President's christmas message

Rotary calls upon its 35,000 clubs to inspire our members to achieve certain outcomes.  In addition to our unchanging reasons for being, fellowship and "service above self", we now have a vision for Rotary and each Rotary International sets a few priorities for their particular Rotary year.  In Ian Riseley's year we each planted a tree.

This year, President Mark Daniel Maloney has made 2019-20 a year to celebrate the family of Rotary and he asked District Governors and presidents right around the world to offer family-friendly events and to reduce cost and time barriers for members.

I think if Mark and Gay Maloney had walked into any of our meetings this year, they would have been pleased to see our connections to our own vibrant, diverse community and our connections to many communities around the world - most notably Timor L'Este, but also Thailand, Kenya, Bangladesh and Bhutan in terms of our support for major service providers and Germany, Scotland, Ireland, England, the USA, Taiwan, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands as examples of places where individual members of our club have been hosted by Rotary colleagues, either at meetings or at Rotary events.

In North Hobart, we got involved in the Hot August Jazz festival, the New Town Christmas Carols, the Toy and Book Drive for The Smith Family at the request of our neighbour Turnbulls Funerals and we will continue to support Estia, the Greek Festival and hopefully also the local park in North Hobart.  Bethlehem House and Caroline House both know that they can count on us.

We have forged personal links with staff members at local schools - Campbell Street Primary School, Sacred Heart College, Ogilvie High School, New Town High School as well as Springvale Hostel.  We thanked retiring Elizabeth College Head of Science, Dr Deborah Beswick, for her extraordinary leadership of Science and Technology throughout her education career.

The team we sponsored to Model United National Association just happened to make the national finals, giving us another reason to be proud of our support for youth activities.

Several key officers of Hobart City Council have come to meet us and will work with us, both locally and in our international endeavours.

As president, I've visited the Chinese Community Association of Tasmania, the North Hobart Football Clubrooms, the Bowls Club and two different Probus clubs.

We've done a lot of good work quietly and also have been able to fly the flag for Rotary with our banners, brochures and beautifully branded badges.

Our Headset for Dementia project was highlighted by ABC Radio during Dementia Awareness Week and our members who lead Rotarian Action Groups have both had articles published in Rotary Down Under.

Through what we do and who we are we tell the story of Rotary and because we are a worldwide organisation and we can introduce those who need us to trusted partners, we also connect leaders, connect families, connect professionals and connect communities.

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