Photos by Ashley Cleaver/Cleavers Images
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For his work with Rotary, the community and his service to sport, Wayne Robards was named a Paul Harris Fellow at the Rotary Club of Taree changeover dinner.
Manning Valley Concert Band members Becky Wright, Hannah Hartup and Mitch Brown performed a number of solo and duets at the dinner on Saturday night at Club Taree as a promotion for the Hunter Wind Ensemble Concert at St John's Anglican Church, Taree on Wednesday, October 11.
Taree Rotary president, Murray Difford then presented them a very generous donation of $500 to assist with expense for the Hunter Wind Ensemble tour of Spain and Portugal in 2018.
Other presentations were made to Manning Hospital Children’s Ward, School of St Jude student scholarship program and Old Bar Men’s Shed to purchase a defibrillator.
During the dinner, the club’s youth ambassador 2016/7 Mitchell Brown of Taree High handed over the role to Chatham High’s Maylyn Sendah for the 2017/8 term.
The announcement of the Paul Harris Fellow to Wayne Robards took him by surprise. It is Rotary’s highest honour and is named after the founder of Rotary.
Wayne has held various board positions with the Rotary Club of Taree, assisted with organising Pride of Workmanship award evenings and public speaking competitions.
He served as club president in 2005-2006 and was the district treasurer in Ian Dyball’s District Governor year – 2007-2008.
Wayne’s first involvement with community service was at the age of 15 when he was asked to be a youth ambassador for the Taree Methodist Church.
He was involved with Manning Valley Community Transport for 15 years, much of that as the president.
He was involved in the Chatham Public School P and C when his children attended, and was the coach of boys cricket team and assistant coach of the boys soccer club. Later he was involved with Club Taree Snooker Club as treasurer.
Wayne has also been involved in Toastmasters, using those skills to adjudicate at community public speaking events such as the club’s own district public speaking competitions.
Currently Wayne is involved with Legacy and is the assistant treasurer for the Tuncurry branch of Legacy.
Every week he drives the mini bus for local girls brigade youth group, picking up and taking the girls home. Without this service, it would make impossible for them to be involved.