Mooroopna Rotary Club recognised

By Djembe Archibald

Jan 28, 2024

Awarded: Mayor Shane Sali with Mooroopna Rotary president Richard Speedy, Mooroopna Rotary secretary Kelvin Rogash and Michael D'Elia. Photo by Rechelle Zammit

During Mooroopna’s Australia Day celebration Mooroopna Rotary Club was awarded a region-wide award.

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The club was named Greater Shepparton Community Event of the Year for its New Year’s Eve Festival.

For more than 40 years the event has been the main New Year’s Eve event in the Greater Shepparton area.

It attracts thousands of people to a free, safe and enjoyable night of entertainment.

What started out as a small event in the street many years ago, has grown into a festival at Mooroopna Recreation Reserve.

One only has to look at the range of nationalities and ages of those coming to the night to see that the festival’s appeal has no boundaries.

Whether it is small kids dancing in front of the stage, teenagers enjoying the carnival rides, adults enjoying the music, food devotees trying to win a crayfish on the spinning wheel — the night has it all for everyone.

Recognised: Mooroopna Rotary president Richard Speedy gives a thank you speech on behalf of Mooroopna Rotary for being awarded Community Event of the Year for Greater Shepparton. Photo by Rechelle Zammit

During his acceptance speech, Mooroopna Rotary president Richard Speedy said the event was enjoyed by the community, but also by the members of the club.

“We love putting it on, but we particularly enjoy working with other people to do it,” Mr Speedy said.

“After COVID-19 we weren’t sure what the event would look like, but it turns out people had been looking for the opportunity to enjoy something family-friendly on New Year’s Eve.

“It’s also a good opportunity to sell our car raffle tickets which I might say was a record $92,000, going towards charities across Victoria.”