With the Rotary Club of Glenferrie changeover from 2024-2025 now complete, it is an opportunity to reflect on the Board’s activities over the last twelve months under the leadership of President Peter Moore and his team of club directors covering the breadth of the Club's activities. Peter provided excellent leadership in managing the many club Board issues that arose, with considered thought and judgement across many diverse topics, whilst ensuring that all director's views and opinions were part of the mix in making decisions. Corporate governance through the Club’s Constitution, was integral to Peter’s leadership on those deliberations.
Peter used his legal skills to manage the Board masterfully and created a real team spirit that made the Board work exceptionally well. I was very pleased to be part of that team and support President Peter; a job done exceedingly well.
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| A major achievement of the club in 2024-2025 was the construction of two Ventilated Improved Pit latrines at the Aladura Primary School in eastern Sierra Leone, in partnership with the Rotary Club of Bo and with the assistance of a grant from The Rotary Foundation |
The Board met monthly (except January) at the Auburn Hotel at 6pm and usually ended by 8.30pm. The Board operates with the President’s approved agenda being put into Dropbox and club directors submitting papers therein seeking to obtain decisions on their projects and budgets. There was expected vigorous cross- discussion as the directors advanced their own project within their budget allocation and the process worked very well to achieve those ends. This was done in excellent grace and a touch of humour especially with wine over dinner - Club fellowship at its best!
One of the key documents, was the Treasurers’ report which outlined in very clear detail every month the YTD performance of the finances against budget and set a clear picture of the solvency of the Club in meeting its diverse project aims. My thanks to Thelma Hutchison for setting a high benchmark in Board reporting.
The Board had an excellent year in steering the important issues on the year - changes to the Boroondara Farmers Market dynamics- attendance and market days, the construction of the toilet blocks in Sierra Leone, flood assistance in Queensland, the Sumba Eye project fundraising, constitutional changes to name but a few.
The Board can feel satisfied that they left the Club in a strong financial position with funds circa $105K, excluding grants totalling $38K received from the Commonwealth Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade ($18,000) and the Rotary Club of Balwyn ($20,000) for next year's Sierra Leone Water Reticulation project. These funds will help fund the ambitious projects that will be decided upon by the incoming Board under President Helen Wimpole’s leadership.
I, too like Peter, now have new “feather duster” plumage but we all have a sense of achievement and positive future…...
Geoffrey Widmer
Club Secretary 2023-2025