General News
4 September, 2023
Ex-Warrack member the toast of Rotary
Horsham East Rotary Club has honoured Lyall Wheaton with an international Avenues of Service award. Mr Wheaton is one of four Rotarians from the club to have received the award at its annual changeover dinner. The others were Robyn Lardner, Bruce...
Horsham East Rotary Club has honoured Lyall Wheaton with an international Avenues of Service award.
Mr Wheaton is one of four Rotarians from the club to have received the award at its annual changeover dinner.
The others were Robyn Lardner, Bruce Johansen and the late Bob Mibus.
Mr Wheaton, who joined Rotary in 1975 while living in Warracknabeal, was also a Rotarian when living in Darwin.
He was president of the Darwin South club and later assistant district governor, an office he held for 16 years.
With 'Create Hope' in the World as Rotary International's motto for 2023-24, the club is on the hunt for people willing to help it achieve that.
New president Wendy Lang has taken over the reins from Jim Delahunty and says she hopes to attract new members to the service organisation.
The club also awarded Allison Roberts with a Paul Harris Fellowship.
Ms Roberts has been a Friend of Rotary for 10 years and helped to raise more than $10,000 for the club's charity work.
Dinner guests heard that the club donated $16,364 during the year to 18 organisations including the Royal Flying Doctor Service, the Christian Emergency Food Centre, a Shelter Box program, a Rotary Ukraine appeal and a Rotary health research program.
Members have also worked with Uniting Wimmera to provide help for the homeless.
Programs during the year included an International Women's Day event, an official Friends of Rotary launch, Christmas gift wrapping and assistance to help conserve habitat for the fat-tailed dunnart.
Ms Lang said she planned to further investigate a "Lift the Lid" program to help people with mental health - an illness which is on the increase, especially in younger age-groups.
"I'd like our club to engage our members to conduct meaningful projects and try new ideas where we can move on from 'we've always done it this way'," she said.
Other office-bearers for 2023-24 are: president elect - Terry Harris; secretary - Robin Webb; treasurer - Brian Thomas; club service director - Jim Delahunty; community service director - Joanne Bates; vocational/international service director - Steve Sostheim; youth director - Rick Hopper; and environment director - Steve Holmes.