PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Greetings!
Thank you to all the members who stepped up and increased the number of registrations for our Lift the Lid Lunch. I mean it when I say: "Thank you!" I identify with the changes that have taken place in our lives since the aftermath of COVID.
The COVID-19 pandemic reshaped society, affecting work, education, health, social trust and daily life, and many of those changes have proved lasting. One of them was the impact on fundraising, with fewer people taking part in traditional events.
Most Australians still give back in some form, but fewer join formal organisations than a decade or two ago, and those who do volunteer are giving more. As President of a Rotary Club, I find it disappointing and challenging to have to rally numbers for events and meetings. But the result is inspiring, and it creates the energy that shows Rotary is truly a fantastic conduit to friendship and to giving to disadvantaged communities around the world.
Rotarians say that making a difference in their community is their main reason for belonging. Members also point to the sense of purpose that comes from doing something for someone else. Other sources of inspiration are weekly speakers and discussions, leadership roles in a club, and seeing the club's work up close.
I would like to share my thoughts after last week's meeting, when Peter Cullen AM spoke genuinely "off the cuff" about his mission to find homeless people and those with mental health issues and give them a sense of belonging and purpose through sport.
Recognising Simon O'Donoghue for 40 years of service to the Rotary Club of Hawthorn was a highlight, along with our dear Gordon Cheyne. Gordon stood at the mike and delivered "sad" jokes about the medical profession. Together with Phil Stewart "fining" members for their misdemeanours, the energy and sense of fun were felt throughout the lunch. Thank you all for coming along with me and accepting "Jokes on Us" to lighten our meetings.
I hope you felt the camaraderie as I did: a sense of belonging, and that we are all members of Rotary Hawthorn, with respect for humankind and giving as our common denominator. Rotary Hawthorn will never be a statistic of the aftermath of COVID and volunteering. We have too many wonderful characters for that. They are our bottom line.