For she’s a jolly good Fellow: Retiring Rotary District 9800 Governor Amanda Wendt presents retiring Rochester Rotary president Heather Watson with her Paul Harris Fellow award late last month.
Rochester Rotary president Heather Watson was recgonised for “distinguished leadership’’ with a Paul Harris Fellow award at the recent Rotary District 9800 changeover event late last month.
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The event, at Essendon Fields’ Hyatt Hotel, followed on from her 2022 recognition as a Royce Abbey Rotary Champion of Change, celebrating the success of the monthly Rochester Community Chat breakfasts, which have become a valuable source of information sharing in the community.
Mrs Watson’s award was one of two presented on the night to recognise the work of the five-member club, which also received a People of Action award for its response to last year’s flood event and community support in the aftermath.
Mrs Watson became president of the club for the first time in 1997-98 and has had 10 stints as club leader.
She surrendered the role after three years to 2016-17 president Brian Griffiths at the club’s changeover on Saturday.
“Pretty much everyone will have the same jobs. Before this, Brian was foundation and youth and I will now be club director,” Mrs Watson said.
“Angela Beutel is secretary, Eric Bish treasurer and Debbie Bish is our remaining member.”
Paul Harris Fellowships have been presented for many decades, recognising contributions to the humanitarian and educational programs of The Rotary Foundation.
Those programs include an array of projects that save and invigorate the lives of people around the world and enhance international friendship and understanding.
Paul Harris Fellows in Australia aim to celebrate “ordinary people doing extraordinary things“ and have been awarded to more than 40,000 people in Australia, and 1.3 million worldwide, since 1957.
Rotary District 9800 leadership team nominated and donated US$1000 to the Rotary Foundation in Mrs Watson’s name.
Inspirational: Rochester Rotary was recognised with a People of Action award for its work in not only its own flood-affected community, but also in the Northern Rivers region of NSW.
Sixteen projects by 15 clubs were awarded district recognitions for 2022-23 in the Rotary International People of Action categories.
Rochester Rotary’s flood recovery work in the Northern Rivers region of NSW was also recognised.
A club in Werribee that funded a Dominican orphanage, a safe families program in Hawthorn, Brighton’s Recycling Regatta, a flower and garden show at Bacchus Marsh, a South Sudanese health education program and projects at Bendigo South, Melton and Keilor West also received awards.
