A very special meeting indeed, with the presentation of the Lutzy Award (see separate article above). Doug Garvie was at the door, Ray Higgs was Chairman and Graeme Isaacson organised and liaised with the caterers and serving staff. We had apologies from Mitch Brown, Doug Lipp, Paul Seymour, Adrian Crowe, Al Sirovs and Richard Smith.
President Charles Thomasson welcomed all members and visitors, with particular recognition of course of the special guests from the Surfers Paradise SLSC, which included SLSC President Trevor Hendy, David Orchard, Lutzy Awardee Jade McMahon (photo right) and her father Peter McMahon, Jan Lutz who was this year accompanied by Keith’s brother Gary Lutz and his wife Janet, as well as the award joint sponsors Mario Fairlie and Justin Benney from Advent Security. Charles briefly outlined our club’s major projects currently in train, followed by Dr Graham Sivyer (President of RC of Broadbeach) who gave an outline of the X-Ray Unit and Pathology Equipment for a hospital on Pentecost Island, Vanuatu.PDG Darrell Brown elaborated on the various Youth programs of our District 9640, with special emphasis on the Rotary Youth Transition Seminar (RYTS), a 6 days personal development camp for 16 – 18 year olds. RYTS will take place from 9th – 14th January 2021. Click here for more specific details on RYTS. Next in line is the Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) for 19 – 29 year olds, which runs from 26th – 31st January 2021.
Chairman Ray Higgs then led the award presentation, thanking the sponsors Mario Fairlie and Justin Benney. Ray also made specific mention of our former member Chris Thurtell who was instrumental to establish the ‘Lutzy’. David ‘Orchy’ Orchard from the SLSC outlined the underlying concept of the Award, being in honour of our Charter Member Keith Lutz, who also was a leading figure and mentor in the Surf Life Saving movement. Surfers SLSC President, six times Australian Ironman Champion Trevor Hendy gave a brief, inspiring talk about ‘What is Surf Life Saving?’: “In one word: ‘Heart’, perhaps also ‘Love’ – all Life Savers are giving up their free time, free of charge, to help other people. Australia wide, there are some 177,000 of them!”
Isn’t it great for our two organisations, Rotary and Surf Life Saving, to be associated?