Hello Rotarians and Friends of our District
Thank you to all the Clubs who have hosted Maureen and me in the past few weeks, which has given me first hand experience of the amazing breadth of the projects and activities undertaken by clubs in our District more pronounced as the Victorian economy opens up post Covid.
One of many highlights over last couple of weeks, the opening of the Yarra Bank Reserve, Hawthorn new children's playground at the beautiful Yarra Bank Reserve will feature a unique interactive play sculpture that will capture the spirit of place of this beautiful park.
Designed by world renowned play equipment artist Benjamin Gilbert of Agency of Sculpture, this wonderful and unique sculpture is a gift to the community from Rotary (Rotary Clubs of Glenferrie, Camberwell, Hawthorn and Canterbury) and the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International to mark the 100th anniversary of Rotary in Australia.
I also attended and spoke at the Rotary Club of Daylesford Disability Information Night held on eve of World Disability Day. The event chaired by President Pat Groenhout was promoted by club member Peter Waters, a local resident who lives with cerebral palsy. Many community groups attended included Hepburn Shire mayor and other councillors.
A wonderful open discussion about the difficulties of living with a disability in a regional community. The lack of disability toilet facilities, access to shops, restaurants and other services taken for granted by the able bodied is a huge problem that should have been addressed by long ago. The night was a real eye opener and very thought provoking. As a community service organisation Rotary must continue to work with and for the whole community.
Rotary Central Melbourne hosted the annual Paul Harris and Business Leaders Breakfast where we heard from Georgie Harman about the importance of looking after each other and our mental health. Rotary supports mental health services whether via the Australian Rotary Health or in our own District the education and awareness of the internationally recognised Mental Health First Aid program created by two Rotarians from our District Betty Kitchener and Tony Jorm.
Our of our other newer clubs, the CEO Satellite Club hosted Gareth Evans QC for a Business Leaders Breakfast providing an overview of global geo politics.
I recently visited Rotary Essendon and was planning thrilled to acknowledge 50 years of service given by Norm Mollica to the club. This is an amazing achievement and Rotary is so lucky to have him as a member. Our District is incredibly fortunate to have dedicated members, who serve for a great many years.
It was also wonderful to finally physically visit clubs across our District with the common theme of clubs seeking to increase their community reach and impact post COVID.
I wish to thank you the following Club Presidents and members for making Maureen and I welcome at club over the last few weeks.
The common theme after COVID restrictions, all clubs are very keen to have an active impactful 2022. I have highlighted the clubs and their presidents visited since last Networker.
- Point Gellibrand ( President Geoff King)
- Laverton Point Cook (President Cheryl Nash)
- Brighton North ( President Brian Cox)
- Passport Club of Melbourne Second birthday (President Jenny Foster)
- Essendon ( President Sunil Perera)
- West Footscray (President David Palmer)
- Eynesbury ( President Phonse Crawford)
- Balwyn ( President Anne Frueh)
- Melbourne ( President Reg Smith)
- Albert Park ( President Matthew Proctor)
- Williamstown ( President Daniel Keas)
- Werribee ( President Graham Roper)
- Melton (President Dickson Heaney)
- Melton Valley (President Mark MacFarlane)
Our final Morning Tea with the DG covering on the 27th November again highlighted the enormous amount of impactful community service being undertaken in the name of clubs in the District. The one hour program included:
- Interviews of Interactors at Balwyn High Interact Club( RC North Balwyn)
- Horn of Africa crowded funded international project by RC Footscray ( PP Jama Farah and President Jamie Robertson)
- High impactful FORaMEAL program ( RC Canterbury, Doug Hawley)
- Collaboration between KPMG and Rotary and next steps ( RC Carlton, Daniel Schette, Casey Tan and Ian Ada)
- Opening of the new Yarra Bank Reserve interactive playground a gift from Rotary to City of Boroondara community( RC Glenferrie, PP Richard Blakeman)
- Rotary’s International Convention update (Host Organising Chair, PP Melbourne Mary Barry)
All the recordings and information are in the District Learning Centre so you can go back and see them again. The Learning Centre can be accessed here: https://rotarytvs.ulearn.biz/moodle30/login/index.php
I hope everyone is enjoying their new found Post COVID lifting of restrictions freedom.
There will be one more Christmas edition of the Networker being issued on 20th December including a review of the year to date.
Enjoy December 2021.
Dale,
DG Dale Hoy