Elisabeth Champion
A HISTORIC visit from the Rotary International’s 2023-24 president Gordon McInally this week has left a lasting impression on Limestone Coast Rotary members .
It is the first time since the concept of Rotary came to Mount Gambier 95 years ago that a Rotary International president has visited the city, all thanks to a simple request.
Proving that there is never harm in asking, District 9780 governor for 2023-24 and Mount Gambier Lakes Rotary member Ian McKay asked Mr McInally to visit the district, and was thrilled when he accepted.
“I was talking to a former Rotary International director from Sydney about 13 months ago and we were talking about how wouldn’t it be great if Gordon came to Mount Gambier?,” he said.
“He said, ‘why don’t you write and ask’? and I said ‘he’s not going to come to Mount Gambier.’”
As it turns out, Mr McInally was keen, and so, following the Rotary International World Conference in Melbourne last month, he and his wife Heather made the trip to the Limestone Coast.
On his visit, Mr McInally toured the city and viewed projects that the local Rotary clubs have done, and left a permanent mark on the Mount Gambier skyline, in the form of a tree, planted by Mr McInally and rotarians.
Mr McKay said the tree will serve as a permanent reminder of the historic visit.
“Trees are something that outlast all of us generally and we were hoping to have something as a significant reminder of his visit,” he said.
“Rotary has ‘supporting the environment’ as our seventh area of focus so that’s become an increasing importance to Rotary.
“So planting a tree is a symbolic recognition of his visit and hopefully those of us in the future that see that tree grow will remember fondly the fact that he chose to visit Mount Gambier as Rotary International President”
He also attended the Mount Gambier Library where he viewed the plastic lid sorting for World Environment Day and attended a formal dinner with more than 140 rotarians from around the district.
Mr McInally, who hails from Scotland, said he enjoyed his fleeting visit to the city.
“We’ve been visiting some projects this morning, mainly environmental based projects that the clubs have been doing and I’m delighted to see the club so involved with the environment,” he said.
“It’s something that Rotary is very keen on at the moment, we recognise that we only have one planet and if we don’t take care of that planet, we’ve got a problem.
“So, I am thrilled to see that there was such an environment focus and also that they are so connected with the community that it’s embedded.
“There’s a lot of work going on here and I’m delighted to have the chance to spend time here.”
He also said Rotary would have a special focus on mental health and continue its focus on Polio eradication, which has been a focus of Rotary for more than 30 years.
“Over that time, we have reduced the incidence of Polio in the world to almost zero and we hope to take it to zero within the next 12 months or so.
“We’ve been involved in the field of mental health for a while, but mental health is something that I have a particular interest in and so I’m using my presidency to renew the focus that we have on that particular issue and recognise that that is a big issue, and something of a taboo subject and I think it’s time that we removed some of the taboo and stigma associated with poor mental health.
“If we can strip away some of the stigma associated with it, and at the same time, help people into treatment programs, self support programs, and support them through that journey, then that will be a good thing.”
He encouraged everyone to look into joining Rotary.
“We recognise that just being part of Rotary is good – somebody did a study recently out of the US and they discovered that the best treatment for anxiety and depression is to do acts of kindness,” he said.
“We all go through those every day as members of Rotary so if anybody is interested in improving their general wellbeing, find your local Rotary Club and go along and speak to them and consider becoming a member and joining us.”