2014-15
Gary Poidevin became President, our International President was Garry C K Huang, District Governor was Patti Bulluss and Assistant District Governor was again Steve McKewen.
This was the year was the biggest year in our history, with the club taking over the Federation Festival Committee, which was about to fold.
This saw us take on the monthly markets in Bangerang Park, which were renamed the Corowa Rotary Federation Market, and an effort was made to revamp them by introducing a farmer’s market section as well as lift the quality of the products sold. We also used this as a fund raising event as we installed a temporary fence around the park and asked people to give us a donation on entry.
The other event that came with the takeover of the Federation Festival Committee, was the Federation Festival on the Australia Day Weekend, which included the BnS Ball on the Saturday night, and Federation Parade, which we had to defer for a year because of lack of numbers and community support.
The BnS Ball turned out to be our major fund raiser for the year and in fact the largest single event we have ever done, in terms of profitability.
We started the year with 27 members, however we lost Trish Carrington in July and Noreen Miller in November. On the plus side we picked up Maureen O’Flaherty in March and Harry Overend in May, thus finishing the year with same number of members as we started with.
In May we also had a successful membership night which created a number of leads for future members, in the new year.
In July we welcome our exchange student Susanna Mora from Italy. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get anyone to become an outbound student.
During the year the club did a number of new things:
- Ran a highly successful and well promoted appeal for the victims of Cyclone Pam in Vanuatu. Which saw us send a container load of donated goods to the Island Nation as well as purchase two Shelter Boxes and two Aqua Boxes.
- Purchase an Aqua Box and Shelter Box for the Earthquake victims in Nepal
- Helped with Carols by Candlelight in Bangerang Park
- Contributed to the Albury Headspace facility for young people
The club also participated in its usual programs of catering for the military vehicles, Valhalla Winery, Australia Day Federation Festival, as well as doing race gates, organising the Giving Tree at Corowa Supa IGA, which saw Christmas Hampers given away to needy families in Corowa, Bowel Scan, Ride to Conference and the Easter Egg Hunt.
The club again contributed Rotary Foundation, via the contributions made each week by members to Every Rotarian Every Year.
Total donations for the year were a record $42,405.
Changeover saw a very surprised Rotarian Gary Poidevin presented with a Paul Harris Fellow.
The 2014-15 Board was:
President - Gary Poidevin
Vice President - Ian Carrington
Secretary - Margaret Brown
Treasurer - John Law
President Elect - Craig Overend
Public Relations - Stephen Apps
Membership - Meredith Miegel
Service Projects - Craig Overend
Foundation - David Potts
Club Administration - Margaret Brown & John Law