Winner driven by positive change

LAUNCESTON’S Holly Corbett has been named Australian Rotaractor of the Year.

Rotaract Australia, a partner of Rotary International, is an organisation for students, young professionals and those wanting to create positive, lasting change in themselves and their communities and around the world.

Mrs Corbett is the District Rotaract Representative for Tasmania and past-president of the Tamar Valley club. Tasmania ranked in three of the nine awards open to more than 70 clubs across Australia.

The Tamar Valley club won the award for highest membership increase, while the Central Coast Tasmania club won best engagement of the community, including their Grandparents Raising Grandchildren support program and their community Christmas lunch.

Mrs Corbett said her role was to help Tasmania’s four clubs to grow, achieve their goals and “change the world in the way that they see fit”.

“If you have a passion, the people around you in your club will support you to achieve it and make a difference in areas that you really care about,” she said. “For me, I’ve trained a therapy dog to go and volunteer at nursing homes.

“Other people have been passionate about clean drinking water for children. The Hobart club is very passionate about migrants and LGBTI+ rights.”

Mrs Corbett said her award was “so humbling”.

“It fills me with so much joy to know that there are so many more young people in Tasmania doing community service and connecting with others who are like-minded.”