Greg Hale and Murray Roach welcomed as members of the Paul Harris Society by Eric Wood, District Governor Elect, Chair of the Paul Harris Society.

The Paul Harris Society is a special district-administered recognition program for Rotarians who wish to support The Rotary Foundation in a more substantial way each year.From providing clean drinking water to polio vaccine to literacy instruction, a Rotarian’s US$1,000 contribution to The Rotary Foundation significantly boosts a community’s quality of life. Think what that US$1,000 contribution accomplishes when made every year.The Paul Harris Society specially recognises Rotarians and Friends of The Foundation who annually contribute US$1,000 or more.

Lee Robert Borradale – Paul Harris Fellow

Presentation 15th December 2009

Lee Robert Borradale was born in Brisbane and grew up in the Redcliffe Peninsula area. He attended Scarborough and Redcliffe State schools before attending Kelvin Grove Teachers College, where he obtained his Teaching Certificate majoring in Arts.

Lees’s first teaching appointment was at Charleville, Queensland where he was introduced to Rostrum.  Then followed appointments at Mt. Lofty High School and Downlands College, where he became very involved in the Cadet Unit. Lee used his film making skills to record and document the last year of Cadets at the College.

Lee then took up the Directorship of Hyvong (meaning Hope), located at Bowral.  Hyvong was a home for unattached, detached or orphaned for 30 boys from Vietnam and Cambodia displaced by war in their home countries.  Lee played a very important part in the lives of these young boys, and 25 years later is still in contact with many of them, and is still concerned for their welfare, although most now have families of their own.

PHF PRESENTATION AT THE ROTARY 60th DINNER

A Paul Harris Fellow (named in honour of our founder Paul Harris) is someone who has contributed US$1,000 to The Rotary Foundation,  or has that amount contributed in his or her name. 

Every week, on average, around the globe more than 1,000 people become Paul Harris Fellows -  that’s a little over $1 million a week (more than $50 million a year) being contributed toward the funding of The Rotary Foundation’s educational and humanitarian  programs which  for the year ended 30 June 2008 totalled  US$227.5 million.

Introduced initially just over 50 years ago to recognize  contributions to The Rotary Foundation by  individual Rotarians , some clubs (ours included) choose also to honour people not for their monetary contribution, but for their service to society.

To-night we honour six such people for significant, selfless service to our community -  people who neither seek or expect public recognition,  whose photos you’ll never see in our newspapers;  not given to making public statements about what they do -  people who go quietly  about  doing good in our community , exemplifying Rotary’s  motto of Service Above Self.

The biographies of the recipients:-

 JENNY BORRADALE was born and raised in Tumut, NSW attending Tumut Primary and High Schools. In 1986 Jenny left Tumut to pursue her career in banking, however she returned to the town in 1997 and immediately became involved with a number of church and community groups.

There are many elderly, frail and disadvantaged people in that community whose lives have been enriched because of Jenny's self less dedication to assisting those in need.

This work continued when Jenny moved to the Sunshine Coast with her husband Lee in 2002

Jenny is a trained counsellor and these skills have enabled her to reach out and touch people through her various roles as a volunteer with a number of church and community groups, and through her voluntary work and paid employment with organisations supporting people with physical and intellectual disabilities.

Jenny has been a source of inspiration and encouragement to other people working in this sometimes stressful industry. Jenny is particularly gifted in working with people who have difficult and complex support needs and succeeds where other support workers have given up.

She has held management positions in disability support agencies where she has been able to influence the thinking, behaviour and ethical standards of other support workers. Having a part time position (but full time commitment) does not prevent Jenny from working as a volunteer with a range of other organisations.

Jenny is currently Chaplain to Palmwoods Primary School and this year has been a time where Jenny has called on her faith in the service of that community. As a Chaplain at Nambour General Hospital and working with other chaplains in Showers of Mercy, a charitable organisation started by the Chaplains and pastoral visitors at Nambour Hospital, Jenny's outstanding pastoral, administrative and fund raising abilities are relied upon regularly.

Jenny, you live by Rotary's motto of Service above Self and we recognise you as a Paul Harris Fellow

 DALE DOWLER: In 2002 the idea for a drop-in centre to provide for the needs and concerns of many in our community, particularly young people, was conceived. The Shack opened its doors and Dale has been involved since then.

Forced closure of the original premises due to property redevelopment of the site did not deter Dale and the team, and for an interim period they kept up contact with families and young people without having a `home'. Then about the middle of 2004, they were offered the site from which they now operate. The Shack rose from the ashes.

