Glenda Hickey commenced by acknowledging the local first nation people, Whadjuk Noongar, with their elders past and present. Reflecting that for the many who are not able to celebrate on Australia Day being first people nation people. Glenda asked the profound question of whether the 1788 terra nullis of Australia declared by Captain James Cook would pass Rotary's Four Way Test? (1. Is it the TRUTH? 2. Is it FAIR to all concerned? 3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? 4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?)
Glenda shared her reflections on how she had picked up the core value of "substance." Of being a person of substance through contributing to others as her father did through a life of community service: in the Denmark Football Club, the local fire and ambulance services, and the Lion's Club and the Masonic lodge. The values that Glenda has received and seeks to enact of: loyalty, service, hard work, to get in do it. Glenda demonstrated those values in her tireless work at the Australia Day sausage sizzle.
Glenda shared her love of Denmark town where she grew up and how Tim Winton's book "Breath" and made into a movie conveys through expression the Denmark town she grew up in.
Glenda then shared some of her background. Coming to Perth after completing school to enrol at what then WAIT and now is Curtain University, in a Bachelor of Social Science Welfare. Glenda left university as she felt that she needed more life experience and life skills and worked at the local Supavalue store. Then had ten years at the Commonwealth Bank to understand who she was as a person. For at that time the Banking world was into "value adding" products. Instead of selling products to the clients Glenda found herself with a social work role attitude towards the clients.
Glenda left Bank after the birth of her second child. Post natal depression led to personal reflection. Glenda completed a degree in counseling with part time work in parenting.
Then came a job in mental health with the Department of Child Protection leading a team. Complementing this was Glenda's works of arts in making costumes for performing arts for her children.
Glenda came to the point where she reflected that it was time to cease being a manager of a team in mental health by taking a redundancy. Two months was spent overseas as Glenda was now single for the first time in twenty five years.
Glenda undertook the Pilgrimage of St James Compostela in Spain. Glenda then celebrated her fiftieth birthday in Central Park New York.
Arriving home Glenda found the best opportunity for community service at Ruah. Able to be apart of the top level of what is happening in community service.
Glenda now has a role at Uniting Care West.
Glenda's values are at the forefront of all that she does: her sense of justice, of service to others, of community, and hard work. To be a person of substance.
Great effort by the club and wonderful planning and oversight by Allan. A big thank you to all who made this a fantastic club event. A big thank you to volunteers and friends who helped out Heirisson Rotary Club, like Elizabeth Keys Rotary Club.