The Rotary Club of Toowoomba Metropolitan chartered at the beginning of the new Rotary year and has since grown from strength to strength.

Article by PP Wendy Byron, Secretary and Rotary District 9620 Drought Relief Program

Thursday the 15th of July 2021 saw the business community of Toowoomba celebrate the July 1st Chartering of The Rotary Club of Toowoomba Metropolitan. This is the first to be charted in 30 years in Toowoomba.

The significance of this was not lost on the District Governor Wendy Protheroe, who herself is the Charter District Governor for the new Rotary District 9620, also celebrating a 1st of July 2021 commencement date. Wendy officiated the formal ceremonial component, assisted by Past District Governors of the amalgamated District 9630 and 9600 Patrice Robinson and Neil Black respectively, who welcomed and celebrated with Charter President Leroy Palmer and the 28 Foundation members.

Leroy acknowledged the work of those who bought to fruition the vision of the new club through The Edge Satellite Club sponsored by the Rotary Club of Toowoomba South in 2015. Leroy recognized the diversity of the new club members, who come from a wide range of professional and business backgrounds. He commented that the new club priority goals include that our members gain a sense of achievement whilst enjoying working as part of a team that is committed to making a difference in the lives of others and within our community.

The format of the club has been created to open new doors for people who would not normally have become Rotarians.

“The club has modelled from the journey of a Satellite club - The Edge Satellite Club - to now a Rotary Club. Format is your normal Club; however, it does attract the younger generation in the area. I guess for me the excitement is that a Satellite club to be able to generate the momentum and “put runs on board” and meet charter requirements”, said PDG Jitendra Prasad, Membership Director 2021-22

This being said Leroy and the Club have accomplished the following:

• Inducted 7 new members since Charter
• Planned and staging 2 major fundraisers
• Hero and Villain’s Trivia Night with 140 participants attending 5th March 2022
• Held 2 Information nights to host the Run the Range event being held 22nd May – attracting major sponsorship from several local business and currently supporting 20 local charities in both Peer-to-Peer fundraising and Corporate Health and Wellbeing Challenge
• Successfully applied for a District Grant to supply a AED in support a local out of hours service. Tony’s Kitchen who provides meals, a shower and laundry facilities to vulnerable individuals in the Toowoomba Community this will be presented to Tony at the Trivia night.

New members have shown great interest in International Project work and the club members have been actively involved in assisting with the Northern Region Donations in Kind. Several members have assisted other local clubs inclusive of Toowoomba, Roma, Chinchilla and Kingaroy in their celebrations and activities.

The Club Board and membership are enthusiastic and excited to explore the avenues of service both locally, nationally and internationally and look forward to welcoming new members into the Rotary experience.