For 55 years, Past Rotary International Director Ken Collins lived and breathed Rotary. Having chosen a profession as a doctor because of his innate desire to help others, Rotary was a natural fit to be able to extend that help, first to people in need in the local community but later globally as well.
Ken first joined Rotary on 1st April 1967 as a member of the Rotary Club of Belmont. He was also active in the Thornlie, Kenwick, Mill Point and Nedlands Rotary Clubs before founding Freshwater Bay in 2008.
Having served every role at the club level, numerous at the district level, including being the first Governor of Rotary District 9470, and to date being the only Rotarian from Western Australia to have ever been selected to serve both as a Director on the Board of Rotary International and as a Trustee of the Rotary Foundation, he was a mentor to many with his in depth, first hand knowledge of all aspects of Rotary International and the Foundation. Right up until his death, Ken Collins was the epitome of service above self.
He volunteered overseas on 30 occasions in 13 countries, at his own expense and at times at risk of his own life, putting his medical expertise to use both in providing treatment to those in need and as an expert technical advisor. He worked in remote villages in third world countries and refugee camps in Hong Kong, and led teams to assist with training.
Over the course of 30 years he was also responsible for initiating matching grants for some 154 humanitarian aid projects in India, Brazil, Bangladesh, Turkey, the Philippines, Thailand, Macau, Indonesia, Togo, Tunisia, Nigeria, Australia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Cambodia.
Dr Collins is particularly noted for his dedicated service to the PolioPlus Program since its inception 1985 right up until his death in 2023, having been a polio survivor himself.
His selfless service has been recognised with the following awards (among others):
- WA Citizen of the Year (Community Service) – 1991
- ANZO Region Rotarian of the Year – 1991
- International Exemplary Rotarian of the Year – 1991
- Member of the Order of Australia (AM) – 1994
- The Rotary Foundation Distinguished Service Award – 1995
- Rotary International Service Above Self Award – 1999
- WA Senior Australian of the Year – 2007
- PolioPlus Pioneer Award – 2016
- RI Five Avenues of Service Award 2018/19
- Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) – 2023 (posthumous)
For more information about PRID Ken Collins, see:
- His Rotary CV
- Remembering PRID Ken Collins – article in the Rotary Down Under magazine