Past President Michael Berry (2007-08) has been made an Honorary Member of the Rotary Club of Glenferrie after almost 24 years of outstanding service to Rotary, and to the community through Rotary. Michael joined the Rotary Club of Glenferrie in October 1998 with the Vocational Classification "Packaging Distribution". In the ensuing years he has been a central and respected figure in many innovative club projects, including 'Sewing Machines for East Timor', the 'Parkinson's Walk' annual fundraising BBQ at Federation Square, the 'Police Mentoring' program, the 'Rochester Secondary Students Work Experience' program, and much much more.
President Teresa, in awarding Honorary Membership to Michael at the club meeting on August 9th, thanked him for his wonderful and generous contribution over his many years as an Active Member of the club. Much liked and respected, we look forward to continued association with both Michael and his wife, Trish Ritman, in the years to come (but without those early morning Farmers Market shifts Michael! Duty excused!)
To read Michaels' address to the meeting at which he recounts his Rotary story, click on
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Michael Berry - My Rotary Memories
I joined the club in 1998 when John Wischer was President. I was convinced to join the club by PP, John Hudson. I knew PP Ian Dobson (who outfitted our 3 boys). I was a good mate of the late John Howcroft. He was a cartoonist and had developed the loveable Sam the Ram in the weekly times. His son Russel is part of the ABC TV Gruen Factor. At the time I thought I would be in Rotary for 5 years!
My first involvement was in Youth Service, mentoring an overseas exchange student from Johannesburg Cedric Rubenstein. He was an outstanding success at Trinity Grammar, where the late PP Jill Groom had got him enrolled. When we collected him at the airport and we were driving him to our home he asked me why all the cars were parked in the street, as in South Africa they would be trashed by morning.
When I was in Vocational Service we organised students from Rochester, Central Victoria to come to Melbourne for a week, accompanied by a teacher. These students were in Year 12 and many had never been to Melbourne. We arranged jobs for them and they attended the club. It was a very successful project and we won a District award for it.
One of the most rewarding projects was sending sewing machines to Timor. I collected the machines in a trailer and they along with bolts of material and cotton reels, were sent to the Rotary Club in Timor for the establishment of home industries.In my presidential year the board approved funding for PP Mark Ellis' Opthalmology Sumba Project. A very successful project. Also, in my tenure a cluster group of Glenferrie, Hawthorn, Kew on Yarra & Kew resulted in securing, as a speaker Noble Laureate Peter Doherty. We had 300 to his breakfast at Leonda. We found the students who attended the event were enthused to move into science.
I had a wonderful time mentoring Senior Police Sergeant with regards his project on visible clothing. I had a visit to the Kew station and Graduation Ceremony in a police car.
It was interesting times when I had to source women's underwear from Target etc for Community Service. I was determined to never be a knife & fork member and
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In closing I have got more out of Rotary than I put in. I have made some special friends (Fab 5 you know who you are). When I lost Susie you all welcomed Trish. You are ugly bastards but I love you big.
I wish President Teresa all the best for her year.
PP Michael Berry
August 9th 2022