By Tanya Faulkner
Local service clubs have come together over the past few weeks to welcome in a new service year.
The Rotary Club of Boronia are one of several across the Knox municipality who have come together to farewell the past Rotary year, and welcome in a fresh set of service men and women to lead their club into the new year.
The club recently had their changeover night at the Churchill Waverley Golf Club, Rowville, where the outgoing President John Poke handed over the Presidential Collar and Club Charter to incoming President Greg Mossop.
Their changeover was described as ‘a great night’, with Rotarians and guests having a chance to socialise and reflect on the past Rotary year.
According to club member Glenn Tippett, his highlight of the night was the presentation of the inaugural Walter Goodwin Award to the Club member who had exhibited “Service Above Self over the past year, which was awarded to fellow Rotarian, Mr Doug Gibson.
During the Past President’s presentation, Mr Poke thanked the Club members for their support over the past 12 months and fondly spoke about the Club achievements over the past Rotary year,
One of the club’s most significant highlights of the year were for those club members who attended the World Rotary Convention held in Melbourne in March.
The Night was also attended by outgoing District Governor, Ken Miller and Knox Councillor
Susan Laukens, who both took turns in addressing the club and congratulating them on the year just gone.
In what was a busy year for the Club the Club under president John undertook several community projects, including establishing a garden at Knox Community Gardens to grow vegetables that will be used by the Infolink Breakfast Club.
Club members had been undertaking weekly service at the Knox Infolink Breakfast Club,
including cooking meals, kitchen duties, hosts and socialising with the Knox community that attended each breakfast.
Club member Mark Smith, a talented local musician, created ‘Knox Rocks” – a music
program for teenagers where students worked with Mark and other musicians to
create, record and perform their own compositions.
The 6-week program finished with a performance for the Students families and Club members at the Knox Club.
For the past 25 years, in cooperation with Rotary Club of Healesville, the Boronia club has planned and run their annual Ride for Medical Research to raise funds for Australian Rotary Health.
This year the Ride by over 30 Rotarians and friends, in March, based itself at Bendigo and, over a week, cycled over 600 kms and raised over $40,000.
The ride route is created and managed by Club member Stephen Spiers.
ANZAC was a commemorative event for the club, who arranged a service for grade 5/6 students from Primary schools in the Boronia area at the Arboretum Cenataph, marking the 8th year the Club has organised the event.
The guest speaker Sgt Shaun Forde, ret, presented about his years in the Army as a dog trainer and handler and the role of dogs in war, with music provided by the concert band from the Knox School and choir from St Joseph’s Primary school.
Over 450 students and staff attended this event as well as Mayor Marcia Timmers-Leitch, Jackson Taylor MP and District, Governor Ken Miller and Boronia RSL president Rod Canobie, and the Club is already planning for another Service in 2024.
In cooperation with their Sister Club in Fiji, Taveuni, the club again managed the treatment of Eye diseases for over 200 people in the Island in May, being the 15th year the Club has supported this project and saved the sight of over 1000 Fijians.
This year the Club also sponsored 2 students to attend the Rotary Youth Leadership Award weekend seminar developing leadership skills for youths in the community.
For the coming service year of 2023/24 the club has set themselves some ambitious goals, including an increased social media presence to raise awareness of the club, creating three or more fundraising projects and implementing dynamic programs to support the youth of the Knox municipality, among others.
