Jenny P

Jenny Phillips

This is my Rotary Story

How did you make first contact with our club? 

 I was aware of the Rotary Club of Murray Bridge from 1984, when my husband joined the Rotary Club of Tailem Bend. I had many connections and interactions with the RC Murray Bridge. 

Why do you stay a member? 

I enjoy the company of our Club Members and the opportunity to take part in many different community activities to raise funds to help people in need.

What are you passionate about, both broadly and within the club? 

The opportunity to serve our local and wider community.  Helping young people “grow” through programs Rotary may provide. There’s always more to do and many programs are immersed in too much “red tape”, which inhibits one’s enthusiasm to actually be involved.

How do you engage with the club? 

I’ve been a Rotarian for nearly 25 years,9 years with the Rotary Club of Tailem Bend and 15 years with the Rotary Club of Murray Bridge.  I’ve served on many different committees and as a member of the Board.  I was the first female President of the Rotary Club of Murray Bridge and feel honoured to have been asked to take on that role. I am currently the Club’s Program Officer and serving as Vice-President on the Board.

How do you relax? 

Singing, knitting, reading, listening to music, conversing with friends, playing scrabble, taking an interest in the world around me.  Corresponding with friends interstate and in Ireland, England, New Zealand and the USA. I have enjoyed 23 years of involvement with the Tailem Bend Music Hall

What has been your most exhilarating Rotary experience? 

There are MANY!! Rotary has been good to me and provided so many opportunities

Being involved in the Short Term Youth Exchange (STYE and then RANZSE) program with New Zealand from 2006 to 2019.   

Serving as Australian National Coordinator of the RANZSE program from 2011 – 2014, working with other Rotarians from Vic, NSW and Qld and New Zealand.

Maintaining contact with a large number of RANZSE students (and their parents) from Australia and New Zealand.

Serving as Rotary Centenary President of the RC Tailem Bend (2004-2005) and the first female President of that Club.

Serving as the first female President of the Rotary Club of Murray Bridge (2016-2017)

Hosting Long Term Exchange Students from USA, India, Japan, Brazil, Denmark

Hosting members of Group Study Exchange Teams from Ireland, Alaska, British Columbia and the USA.

Serving as Chairperson for the Committee undertaking our Club hosting the AGFR (Australian Golfing Fellowship of Rotarians) National Golf Week in 2018.  This was a project that was 2 years in the planning and raised funds for Australian Rotary Health (Lift the Lid on Mental Illness).  There were many facets to hosting the week-long Tournament (for golfers and non-playing partners) and it was an outstanding success.

What does volunteering mean to you? 

The opportunity to serve our local and broader communities and help people in need, but also to make people aware of the rewards of “working without payment”.   

Raising awareness to people, young and old of the many issues within our local and broader communities, including environmental issues. 

Leading by example.