Inspirational People

We spent today at the Rotary District Conference. I was tossing up whether to go as Mr isbi is the Rotarian but was very glad I did.

The speakers were really amazing.

Two of my favourites were NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons who is one of the most genuine and practical people you would come across. We are in safe hands with him in charge. 
One of the best comments he made was he was proud of the number of volunteers added to the force but even prouder of the number he had "let go". 
We should have more leaders with the courage to make difficult decisions.

The second person in my collage is Melissa Abu-Gazaleh who at age 19 founded and became CEO of the Top Blokes Foundation which works to improve boys' mental health and well-being. With all the emphasis on women these days, men and boys sometimes seem to be a bit forgotten.
She was a most articulate and charismatic speaker and it's not hard to see why she was 2016's NSW Young Australian of the Year and named in the Australian Financial Review's Top 100 Women of Influence.

I thought we had heard everything so didn't even take my camera when we returned for the dinner this evening but the speaker was Gill Hicks who was almost killed and lost both legs in the London bombings in 2005.
The description of her being "one of the most thought provoking, powerful and life affirming speakers in Australia and the UK" is spot on.
It was an incredible address which received a standing ovation and left a few of us near tears.