The Rotary Club of Victoria – Harbourside  presents the new Officers and Directors for 2015-16.  
 
Susan Kurushima recognized our Past-Presidents of Harbourside:
 
Fred Bartlett 1980-81
Cec Prowse 1981-82
Tom Martin 1982-83
Walter Gordon 1983-84
Marke Hambley 1984-85
Kevin McLaughlin 1985-86
Jim Warr 1986-87
Barry Adams 1987-88
Doug Potentier 1988-89
Dwight Whitson 1989-90
Jerry Woytack 1990-91
Mike Fric 1991-92
Harley Stonnell 1992-93
Dilsher Virk 1993-94
Chris Kent 1994-95
Tony Baur 1995-96
Steve Owen 1996-97
Bruce Tait 1997-98
Randy Decksheimer 1998-99
Susan Kurushima 1999-2000
Chris Dysart 2000-01
John Heraghty 2001-02
Russ Cape 2002-03
Mike Creery 2003-04
Norrie Foote 2004-05
Maureen Duncan 2005-06
John Sansom 2006-07
Bill Feyrer 2007-08
Dennis Sutton 2008-09
Dennisa Truss 2009-10
Ralph Libby 2010-11
Rick Lemon 2011-12
Paul Doherty 2012-13
Mary Coward 2013-14
Lisa Collins 2014-15
 
Harbourside members who have served as presidents of other local clubs are :
David Iles  Victoria
Troy Alexander  Royal Oak
 
Members who have served as presidents in other cities :
John Heraghty
Wayne Shillington
Colin Smith
Ralph Libby
 
Chris Dysart thanked departing board members :
Robin Cushing
Wayne Shillington
Troy Alexander
Keith Phillips
Mary Coward
 
 
David Cheatley thanked outgoing President Lisa for her quiet efficiency and lawyerly attention to detail.  She did a fabulous job of keeping committees on task, getting the bookkeeping in order and exceeding fundraising goals. 
 
Lisa Collins said that the goals were set by the membership and credit goes to the club for goals that were met or exceeded.
She provided some recognition:  Rose to the Occasion - Shelley Gudgeon  (raffle sales)
Steady Eddy - Wayne Ford and David Iles 
Best Tag Team - Wayne Shillington and Dawn Gibbons  ( membership)
Came to the Rescue- Chris Dysart  ( book keeping)
Mr. Motivator - Doug Lunam and Jeff Moses  (Paul Harris program)
Above and Beyond - Ann Moskow
Most Likely to Succeed  - David Cheatley  Let's all get behind him in all ways!
 
David Cheatley and Gordon Miller treated us to a rendition of this original song. 
You can join for contacts
Or just to make a difference
But we know you’ll stay
to be with the friends you’ve made.
Each week will be different
But really not so different
Everything repeats in time and space
We come, we eat, we’re find and donate cash
And some leave early ‘cause they have to dash,
Well, speakers can be gripping
and speakers can be boring
everything just happens and sometimes rhymes.
2.You can like it this way
or You can hate it that way
it’s really up to you
it’s the life you choose every day
For sure it will be different
and yet it’s not so different
Everything repeats in time and space
We like to think we’re in control of our lives
And then the market drops and your stocks dive, well
You can like it this way
Or you can hate it that way
Everything repeats in time and space
everything just happens and sometimes rhymes.
 
Past President Paul Doherty installed the new officers and Directors:
President - David Cheatley
President elect - Murray Tough
Vice President - Ann Moskow
Treasurer - Janice Stuber
Secretary - Peter Baillie
Directors - Cheryl Thomas, Dawn Gibbons, Damian Sowa, Pieta VanDyke, Lauren Moline, Gillian Manson
 
Our new President David Cheatley had this to say (verbatim) :
 
Unlike most of you I have made mistakes in the past. Like these 3-
In Nov. of the year 2000 I walked into HS Rotary un-invited, just to see what it was like. Dan Kelly took me in and showed me the ropes. I kept coming back, just like a bad smell. It took until March 28 2001 for me to be inducted. Maybe there wasn't much pressure to get new members back then.
Three or four years later Gordon Miller told me that playing the anthems at Rotary was "the worst musical Moment" of his week, because he had to play without warming up. I offered to bring my fiddle and play some other tunes before the meeting. Well, you know how that has turned out.
And about 2 years ago I indicated that I was interested in serving as president, and I used email to do some unpresidented electioneering. You were kind enough to give me the job and here we are.
New members please take note - the tradition in most small organizations is that when the call for nominations goes out (in our case) in November, you don't put yourself forward. This ensures that the president-elect has to approach members they feel they can persuade to serve to fill the vacant board positions. I think this is normal, but a mistake. Everyone should be on the board for the increased fellowship and the deep education you get about the breadth and depth of Rotary.
I've learned in the last 2 years that the board, the club, people in Victoria, and BC, and Canada, and the world are all part of a conversation about how we are to BE in the world. If you don't join in to that conversation where you can and where you can make a difference, no matter how small, you are missing something important and meaningful.
What can I do as president? I can be the head juggler for the club and keep all the same balls in the air, or I can be ambitious and add a few new ones.
Last week Gordon and I were discussing by email what we might play this morning. He asked what my theme was for this year. I told him what the Rotary theme was. Does anyone know what it is? It's "be a gift to the world". Make your contribution to a better world by participating in Rotary meetings and projects.
"Yeah, yeah", gordon replied to me, but what's YOUR theme.
"Stay out of trouble", I replied.
or "stay the course".
And we could do that if that’s what you want. But I'd like to try to inspire you to do more.
Just as the Victoria Club has seized a larger vision and has many of us working on their food rescue project, we too need to try to have a wider influence in our community.
If you read my email asking for your advice that I sent last Saturday, (if you didn't read it the new version of ClubRunner lets me I know who you are), you will know that I am suggesting a speaker series in which we ask business & goverment leaders questions like:
1. What does your organization contribute to life on the south island, the province, the country and the world? Why is this important?
2. How are you trying to guide and shape that contribution in the near and long term?
3. What are the chief obstacles or frustrations to delivering that contribution?
4. In an ideal society what would your organizations contribution to society look like?
5. How can Rotary help you achieve that?
 
The goal is to get leaders thinking about social responsibility and the bigger picture AND to associate those ideas and ideals with Rotary. Can we make change in our community by talking to community leaders? I think we can.
Could we have 4 federal candidates and the press here Sept 9 so we can ask them about their vision of Canada as individuals, and how they plan to achieve that through their parties if they are elected?
This is my vision, but I can't do it alone. I need your help and your connections in the community. I need you to believe in service above self and the better world we can create.
If I’ve inspired you let’s talk.  Let's Go out and change the world.