On 10 July local Rotarian John Clue was inducted as Governor of Rotary District 9780 for 2021/22. The event was held in Port Fairy and was attended by 100 Rotarians and friends from across the District, which stretches across western Victoria and into eastern South Australia. This is a high honour for John and the first time that the Rotary Club of Port Fairy has provided the District Governor. In accepting the office, John said that he and his wife Heather are excited to now start the District Governor’s journey over the coming year and look forward to meeting with clubs in person over the coming months.
John Clue
In his acceptance speech, John highlighted the new theme for the year “Serve To Change Lives” as providing an opportunity to increase Rotary's impact at a community and global level. The call to increase service work allows Rotary to engage with other like minded community members and in turn increase the opportunities for new members. John stressed the importance of inviting prospective members to an event or project prior to inviting them to a meeting. He reminded Members that it is every Rotarian’s responsibility to attract new prospective members.
Over the past few weeks, Heather and John have attended numerous Club Changeovers. During these visits, they appreciated the hospitality provided and were amazed by the activities undertaken by so many clubs during these difficult times. The variety of these achievements illustrates just how Rotarians can become flexible, inventive and adapt in any situation. John congratulate all the clubs of District 9780 on a job well done.
Protecting the Environment will be a major focus for John's year as District Governor. This new area of focus provides the opportunity for all clubs to engage with like minded people and groups within their communities. Several clubs have invited their local Council Environmental Officers to speak at their meetings and these talks have provided great insights into how Rotary can engage in environmental activities. John asked each club to appoint an Environmental & Sustainability Champion. This member will be the connection between the club and the District Environment and Sustainability Committee. This District Committee will provide assistance, ideas and resources to assist with clubs' environmental projects and events. Rotary is also implementing an EnviroClub Awards system whereby clubs can achieve a gold, silver or bronze award by meeting each awards criteria.