Early morning meetings of Rochester’s community leaders, inspired by Rotary president Heather Watson, have further developed the community mindset that now has many of the town’s prominent identities moving in the same direction.
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The round table-like discussion, which is now a popular component of the business breakfasts, has allowed groups to share their activity, goals and achievements with a wider audience.
“Those who attended the first meeting gave very positive feedback as to the value of the meeting; many discovered there was more happening in Rochester than they knew about,” Heather Watson said.
The Community Chat concept has been picked up by a handful of other clubs in Rotary District 9800, including the Bendigo-based Eaglehawk group.
Rochester’s breakfasts began in July 2020, but due to COVID the second of the Rotary-inspired breakfasts was not held until December that year.
Rather than fading into obscurity the Rochester Hotel meetings have continued to gather momentum, to the point where they are now considered one of the most important gatherings of community-minded individuals in the town.
Mrs Watson and the Rotary group continue to seek out interesting guest speakers, having opened the batting with the district governor of the renowned service group, Rotary District Governor Phillip Archer.
“He wanted to meet with members of the Rochester Community to learn a bit about Rochester and District,” Mrs Watson said.
Half a dozen Rotary club members, along with key Rochester figures Glenda Nichol, Wayne Park (mural committee), Sharon Herne, Bruce Kilpatrick and the Darbyshires Heather and Alan, were at that first meeting.
“Feedback from the first meeting saw us add a few different things, including asking everyone present to provide us with a short update on what they were doing, and we feel the breakfasts have allowed us to connect with the Rochester community,” Mrs Watson said.
Following in the footsteps of the district governor have been retired Rochester school principal Graeme Hodgens, Rochester Elmore District Health Service CEO Karen Laing, along with a former and current citizens of the year, an SES co-ordinator, police, television personalities and church leaders.
Mrs Watson said groups currently involved regularly in breakfast discussions were Rochester Business Network (RBN), the CWA, Uniting Church, historical society, Rochester Car Club, Rochester Primary School, Rochester Secondary College, St Joseph’s School, Wirima Playspace, Community Garden, Lions Club of Rochester, Community House, Probus Club of Rochester, Campaspe Shire’s Deb Chumbley and Councillor Paul Jarman, Riverwalk Committee, RSL, the mural committee and senior citizens.
She said the spread of community groups involved in the meetings had allowed for “cross pollunation’’ in several Rochester projects.
“From the breakfasts we have seen some groups work together on projects and support each other for a greater outcome,” Mrs Watson said.
“We would like more community members to attend the Community Chat breakfast to continue this improved community connection.”
She said the club was planning to bring guests from outside the region to the breakfast meetings.
“We plan on looking for speakers from further afield who have a story to tell or message to pass on. We are very grateful to Di and Bruce, from Hotel Rochester, for hosting the breakfast,” she said.
Mrs Watson, while not expecting any rewards for co-ordinating the event, did provide an insight into why she was so passionate about the meetings.
“Ultimately, we hope that we might gain some new members – especially younger people – as the Rotary name filters more into the community and people realise just what Rotary does locally, nationally and internationally.
“We would love to see representatives from the sporting clubs, other churches, the local traders and younger members of the community attend,” she said.
There are currently six members of Rochester Rotary: Mrs Watson, Debbie Bish, Eric Bish, Bryan Griffiths, Jeanette Perry and Angela Beutel.
The Rotary Club of Echuca sponsored the formation of the Rochester club of Rochester, chartered on the October 24, 1964 with 29 members.
Mrs Watson joined in 1984, was the first female president of the club in 1997 and is in her 10th term as president, having served as secretary for 10 terms.
She is a Paul Harris Fellowship receipient, a regular service award receipient and more recently was one of three Rotarians in the district to receive the Royce Abbey Rotary Champion Award of Change award.
Rotary’s historic contribution to Rochester is a lengthy, and impressive, list including the first delivery of Meals on Wheels by Murray Milgate and Michael Clarke in 1970.
The Rotary Park was opened in 1980, then the club sponsored the Probus Club of Rochester in 1997, two years later staging the 2020 Farm and Road Safety Expo.
In 2011 the flood disaster work of Russell Anderson and Graeme Nelson allowed for the co-ordination of volunteers from several Rotary clubs.
A community bus was introduced in 2012 and in 2019 the Community Garden project commenced.
And, with the monthly breakfast gatherings continuing to gather momentum, Rotary can be certain it is playing a leading role in developing the obvious town pride that currently exists in Rochester.
Kyabram Free Press and Campaspe Valley News editor