PRESIDENT: Anne Alcock has this week been named President of Killarney Rotary Club. Pictured are: Eduard Schmidt-Zorner, Conor Griffin (outgoing President), Anne Alcock, George Philips and Simon Lumby. Photo: Grigoriy Geniyevskiy

By Michelle Crean

Moving to Killarney was meant to be a relaxing semi-retirement but is anything but for Anne Alcock who this week became president of Killarney Rotary Club.

Lunchtime on Wednesday, members of the club met at the Great Southern Killarney where Anne, who moved to Killarney three years ago, received the chain of office from outgoing president Conor Griffin.

Before that, she had frequently visited from Cork, Dublin and London. She is of Irish, Portuguese and English heritage and became acquainted with the work and fellowship of Rotary International, when she was a child, growing up in Africa.

“I was always inspired by the Rotary motto ‘Service Before Self’ and Rotary’s aim of helping to make a difference to communities both local and worldwide," Anne said.

"This happens through its humanitarian projects, voluntary personal participation, and impressive fundraising, since Rotary has around 30,000 clubs worldwide with the understanding that once you join somewhere, you “belong” everywhere. So Killarney of course hosts club members at the weekly lunch in the Great Southern, when they arrive from across the seas – and if perhaps not too many this year, then hopefully again in the near future. Members work as a team, supporting and relying on one another’s expertise and skills. This is always good to know or I would never have dared to take on this challenge – especially this year!” Anne said.

Anne, an author, thought that she was semi-retiring from 30 years of lecturing, counselling and retreat facilitation, but discovered that in Killarney, retirement is often an invitation to take on something new.

“So this could be true for others, young and older, who might choose to take the step into Rotary, who knows?” she says.