Rotary Club of Pinjarra President Vince Costantino formally introduced the Club's 2020-21 Directors to a meeting of members last Thursday evening (13th of August).
The usual practice has been that the new Directors are presented to members at the annual Change-Over function held in the June of each year. However, the disruption caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic has delayed that.
President Vince is continuing in his role as President which he had held in the 2019-20 Rotary Year. The remaining Board of Directors will be:
- President Elect/ Administration Director: Mervyn Williams
- Secretary: Kelly Bain
- Treasurer: Murray Chapman
- Community Service: Miles Hewitt
- International/ Foundation: Brett Loney
- Membership: Andrew McCormack
- Vice President/ Vocational Service: Geoff Booth
- Youth Service: Geoff McLarty
President Vince then addressed the meeting; his speech is reprinted below:
"To begin with, I thank each of you for the contribution you have made to our activities during the past year. We all know the disruptions that have happened, and that the program that we had set for the 2019-21 year has not been completed. Never the less, there have been a number of successes. Not the least of these is that we are here today, satisfied that the Club is well placed for the year ahead. That too will have its challenges.
I thank the Club’s 2019-20 Board of Directors, and in particular Don Marshall and James Tabor, for their contributions during the past year. I certainly appreciate all that they have done. Thank you both very much.
As I welcome Brett Loney to it, I trust that the 2020-21 Board will continue the work of guiding our Club through what will undoubtedly be another challenging year. We look forward to meeting the challenge.
I thank our partners without whose support, patience and understanding of our participation in Rotary activities would not be so harmonious. On a personal note, I thank Nancy for all the support she has given to me. I would also like to recognise that by using her embroidery and sewing skills, Nancy has also contributed significantly to the funds the Club has been able to raise through a number of raffles and auctions which were conducted during the past year.
The Club is here today. Fellowship and the camaraderie that comes from that are part of the reason that membership of this Club is so precious. That is also the reason why this Club will not only survive, it will prosper.
So what has the Club achieved regardless of the disruption caused by Covid-19?
In January this year, the Club contributed $2225 to the Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS) Bushfire Appeal known as Bushfire Traumatised Farmers in Need. This project focused on the areas affected by the Bees Nest Fires east of Armidale, NSW. The Club also acknowledges an anonymous donation of $1000 which has been made by a club member to the same RAWCS Appeal fund.
In addition, the Club has:
- Assisted with the establishment of the Men’s Shed in Pinjarra
- Provided headphones used to allow Dementia Patients at care facilities in our district to listen to Personalised Music. This is an on-going project
- Supported the bike-ride for cancer
- The Fairbridge Bike Shed was completed and opened
- Assisted with cooking at St Stephens Camp in Dwellingup
- Conducted Rotary Western Australia Driver Awareness Event at Pinjarra Senior High School
- The Club has sponsored Alex Barrie to the Rotary Exchange Student Program. Alex is in Austria, and making the best of the circumstances that his exchange period has encountered.
- The Club has sponsored Indi McClements to attend the National Youth Science Forum. Indi addressed the Club following her return from the event.
- The Club has joined with the Rotary Club of Mandurah Districts participating in the Bicycles for Humanity Project. We have partnered with the Pinjarra Men’s Shed which is assisting with the repair of donated cycles before they are taken to a distribution centre.
- The Club made a contribution of $4000 to the Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Committee (FASD) during this Rotary Year. This funding came from the June 2019 Alcoa-Rotary Club of Pinjarra Art Show and Sale.
- A donation to the School Chaplaincy Program was also made as a result following the June 2019 Alcoa-Rotary Club of Pinjarra Art Show and Sale. Congratulations to the Committee that organised another successful event.
- The Club has been part of a very successful revitalisation of the Sail Into Life Project. It is now a joint venture partnership involving the two Mandurah Rotary Clubs, the Mandurah Off-Shore Fishing and Sailing Club, and other agencies. I thank Beth Aitken and Rob Davis for representing the Club on the Sail Into Life Peel steering committee.
- Our Club has shared meetings with the Rotary Clubs of Mandurah, and Mandurah Districts, solidifying the cooperation that exists between our Clubs.
- Members enjoyed meeting at the Quindanning Tavern in what seems to becoming an annual event.
- The Club has organised or participated in a number of community events including Anzac Day Wreath laying, maintenance work at the Avenue of Trees, provided End-of-Year prizes for our local schools, and supported the Pinjarra Senior High School’s participation in the Rotary 4-Way Speech Test Competition.
Regretfully, the Club’s 2 big annual projects: the Long Slow Lunch and Alcoa-Rotary Club of Pinjarra Annual Art Show and Sale had to be cancelled in 2020 as a result of the Covid-19 disruption.
The Club has successfully used the Zoom platform to hold Board and general meeting during the Covid-19 disruption. This medium has the potential to permit an absent member taking part in a meeting from wherever he/she may be in the world. The incoming Board will consider the practicality of embracing this technology in due course.
The 2020-21 Rotary Year will challenge us. Incoming Rotary International President Holger Knaack's theme for 2020-21, Rotary Opens Opportunities, asks Rotarians to create opportunities that strengthen their leadership, help put service ideas into action, and improve the lives of those in need.
I ask myself, and I encourage you to all ask yourself, “Why did I join this service organisation called Rotary? What is it, which I expected to give back to the community by joining? How can I influence the things the Club does to reflect my expectations?”
I encourage you all to embrace the opportunity that participation in our various project and fund-raising activities presents. It is you, the members, who present ideas to your Director. Together, YOU can design the project and with help from the rest of the Club, WE can see it through to its completion.
We have survived so far. Let us prosper in the future."
Past-President Geoff Booth graciously thanked Vince for his talk.
The meeting ended in the usual manner, with Songmaster Don McClements leading the members singing the Australian National Anthem.