Rotary Elgin welcomes its first ever female member as speaker
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ROTARY Elgin welcomed its first ever female member to the podium last week as its face-to-face gatherings got back under way.
Members met at Elgin Golf Club on Thursday, October 21, for an entertaining talk by Carol Stewart, a past president and assistant governor, who described her Rotary journey over the past 17 years.
Carol was invited to be the branch's first woman member by past president and Paul Harris Fellow Brodie Ross.
She joined up, confident that it was a way she could assist the local community, make friends and have fun.
Over the years Carol has helped to organise Swimarathon, Marafun and Motorfun, and was involved in the redecoration of premises used by Lossiemouth Youth Café.
She has also learned to serve up stovies faster each year at the annual Bothy Ballads contest.
In her time she has embraced the role of risk and compliance officer, making sure all activities carried out by the club were safe, and followed this up by agreeing to be convener of the bonfire and fireworks committee.
Carol made history for a second time in 2012 by becoming Rotary Elgin's first female president, citing a visit by honorary member, Her Royal Highness Princess Anne, as the main highlight.
A three-year stint as Rotary district stewardship officer, followed by another three years as chairperson of the district foundation committee, offered Carol opportunities to learn about projects under way at the other 88 district clubs. Last year she took on the role of assistant governor – another three-year commitment.
Over the years Carol has seen many more female members welcomed into the Rotary, as well as the adoption of a less formal approach. However, she said certain central tenets remained unchanged, including "it's what you do that matters" and "friendship never changes".
