Knaresborough Rotarian Hazel Haas has become the first woman to become District Governor of Rotary District 1040, which covers seventy nine clubs in North and West Yorkshire In 2008 Hazel became District 1040 Vocational Chairman, supporting projects such as ‘Kids Out’, ‘Right to Read’, ‘Blood Pressure Testing / Stroke Awareness’. The project which lies closest to her heart however is Rotary’s work with ABF, The Soldiers’ Charity, which began in 2010 and has received magnificent support from the clubs in District 1040. Hazel’s commitment to Rotary is enormous having served on the District as a Committee Chair and as an Assistant Governor. In 2008 Hazel was awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship for her outstanding contribution to the Rotary organisation. Hazel is well known in Knaresborough where in recent years has chaired the Christmas Markets committee and has been involved with the Bebra twinning organisation. Following a career in catering and accountancy, Hazel became a software support consultant. In training for her new role, as District Governor, Hazel travelled to California along with other new Governors from around the world. “It is only when you attend the District Governor training, along with the other 528 District Governors, that the scale of Rotary’s operations worldwide becomes apparent… and it is mind blowing” she said, “there are 34,282 clubs and over 1.2 million Rotarians worldwide”. Hazel is the second Knaresborough Rotarian to be District Governor, the first was Em Lloyd-Davies in 2007-8. Hazel’s induction as District Governor took place at a luncheon at The Bridge Hotel at Walshford and a sizeable group of Knaresborough Rotarians and partners were there to lend support as Hazel received her regalia from last year’s District Governor Rod Walmsley.
Hazel will attend our club to no doubt give a rousing talk on her year so far and developments in the world of Rotary.