Installation of the New Board

Posted by Gurpreet Randhawa on Jun 29, 2016
 
Ann Moskow attended to the installation of the new Board and President as well as recognizing Past Presidents and Board Members.
 
Recognition of Past Presidents
 
Ann Moskow recognized our Past Presidents. We are honoured to have had the following serve as President since the chartering of our Club in 1980. 
 
  • 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
  • Dennis Truss 2009-10
  • Ralph Libby 2010-11
  • Rick Lemon 2011-12
  • Paul Doherty 2012-13
  • Mary Coward 2013-14
  • Lisa Collins 2014-15    
and this year we add David Cheatley 2015-16 to that honoured list - thank you David. 

In addition to those who have served as Harbourside Presidents, we have members who have served as President of other Rotary Clubs.  Those who served as President of other local clubs are:  David Iles (Victoria Club); and Troy Alexander (Rotary Club of Royal Oak Centennial). Those who served as President of Rotary Clubs in other cities are:  John Heraghty, Rotary Club of Regina North; Ralph Libby, Penticton Skaha Rotary Club, twice; Wayne Shillington, Edmonton – Riverview; and Colin Smith, Rotary Club of New Westminster – Royal City.
 
David thanked the Club for the support he received this past year. He realized that having good meetings and making everyone want to come to the meeting is what keeps this meeting going. David also thanked Michele Wilson for taking on the hard job of treasurer during the middle of the year.
 
Recognition of Outgoing Officers and Directors
 
Tom Martin recognized and thanked our outgoing Directors: Cheryl Thomas and Lauren Moline. 
 
Cheryl , in her role as Director, Club Administration,  ensured that our programs were varied and interesting and that we had excellent speakers.  She got us all to share in the administrative duties like the front desk, invocation and Sarge.  Her new system to reconcile breakfast payments at the desk, works!  She kept up our good relationship with the Union Club and even managed to improve it by cleaning up the infamous storage closet.
 
Lauren (or Lorraine, as Tom referred to her), as Director, Communications and as a member of the District PR Committee, contributed significantly to getting the word out about Rotary in our area, and specifically about Harbourside.  She successfully used social media to promote our fundraisers and launched our terrific new website.  She persevered with ClubRunner when others would have thrown in the towel.
 
Although Cheryl and Lauren are retiring from the Board, we know we can count on their continued active involvement. 
 
Tom also thanked Lisa Collins for her continued guidance to the Board and the Club as the Past President.  Her experience and valued perspective continued to strengthen the leadership of the Club.
 
Ann also thanked Tom for honouring her father who was also a Rotarian by wearing his Rotary tie and tie clip.
 
Installation of the New Board
 
Jim Warr assisted with the installation of the new Board. Jim asked the following individuals to join him: Ann Moskow, Peter Baillie, Michele Wilson, Tom Zsolnay, Dawn Gibbons, Shellie Gudgeon, Gillian Manson, Damian Sowa, Miles Takacs, and Pieta van Dyke. ​​​​Each of these individuals has been elected by the members as Board officers and directors and specifically the following positions:
 
  • Ann, will take up the position of President-Elect.
  • Peter,  will continue as the Secretary.
  • Michele, will continue as the Treasurer.
  • Tom, will take up the role of Vice-President.
  • Dawn, will continue as the Director, Membership.
  • Shellie, will take up the role of Director, Club Administration.
  • Gillian, will continue as the Director, New Generations.
  • Damian, will continue as the Director, Community Service.
  • Miles, will serve in the new position of Director, Vocational Service.
  • Pieta, will continue as the Director, International Service.
 
The members have entrusted the officers and directors with the responsibility of guiding the Club’s affairs over this next year.  Each officer and director then swore to fulfil their duties to the best of their ability, to act to further the interests of the Club, and to give their full and active support to Murray Tough as the President.
 
Installation of the President
 
Ann then asked Murray Tough to join her. Ann reminded Murray that he has been elected by the members to be the Club President.  The members have entrusted Murray with the highest responsibility of guiding the Club’s affairs and managing the Board over this next year.  Murray swore to fulfil his duties to the best of his ability; to act to further the interests of the Club, the District and Rotary International and to uphold the Club’s constitution and bylaws and the principles of Rotary and was declared and duly sworn in as the President of the Rotary Club of Victoria-Harbourside for 2016 – 2017.  
 
Murray thanked David for being our President. As Murray has come to realize, it is often a thankless task. Of all of the thinks that were achieved under David's leadership, the one that stands out the most to Murray is the stone soup project. Central Middle School had submitted an application for $500.00 to start a soup program. The Board looked at the application and realized that they needed far more than $500.00 to be successful. The Board was thinking of turning down this application because they didn't appear to have a plan to get the rest of the money. David said Central Middle School doesn't want $500.00, they want a soup program and through, can't we get pots and pans from our members? Can't we use the power of the foodshare network to get them the vegetables? And with that simple though and the support of the Club, the soup program was launched very successfully. Murray also thanked David, on behalf of the club, for his clam demeanor - David never raised his voice and over and over, when things were challenging, reminded us to consider the four-way test. Thank you, David!
 
Murray then addressed the Club. When Murray was at the District Conference last weekend, one of the speakers told the attendees about an experience describing Rotary to children. A child asked, "What is polio"? The speaker told the child that Polio is a disease that leaves people crippled or unable to breathe on their own and can cause death. There is no cure for polio but we can inoculate against it. Then she imagined a time in the future when she would describe Rotary to a call and a child asks, "What is war?" Her answer would be, "It's something that leaves people crippled or unable to breath on their own and can cause death. There is no cure for war but we can inoculate against it."
 
According to Murray, this is what makes Rotary unique in the world. We have the vision and the courage to take on something as audacious as ridding the entire world of Polio and Rotary has the skills, the connections and tenacity to see it through regardless of the setbacks. There is no other organization in the world that can do that. If Rotary can eliminate Polio, why can't Rotary eliminate war? As President, Murray would like us to explore that idea with a speakers series on peace.
 
Over the coming months, Murray would like to lay out goals for our Club and we as a Club can decide if they are fit for our Club. Murray's top three goals are as follows:
 
  • Polio Eradication;
  • Increasing Membership by welcoming at least 10 to 20 new members this year; and
  • Increasing mentorship within the Club - providing advice and guidance to those in similar vocations.
Murray closed by summing up his new position in a prayer: "Please god, don't let me screw it up."