In-coming President - Phil Mortimer

              

Fellow Rotarians, Partners and Guests 

Firstly, let me congratulate Past President Garry Bradd for a great year as President.  Garry I have appreciated your guidance and wise council during my year as President Elect. I hope I can have matters "Under Control" to the same extent that you did. 

My congratulations to Phil Rowell on his appointment as Assistant Governor for the Eastside Cluster. 

It is certainly an honour to be your 25th President.

And I have the added privilege of being President as we celebrate our 25th Birthday next March 

To start my year I would like to take this opportunity to honour 6 special people.

Would the following Rotarians & their Wives please stand up:

• Trevor & Naomi McGilton
• John & Edmee Cudmore
• Hartmut & Brigitte Orth

This group of wonderful people have been with our Club since it chartered in 1985 and I would like you to join with me in showing your recognition and appreciation in the normal way. 

Unfortunately our other Charter Members Geoff Brearley, Richard Opie and Brian Lanyon couldn't join us this evening. 

I would like to mention 2 special events for my Rotary Year:

Firstly, Our Fellowship Committee has selected Wednesday, 24th March as our 25 Year Celebration night.

And secondly, our signature Fundraising event will be a Dinner Auction in Mid May.  The incoming Board has supported my recommendation to allocate a large percentage of the monies raised to support Research and Equipment for Motor Neurone Disease and in particular the Susie Harris Foundation.  Our Fundraising Committee has already started to plan this event. 

So now I would now like to introduce your new Board 

One of the key elements of continuity for our Club is to have the President Elect as a Board Member, so please welcome President Elect Ross Rice, Ross has completed the Rotary Education and Leadership Training course so will start his year well prepared. 

Because I have trouble spelling and adding up, the Club Secretary and Treasurer will be crucial to me this year.    These rolls will be covered by Barb Beed and Barb Gordon.  So for the many times that I will stumble during the year "a Barb" will fix it. 

The Rotary Avenues of Service will be chaired by Peter Harris on New Generation, Roy Bird on International, Pat Lardner on Vocation & Gerry Lambourne on Community, Sue Jones is standing in for Gerry for the next month or so. 

Our "rooster one day, feather duster the next" Garry Bradd picks up Fundraising for his troubles and gets a gig on the Board as well. 

To round out the Board, David Raby will cover Foundation and Russell Brewer will look after Membership and Marketing. 

All Committees have submitted ambitious Plans and Budgets for this year and I look forward to working with them to achieve their Plans.

Please join me in thanking the incoming Board for taking on these important positions.

"Fun and Friendship While Helping Others" is the motto of our Club and there are 3 members who will have a large part in achieving this.

They are:

• Phil Wheatley on Fellowship,
• Jeff Taylor on the Bulletin and Internet; and
• Past New Zealand All Blacks front row Barrie Wood on Program.
  

My thanks to all the Members who have Committee positions and other roles in the Club. 

We have a strong belief that our great Club will survive and prosper no matter who is President; you have my commitment to ensure that I will not be the first President to challenge this belief.

I look forward to your support over the next 12 months.

Thank you