It is so appropriate that one of the feature stories in this week’s Networker is about diversity, equity and inclusion, as we celebrate the nomination for 2022-23 of the first woman to hold the office of Rotary International President. Jennifer Jones will officially become president-nominee on 1 October if no other candidates challenge her. Jennifer is a member of the Rotary Club of Windsor-Roseland, Ontario, Canada, and I have had the privilege of meeting her on many occasions, the most recent being in late January this year at Rotary International Assembly in San Diego and also when she was a guest speaker at our District Assembly in May. I have no doubt that Jennifer will make a positive impact in her role, as she has an impressive list of credentials and experience within both Rotary and the business world.
Added to this incredible milestone for women in Rotary, is the nomination of Amanda Wendt as District 9800’s District Governor in the same year. Then there is Past President Mary Barry, our District Vocational Chair, who will be running the Rotary International Assembly in Melbourne in 2023. It will be an amazing year and is fantastic that women are rising to the challenge of leadership roles within Rotary and bringing not only diversity, but also new thinking and of course, opportunities.
Whilst on the topic of diversity, I’m delighted that my own club, Southbank, chartered a satellite club in June of this year, called ORBIT. A young leaders’ collective, this club is made up of nine millennials who are blending the traditional Rotary values with a progressive new approach to form the foundation for conversation, commitment and collaboration. They are truly inspiring!
Whilst COVID-19 is challenging us all, and many of us are becoming fatigued with the topic, I have asked IPDG Grant Hocking to write another piece, which is included in this edition. I encourage you to read it, and heed his message on being role models on safe and responsible behaviour, as well as maintain contact with one another, exchanging the positive stories of achievements as Rotarians.
Finally, and importantly, I would like to extend an invitation to you to join me on a very different, highly interactive Zoom meeting—Morning Tea with the DG. You will have the opportunity to hear Rotarians talk about some extremely interesting projects and we will be introducing some real colour to our current Rotary world through the Environmental and Sustainability team. This event is scheduled for 10.00 am on Saturday 22nd August.
““I have no hesitation in saying that world peace could be achieved and made permanent if reared on Rotary’s firm foundation of friendliness, tolerance and usefulness.” Message to 1940 RI Convention, Havana, Cuba
On Saturday 8th August, the first "Membership Ideas" forum was held for club Membership chairs. Over thirty attendees were welcomed by DG Philip Archer. The main presenter was Regional Membership Officer Barbara Mifsud and the club of the month was Central Melbourne. Membership chair and PDG Neville John described how the club has grown by 20 members (from 45 to 65) over the last five years, through sustained efforts. For those who would like to view the session it is available at https://vimeo.com/445777654 with password dEAVATZE2ahb.
Restrictions due to COVID-19 have certainly challenged our communities, our clubs and ourselves.
Until recently, as a country, Australia was doing well combatting the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Now, especially in Victoria we have seen numbers of positive cases rise sharply over the last month leading to increasing restrictions. Recently Victoria was declared a State of Disaster and the harshest restrictions we have seen have come into effect.
Why a state of disaster?
From the numbers of infections and deaths being reported, there should be no doubt that the virus is deadly and does not discriminate on age, gender, ethnicity or level of health. Recent data for Victoria shows over 14,000 people infected, 50% gender split, and a median age of 35 years. The number of cases being reported is quite dynamic, with results reflecting tests taken a few days to a week earlier. Sadly, an increase in the positive test result numbers also comes with an increase in the number of people needing ICU beds and the number of deaths.
Of particular concern is the number of positive cases without any symptoms, with people thinking they are fine unknowingly spreading the virus. The other concern is the large number of people where the source cannot be identified through contact tracing. These unidentified contacts cannot be tested and isolated, meaning that they are still out there potentially transmitting the virus.
Restrictions will need to be maintained for many weeks and possibly months to come. Recent expert opinion recommends that if we get the daily numbers down to single digits, and contact tracing is identifying all known cases, then we have done well, but restrictions should remain in place for two more weeks to get numbers down to zero.
