PERTH ROTARY - PRESIDENTS UPDATE - 25TH JUNE 2019
Fellow Rotarians and friends,
A new Perth Rotary Year lies ahead, leading to a new chapter for our historic Club and its valuable members. 2019-2020 will be the year of thinking Big, welcoming the change and embracing all the community.
This new journey for our Club started with “the most successful Presidents’ Changeover night we ever had” according to some of our more senior members and it signified the way of things to come in this year. It was a night full of emotion, laugh and good entertainment (“Sergeant Phantom’s” strip tease on stage was unexpected for me too!), a unique combination that someone can find only in Perth Rotary.
The list of names to be thanked for this fantastic experience is long but definitely Jill and her team are on the top of that list. PP Wesley’s and his daughter’s Stephanie performance of the most popular Phantom of the Opera duet, has already attracted a wave of emails and phone calls from Broadway, inviting them to perform in the next theatrical season – according to unidentified sources….
Another moment of great respect and emotion was when we listened to PP Don Mazzucchelli’s bio and we all gave our warmest applause to him and Maxine for their inspiring journey in life and for their 50 years of Rotary service. Congratulations Don and Maxine!
Who will ever forget Helen’s shock when she heard PP Wesley calling her on stage to receive a Paul Harris Fellow recognition…. Helen has been the pillar in PP Jeff’s generous contribution to our Club for many years and her hospitality and support are the basic ingredients in the recipe that makes our Club so special and unique. Thank you Helen and Jeff!
Judith Pinczuk, another role model of a lady of our Club who prefers to stay away from the publicity and the front line but she delivers tirelessly her service for the homeless through fundraising. Thank you Judith!
Last but never least, our Office Manager, Kirstin was the recipient of a well-deserved Paul Harris Fellow for her patience and support to our Rotary office and to our Club. Thank you Kirstin!
Also, I’ll take this opportunity to thank PP Wesley and Grace for their commitment and generosity in serving the Club for the last 12 months and our PE Jill and Peter for making themselves available for the Chair in 2020-2021.
The new Financial Year will be the year that our Club will move to the future through its heritage and past!
We are one of the most International and diverse Rotary Clubs that someone could find in Australia.
We have 21 countries represented through our members and these are: Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Greece, China, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, India, Sri Lanka, the Philipines, Kenya, South Africa and Romania.
We are a blend of people coming from different cultures, with different religions, having diverse lifestyles and political beliefs but we stay united and committed in Serving the Community.
Our members come from every professional level ranging from local government officers to business people or from University students to retirees.
We have members who sold their houses to chase their dream of changing the world or others who fundraise to be able to go overseas on one of our charity projects.
We also have a high number of women who are actively involved at every level being Past Presidents or Presidents elect, Chairs of Committees or Committee members.
We embrace everyone under our common scope and this brings us even closer together.
This is Perth Rotary and Perth Rotary is You
Perth Rotary is changing responding to your needs and to your lifestyle. From the 2nd of August, we will involve our families and our businesses even more in our Rotary life by changing our meetings and making our Club meetings an approachable destination for everyone in our city. We will meet for breakfast, lunch, family dinner and for after business cocktails always at the Hilton. Especially the “Perth Rotary Friday cocktails at the Hilton” will be an ideal meeting point for after business drinks, where our members will be able to invite their colleagues, clients, friends or networks for drinks while listening to some of the leading speakers’ names in the arts, sports, entertainment and lifestyle.
Also, the Perth Rotary Family BBQ Buffet at the Hilton, where our members will be coming with their families and friends for a casual family dinner is something entirely new. Entertainment with guest performers and with our very own music band, special guest speakers, presentation of Rotary awards, and a BBQ buffet at a very affordable price.
…and there are even more exciting things coming in the new year!
But I can assure you that the most exciting part of the new year is you, the members of this Club and your families.
I am looking forward to having you all on board with us in a life changing 2019 – 2020!
Yours in Rotary,
Vangelis Katsaitis
President Perth Rotary
2019-2020