Founding Team
- Dorothy Barwick (Founding President) led the club through its earliest challenges and shaped its foundational culture.
- Ken Hall (Executive Secretary) was the driving force behind the charter pathway and administrative excellence.
- John Greene (Foundation Member) provided vital support during the Tamworth North transition.
- John Boag (Foundation Member) contributed to early club development and establishment.
- John Mackay (Foundation Member) helped build the club’s early momentum and identity.
Special acknowledgement to PDG John Barwick for pivotal guidance and early project leadership.
Overcoming the 20-Member Challenge
In Rotary’s traditional model, forming a new club required around 20 members, a steep barrier for an emerging eClub concept. With Ken Hall’s administrative leadership and strong support from district leaders, our newly formed club assumed the charter of the Rotary Club of Tamworth North and was rebadged as the eClub. The transition was not without challenges, but it opened the door for a new way to serve across the district.
First Signature Project: Dungowan Village Fair & Motor Show
Under the guidance of John Barwick, we helped revitalise a local community event into a vibrant village fair. In its first year under new coordination, the event raised approximately $5,000, giving the fledgling eClub visibility, momentum and a strong sense of achievement. In time, stewardship returned to the local machinery group to keep the community united and the tradition alive.
The Charter Transition
Challenge: Traditional model required 20 members
Solution: Assumed charter of Rotary Club of Tamworth North
Leadership: Ken Hall drove administrative excellence
Result: New pathway for online Rotary service opened
First Project Impact
The Dungowan Village Fair raised $5,000 in its first year under eClub coordination, establishing credibility and momentum for the new club.
Youth Insearch Stewardship
Fund Value: Approximately $70,000
Purpose: Supporting vulnerable young people
Action: Transferred to district custodians
Principle: Respecting donor intent and program scale
Stewardship: Youth Insearch
During the Tamworth North charter handover, we discovered a significant restricted fund of approximately $70,000 supporting the Youth Insearch program. Respecting donor intent and recognising our small size at the time, funds were safeguarded and administration transferred to district custodians. This ensured the program could continue serving vulnerable young people with the scale and oversight it deserved.
How We Grew
Online meetings made Rotary workable for members with demanding schedules, caring responsibilities and regional locations. Strong governance, especially transparent accounting from day one, built trust within the club and across the district. A culture of quiet generosity emerged, including a voluntary $5-per-week giving habit that, multiplied across members and years, funded meaningful impact long before our first district grant.
| 2015 | eClub formed and charter transition from Rotary Club of Tamworth North completed. |
| First Dungowan Village Fair & Motor Show delivered under eClub coordination. | |
| 2022 | First District Grant received to support youth programs (RYLA, NYSF, RYPEN). |
| Rous Public School RotaKids chartered (sponsored by the eClub). | |
| Youth Insearch stewardship formalised at district level. | |
| Club qualifies for Rotary Presidential Citation. | |
| 2024 | Grant awarded for Tamworth mental health project (delivery scheduled for 2025). |
| 2025 | eClub rebrands to District 9660 Online Rotary Club, reflecting broader reach. |