nothing to do but to stand there and take it.”
Except the quote was used to highlight the uniqueness, by contrast, of Rotary leadership – where the president is never alone.
“I can see some wry smiles from past presidents as I look around the room,” Ms Ash said.
“In Rotary, presidents are invited to serve by their fellow club members – to stand up to the plate despite some trepidation.
“Perhaps the difference between Lyndon Johnson and a Rotary president is that a Rotary president is not alone – they are part of a remarkable worldwide volunteer organisation, with committed, hard-working club members.”
Before handing the reins over to new president Lorna Shaw, Ms Ash reflected on her tenure at the helm of the club – another year in which a seemingly endless number of members banded together to serve their community.
“In 2002 we established the Kids Fun Run with Thomas,” Ms Ash told the room of Rotarians, including District 9810 governor Tony Monley and assistant governor Margi Sank.
“This event has taken a life of its own and is now a much-anticipated fun family day out.
“We were delighted to raise $40,000 for the children’s ward at the Angliss Hospital – taking the total amount of funds distributed to children’s causes over the years to $400,000.
Emerald and District Rotary’s newest event – ‘The Great Community Raffle’ – raised $167,500 for local organisations.
Ms Ash reserved a special thanks for her vice-president, Paul Harris Fellow and past president Ken Miller, for his tireless work throughout the year; while Chris Adams – himself a Paul Harris Fellow and former president – received his 30-year service badge.
“He’s a true gentleman – just one of life’s great guys,” Ms Ash said of Mr Adams.
The theme for Ms Shaw’s year in the presidency is ‘Light Up Rotary’ and she was chosen to lead the club because of her fellow members’ belief that she can interpret the message of Rotary to the community.
Currently in her fifth year on the Emerald and District Rotary board, Ms Shaw is looking forward to what she thinks will be “an exciting year ahead”.
She is adamant that the club will grow again under her leadership and that even more will be done to benefit the local community.
Ms Shaw is proposing to run a ‘Rotary Day’ in the district to help promote the club’s message, and she had a saying of her own that she referred to on Tuesday – a poem from Adam Lindsay Gordon.
“Life is mostly froth and bubble,
Two things stand like stone,
Kindness in another’s trouble,
Courage in your own.”
