Inner Wheel               

Margaret Carole Young

IIW President

2012 - 13

MESSAGE OF INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT

 2012 - 2013

I was born in Scotland and went to New Zealand with my parents and my brother when I was 9 years old. I have lived inthe same area of the bay of Planty (in the North Island) most of the time since then. The Opotiki area has a total population (town and surrounding area) of only 10,000. I live within sight of the Pacific Ocean and we enjoy a moderate climate not to hot and not to cold. At times, we have lots of small earthquakes.

Soon after we arrived in New Zealand we move to a very isolated area where my father was helping to build a road through a very scenic gorge. I attended a very small country school for about 10 months. I was the only white student in the school and things that I learned in that time were to stand me in good stead in my teaching career, and in my adult life.

When we moved to closer to town Ken Young was in my class right through my Opotiki School days (from about the age of 10 years).

I attended Teacher's College for two years then I came back to Opotiki to teach music, remedial maths and other commerce practice. Ken and I both enjoy our music, I often used to say that although I was music teacher, he was the better musician.

Ken and I married at the end of that school year and I became a farmer's wife. It was no easy task for someone who knew nothing of farm wife. Almost immediately we had farm workers living with us. It was a steep learning curve for me.

Ken and I still live and work on our organic dairy farm and kiwifruit orchard.

Our three children were born in quick succession. When our youngest child was one year old, our home burned down and we were left with a freezer, a car and the clothes that we stood in. I will never forget the generosity of people in our area. We learned that you can not pay back such kindness, you can only pass it on to someone else. This was perhaps the start of what would influence my future Inner Wheel life.

Ken had joined Jaycees and when he retired from that, he was invited to join Rotary. I went a ladies night and although I could name all of the ladies present. I felt that I did not know any of them so I thought I had better join Inner Wheel. I joined Inner Wheel on 19th November, 1986 and the following March was "elected" to become Club Secretary in the July. Since that time there has not been any time when I have not been on an Inner Wheel committee at some level. Quite obviously, I thoroughly enjoy it and have made marvelous friends all round the country and internationally.

I have learned much about the passion and energy of Inner Wheel members throughout the world, working in many avenues of life to uphold the principles of Inner Wheel. I am proud to be part of this organisation. We have been described in the past as an international organisation. whose members are vibrant, forward looking women who give service to their communities locally, nationally and internationally. I believe this description is still accurate.

I was appointed a justice of peace in 1995 and the following year became a Marriage and Funeral Celebrant. I am a Past President of the Justices of the Peace Association for our area and regularly preside in the Criminal Court in my home town and in a neighboring town (holding a position very similar to that of Magistrate).

In 2011, I was presented with a Queen's Service Medal in recognition of work done in the community.                                             

Author's Name: Webmaster
Contact address: rmitter@hotmail.com
URL of page: www.innerwheel.329/intl_iw.htm
Updated: 02 Jul 2012

     Back to Home             Back to Top