President's Message
As the current president of the Rotary Club of Belconnen it is my pleasure to extend to you a very warm welcome to the Club's website.
As at October 2012 the Rotary Club of Belconnen has 46 Full Members, one Associate Member, two Honorary Members and seven Friends of the Club. Among the Full Members, our ages range from 23 to nearly 80 years, about a third are women and there are three couples. Our membership has evolved and refreshed over the years since our establishment in 1971 with new and transferring members. There remains a strong and stable core of longstanding members who continue to provide a wealth of experience to the Club and who add to that sense of 'family' that marks our Club as special.
The guiding principle of Rotary is service to the community and it gives each of us an opportunity to contribute something locally as well as more widely nationally and internationally. The international theme of the current Rotary year is "Peace through service".
All Club members are engaged to a greater of lesser degree in the various activities of the Club that make it the success it is. Foremost among those activities is our highly successful and acclaimed Canberra institution 'The Trash and Treasure Market' held at Jamison Shopping Centre carpark every Sunday except Christmas Day. The TnT Market is now into its 38th year of operation and the income from that venture is approaching $5M. Every member of the Club is involved with ensuring the success of the TnT market and it provides the income that allows us to make such a strong mark across all of the avenues of service to the community, locally and internationally, that Rotary represents. We are a strong Club and very proud of our record.
Complementing the many avenues of service detailed across this website, our Club also has a vibrant weekly meeting program that strikes a balance between quality visiting speakers on subjects as diverse as humanitarian aid, education, human interest, community projects and international exchanges where Rotary may assist. At some Club meetings we simply enjoy each others' company and spend time cementing friendships. There are also gatherings each year where we join family and friends in fun social events.
Should you be a potential new member, a visiting Rotarian or guest, or simply curious to find out more about the Rotary Club of Belconnen, you are warmly welcomed to our website. We look forward to the opportunity to meet you in person.
Len Glare OAM FAIM
President 2012-13