The 2.5 km (1.5 mile) Walk will enable us to raise awareness of Rotary’s number one humanitarian priority – the global eradication of poliomyelitis. Don’t forget to bring your red End Polio Now shirt. Photo opportunities will abound.

Let's celebrate our amazing year of Imagining Rotary and International Convention Melbourne at our very own Rotary Gala Dinner, where we will welcome our very special guests Rotary International President Jennifer Jones and Lord Mayor Sally Capp.

I'm alsoexcited to share that Rotary International President-Elect Gordon McInally and Rotary International President-Nominee Stephanie Urchick, and many more visiting Rotary leaders will be joining us. 

This is an incredibly rare opportunity for us all to celebrate with Rotary's current and future senior international leadership at our very own event, a special edition of District Conference dinner for the year the International Convention is in Melbourne.

Melbourne’s iconic Plaza Ballroom is the ideal venue for this once-in-a-lifetime evening, serenaded by the legendary singer-songwriter Jack Jones, and compelled to the dancefloor by the energetic Baker Boys dance band.

Event proceeds will be donated to The Rotary Foundation. 

Tickets close Tuesday 16 May 2023, so be sure to book your club’s tables, or individual tickets now.

Visit https://rotarygala.com.au

Get behind Big Difference to help make an even bigger difference 

Help assemble 100,000 FORaMEAL emergency relief meals for people affected by disaster in Ukraine, Turkey, and Syria

Here’s how you and your club can help

1. Register to help supervise volunteers on the day
2. Encourage your club’s community supporters and partners to register their own teams of 24 volunteers
3. Promote your club’s meaningful, hands on and convenient project alongside Big Difference

The Rotary Club of Gaba, Uganda, have produced an introductory video for this project.

Let’s Lift the Lid on Mental Health with Australian Rotary Health

October is Mental Health month and World Mental Health Day, October 10th, is approaching fast.

 

Each year, Rotarians and friends make an amazing contribution to raising funds for much needed mental health research through Australian Rotary Health (ARH). From 2022, the focus is on improving the mental health of children 0-12 years old. 

 

D9800 Conference in Albury

Rotary Four Way Test

1. Is it the Truth
2. Is it Fair to all concerned
3. Will it build Goodwill and better relationships
4. Will it be beneficial to all concerned

Being a first time attendee to a Rotary conference, I was impressed with the outstanding work that many Rotarians are doing in so many areas. Host Rotary Brighton did an outstanding job in organizing the conference. Four members from our club attended and were joined by Martin Farrugia from Melton Rotary. My wife and I carpooled with Nilda and together made our way to the conference. Kathy and David met us there. Nilda kept us entertained with her many years as a Rotarian and gave us valuable insight into the history of Rotary on our drive to Albury.

She gave a some detailed knowledge of how Rotary commenced by Paul Harris and a few friends which became a worldwide movement today, serving to change lives. I truly understand now the meaning of the "Four Way Test" and what it means to be a Rotarian in the way we think, say or do.  On the first day it was an honor to be welcomed to Wiradjuri country by the traditional smoke ceremony, then to visit see the many showcase displays of Rotary in Action that covered Community, the Rotary Foundation, Environment, International, Public Image, Vocational, Youth and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Click on the image below to listen to the Welcome to country.

A smoking ceremony is an ancient aboriginal custom in Australia that involves burning various native plants to produce smoke, which has cleansing properties and the ability to ward off bad spirits from the people and the land and make pathway for a brighter future.

The Rotary Foundation creates channel for direct humanitarian support in Ukraine region

• Friday 25 Feb  - Bowling - Members enjoyed a fun filled night showing off their skills at TenPin Bowling centre in Watergardens followed by fellowship dinner. A great night enjoyed by all that attended. John had some great moves, whilst Ross looked like a pro bowler. Everyone had some pretty good strikes.

• Wednesday 2nd March  - Guest Speaker : We welcomed our guest speaker Una Hobday via Zoom to hear her presentation on the Food Plant Solutions project. Sharon Crean from BeyondWater joined us from Kenya to hear this presentation.

• Foods Plant Solutions create educational materials that explains what nutritional food is, why our bodies need it and how to grow and use it. They focus on what are often neglected and underutilized plants within a location through their detailed database, plants that are growing in and adapted to their environment, and are high in the most beneficial nutrients.  Their materials are designed to empower people, but particularly women, so that they can make informed choices on what plants to grow and eat that will nutritiously feed themselves and their families. Project are cost effective, proven to work, sustainable and enables self-sufficiency. These projects can end malnutrition – it’s as simple as growing the right plant in the right place. 

• Sunday 6 March  - Clean up Australia: On the morning of the 6th of March, 8 club members from the Rotary Club of Caroline Springs braved the light drizzle and began collecting rubbish along the Springside Precinct, Becca Way, Caroline Springs. The cool overcast day did not stop them from collecting 12 bags of rubbish, along with four car tyres and several other bulky items. So much rubbish in such a small place. 
  Thank you, Melton Council, for providing a fruit hamper for refreshments. Let’s all play our part in keeping Australia clean every day.  Photos can be viewed on our Instagram and Facebook pages.

• Members ended the day with a Movie night screening "The Duke" at the Sun Theatre Yarraville which was enjoyed by all who attended.  As the fundraising was to End Polio, Rotary Club Altona gave recognition of part of the proceeds from the movie fundraiser to all clubs that attended via the Rotary Foundation. Those that could met for fellowship dinner after the movie, with Nivi's guests joining us. There was lots of light bantar and much laughter not to mention we all enjoyed the food and drinks at the Yarra Lounge - Yarraville which serves excellent tapas and other meals.

