Rotary Club of Ashgrove The Gap Welcomes New President and Board for 2022/2023 The end of June marks the end of a Rotary year and the start of a new one, and on Friday 24th of June this was marked with the usual Changeover dinner. The event was held at the Arana Leagues Club, who as part of their community support kindly waived the room hire fee. Among the guests were the brand-new Federal MP for Brisbane, Stephen Bates, and the Councillor for The Gap Ward Steven Toomey, along with Rotarians past, present and future.
as Carols by Candlelight, the Santa Sleigh touring The Gap, the Australia Day citizenship ceremony, and GRIPPS (the Gap Regional Primary Performers School). The club has donated over $20,000 to worthy causes local and afar: Polio elimination, flood relief in Brisbane, domestic violence initiatives, local sports clubs, Australian Rotary Health (the country’s largest funder of mental health research), an initiative in the slums of Dhaka to eliminate toxic open wood cooking fires, and more.
President 2021/2022 Peter Kamau with recipients of the Paul Harris Fellowship awards, Mitch Koroloff, Francine Hinton, Carol Miller, Conrad Almeida, Russ O'Malley and Rotary District 9600 Governor, Wendy Protheroe
The speakers, in a semi-formal, semi-party atmosphere reviewed the events, challenges and triumphs of the previous year, thanked the members of the club and its many supporters for their efforts, and introduced the new President, Board and other office-bearers for the new year. Last year’s President was Peter Kamau, who oversaw the transition out of strict Covid paralysis into more “normal” times. In his review Peter reported that in the last year, despite the limitations, the club has been able to maintain its popular local projects such
After the traditional toast to Rotary International by John Donaldson, David Magee, after 46 years in the club is the longestserving member, described how times, and Rotary, have changed since he joined in 1976. Each year Rotary confers a special honour on those who have contributed exceptionally above and beyond the call of duty. The Paul Harris Fellowship is named after the founder of Rotary, and this year was awarded to Francine Hinton, Mitch Koroloff, Conrad Almeida, Russ O’Malley, and Carol Miller. Carol is not a Rotarian, but has been
The Western Echo July 2022 Page 4
District Governor Wendy Protheroe, President 2022/23 Tim Boyd and Immediate Past President Peter Kamau
vital to Rotary’s Carols by Candlelight project at the Northside Hockey Club grounds (Dorrington Park) for eight years now. The incoming President is Tim Boyd, a 10-year member of the club and a 40-year Gap resident. The short formal part of the evening was conducted by Rotary District Governor Wendy Protheroe, who lifted the chain of office from Peter Kamau’s shoulders and placed it on Tim Boyd’s. The District that contains The Gap is probably unique in the entire Rotary world, as it encompasses not only South East Queensland and as far west as Mitchell, but also the independent countries
of Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Nauru. Wendy has very wide-spread responsibilities, and briefly described of them. In his closing remarks the new President acknowledged the difficulties of the past, and expressed confidence in the continued success of the Ashgrove/The Gap club. The 2022/2023 Board consists of :President: Tim Boyd; Immediate Past President: Peter Kamau; Secretary: John Donaldson; Treasurer: Conrad Almeida; President Elect: Peter O’Donnell; Community: Di O’Malley; Youth: Russ O’Malley and International: Bob Newey.
The 2022/2023 Rotary Club of Ashgrove/The Gap Board
website: http://www.westernecho.com.au
