Leaders become Paul Harris Fellows

THE Rotary Club of Ballarat and Rotary Foundation have named Mark Scott and City of Ballarat Cr Des Hudson as the latest Paul Harris Fellows.

A Club member for 15 years, Mr Scott is a past president, current board member, a youth advocate and passionate water safety and swimming educator, who has a background in radio and financial planning.

Cr Hudson has been with Victoria Police for 30 years, working with young people for most of that time in the areas of community safety and wellbeing.

He has previously been awarded the Victoria Police Ethical Standards Medal, National Medal, and the National Police Service Medal. He is the current Ballarat and District Suicide Prevention Network chair, the president of Ballarat Police Blue Light Discos, and the Blue Edge youth program coordinator.

Previous Rotary Club of Ballarat president Alan Campbell said the awards celebrate those who have given significant service to the community.

“Rotarians associate the naming of Paul Harris Fellow recognitions as a tribute to a person who has demonstrated a shared purpose with the educational and humanitarian objectives of The Rotary Foundation,” he said.

“The recognition is named after Rotary’s founder, the late Paul Harris, a Chicago lawyer who started Rotary with three business associates in 1905.

“In being presented with a Paul Harris Fellow recognition, Des and mark join a remarkable company of people throughout the world, all recognised for their commitment to ‘service above self’.

“We congratulate them and thank them for their commitment to Rotary’s common goals of world understanding and peace.”

Cr Hudson is also currently involved with the Coghill’s Creek-Glendaruel Cemetery, the Learmonth Cemetery, Ballarat Friends of Ainaro Community Advisory Committee, the Ballarat Regional Soccer Facility Advisory Committee, the Ballarat and District Soccer Association Investigation and Disciplinary Tribunal, and the Sebastopol RSL Hall Community Asset Committee.

The Rotary Club of Ballarat’s 2021-2022 presidential change-over took place that night, with Alan Smith named as new lead.