By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
FRIENDS of Ermera president Jan Trezise will formally step down from the role at the end of this month.
The much-loved humanitarian and 12-year president will officially resign from the position at the organisation’s AGM on Thursday 26 June where she will be honoured by the group that volunteers extensively in the East Timorese district of Ermera.
“Over the last couple of years I’ve realised that we’ve had to do some succession planning, we can’t have an organisation as important as the Friends of Ermera depending on one person,” Jan, 72, said this week.
“I’ve been involved all the way through.
“We have an excellent secretary and excellent treasurer but still I’m seen as the main person and for the sake of the organisation we needed to start sharing that public persona.
“I’ve become aware that if suddenly, through illness or anything else, I had to disappear, it would affect the organisation. It’s mainly from that point of view.
“It’s very demanding on my time, I don’t begrudge that, but I’m my own worst enemy.
“You try to withdraw but some great opportunity comes up and you have to take it.”
Jan, also the founding principal of Gleneagles Secondary College in Endeavour Hills, has been the Friends of Ermera president since its inception in June 2002 and plans to still nominate for a vice-presidency role with the organisation.
With a successor yet to be selected, and several members seemingly in the running, Jan is confident a like-minded spirit will come forward as the next president of the Friends of Ermera.
“We need somebody who knows they have an understanding of community development and helping someone help themselves,” she said.
“We’ve never taken the view that we have all the answers.
“It’s somebody who believes that a group of people can do a lot.
“You probably won’t have to put in the time I did, and I’ve been able to back off from that.
“I would certainly spend a lot of time and energy supporting a person that comes into that role, they do it their own way but I can give them the contacts.”
Since being established the Friends of Ermera has rebuilt nine kindergartens in East Timor’s Ermera District, rebuilt many primary and secondary schools and has consistently trained teachers in all levels of education.
“The highlights are always the visits, meeting young people in East Timor that you can see have the energy, enthusiasm and commitment to their country and with a bit of support can really blossom,” Jan said.
The 12th annual general meeting of the Friends of Ermera will be held on Thursday 26 June at 7.30pm at the City of Casey Council Chambers.
To read the incredible story of East Timorese-born Teresa Fraga, turn to page 12.