This is what New Zealand did by commencing high level isolation restrictions early for a few weeks and effectively shutting down the capacity of the virus to spread. It is what they are doing again after just three people were diagnosed with the virus this week.
Rotarians can feel proud of the way we have responded. The rapid transition to video conferencing platforms, and establishing new projects and fundraising activities has been nothing short of amazing. The District is sharing these ideas and all clubs should consider doing something similar or coming up with their own ideas and sharing those with the District. We are doing a lot to support our communities and should be resolute in our efforts on a number of fronts, from engaging our Rotarians, supporting those in need, and ensuring projects that spark the community spirit.
Let’s call this a “State of Determination”
Rotarians are determined to make a real difference in the world. It is in our nature to see a problem and fix it. We are people of action and we really do change lives.
Rotarians are also community leaders and role models, so we need to practice good safe protective behaviours set down by experts, and raise awareness of these in our community.
Keep your club members engaged and connected. It’s great that many members are attending meetings via video conferencing or other means, but it is also important to ensure contact is maintained with those that aren’t attending our meetings. Only when we are all united in our efforts and determined to beat this insidious virus will we make it a reality.
There is also a real need in the community for information on anything other than COVID-19.
It is important to celebrate and communicate your achievements, and to maintain that momentum with innovative new projects and ideas. It is also important to celebrate and communicate the achievements of others in your community doing great work. Promote these on club, district and community social media sites, websites and other forms of media (newspapers, radio, television).
Thank you all for the great work you do, and most importantly, stay safe and stay well.
Formed in 2017, the Timor Rotary Consortium is a collaboration of six District 9800 Rotary Clubs to implement a Global Grant for a Water and Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) Project in the Baguia region of Timor Leste with the Rotary Club of Dili Lafaek acting as International Host.
The participating Rotary clubs were: Camberwell, Chadstone East Malvern, Hawthorn, Glenferrie, Malvern and Prahran, who together raised $72,000, which, with the addition of a Global Grant, District Grant and individual donations, grew to a total of $140,000.
The project was to construct four school toilets and thirty-two 5,500-litre water tanks, including training for local villagers in construction techniques and the use of hand and power tools. Over two years, four Rotary volunteer teams visited project sites. During this time, a close relationship was developed with Ms Leopoldina Guterres, Principal of St Joseph's High School in Baguia and Director of eight Primary Schools in surrounding villages. An exceptional community leader, she has a close involvement with many volunteer organisations and was able to act as the Consortium's local Project Coordinator. Her subsequent induction into the Rotary Passport Club of Melbourne has been very welcomed.
The construction of the last three toilet buildings, and installation of 20 water tanks with roof guttering and downpipes, was carried out completely by locals, using local materials and local skilled/semi-skilled labour. This means they will be able to maintain the buildings and water tanks into the future whilst the Consortium will increasingly act as facilitators.
Through this project, good working relationships have been developed with principals and directors of primary and secondary schools, community leaders, the local Sub-District Administrator, and suppliers of building materials including the East Timor Roofing Company in Baucau (previously Rotary-owned, but now operated by the Don Bosco organisation).
With the completion of the Consortium's first project, on time and within budget, in June this year, it has been decided to form a new 2020 Timor Rotary Consortium, which will commence activity in Timor Leste in April/May 2021 and run until June 2023.
It is hoped that other Rotary Clubs will join the 2020 Consortium so that a similar sized project can be developed that will extend into the neighbouring region of Viqueque, as well as Baguia.
The focus will again be on providing water ranks, school toilets, Water and Santation & Hygiene training, but also including the provision of menstrual hygiene packs to encourage school attendance by female students.
Other Rotary clubs (some of whom may not have had any previous international project experience) are invited to participate in this new entity, which is a registered project with Rotary Australia World Community Service (No. 8-2020-2021). It provides the opportunity for hands-on participation as a member of one of the volunteer teams that will visit project sites.
