In Gear | Rotary in Southern New Zealand Issue 1 | Page 36

DISTRICT 9980

Russell Wallace
District community projects chair
Rotary Club of Waimate

PROFILES

Community projects are at the heart of Rotary’s
being, and Waimate’s Russell Wallace is
leading District 9980’s push to lift even further
our organisation’s contribution to providing
humanitarian service at a local level.
The new chair of our community projects
committee joined the Rotary Club of Rotary
in 1998 on the invitation of a friend. Less than
a decade later, he served as club president for
the 2007-2008 Rotary year, and has held director
roles, as well as bulletin editor and club treasurer.
His organisational and leadership skills were
put to good use in 2005-06 when he chaired the

district conference committee for then-district
governor Martyn Jensen.
Russell particularly enjoyed his stint serving as
an assistant district governor between 2008 and
2010.
In his new role as community projects chair,
he is focused on informing, encouraging
and motivating clubs to pick up district and
national Rotary initiatives, which he believes
deliver a multitude of positives: enhancing
our communities, raising Rotary’s profile, and
providing Rotarians a sense of pride through
achieving positive outcomes.

Helen McCurdy
District programmes chair
Rotary Club of Invercargill
Supporting and serving youth have been a key
passion for Helen McCurdy ever since she joined the
Rotary Club of Invercargill in 1995.

Programme of Enrichment (RYPEN) – which is based
around a residential camp for youth – established in
Invercargill.

With an extensive Rotary background of serving on,
and contributing to, many groups and committees,
Helen is a very fitting choice for District 9980’s Rotary
programmes chair.

While she’s been involved with Rotary Youth
Exchange and Group Study Exchange from the getgo, Helen’s also contributed to most club committees
in her 20-plus years with Rotary.

Her key goals for the year include further bolstering
links between Rotary and one of its key initiatives,
Peer Support, a school-based programme. As part of
that drive, Helen’s aiming to have at least 10 teachers
attended a workshop in November.

She’s also served on the Rotary Australia New Zealand
Student Exchange District Committee (RANZSE) since
2004, and was appointed New Zealand co-ordinator
in 2009-11. She’s currently committee chair, a role
she’s served in previously.

Administratively, she’s also set her sights on updating
district policies around youth protection, and health
and wellbeing.

A club director in 1999-2001, Helen also led the club
as president in 2006-07.

And, as well as strengthening Rotary’s Australian
New Z