By Garry Howe
THE Rotary Club of Cranbourne is moving with the times and took a step in that direction last Friday night when inducting Kathy Dunscombe as its first female president.
Ms Dunscombe described the prospect of being the first woman to head the club in almost 50 years as “pretty scary, but exciting at the same time.”
“It’s a big honour to be asked and I hope I can live up to all the names on the collar before me,” she told The News. “There are a lot of prominent people there.”
Ms Dunscombe is owner of the Sportsco store in Centro Cranbourne and joined Rotary six years ago at the behest of former president Bill Goodall after walking the Kokoda Track with him. Her husband John has been a club member for about 20 years.
She hopes to continue the work done by outgoing president Paul Rice on making the club more progressive and attractive to new, younger members.
“Paul had a great year and started turning the club around, moving with the times and doing away with some of the old traditions of Rotary,” she said.
“We can’t be seen as an old man’s club. It’s a working person’s community club, made up of people who want to help their community and have a bit of fun along the way.”
Ms Dunscombe said the club attracted two new members last year, hoped to increase that to four this year and wanted to add to the club’s contingent of three female members.
She said she was drawn to Rotary by its capacity to help people, both locally and abroad.
The Dunscombes have been active in both areas. John has been to Tonga twice and Kathy has been sending school supplies to Papua New Guinea since returning from Kokoda. Locally, they are active in helping the food fan for the needy.
“It’s great to help other countries, but we’ve got to get out there and help the people in our own community as well,” she said.
Ms Dunscombe concedes volunteering is waning in today’s time-poor society, but said the key to combating such was to enhance the social side of the club and engage partners more.
“I really enjoy the friendship the club offers,” she said. “We have a great group and we have a lot of fun.”
Mr Rice reflected on a successful year as president.
Highlights included raising almost $65,000 for four charities in the Ride to Conference, hosting a Trade and Small Business night at Settlers Run, hosting the only Rotary cluster meeting for the year, hosting the World’s Longest Lunch at Cranbourne racecourse, the annual golf day at Ranfurlie, Carols by Candlelight, which featured X Factor runner-up Andrew Wishart, and the debutant ball at the Springvale Town Hall.
He reflected on the passing during the year of Laurie Brick and Bill Blundy and acknowledged the efforts of secretary Tony Hubbard, who was retiring from Rotary.
Mr Rice and colleagues also presented Paul Harris Fellowships to long-time member and former president Tom Schreurs and to community stalwart Bette Clydesdale, who earlier this year was named the City of Casey’s Senior Citizen of the Year.
