ESC students Amanda, Meleah and Alex met ex-Rotarian, Leon Scott
to find out about his 44 years of involvement in the organisation.
Leon was invited to join the Eaglehawk Rotary in 1976 and spent 44 years with the club. Back in those days it was a men’s organisation but that later changed to encompass men and women. Most of the club members were local traders or professional people who were all very honest and hard working.
“We all mentored and looked after each other which kept us
honest and it helped with our businesses to flourish and prosper”.
Leon remembers many local and overseas projects that he has been involved in over the years with many of them aiming to benefit
children.
Eaglehawk Rotary contributed a lot of time to the Lord Mayor’s Camp at Portsea. Underprivileged children would be sponsored by a councillor or an organisation to for a holiday.
“We spent about seven weekends a year across five years. It was such
a good project that many local clubs also joined in to help”.
Another memorable project was in 1983 when Eaglehawk Rotary demolished the old scout hall and built the beginnings of the State
Emergency Services Headquarters in Bendigo.
They also contributed to building Rotary Park and the Rotary Waterfall Project which has now been revamped into a new play area.
Camp Getaway in Axedale is another project that Rotary have been heavily involved in for the last twenty years. Three four bedroom huts and two dormitories with twenty-six beds in each were built as well as a brand new kitchen. Initially the camp started in 1947 allowing children to have a holiday when their fathers were killed in war.
Since then it has been available for hire to schools, church groups and many other organisations. In 1999 it was adapted so that people of “all abilities” could use it with the addition of ramps and other equipment.
“So many passionate people were a part of Rotary with like minded ideas. Everyone was so keen and driven”.
Some advice from Leon
Always abide by the 4-way test:
Is it the truth?
Is it fair to all concerned?
Will it build good will and better
friendships?
Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
“If you stick by all those four principles, you will also find other people who will also stick by those principles”.
Leon feels that the people he has surrounded himself with over the years have made him a better person and wants the younger generations to always remember his advice.
We asked Leon what Rotary has done for him on a personal level.
“Over the years I have gained a large group of close friends and that has helped build my morals in all of my business dealings”.
“So many passionate people were a part of Rotary with like minded ideas. Everyone was so keen and driven. Everything would just follow on and
continue because everyone was keen to get so much work done”.
“Don’t surround yourself with idiots, because if you ever fight with the pig you will both get dirty and the pig loves it”
