Presentation evening was a surprise for the four Volunteers on the committee and very active at the International Club.
Cr Stephen Tancred conducted the ceremony with President Jim Barnes and Citizen of the Year Fran Hodgson.
From Stephen.
I wanted to talk a little bit about volunteering and how it makes Stanthorpe such a great place to Live, Work, Play and Stay.  You would have recognised that as a Council slogan that our Mayor uses a lot.  But its true.  Volunteering plays a very positive part of everything around here.  Whether it’s kid’s sport, adult sport, school programs, cultural organisations like The Club, Community Service groups like Rotary, Lions or Zonta, Church activities, the local radio, or the fantastic collection and preserving of our history this special year in Stanthorpe.  The list goes on. 
 
Rotary is a part of this and by the power of a strong organisation we can extend our programs of volunteering and community service to national and global projects.  But none of that would be possible without a strong local Club with strong community support from other organisations and some key local businesses and individuals that help us do what we do.
 
Tonight we have awards to give out to recognise people that help us as Rotarians but also play a very positive role in the wider Stanthorpe Community.
 
We used to talk about Chiefs and Indians but now we talk about CEO’s and Native Americans.   Regardless, every organisation needs both, and to be a really useful and appreciated volunteer there are times to be a Chief and times to be an Indian.  The people we are honouring tonight are great team members when indians are needed and have been good leaders when chiefs were called for.
 
The Rotarian way to honour a fellow community member is to award them a Paul Harris fellowship.  Paul Harris was the founder of Rotary 117 years ago.  So it means something to us.  But it also has a practical element that means something to nearly 2.2 billion people.  I’m talking about the children of the world.  Rotary started a project in 1979 to eradicate polio.  Where were you in 1979?  I was at university and polio was the last thing on my mind, but it was on the minds of the 300-400,000 children that got polio every year then.  It was on the minds of their families and their communities. Many died, many were badly crippled and some recovered enough to walk– but seldom led full lives.
We have made a big difference in the world; there were 6 cases last year and only 8 so far this year.  Polio is now just in 2 countries; Afghanistan and Pakistan.  They are tough ones, but when it’s gone from those two its gone from the world, forever.
 
What’s the link with tonight?  Well when we award a PHF we donate $1,000 US, or about $1500 Australian to the Rotary Foundation which runs the End Polio Now activities.  It costs about $3 US to vaccinate a child and give them lifetime protection.  You’re doing the sums aren’t you?  Its about 333 kids for a PHF.  But its better than that.  Bill Gates matches Rotary donations 2 for1.  So if we award a PHF tonight that’s 1,000 kids protected.
 
So lets get with it on and award a PHF and protect those 1,000 kids!    Past president Fran (who is also Southern Downs’s current Citizen of the year) can I ask that you read the nomination.
 
Raymond Mattiazzi please come forward.
Ray is a born and bred Stanthorpe man. He attended St Joseph’s school then did Year 12 at Stanthorpe State High. 
After finishing school, he worked at the family delicatessen for many years, then was the Manager of the International Club and later took over Carnarvon Funerals where he runs a successful community focussed business.
 
Raymond has served many Community Groups as a Volunteer.
•          He has been part of the International Soccer Club since he was a young boy. He has had many committee roles within that Club and is presently a Referee.
•          The International Club is run by volunteers and Raymond is a big part of this group. He is often there serving behind the bar or helping organize events that are being held there. He adds his energy and professionalism to everything he can.
•          Raymond is Vice President of the Stanthorpe Historic Vehicle and Machinery Group.
•          He is also involved with many activities within St Joseph’s Church, School and Parish.
•          Raymond respects and honours his history and has led the 60th year celebrations of the International Club and is also on Council’s Stanthorpe 150th Celebration Committee and what a success the 150 celebrations have been so far, and we still have 4 months to go !
 
Ray is a successful businessman, he is a busy man and he is quiet achiever who is prepared to help his community in any way he can.  Rotary was very pleased when his family hosted an Exchange student several years ago.  Ray is a man who loves his community and it shows.
 
 
 
While we are honouring a stalwart of the International Club in it’s 60th year can I ask Sam Marino to come up here?
Sam was born in Sicily and was nine (9) when the family first arrived in Tully then settled on the Granite Belt.  His parents and older brother would work on farms and Sam started cooking for the family as a way to support Team Marino.  He was 13 when they settled at Glen Aplin and 15 when he finished school to work full-time on the farm and then in the family fruit shop.  Sam certainly knows about hard work and for the past 39 years he has been an integral part of Pierpoint Motors.  For over 25 years Sam has been an active Stanthorpe Lions Club member and was Lions President in 1997.  Sam supports St Joseph’s Three Saints Committee, for many tears as Treasurer.  This wonderful cultural celebration keeps the traditions of faith, fun and festivities alive in the St Joseph’s parish.  Several years ago the International Club was in the doldrums and Sam got involved in it’s rejuvenation.  His and the other committee members were very successful and the Club is going from strength to strength.   Fittingly the International Club honoured him recently with Life membership.
On a practical level Sam uses his cooking skills, learnt in the family kitchen over 50 years ago!  We regularly enjoy his meals and he shares his cooking tips on the local radio. 
The Marino family are successful and generous and Stanthorpe wouldn’t be the same without them.
Sam, it’s not often Rotary honours a Lion, but we really appreciate everything you do for Rotary and for Stanthorpe.
 
 
 
 
I’ve spoken a little bit about the International Club tonight - its the home for our regular meetings and we run many functions and special events here.  It’s a great place and it’s well run.  That doesn’t happen by accident, Sam and Raymond do their bit and so do Chris and Tamara Reedy
 
Can I ask you two wonderful people to come up here?
These two people have managed to weave their business skills, their goodwill and generosity into supporting the International Club and all the organisations that use the facility.  Chris is the President and Tamara is the Secretary.  They base their party and equipment hire business here and they do some commercial catering.  It’s all done in a very transparent and successful manner and as we say in Rotary “is fair to all concerned”.
 
The Club under their leadership supports elderly people through hosting U3A midweek and the Italian card players on Sunday afternoon.  It supports service Club like us by providing meeting rooms we can decorate and call our own.  It supports young people through the support for two soccer Clubs based here.
Chris has served on the committee of the Stanthorpe Soccer Federation and has been President of Football Stanthorpe.  He loves the game and his kids are very successful at it due to the devotion both he and Tamara put into their travel and training.
We all know they run the laundromat in town and it’s a good business.  But it’s another place they get a chance to share their generosity especially during the drought when they partnered with Rotary to help families in trouble with water.
We know they are a couple and a Team, but they both deserve the thanks of the Rotary Club and the town of Stanthorpe, so we have honoured them both with PHFs.
 
 
Well that’s Four of Stanthorpe’s best volunteers recognised and it’s 4,000 of the world’s children that will forever walk tall because of the donations to the Rotary Foundation we have made on your behalf tonight. 
Know that every Rotarian and the whole community of Stanthorpe shares the pride in your achievements and congratulates you on your awards here tonight