‘COME as your favourite book/movie character’ was the theme for the Rotary Club of Maffra’s annual changeover meeting.
It was a fun evening with people guessing what the characters were. The hardest was the scary clown (Pennywise) from IT, in full face mask.
There was a lion with no courage, several characters from The Best Marigold Hotel, a couple of lady sleuths and a cockney flower seller, plus a seedy looking bloke from John Steinbecks’s Of Mice and Men.
Visitors included Assistant Governor Warren McPherson, Membership Chair Tim Wills, Rotarians from Sale and Yarram, representatives from Maffra Lions Club, plus a number of past members and Friends. Ted Mitchell greeted attendees at the door with an ‘invitation’ to buy raffle tickets; he was very persuasive and they were very generous.
The more formal part of the evening started with a recitation of the Objects of Rotary, The Four Way Test, and of course a toast. The toast to Rotary was proposed by Mr McPherson, with a reply by Mr Wills. Both speeches were informative and interesting.
As her last official duty, President Veronica Dwyer was very excited to award Foundation Chair, Karla McKinlay with a Paul Harris Fellow.
Paul Harris was the originator of Rotary International in Chicago in 1905, and the award is an honour given in his name in recognition of service. Karla was also given the coveted ‘Tap Award’ for her support to the president during her year of service.
Veronica then handed over the chain of office to Claire Cochrane, who was inducted as president for 2024/25 by Mr McPherson.
She spoke about her plans for the year and introduced her new board.
