General News
10 July, 2024
Tonkin passes the Rotary torch
Rotary Club of Warracknabeal held their annual changeover last week at the Creekside Hotel, and welcomed Bill Alford as the new president.
Yarriambiack Shire mayor Kylie Zanker and district governor elect Christine Dufty from Nhill were present along with rotarians and honorary rotarians from Warracknabeal, Horsham, Horsham East, Nhill and St Arnaud, and members of Warracknabeal Lions, Apex and Probus clubs.
The inaugural District Governor's Award was presented to rotarians Tony Gregson and Peter Martin for their championing of Rotary Youth and International programs.
Bulletin editor John Aitken presented 2022-2024 club president John Tonkin with a bound set of the year's bulletins.
Tony Gregson was also presented with a Paul Harris Society Award for nine years of fiscal support of the Rotary Foundation.
Chairman of the Country Education Foundation of Warracknabeal and District Chris Hewitt had the honour of presenting Sophie Evans with the Stan Deans Award.
This is the third year this award has been presented, recognising past members of The Rotary Club of Warracknabeal Stan Deans’ contribution to agriculture, Rotary and the wider community.
It is funded annually by Mr Deans' children Michelle, Averill and Nigel, and is presented by The Rotary Club of Warracknabeal and the Country Education Foundation of Warracknabeal and District to a young person commencing their vocational training and looking to return to the country to contribute to their community’s future.
Ms Evans is finishing her first year of a combined primary and secondary honours teaching course at Monash University, majoring in mathematics.
She is hoping to return to the country to teach.
"Sophie’s passion and outlook exemplify the qualities of inclusiveness and endeavour the Country Education Foundation and Rotary stand for," Mr Tonkin said.