Registration with Rotary Australia World Community Service enables tax deductible donations to be made directly to the project at https://donations.rawcs.com.au/8-2020-21 and also provides travel insurance for project volunteers.
This Timor Leste Water and Sanitation & Hygiene project contributes to international goodwill and understanding – participation from interested clubs is very welcome.
For more information, please contact: Project Manager John Walmsley on 0412 516 445, jjwalmsley@hotmail.com or Assistant Project Manager Vijay Susarla on 0410 619 323, susarla2008@gmail.com
Rotary clubs reflect the communities in which they are based, and by definition this is the reason diversity, equity and inclusion are so important, including as a means of increasing membership.
Rotary International has made diversity, equity and inclusion a priority for all Rotarians and has issued the following statement:
“As a global network that strives to build a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change, Rotary values diversity and celebrates the contributions of people of all backgrounds, regardless of their age, ethnicity, race, colour, abilities, religion, socioeconomic status, culture, sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity.”
So, just what is diversity, equity and inclusion, and why does it matter for you, your club and Rotary?
It took a Supreme Court battle to allow women to be Rotarians. After years of litigation, in 1987 the Supreme Court ruled that Rotary could not exclude women on the basis of gender. Later that year, Sylvia Whitlock of the Rotary Club of Duarte, California, became the first President of a Rotary Club. https://www.rotary.org/en/history-women-rotary
Twenty years before that event, in California, men of colour had been invited to join Rotary.. And in 1922, Rotary had stated that racial considerations could not be considered for membership. By then Rotary clubs had been chartered in Manila, Calcutta and Tokyo. https://cmirotary.org/stories/racial-diversity-in-rotary
In District 9800, in 2018, Prahran Rotary led the way with the Pride March and many other clubs have embraced LGBQTI members.
The benefits of diverse organisations are well documented, with such organisations outperforming homogenous organisations in areas including service, productivity, recruitment and retention. This is attributed to the variety in perspectives brought to the organisation by people who think differently, have different experiences from one another, creating more considered and innovative outcomes.
When we consider Rotaractors, we need to look at ways to encourage the continuation of their Rotary journey so that clubs can grow to include a diverse membership base. This means looking at better ways to connect with our Rotaractors.
Inclusion is the key to cultivating diversity, and we cannot benefit from diversity without an inclusive culture.
In the context of Rotary membership, this means we, Rotarians, need to do more than simply invite people of diverse backgrounds to our meetings and events. Once they have joined Rotary, we need to involve them by including them in club planning and decision-making. They need to feel valued so that the benefits of their diverse experience will not be lost.
So, what does diversity, equity and inclusion look like and how do we know we have succeeded? The answer is simple: “Diversity is being invited to the party, inclusion is being asked to dance.”
For more information please contact Sue Vincent, District 9800 Chair, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Rotary District 9800.
Video above from the 2020 Rotary District 9800 Assembly
Alice asked the White Rabbit, “Which way should I go?”
“That depends on where you want to get to”, the Rabbit replied.
When Alice then said, “I really don’t know”, the Rabbit replied, “then it doesn’t matter which way you go”.
- Alice in Wonderland.
Many Rotary clubs suffer from a short-term focus. Presidents are only in charge of their clubs for 12 months and Boards change.
It is the easy way out to focus on the here and now and to adopt incrementalism: picking up on what the club did last year and doing it again.
The problem with this approach is that these clubs are not opening doors to opportunities: sometimes the best opportunities need to have a timeline stretching over more than a year to achieve the best results for the beneficiaries.
Yes, you can do a lot in one year, and some of the projects a club has in progress are probably well worth continuing. But how can the club be exciting and attractive to new members without new challenges?
This is an appeal to Rotary club Presidents and Boards to stretch yourselves and take at least a three year perspective on the future of the Rotary community for which you are responsible.
