KNYSNA NEWS - Knysna Rotary Club inducted its 2023/24 Knysna Rotary President, Herb Hunter, during a special breakfast at Knysna Golf Club on Saturday 15 July.
Outgoing President George Coon formally passed on the presidential chain and club charter.
Herb is the Knysna Rotary Club's 62nd president. He hails from the city of Saint John in New Brunswick, Canada and he and his family moved to Knysna in 2017 with the goal of undertaking various ministry and community-upliftment initiatives in the Garden Route.
He joined Rotary at the beginning of 2018.
Using the analogy of the 673km-long Saint John River in his induction speech, Hunter remarked that many of the club's community service projects, while excellent initiatives, address problems that arise "downstream".
"At times it feels like we're swimming at the mouth of a river against a very strong current. We are hardly able to tread water. I would like us to travel to the headwaters of the problems in our community."
He challenged the club to expand its vision to include projects that target problems that occur "upstream" - and are perhaps more difficult to reach - through talking more, strategising more and engaging with role players and community leaders.
"To paddle upstream and work on prevention will require creative thinking, sustained effort, and a willingness to try new things. But, this is Rotary. We have eradicated the wild poliovirus from Africa, for goodness sake. If we put our minds to it, our resources behind it and we contribute our sweat equity into the process, it is achievable."
2023-24 President Herb Hunter with Amy and George Coon.
Newly elected Rotary president Herb Hunter with his wife Janet.
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