ROSANN “Rosie” Italiano has been awarded a Paul Harris Fellow, one of the Rotary Club of Mount Martha’s highest honours, in recognition of more than 40 years of volunteer work across the peninsula and overseas.
The fellowship, which honours Rotary’s motto of “Service Above Self”, was presented to Italiano at a recent club function in recognition of her work with the Mornington Community Support Centre (MCSC) and a string of other organisations.
Italiano said she had no idea the recognition was coming.
“I’m just floored. I had no idea, absolutely none,” said Italiano.
“I’m still trying to comprehend it, but it’s been really beautiful timing for me because there’s lots going on in my world, so to be recognised by Rotary has been really special.”
Italiano’s volunteering began in the mid-1980s when she completed a recreational leadership course that led her to five years with CanTeen, supporting young people going through cancer treatment.
“Back when I was in my 20s, I went to America and did summer camps, but at the same time volunteered to do extra stuff, which was a world diabetic camp, a world cancer camp, and I actually did an AIDS camp while I was over there,” said Italiano.
She moved to the peninsula with her husband and young daughter 15 years ago, drawn back by childhood memories of a family beach house at Mount Martha.
Four years ago, after a difficult period in her own life, Italiano turned to MCSC for support, and in time began volunteering there herself.
“The beautiful MCSC just said, ‘You come in, you just volunteer when you can and then slowly I realised this was making me feel better.”
“And so I became a serial volunteer here,” she told The News.
She has since become a team leader in MCSC’s Community Café, trained as a barista, and helps out across the centre’s Fresh Food Program and wherever else she is needed.
Her connection to the Rotary Club of Mount Martha grew through the club’s support of MCSC, with Italiano regularly helping out at Rotary barbecues and dinners.
Asked what she enjoys most about volunteering, Italiano pointed to the people she meets.
“I’d say meeting the people, meeting the community, putting a smile on one person’s face, and the hugs,” said Italiano.
“A lot of them need a hug… they say to me, ‘You don’t know what that hug means to me’, because a lot of them live on their own, don’t have family, so one hug lightens their life, and it lightens mine too.”
Rotary Club of Mount Martha immediate past president, Anne Shaw, who presented Italiano with the fellowship, said individual clubs choose who receives the honour, in recognition of outstanding service, professional excellence or community contributions that embody Rotary ideals.
“The Paul Harris Fellow was awarded to Rosie for her amazing contributions to our local community,” said Shaw.
“Rosie is an exemplar of a person who displays ‘Service Above Self’; she treats everyone with kindness and respect and always has a smile.”
First published in the Mornington News – 4 August 2026
