The Rotary Club of Orbost hosted its annual changeover dinner last Wednesday, July 3, at the Orbost Club Inc. drawing a large number of visiting Rotarians to the event from across the region.
The evening was marked by camaraderie, delicious food and reflections on the past year’s achievements for this small but mighty club.
Guests enjoyed a hearty meal of roast pork or lamb with all the trimmings, followed by a choice of pavlova or sticky date pudding for dessert. With full stomachs, attendees settled in for the evening’s main event.
Kathy Gupta, the appointed president for the 2023-2024 term, delivered a comprehensive report on the club’s activities over the past year.
“My goal for Orbost Rotary was and is to continue to have a vibrant and effective club,” Kathy said.
“This report highlights our year in terms of community engagement and service, fellowship and meetings, and fundraising – the key ingredients to keeping our members engaged.”
Under Kathy’s leadership, the Rotary Club of Orbost maintained its commitment to community service.
The club’s involvement in local events, such as school fetes where they sold popcorn, fairy floss and snow cones, continued to be a staple. Most of the proceeds from these events are donated back to the host organisations.
The club also played their usual significant role in the Orbost Christmas Eve Festival, working alongside the Orbost and District Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Rotarians attended planning meetings, handled necessary documentation and raised funds to ensure the event’s success.
Additionally, the Rotary Club was instrumental in organising the Australia Day Awards for Orbost, funded by the East Gippsland Shire Council. The dedicated Rotary team managed nominations and prepared a free community breakfast and provided entertainment with poetry and games.
After several interrupted years, the Junior Rotary School Program was successfully restarted, thanks to renewed interest from local children.
“In my first couple of months as president, I visited many organisations in town to find out whether we could do more to support other groups in town,” Kathy said.
“As a result, we added several community support efforts to the list, including a NAIDOC Week barbecue, relocating the Orbost Food Pantry, hosting a community open day barbecue for the opening of the Orbost Community College, and writing several letters of support.”
The Rotary Club of Orbost remains keen to welcome new members, holding fortnightly meetings on Wednesday evenings at the Orbost Club.
Half of these meetings feature a guest speaker, while months with a fifth Wednesday are marked by social gatherings at local restaurants or members’ homes. Additionally, a small group of members meets for coffee at a local cafe or bakery on the second Wednesday of each month.
While most of the club’s efforts focus on the local community at large, they also engage in international projects. Notably, the club co-sponsored a grant application with the district to provide sanitation facilities in remote areas of Timor Leste. Other activities included a Star of the South presentation in Lakes Entrance and a fundraising breakfast for Centenary House which were both attended by local members.
Reverend Bevil Lunson and his wife, Barbara, were present to accept a notable donation for the Orbost Food Pantry and gave an informative presentation about the service and its need within the community.
The evening concluded with the re-election of Kathy Gupta as president for the 2024-2025 term by Assistant Governor for East Gippsland, Peter Sindrey. Kathy introduced her leadership team: vice president and sergeant Don Osborne, executive secretary Dave Redden, assistant secretary David Valentin, treasurer Catrynes Van der Vlugt, schools liaison Kaye Stafford, bulletin editor Bronwyn Llewellyn, and board member at large Judy Van der Vlugt.
The changeover dinner celebrated the Rotary Club of Orbost’s continued dedication to community service and fellowship, setting a positive tone for the upcoming year.
IMAGE: Members of the Rotary Club of Orbost 2024-25 leadership team present at the annual changeover dinner last week: Kaye Stafford, Bronwyn Llewellyn, Kathy Gupta, Dave Redden and Don Osborne.
