By BRIDGET COOK
THE Rotary Club of Cranbourne’s first woman president Kathy Dunscombe handed over the leadership wheel to Rotarian Lea Corrigan on Friday night.
About 100 people turned out to the club’s annual changeover dinner at Settlers Run Golf and Country Club.
There was a sombre mood over the room as Ms Dunscombe handed over the presidency and recapped an emotional year during which she lost her son Jared.
Ms Dunscombe thanked the club for its support during that time.
“I started my year with much anticipation and nervousness, being the first female to be president of our wonderful club,” she said.
“I cannot thank all the members enough for the support all year, especially in the last four months which have been very hard for me.
“I would also like to thank all Rotarians from many other clubs for the support they have given.
“Rotarians not only support international and community projects, they support their own when needed.”
Ms Dunscombe gave a run down on some of the great projects and achievements of the club over the past year including organised a deb ball for Casey Grammar School, fundraising golf day, introduction of a Facebook page.
“Our membership is down on last year,” she said.
“But we have also started this year a Friends of Rotary List which is rapidly growing.
“This is for community people who at this stage cannot commit to being a full Rotarian, but would like to receive the bulletin and visit when possible and also help on projects when needed.”
Ms Dunscombe finished by thanking her committee and family for supporting her in the role the past year.
“I would like to finish with wishing Lea and Marie all the best for their year,” she said.
“I know they will enjoy it with the support of this great club.”
Mr Corrigan congratulated Ms Dunscombe and her partner John on a job well done.
“I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Kathy and John on their stewardship of the club for the past 12 months,” he said.
“It has been a year of incredible highs and lows for you both. The way you have handled yourselves through such adversity is a credit to you and your family.”
Mr Corrigan said he was looking forward to the year ahead.
“I feel the club has a tremendous core of hard working and dedicated members,” he said.
“As president I feel my challenge will be to increase new membership.
“Our club has everything except enough new blood.
“The board has agreed to spend money advertising in our local papers to lift community awareness of the good works we do.
“Our club has too many good members doing too many good things that the local community is unaware of.
“We will also be renovating our club’s website.”
The board for the year ahead was then introduced with Ms Dunscombe named as vice-president, president elect John Campbell, treasurer John Cooper, assistant treasurer Peter Sorensen, Sargeant at Arms Terry Vickerman and secretary Peter Carpenter.
There were a number of cheque presentation made at the changeover dinner, with the most notable being a cheque for $10,000 to Professor Jeffrey Rosenfeld from The Alfred Foundation.
Mr Rosenfeld thanked the club for its generous support.
“This is a tremendous thing for The Alfred hospital,” he said. “Every cent counts.
“This generous donation is a wonderful donation that will be used to buy surgical instruments that we need to do brain surgery at The Alfred.”
Three cheques for $2500 each were also presented to District Governor (DG) Tony Spring to go towards Rotary projects Polio Plus, ROMAC, and Interplast.
