Here is a transcript of President Kevin Smith’s club mission speech from the
Change-over Dinner 2019/20.
President Kevin offered the following word as his aims for the next Rotary year:
Thank you to immediate Past President Otto, and all the members of the Rotary Club of Modbury Golden Grove. First of I would like to invite IPP Otto and his wife Pam to come up here. Thank you Otto for your work in making the merger such a success, you were a driving force and truly an inspiration and I know from meetings at your house that you enjoy a bottle of red- I present a certificate and bottle of wine to you and I also present flowers to Pam for her great support.
I would like to introduce to my Board for the coming year (will the following please step up here): Secretary Rob Carthew (who cannot be with us tonight as he is away), Treasurer Peter Rundle, Vice President Derek Stow, President-Elect Dean Bartley, Immediate Past President Otto Baumgartner, and Community projects John Richards-Pugh. Last year we were together celebrating the phoenix rising as the two previous clubs of Modbury and Golden Grove merged. The Rotary theme for last year was “Be the Inspiration” and although there was a little bit of apprehension, two Clubs saw it upon themselves to take the giant step of merging. What a year it has been. Under Immediate Past President Otto’s leadership we all took inspiration from him and worked hard to make the merger a success. Incoming Rotary International President, Mark Daniel Maloney from the Rotary Club of Decatur, Alabama, USA speaks in his introduction to the Rotary Theme about connection: Rotary is built on connection. When Paul Harris came to Chicago as a young lawyer, he formed Rotary for one compelling reason: to help him connect to others in a new city. More than a century later, we have at our disposal countless ways to form friendships and networks, most of which Paul Harris never dreamed. Yet Rotary’s ability to connect us remains unique and unrivalled. Through its distinct mission and structure, Rotary
International provides a way to connect to our communities, to network professionally, and to build strong and lasting relationships.In 2019-2020, it will be our challenge to strengthen the many ways that Rotary Connects the World, building the connections that allow talented, thoughtful, and generous people to unite and take meaningful action through Rotary service. Thus the Rotary Theme for 2019-2020 is “Rotary Connects The World” For the forthcoming Rotary year I intend to consolidate the beginnings of our new club that Otto has worked on. We shall remain connected to local youth through such programs as the Rotary Youth Leadership Award, National Youth Science Forum, Student of the year, and the John Tilley Award for Modbury High School. I intend for us to remain connected to other organisations around the area that provide help or support to the community including the Tea Tree Gully Toy Library, Various community assistance programs, and the Christmas Party for Special Children. I would like us to try and continue to connect more with the local community by providing direct assistance or the development of projects that facilitate such help. We shall, for the first time in years, re-connect with incoming overseas exchange students with the Rotary Club of Tea Tree Gully sharing their hosting duties of an inbound student with us. I want to connect more with the other clubs in Group 4, some of whom are represented here tonight.
Thank you all for coming tonight: AG Colin Willington, Presidents Vineeta Dogra from Mawson lakes, Anthea Walker from Salisbury, Glen Mitchell from TTG, Marie-Louise Less from Gawler, DR Richard Harvey MP for Newland, and Paula Luethen MP for King, and All our other visitors, thank you for supporting us. Last but certainly not least I would like to thank the continued support of the club by all of our members and their partners without whom we wouldn’t exist as a club. This concludes the evening. Once again thank you all for coming and I hope to see you all again soon. Tea and coffee is available so please stay and connect with others.
One church notice – Next week is Bunnings BBQ; Roster in hand I close meeting number 22 of the Rotary Club of Modbury Golden Grove