Agents of change

By EMMA SUN
THE Rotary Club of Lilydale was presented with a rare and prestigious award from Rotary International during their changeover last month.
About 70 members and friends witnessed district governor Juliet Riseley present the Changemaker Award to outgoing president Michael Young, making the club one of only 10 percent of clubs around the world to receive it.
New president Margi Sank, who lives in Mount Evelyn, said it acknowledged the club was making positive and significant changes in the community and the world through its overseas projects, particularly in East Timor.
“We are one of three clubs that founded ‘East Timor Roofing and Training’ in Baucau in 2000, which provides building construction products such water tanks and grain silos and employs and trains local Timorese,” she said.
“Since 2000, more than 16 representatives of the Rotary Club of Lilydale have travelled to East Timor on humanitarian projects, most recently Michael Young, to use his skill and expertise in electrical maintenance this year.”
The club, together with the Rotary Club of Doncaster, set up the ‘Water for Hungry Mouths’ project, which aims to provide clean drinking water during the country’s dry period via a groundwater drilling program at a village level.
Members of the club also transport donated goods to the donations in kind store in Footscray, which are sorted, packed and distribute to countries in need in the Asia Pacific region.
“Fabric donated from Dollar Curtains and Blinds gets sent to East Timor, where girls are trained to sew and convert the fabric into useful things such as sleeping mats, rice bags and clothing,” Ms Sank said.
Ms Sank said the club’s Wheelchairs for Kids project, which helps poor disabled children in developing countries was also a contributing factor to the award.
The club’s local community involves the Lilydale Farmers Produce Market, Lilydale Show and bowel scan.
Ms Sank said the award was special as it recognised the club’s commitment to more than just its own community.
“It’s about recognising that we’ve helped both on the local level and international level and we’ve made a difference in the world,” she said.
“It’s special because there’s not that many clubs in the world that get it.”
Rotarians Helen Darvell and Peter Klaaysen were presented with Paul Harris Fellow awards during the changeover for their hard work.
“Helen got it for her ongoing and significant contribution to the club and the wider community and Peter got it for his passion and diligence in raising funds to freight wheelchairs to countries where no subsided freight is available,” Ms Sank said.
The new board members were officially inducted on the night – David Jochetz and Michael Young as vice-president and club service director, Annie Wheeler as secretary, Lyn Sharrock as treasurer, Ian Darvell as international director, Michael Gavin as foundation director, Lizz Kline as community director, Patrick Hartley as new generations director and Hans Witlox as vocational director.
Ms Sank said she looked forward to another fruitful year as the club’s new president.
“My goal is to work with the team to continue to build on our club’s plan to continue and to refine our very worthwhile projects and to develop new complementary ones, and to have fun along the way,” she said.