At last week’s meeting we celebrated the birthday of Club Member Bruce Livett – an esteemed neuroscientist, philanthropist, polio survivor and proud Rotarian. Bruce enjoyed a distinguished career at the University of Melbourne, pioneering research into the brain and nervous system, even milking venom from cone snails to develop advances in pain medicine.
He first joined Rotary Carlton in 2006, later spending over 15 years with the Rotary Club of Kununurra where he owned the famous Zebra Rock Gallery and Café on the Ord River, ran a mango farm, hosted concerts in aid of the Royal Flying Doctor, and fashioned 600-million-year-old zebra rock into treasured pieces.
At Kununurra he served as International Director, leading End Polio Now and Bowelscan projects, earning Rotarian of the Year in 2012. A Multiple Paul Harris Fellow and member of Post-Polio Victoria, Bruce became an Honorary Member of Rotary E-Club of Western Australia for his decades of service.
Bruce is a musician playing Bassoon in amateur classical chamber groups and the Victorian Concert Orchestra for several years and in the past has hosted a classical music slot on 3mbs.
We were delighted when, this time last year, Bruce chose to join Rotary Melbourne, bringing with him his extraordinary experience and passion for service. He truly embodies Rotary’s motto of ‘Service Above Self.’
Members and guests joined the President in wishing Bruce a very happy birthday and thanking him for his lifelong contribution to science, Rotary and the wider community.
