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District Governor 2022-23
Mina Howard
Rotary Club of Blackheath          
0419 629 407
Email: minahow@bigpond.net.au
 
Mina joined the Blackheath Rotary Club in 2006 and became its first female president in 2011 serving a two-year term after three years as secretary. She was Assistant Governor for two terms, is a facilitator on the RLI team and 2020-21 District Vocational Chair. Mina is a Paul Harris Society member and is committed to supporting The Rotary Foundation. Early years were spent in the natural beauty of Warragamba Dam before her family moved to the western suburbs of Sydney. Mina attended Seven Hills High School then won a scholarship to Bathurst Teachers College. She spent forty-three years as a Primary School teacher in the NSW State Education system. Along with her husband Larry, Mina joined the Australian Army Reserve in 1976 where she served for six years with the Royal Australian Engineers.
 
In 1991 Mina and Larry moved with their three children to the cooler climes of beautiful Blackheath and now reside in the equally beautiful Mount Victoria. They have three young grandchildren.
As a member of Blackheath/Mount Victoria RFS Brigade (where Larry is the longest serving Captain) and as the brigade’s Community Engagement Officer, Mina began the HUFF 
(Heads Up For Fire) project, a grassroots neighbourhood strategy that encourages people to connect with and look out for each other, especially those who are more vulnerable. The project won a highly commended in the 2013 Resilient Australia Awards. It had its first real test in the recent Black Summer fires. Mina was state finalist in the 2017 RESCA (Rotary Emergency Services Community Awards) awards and a finalist in the 2019 Western Sydney Zest Awards. Mina served as president of the Mount Victoria Community Association for five years and was the convenor of the Mount Victoria Great Train Weekend event. She volunteers at the Blackheath Area Neighbourhood Centre and the Blackheath Rhododendron Gardens.
 
A love of world travel began in 1977 when Mina and Larry embarked on the ‘hippy trail’ travelling from Kathmandu to London overland, visiting countries such as India, Kashmir, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran and Turkey. Fast forward to 2015 when travelling resumed with a trip to Cambodia to help build houses for the Tabitha Foundation and a subsequent trip with the Sustainable Cambodia project. They have travelled throughout Asia, attended the Bangkok Convention and have visited Turkey, Greece, Spain and Portugal declaring Istanbul their favourite city. Mina is also a Camino tragic having completed the Camino de Santiago Compostela in 2016 followed by the Aussie Camino, the Camino Portuguese and the Epiphany Pilgrimage, a local walk stretching from Emu Plains to Bell. Mina recently walked part of the Larapinta Trail near Alice Springs to raise money for ShelterBox.
 
Mina’s goal for 2022-23 is to encourage clubs to look critically at their projects and practices and aim to make their club more diverse and welcoming whilst providing meaningful service opportunities for each member. Continued support of The Rotary Foundation, the End Polio campaign and other Rotary programs are also to be encouraged. 
And, of course, fellowship and fun must be paramount.