Fast forward to 2022 and she is now the president of the Rotary Club of Kyabram, the club which sponsored her 12-month stay in Europe more than a decade ago.
The Kyabram P-12 English teacher accepted the reins from Chris Motton at the Kyabram Club on Saturday afternoon, in front of the region’s district governor David McPherson and several other special guests.
Mrs Dean, who steps into the role with the support of her co-Rotarian husband Dom, said she felt as though she had a good understanding of what was expected of the club president.
“It’s humbling to accept the president’s role,” Mrs Dean said.
“I’ve learnt a huge amount in a short period of time. I have taken great inspiration from Rotary International’s first ever female president.”
Earlier this month Jennifer Jones, a member of the Rotary Club of Windsor-Roseland, Ontaria, Canada, took office as the first female president of Rotary in its 117-year history.
As part of her presidential duties, Mrs Dean will oversee the return of the exchange student program to Kyabram, which has been put on hold for the past three years due to COVID-19 complications.
Jack Freeman will depart for Finland in January, continuing an amazing couple of years for the decorated boy Scout.
He was Kyabram’s young citizen of the year earlier this year.
Along with her teaching duties, Mrs Dean is also a CFA volunteer and explained she found volunteering incredibly rewarding.
“We plan to build the membership of the club in the next 12 months, so we are looking for people who feel the same way,” Mrs Dean said.
The lunch also included the announcement that Graeme Warren would be the 2023 president, while assisting Mrs Dean in her presidential duties will be John Martin (treasurer), Faye James, Mickey Tinkernan (secretary), Helen Ward (community service), Graeme Campbell (Rotary Foundation), Carol Howe (membership), Doug Small (public relations) and her husband, Mr Dean, is youth co-ordinator.
Outgoing president Chris Motton is in charge of international service.
District governor elect Anita Kirby was at the lunch, along with another former assistant district governor Laurie Fagan and Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh.
Mrs Dean was recently a charter member of District 9790’s Rotex organisation, which is a group that is open to former exchange students.
She holds Bachelor of International Studies and Master of Teaching diplomas from Deakin University and is now an English teacher at Greater Shepparton Secondary College.
Adding to her qualifications is her Arabic studies, obtained while working in Oman.
Retiring president Mr Motton presented the 2022 presidential award to Graeme Warren as one of his final duties, explaining he was “really optimistic” about the future of Rotary in Kyabram.
“As people becoming less engaged with communities the role of Rotary becomes more important than ever,” Mr Motton said.
District governor David McPherson was guest speaker and explained he was proud to have the backing of 1.4 million Rotary international members, from 46,000 clubs and 220 countries.
He said the work of the Rotary Foundation had seven areas of focus — diseases, maternal child care, water and sanitation, community development, literacy and numeracy, the environment and conflict resolution.
He said one of the major achievements of the foundation was its campaign to put an end to polio.
“At its peak, when the Rotary program began, there were 1000 cases of polio a day. Since 1985 there has been $2.5 billion spent on vaccinating billions of children,” Mr McPherson said.
“There are now eight cases a year. We need to raise $50 million a year to be able to continue that work, then that figure is doubled by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.”.
Mr McPherson said the power of Rotary meant some amazing things could happen.
“Everyone here should be proud to be a Rotarian,” he said.
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