Past Rotary International President, Royce Abbey
The Royce Abbey Award was established by the Rotary Club of Essendon to recognise their Member and our Past Honorary Member, Past Rotary International President, Royce Abbey. It was adopted by the Rotary Club of Melbourne Board in 2004, to be conferred on a Member who is relatively new to the Club, has not been awarded a Paul Harris Fellow recognition, is well accepted by Members, has a good attendance record, and who has demonstrated strong commitment and complies with the Object of Rotary.
Each Rotary Club in adopting the Award program contributes $1,000 to the Rotary Foundation in the Royce and Jean Abbey Endowment Fund. This is used for humanitarian projects to enhance capabilities of food processors, foresters and other agricultural environment research and University teachers from developing countries.
Royce Abbey Award 2021-22
Yidan Xi
22 June 2022
Citation
Since joining Rotary Melbourne in May 2020, Yidan has demonstrated exemplary Rotary Commitment.
Yidan is an experienced hospitality leader currently working as Executive Manager of the Yarra Valley based Chateau Yering.
She has been active in creating audio visual vignettes, featuring Rotary Melbourne projects which were heavily relied upon when members were confined to meeting via zoom during the Pandemic.
In the past year Yidan has provided exemplary leadership to the evening meetings team. Her colleagues speak of her as a connector, willing to leverage her network to secure meeting speakers, as well as being the glue that has bound the evening team together and its driver.
As a result of the work her team is doing, Rotary Melbourne’s evening meetings are increasingly becoming an attractor of the next generation of Rotarians to our Club.
Yidan’s contribution exceeds the criteria for the Award. Her humility and friendship combine to create a purposeful leadership style and in doing so Yidan epitomises the Rotary value of Service Above Self.
She is a most fitting recipient of the 2021-22 Royce Abbey Award.
Conferred on 22nd June 2022 on behalf of Rotary Melbourne
by President Reg Smith OAM
Ari and Yidan