With the help of a committed band of volunteers many of whom are young people, and community groups including churches, The Shack Community Centre to give it its full title, is looking after many in our community who for a variety of reasons do not have every day necessities that we take for granted. The assistance provided since then includes such things as -

• Food parcels, and school breakfasts, both literally in the thousands,
• Referred many to accommodation,
• Provided counselling to families and individuals,
• A Youth Mentoring Program,
• Domestic Violence support groups
• Provision of a Rec Room at The Shack,
• Helped Drug dependent individuals into detox, rehab, and with one-on-one counseling,
• A Search for Life men's group.

The Centre relies on the financial support of individuals and community groups for its continuation, and as stated in recent publicity about its operations, runs on `the smell of an oily rag'.

Dale is the face and driver of The Shack Community Centre and we say thank you by recognising him tonight as a Paul Harris Fellow.

 DAPHNE HEATON  has been a resident of the Nambour/Maroochy area all her life, and has served the Nambour community for many of those years in a diverse range of interests.

• Founding Member of the committee of Nambour Garden Expo which has grown over its 25 years to become The South East Queensland Garden Expo. She was actively involved on the organising committee for most of that time and still provides assistance wherever needed.
• Volunteer for Nambour Meals on Wheels for more than 30 years.
• Visiting Sundale Garden Village for a similar period as a volunteer to assist residents with lots of tasks they are unable to do themselves, and as a member of entertainment parties.
• Tireless worker over 25 years for Crossroads, a Uniting Church organisation providing support, fellowship and entertainment for intellectually handicapped adults.
• Assisting with the Nambour Eisteddfod. .
• Served for many years on the Red Cross Chelsea Flower Show committee.
• Helped to organise establishment of the Nambour & District Historical Museum where she continues to be heavily involved.
• Co-author of booklet on the history of the Burnside-Perwillowen area of Nambour.

You have been able to help in our community in so many ways whilst with husband Don providing a loving caring environment for your family, and so Daphne we say thanks by recognising you as a Paul Harris Fellow.

 MARGARET SCOTT: When the Sunshine Coast Children's Therapy Centre was established in 1988 Margaret (Margie) Scott was one of the first three therapists employed by the Centre.

This proved to be a very fortuitous move by the committee. As a well known Pediatric Physiotherapist Margie brought recognition and credibility to the Centre, and she immediately began to implement procedures and practices which are still in use in the Centre today.

Following her appointment to the Centre Margie began a ten year campaign to raise the funds to build a dedicated therapy centre for children with disability on the Sunshine Coast. The Current Therapy Centre building is a testament to her determination.

Throughout this time Margie was also a driving force in the establishment of Sailability Sunshine Coast, a confidence building and recreational program for adults and children with disability. Margie was President of the Association for three years and a committee member for several more years.

Margie left the Centre in 2006 but her efforts on behalf of the Therapy Centre have not been forgotten. She is a Life Member of the Sunshine Coast Children's Therapy Centre Inc and fondly remembered by the hundreds of families and children whom she met through her work at the Centre.

It is the dedication and unselfish devotion of people like Margie that enrich our society and she is a worthy Paul Harris Fellow.

 STUART NAPIER is a retired school teacher who early in life was infected with the community service virus, and has never found a cure for it. At age 18, as soon as he was eligible, he joined Apex, and for the next 22 years in communities such as Cunnamulla, Injune, Tara and Nambour, he sought out the local Apex club and volunteered for service. Upon compulsory retirement from the Apex Club of Nambour at the mandated age of 40, he was named a Life Member for his services.

He immediately volunteered for service on the management committee of Sundale Garden Village. That was 31 years ago - and he's still there, for 26 of those years serving as its Secretary, and also for the past 10 years as Secretary of the Friends of Sundale committee.

Being Secretary of Sundale is no sinecure. An organisation which never stops growing makes constant demands on its officers in terms both of time and responsibility. That you have done that for so long, quietly and efficiently, and continue to do it into the future, surely deserves recognition.

We therefore invite you Stuart to accept recognition as a Paul Harris Fellow.

 ROBYN TOWNE is a relative newcomer to Nambour, living with her husband Bud at the Laurel Springs retirement village near Sundale, to be close to family and to her 86 year old father who was a resident of Rotary Garden Village, and for a short time at Sundale where he was in high care until his death last year.

Since his death Robyn has continued her association with Rotary Garden Village as a volunteer worker, receiving a small government allowance to enable her to continue to devote her time in helping wherever it is needed –

• in the kitchen, sometimes cooking a special meal for a resident
• driving residents in her car to the doctor, the hospital, the dentist, the optometrist - and being there with them to help them
• working in a resident's large vegetable and flower garden
• writing a letter, doing a manicure, shopping in town for someone unable to get there easily.

In her own village, where she is one of the youngest, she is similarly involved, dedicated to making life easier for those for whom life is no longer easy. In recognising you as a Paul Harris Fellow, we acknowledge and applaud your caring service to so many in our community at a time when they need it most.