By Jenel Hunt
When Anna Henderson decided she wanted to be a Young Ambassador for the Stanthorpe Apple and Grape Harvest Festival, she was hoping that Rotary would be her sponsor.
The only problem was, she had relatives in both of the Rotary clubs that operate out of the district. Her grandparents Angelo and Mary Puglisi are members of the Rotary Club of The Granite Belt – in fact Mary is the president this year – and her mother Robyn Puglisi-Henderson and her aunt Leeanne Puglisi-Gangemi are in the Rotary Club of Stanthorpe.
The clubs haven’t always had the closest of relations. Still, family is family, and Anna is proud to be able to say she’s being sponsored by the Rotary Clubs of Stanthorpe and The Granite Belt.
It almost seems that Anna was always going to be a Young Ambassador for the Apple and Grape Harvest Festival and that her sponsor was always going to be Rotary (her grandfather has notched up more than half a century as a Rotarian, after all).
“Fundraising for the festival is a bit of a tradition in my family. My Mum and auntie did it when they were younger. They were in it to support the festival and the district and I want to carry on the legacy,” said Anna.
In fact, the Apple and Grape website shows that Anna’s mother Robyn was crowned queen in 1992 … back in the day when they had queens.
Anna grew up on the Granite Belt, comfortable with her place in the world. Her dad, Ian Henderson is the CEO of Australian Vinegar, the largest specialist vinegar maker in Australia. Her mum Robyn is the finance, export and sales manager at Ballandean Estate Wines. Her grandfather Angelo is well known as the face of Ballandean Estate Wines and came up with the original idea of the successful fundraiser Opera in the Vineyard with his next door neighbour then hosted the Rotary event for about 27 years at the family vineyard. That event raised $1.3 million for hospitals in Brisbane.
“I always helped out. I was involved for as long as I can remember.”
Tiny Anna would assist by handing out programs with her brother and cousin, then as the years went by she graduated to other jobs.
Anna, who is in her third year at the University of Queensland doing a dual mathematics and commerce degree, is expecting to go into the data analytics field and it means her career will take her away from home.
“My first love is my community and the people and the culture we have here. I want to show my support, promote my sponsor, promote the district. My heart is here.“
Fundraising has already begun with the first successful street stall under her belt last weekend. There are more street stalls to come, working up to some big events later in the year.
As well as her study load, Anna works one day a week doing optimisation consulting and is a volunteer treasurer for two organisations. Through Rotex, she helps support Rotary exchange students by being a friend and mentor they can talk to during their stay in Australia.
Anyone interested in being a 2024 Young Ambassador or sponsoring a Young Ambassador can phone Apple and Grape Young Ambassador director Samantha Wantling on 0439 420 289 or co-director – and the reigning festival Ambassador – Jordan Cassidy on 0473 826 228.
