On Saturday night I attended a fantastic event hosted by the Rotary Club of Mossman to celebrate the centenary of the Rotary Foundation. At the event, held on the beautiful High Falls Farm, which is about 14 kilometres out of Mossman, six local people were awarded for their outstanding contributions to the Douglas community as Paul Harris Fellows.
Marjory Norris, Shirley Vico and Joan Gray established the Mossman District Nursing Home Committee more than two decades ago. Since then, they have worked tirelessly to get an aged-care facility built at Mossman. The site works are now underway. That is a fabulous achievement in partnership with the Salvation Army Aged Care Plus.
Wendy Fry works for the Mossman State High School and is involved with Rotary through the Mentors in Violence Protection program. Wendy was integral in driving the program with teachers and other staff and students.
Sara Harris runs the youth centre at Mossman and was commended for her work to engage young people, especially Indigenous youth.
Richard Burchill is a member of the Kuku Yalanji, and for many years has actively worked to improve health and wellbeing for people in the shire.
On behalf of the Leichhardt community, I would like to say thank you to all of you for your contribution. It is greatly appreciated. It certainly goes to show that the original impetus of the Rotary Foundation back in 1917 to 'do good in the world' is alive and very, very well in the Douglas shire.