Mr Motton will be stepping into the boots of president for Kyabram Rotary in 2026 and already has a strong vision of how he wants to push the organisation into the future.
Like many other volunteer-based organisations, Kyabram Rotary is faced with struggles to find people to step forward and lead.
Mr Motton said it was a reality that the group was actively looking to tackle this year.
“When most people think of Rotary they think it’s meetings, doing stuff out in the community — and it looks like a lot of work,” he said.
“It’s something Rotary has experienced worldwide and has done a lot of work to change the requirements of what it means to be a Rotarian.”
One of these changes, Mr Motton explained, was that individual branches could determine what a “good Rotarian” looks like and set the standards of what commitment looked like for their members.
“The changing in rules and our vision will mean Kyabram Rotary can continue to exist and do great work but give people the ability to devote as little or as much as they want,” Mr Motton said.
He wants to create a space where people can feel welcome to give back in any way they can, just like how he felt compelled to join the organisation.
He got his first taste of life as a Rotarian when he participated in a workplace exchange through the organisation in 2012.
However, it wasn’t until around 2017 that his journey really began, slowly getting comfortable with his new Rotarian title and even taking up the role of assistant governor of Rotary for this region.
Mr Motton will be taking the reins from current co-presidents Steph and Dom Dean, who stepped into the roles when there was a lack of interest in leadership positions in 2025.
From this year, there will be a set succession of presidents, beginning with Mr Motton and subsequently John Martin and Graham Warren in the following two years.
This new plan will ensure Rotary is future-proofed, at least for the immediate future.
Speaking about his busy schedule, Mr Motton said he didn’t mind picking up a few more roles than the average person if he got to give back to his community.
“I love being able to chuck a hat on and do something,” he said.
“Sometimes it feels nice to just show up and contribute to this town that I love.”
