This Rotary year will be a family affair for at least one Port Macquarie couple.
Glenda Barber took over last Wednesday night as president of the Rotary Club of Port Macquarie. Her husband, Laurie, a past district governor, began his second term as district secretary during a function at Coonabarabran last Saturday night.
Barry Hacker, from the Rotary Club of Port Macquarie West, was inducted as district governor at Coonabarabran on Saturday night. Alan Naylor, from the Rotary Club of Port Macquarie West, is the district’s new treasurer. The district takes in 56 clubs in an area from those along the coast to inland clubs including Lightning Ridge, Coonamble and Coonabarabran.
The district governor will be required to visit every club in the district at least once.
The Port Macquarie club at its changeover on Wednesday night reported a big year during 2010-11. Retiring president Frank Gaukroger said the club raised $73,000 for community projects, which he described as an exceptional result.
The major donations were: Queensland flood appeal $17,859 donated by the Port Macquarie community; youth exchange $5022; Rotary Park $5000; Port Macquarie SES $3500; reconstruction of Tanna Island at Vanuatu $3350; Port Macquarie Marine Rescue $3000; Rotary youth programs $2730; polio eradication project $2100; Australian Rotary Health for medical research $2000; Rotary Lodge $2000; Willing and Able Foundation at Port Macquarie $2000; Port Macquarie Surf Life Saving Club $1000; Tacking Point Surf Life Saving Club $1000; Mid-North Coast Special Olympics $1000; Myanmar project support $1000.
It had been a big year for the Port Macquarie club in many respects, including the craft fair, the book sale, the golf day and the hosting of Swiss exchange student Charlotte Du Reau.
Glenda and Laurie Barber have both been recognised as Paul Harris Fellows for Rotary and both are gold companions of the national medical research body Australian Rotary Health. Australian Rotary Health received from this district $60,000 in 2006-07 to research motor neurone disease, which figure was doubled by the national body to $120,000 with pleasing results reported so far.
Barry Hacker has had a great deal of experience in Rotary, having joined the Rotary Club of Albury North in 1970. Since moving to Port Macquarie he has served in a number of club and district positions and is recognised as one of the most active Rotarians in the district.
He succeeds Jo Wilkin from Coonabarabran. When his term finishes, the new governor will be Brian Beesley from Gloucester, followed in turn by Rob Anderson from Coffs Harbour. Close to 100 people attended the district changeover at Coonabarabran.
Retiring governor Jo Wilkin said the district had raised $160,000 for the Queensland flood appeal, but district projects had covered a wide spectrum of community and international service.
Mr Hacker welcomed his new district board. The assistant secretary for the district is David Symonds and the assistant treasurer Peter Kenny, both from Port Macquarie West club. The assistant governor for this part of the district will again be John Robson, from Laurieton club. The district trainer is Neville Parsons, from Wauchope club.
Bronwyn Hacker, wife of the new governor, said she hoped for good support from district clubs for her “partners’ project”, assisting Australian Rotary Health raise money for further research into mental health issues.
