The new 2023/24 board- President Bill Bott AM, Meredith Miegel, Stacey Price, Gary Poidevin OAM, Deborah Rowe, Sally Batten, Rosemary Ferguson, Stephen Apps and Neil Davis.
The Rotary Club of Corowa held its highly anticipated 84th Changeover Dinner last week, marking the transition of leadership and celebrating the achievements of the outgoing president Stephen Apps.
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The event, held at the Corowa Golf Club, was filled with official proceedings, warm fellowship, and a sense of pride for the club's contributions to the community. During the ceremony, President Stephen Apps passed the reins to Bill Bott AM, who was officially inducted as the new President.
The highlight of the evening was Mr Apps being honoured with a Sapphire Paul Harris Fellow award, recognising his remarkable dedication and long-term service to the club while outgoing treasurer Paul Miegel was also recognised for his years of devoted service to the club and the Corowa community with a Paul Harris Fellow award.
In his report, Stephen Apps expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to serve as the president for the past year commending the Rotarians and partners for their unwavering support throughout his tenure.
“The Rotary Club of Corowa has a long tradition of helping the community and the world through its various programs and local efforts,” he said.
“This year has been no exception, with the club continuing to support and lead many events and help with Rotary fundraising across the world.”
Changing of the guard: Stephen Apps hands the presidency collar over to Bill Bott AM.
Mr Apps also highlighted the club's involvement in organising and leading events such as the monthly markets, the Tim Fischer Oration, Federation Parade, Australia Day Fireworks, and the BNS Ball, among others, extended his appreciation to the dedicated individuals who contributed to the success of these events.
The club also made significant contributions to charitable causes, donating over $30,000 to various organisations including Aquabox, Shelterbox, and Rotary Health.
Additionally, the club donated wheelchairs to the District Governor's Family project, Wheelchairs 4 Kids, and received a district grant for the fencing project at Bangarang Park.
Mr Apps acknowledged the club’s commitment to youth exchange programs and mentioned the experiences of exchange students such as Andrej Smizansky from Slovakia and Cooper Connell in Germany. Currently, Corowa’s Niamh Lavis is representing the club in Italy on an exchange program.
Outgoing treasurer Paul Miegel, pictured with Stephen Apps, was recognised for his years of devoted service to the club and the Corowa community with a Paul Harris Fellow award. Mr Apps was honoured as well with a prestigious Sapphire Paul Harris Fellow award.
Over the last 12 months, the Rotary Club of Corowa saw a growth in membership, welcoming nearly 40 members, including their first corporate membership with Corowa PharmaSave.
“Our membership chair Rosemary Ferguson should be congratulated on following up leads from our fellow Rotarians to grow our awesome club,” Mr Apps said.
“I welcome all our new members and their partners to our Family of Rotary and hope they enjoy continued service in the club for many years.”
The outgoing president expressed his gratitude to the board members and club officers for their dedicated service, particularly highlighting the contributions of vice president Deborah Rowe, secretary Margaret Brown, and treasurer Paul Miegel.
He also extended his thanks to Assistant Governor Paul Miegel and District Chair of Youth Exchange Meredith Miegel for their valuable support and leadership. He also thanked District Governor David McPherson for his guidance throughout the year.
District Governor David McPherson presented the club with an award for Membership Growth during the 2022/23 Rotary year for the club’s work in expanding and diversifying their membership base.
The Rotary Club of Corowa received further recognition during the Rotary District 9790 Changeover, held in Wangaratta on June 25. District Governor David McPherson presented the club with an award for Membership Growth during the 2022/23 Rotary year, acknowledging their efforts in expanding and diversifying their membership base.
