Young Rotary's 80th birthday: Carry kindness, gain wisdom

During the last eight decades, many peoples’ lives have been changed by the helping hand extended from Young Rotarians. Whether in ways large or small, the positive impact of such assistance can be immediately apparent or, in some poignant cases, not realised until years later. Here are the stories of two people, from different eras, who held Young Rotary close to their hearts. 

In June 2007, The Young Witness, told the story of John Nagy, a man who carried the kindness of Young Rotarians with him for life.

“The story of John Nagy is a poignant one, a story of tragedy, hardship and struggle, but also kindness, success and happiness,” the Witness reported.

When John was a child, during World War II, he and his mother escaped from Budapest to Germany where they lived for five years as displaced people.

Eventually they migrating to Australia, settling in Koorawatha where his mother Katalin worked as the hotel cook and John took the bus to school in Young.

“John’s future became tenuous when his mother was hospitalised,” the paper said. “The promising student planned to deliver telegrams to earn a living, but Rotary heard about his plight and they supported him to complete the last two years of school. Each Rotarian would give one shilling at weekly meetings toward John’s schooling and living costs.”

Despite his mother’s death, John went on to complete a civil engineering course at Sydney University, marry, have three children and live a fulfilling life.

Upon his death it was revealed he had bequeathed two $5,000 amounts to the Rotary Club of Young.

“John was always grateful for the opportunity provided by Rotary and never forgot it,” his wife Sue said.  

Using the bequests, the John Nagy Award is presented by the Rotary Club of Young to a youth in the district who may have missed the opportunity for the development of talents because of a lack of funds.

Believing the promotion of international understanding comes through exposure to different cultures, Rotary introduced a youth exchange program and, in 2007, the Young club hosted Brazilian student Nai Silva. 

The program had an impact on the teenage student.

“It is about those unspoken things in life. Smiles, willingness, adjustments, homesickness, self-development, friends, trips, faith (in God and in yourself), luck, different life stories crossing your way, different ways to see your own life,” she said.

The experience taught the astute student that “life isn’t about where you are and what you have, but who you are and who you have”.

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