Younger Rotarian to lead club

AFTER wrapping up two terms of service as president of the Ballarat Aero Club, Jan Davidson had more to give back to the community.

Receiving an invite to join the Rotary Club of Ballarat in late-2022, she said it was the ideal next step in supporting others locally.

“I enjoy how task-driven the members are regarding community projects and it is rewarding seeing the projects come to completion,” she said.

Ms Davidson has settled into the organisation, and nearly two years later, has been elected to lead the Ballarat Rotarians as president of the club.

“Although I have big shoes to fill, taking the reins from immediate past president Samantha McIntosh, I am excited to share and expand upon my leadership skills and work on some great community projects and hopefully attract a few new members along the way,” she said.

Priority projects for Ms Davidson include helping with cost-of-living pressures as the demand for support grows, and continuing existing, established programs and projects like SpringFest and donations to The SoupBus food relief service.

“Also, during my term, the Rotary Club of Ballarat will mark its 100th year, which is a huge milestone,” she said.

Ms Davidson said she has a goal to attract other younger people to the group and shift a misconception about the organisation more broadly. “Being a younger female president, I am hoping to change the stigma that you need to be of a certain age or gender to be in Rotary,” she said.

“I am encouraging a younger membership so we can ensure Rotary can continue serving the community for generations to come.”

Ms Davidson is a successful author of drama and fantasy fiction novels, and in her spare time she enjoys travelling with her husband and two children in their caravan.

“I draw my inspiration from places we see, people we meet, and the vastly different landscapes this beautiful country has to offer,” she said.