Rotary club reappoints Irvine to lead hybrid meetings, attract younger members

The Springs Gold Rotary Club will enter a new chapter next month when it reappoints its third president, Andrew Irvine, for a rare second term. Irvine will continue his leadership for another year, a move supported by club members.

He began his first term last June, succeeding Glenda Steyn, who served as the club’s first president in 2023 following the merger of the Springs Park Rotary Club and the Springs Rotary Club.

Speaking to the Springs Advertiser during the inauguration ceremony at Veritas College, Irvine said his focus for the new term is to implement a hybrid system for club members and attract more young people to join.

“The current challenge is that many members struggle to attend meetings due to work and family commitments,” he said.

“By hosting meetings online, we can help members who work in other provinces stay connected to the club. We’re going hybrid, but we’ll still hold physical meetings,” he said.

“This approach will broaden our reach and make it easier to welcome new members, especially young people who are interested but can’t always commit the time to attend in person.”

He added that involving the younger generation in Rotary was key to its future growth. The club recently celebrated 90 years of service in the town.

Irvine said the milestone serves as a reminder of the importance of involving young people in community matters. As part of his second term, he aims to expand the club’s existing community-based projects.

“We’ve helped people create their own reflective ‘rumble beats’ to wear while walking to and from work, and we’ve provided food and drinks to men waiting on street corners for job opportunities,” he said.

During the inauguration, the newly appointed president presented two members – Lauren Froneman and Louise Schaap – with the Paul Harris Fellow Award, one of Rotary’s highest honours.

Froneman, a 26-year member of the Springs club and the secretary of Springs Gold, said she was surprised to receive the award. She previously served three terms as president of the former Springs club.

In an emotional message, she said, “I never thought I’d receive one. It’s the highest honour in Rotary. I usually wear my dad’s badge – he was also a member.

“We were both in the club for nearly 10 years, and I saw how hard he worked for his. I didn’t think I had put in enough effort to deserve one.”

She said she didn’t join Rotary for awards but to serve the community.

“To me, being a member means helping wherever and whenever I can. I don’t think I deserve the award, but I know my dad would be proud of me and the work I do for the club,” she explained.

She concluded with a message to the community on behalf of the club, “Be kind to everyone you meet. Help wherever you can, even if you think you can’t make a difference.”