RDU magazine online

VOLUNTEERS

Every true Rotarian has a story to tell, a defining moment that captures the essence of Rotary. This article on Australians Ian and Heather Yarker describes how the hands-on experience of being a Rotarian, putting Service Above Self, has affected people’s lives.

They routinely complete each other's sentences. They always say ‘‘we" rather than ‘‘I." Ian and Heather Yarker share just about everything, especially their passion for Rotary service.

It's not just projects for their local club, the Rotary Club of Ashmore on the Queensland Gold Coast and District 9640 activities.
Nowadays, international service occupies most of their time. If they're not helping to build mud brick houses in Fiji or a centre for the disabled in the Solomon Islands, they're busy arranging for fistula operations in Ethiopia, eye camps in India, irrigation systems in Thailand or an orphanage in Indonesia.

‘‘I was never driven this way by anything," Heather said. ‘‘That's why I wanted to become a Rotarian. I wanted to belong to the greatest service organisation in the world. Before 1989, I could not be a member. But I told Ian, ‘I'll be a Rotarian one day, you watch!'

Husband and wife District 9640
governors . . . Ian Yarker served in 1994-95 and Heather Yarker led the District in 2000-2001.

They are members of the Rotary Club of Ashmore on the Queensland Gold Coast and addicted to Rotary service.

‘‘Now we can't stop volunteering together," Ian added. ‘‘Maybe it's because we both come from families that had absolutely nothing, and our parents believed in community service. Or that we share Past R.I. President Clem Renouf's belief that Rotary gives ordinary people an extraordinary opportunity to do more with their life than they ever dreamed possible. That's happening to us every day."