Western Emergency Relief Network (WERN)

WERN, located in Ravenhall, is a Rotary program with a catchment across north and west of Melbourne. WERN supplies good quality second-hand furniture, electronics and whitegoods to people in need without charge.

Those assisted are identified as having urgent needs as a result of trauma, loss or being unable to afford basic living items. They include individuals experiencing long-term illness, unemployment, loss of home and belongings through fire, domestic violence, lack of family support, homelessness or a refugee status.

Winners to be announced 2^nd December.

These include deep bore wells, guttering, water tanks, hand washing facilities, toilets and health education programmes.

BeyondWater is registered as a trust both in New Zealand and Kenya, and as a charity in Australia.

Speaker Deepti Alurkar

Thank you to all that have helped in any way over this journey, you have made a significant difference to people in crisis. WERN has never been busier than the last few weeks and if you can share our Story and let people know we need their furniture donations and their time if they have some spare, it will go a long way to putting a smile on somebody’s face.

What is Elder Abuse?

Elder abuse, a form of family violence, is the mistreatment of an older person by someone with whom the older person has a relationship of trust.

This abuse can best be described as a controlling behaviour or action which frightens or intimidates its victims violating an older person’s basic right to feel safe. It may be physical, social, financial, psychological or sexual and can include mistreatment and neglect. Perpetrators of this kind of abuse can include a partner, family member, friend, carer or an older person experiencing cognitive decline who exhibits abusive behaviours toward an older carer or partner.

Sometimes family, friends and carers may not know that their actions amount to elder abuse.

Rotary Walk to End Polio

The Rotary Walk With Us campaign throughout October is a fun way to raise awareness and funds to End Polio Now.  Our team has nine walkers so far and we are looking for you to join us on Walk with Rotary Caroline Springs to End polio.

There is still time to support us or someone who is walking, running, rolling. We have raised $673 of our target of $2000 so far. What a great way to get active as its so important at this time. Help us to achieve our target while doing what love to do. Walk. Be it walking by yourself, your family, your friends, your neighbours or just walking the dog. Get Involved.

For the walkers the total distance you have set for the month is accumulated over the entire month of October. So, you can walk when, where and with whom you want in a COVID safe way.

Check out the D9800 Leader Board.  

OUR PART FOR ROTARY DISTRICT D9800

Western Emergency Relief Network (WERN) provides emergency relief and assistance through supplying good quality second hand furniture, electronic and whitegoods, to people in need due to homelessness, mental health, family violence, refugee, fire or flood situations.

The people assisted are those who have been identified to have an urgent need for material aid as a result of experiencing trauma or loss, where they have a need to move or perhaps cannot afford basic living requirements, where they are struggling to buy essentials such as furniture and other household goods.

WERN manages a group of volunteers responsible for the collection, assessment, the repair and cleaning of donated goods. WERN facilitates the supply of all appropriate items to be available to individuals and families in need through our network of Member Welfare Agencies. With over 40 partner agencies and 220 accredited Case managers the WERN program is making a marked difference on the ground in assisting those in crisis.

Rotary Clubs from Bacchus Marsh, Caroline Springs, Essendon North, Hoppers Crossing, Melton Valley, Werribee, Wyndham and Yarraville are taking a lead role in managing WERN to provide this service. The Program currently operates from a warehouse located in West Footscray. WERN is on target to having assisted over 600 families within our own community since inception.

An estimated 500 million people worldwide became infected. Many cities closed theaters and cinemas, and placed restrictions on public gatherings. Rotary clubs adjusted their activities while also helping the sick.

This is how Rotary responded to the influenza pandemic that began in 1918 and came in three waves, lasting more than a year.

The Rotary Club of Berkeley, California, USA, meets in John Hinkel Park during the 1918 flu pandemic.

Photo by Edwin J. McCullagh, 1931-32 club president. Courtesy of the Rotary Club of Berkeley.

Rotary and the United Nations have a shared history of working toward peace and addressing humanitarian issues around the world.

During World War II, Rotary informed and educated members about the formation of the United Nations and the importance of planning for peace. Materials such as the booklet “From Here On!” and articles in The Rotarian helped members understand the UN before it was formally established and follow its work after its charter. 

Many countries were fighting the war when the term “United Nations” was first used officially in the 1942 “Declaration by United Nations.” The 26 nations that signed it pledged to uphold the ideals expressed by the United States and the United Kingdom the previous year of the common principles “on which they based their hopes for a better future for the world.” 

Every hero has an origin story. “I was 10 years old when the entire journey started,” explains Binish Desai. It began with a cartoon called Captain Planet, an animated TV series from the 1990s about an environmentalist with superpowers. Desai can still recite the show’s refrain: Captain Planet, he’s our hero / Gonna take pollution down to zero! “That tagline stuck in my mind,” he says. “I wanted to do something to help Captain Planet.”

In early 1919, Rotarian Roger Pinneo of Seattle, Washington, USA, traveled to the Philippines to try to organize a Rotary club in Manila. Leon J. Lambert, a Manila business leader helped Pinneo establish the club. Several months later, on 1 June 1919, the Rotary Club of Manila was chartered and became the first Rotary club in Asia.

The club would be the only one in the country for more than 12 years. Eventually, Manila club members organized Rotary clubs in the Philippine cities of Cebu (1932) and Iloilo (1933). Iloilo club members then started a club in Bacolod (1937), and Rotary continued to expand across the country.