Rotary’s publicist captures 7 500 unforgettable memories

Past president and multiple Paul Harris Fellow Elsa Venter, who has been involved with Rotary for 16 years, has captured 7 500 photographs at innumerable Rotary events.

Venter, a public relations officer for the Rotary Club of Boksburg, was given the name “The brat with the camera” by her fellow Rotarians. 

Since she joined Rotary she has bought three cameras, of which two have deteriorated.

During her 16 years as a Rotarian, Elsa worked with many presidents, district governors, journalists and editors of both Rotary and outside publications.

Recently, in an effort to clear her laptop from the amount of photographs she has taken from 2011 to 2019, she has started saving the material on CDs provided by her Rotary Club Boksburg President Derek Fox.

By the time they had finished with the task of saving the pictures, they realised they had used about sixty CDs.

“It took six weeks to finalise the hugely enjoyable process of strolling down memory lane and saving these 7 500 photographs. Two other containers of Rotary photographs, covering the period 2004 to 2011, are carefully stored as well. All these years of reporting and taking photographs at Rotary events this created wonderful memories, fondly recalled by many Rotarians,” Venter said.

Two things, amongst many others, which are foremost in her mind as enduring memories are the coffee table book put together from her photos as well as articles of past district governor Trevor Nienaber (District 9300 during 2008 to 2009); and the six annual VER-DUR Cycle Tours to Durban, a project of Rotary Club Vereeniging, led by Past President Arthur Doyle.

Anybody interested in the activities of the Rotary may contact President Derek Fox on 082 886 0651.

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