We told the story of five District Conferences that were managed by Noel McInnes and Hawthorn Rotary Club HERE
Now we'd like to to tell you about our Past Preidents who were District Governors.
We start with David Rosback, who was our President in 1989-90
David Rosback followed Charles Morrison as President, aided by his artistic wife Judi.
We had another great year. David and Judi had gone to Phuket to personally present a cheque for $1000 from us to the Rotary club for the 'lunch and literacy' project. When David and Judi saw the gratitude on the faces of the children and parents, a program which had been words on a sheet of paper became real live people. It is an experience others have had in Rotary. To so many who become nothing more than 'knife and forkers', Rotary is a weekly meal at which you 'meet, eat, burp and go home'. When you are privileged to see one of its programs in action, it suddenly acquires relevance and meaning. We try to give needy people at home and abroad a hand up and not a hand-out. Programs that tactfully help people to help themselves are not easy to find and implement. David showed a remarkable sensitivity in these areas, after exposure to the Phuket program.
With help from John Loutit (who later received the ARHRF Companion Award for this work) and several fellows in other clubs, David also initiated an imaginative art book project to help the ARHRF. Australian artists co-operated to produce a collection of paintings reproduced in book form, suitable for presentation to overseas visitors, libraries and other public places. Profits from the sale of these books were devoted to ARHRF.
On our coach trip to the Adelaide district conference, during a stop at a fine winery, David took photos and a description of a simple water pump that could be used in a developing country. His help to Sir Peter Derham of the Rotary Club of Melbourne with its Vicspan street kids program was vital to its success. His entrepreneurial flair in organising a public concert of popular music received widespread support, enabling a $90,000 Vicspan project to be completed successfully. The club's hosting of Rotary Foundation Scholar David Tanner from Florida, US, quickened interest in RF and increased support for it by donations. Bequests leaped to new heights, enabling Paul Harris Fellows to be nominated and sapphire stars awarded to some former PHF recipients.
Camp Quality and Life Education centres each received another $5000; the Hawthorn Kitchen Project in Phuket received $2700; the Martyrs School (Popindetta), Rossbourne House and Willsmere each were given $1000; and there were numerous other minor donations. Exchange student Danielle Jupp went to Japan, and Mark Coghlan came to us from South Africa.
As ladies had been admitted to some Rotary clubs following court action in the US and other countries to give equal opportunity to women, RI gave clubs the freedom to decide for themselves if they would follow that course. We had a vote, by well-publicised secret ballot, on the simply worded but somewhat controversial RI recommended amendment to our by-laws that 'throughout these by-laws pronouns of the masculine gender shall include the female'. When it resulted in a 40-40 tie, the president's casting vote had to preserve the status quo. Since many other clubs in our district and beyond have been more adventurous and admitted suitable female members, we ponder how long it will be before Hawthorn takes the plunge. 
David Rosback’s Rotary star continued to shine, as he became D9800 District Governor in 1994-95. His District Conference was held at Darling Harbour in Sydney. But that’s another story . . . .