The Planning Process
Whilst the Rotary Club Visioning approach is an extremely important part of good planning, it is most effective when face-to-face interaction takes place, allowing club members to participate. Networker will feature details later in the year from the District Visioning team about how to implement that approach.
This article modifies a process previously used by a club in Rotary District 9800, which did have the pre-COVID 19 advantage of member participation in an open forum, culminating in a document that was then summarised on one page.
The one-page summary of the planning document is very useful to show interested parties, such as prospective members and funders, and to remind members of the club’s current strategic priorities. That process won a District 9800 award.
COVID restrictions provide challenges to the process, but club leaders can and should still conduct a plan.
As an example of how to proceed during these difficult times, one club is forging ahead using the key elements of the process. It has asked its members to answer the following questions and to reply by email to the President:
1. What is the club doing well?
2. Where do we need to improve?
3. If the club was meeting all your expectations, what would it look like in 2022/23?
Answers are being collated and, together with notes from the club’s Board sessions during previous Rotary years, will be used at a special Zoom session involving all interested members. The session will include a discussion to refine the findings, which will then be documented in a planning report. Finally, a one-page summary will be produced.
Click here for an example of what a one-page summary might look like:
Strategies
Membership
Foundation
Community Service
International Service
Public Image
Fundraising
Vocational Service
Youth
Club Service
Finance
Recruit positively for 10% increase
Implement a 100 year celebration project
Strengthen three external partnerships
Support DIK, help fund a container
Strengthen our social media
Use targeted budgeting with specified beneficiaries
Provide career advice to local school students
Investigate commencing a Rotaract club
Maintain a rolling calendar of events
Keep members informed about club finances
Appoint four new young members
Increase EREY members
Support a Men’s Shed Project
Approach schools to facilitate support for a needy school overseas
Seek media coverage for projects
Continue successful projects
Implement a Primary School Reading project
Consider hosting an international exchange student
Engage high quality speakers for meetings
Improve annual budgeting
Appoint two new overseas born members
Increase Paul Harris Society members
Investigate service gaps with the local Council
Explore new international project opportunities
Promote Rotary month theme to community
Introduce two new revenue sources
Arrange business and institution visits for members
Support two students to attend leadership training
Conduct a membership satisfaction survey
Ensure good financial control and governance
Consider satellite club and other initiatives for growth
Apply for District Grant
Develop a project with the local Traders’ Association
Consider joining existing District club projects
Strengthen our Bulletin and distribute to community
Consider larger projects with cluster clubs
Arrange periodic vocational presentations to meetings
Consider screening Rotary videos and TED talks at meetings
Lodge reports for grant monies received
Ensure members have access to Rotary information
Apply for a Rotary Australia Benevolent Society Grant
Look for cluster opportunities
Conduct an annual club health check
Arrange a pro bono annual audit
NB: If viewing on a phone, please turn your phone into landscape mode to make the table easier to read
David was born in Essendon, attended Essendon Grammar and studied Arts/Law at ANU. After being admitted, he took up a legal position in Echuca, planning to stay for a couple of years but staying for twenty!
David joined the Rotary Club of Echuca in 1987 after a life-long connection with Rotary. His father, Royce Abbey, joined the Rotary Club of Essendon in 1954, the year David was born, and was President of Rotary International in 1888/89. David’s sister and son were exchange students, and David and his wife, Cindy, have hosted about 12 students. Rotary has been a life-long family cycle for the Abbey family.
After Echuca, David worked in Shepparton for 17 years and was a member of the Shepparton-Central Rotary Club. He retired to Melbourne and now lives permanently in Fairhaven.
Essendon Rotary has projects in The Philippines, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Peru. The club has trips to visit overseas projects, which are annual highlights. Domestically, the club supports NYSF, RYLA, Literacy Month, Police Appreciation, bushfire recovery, Caroline Chisolm Society, McAuley Foundation, Strathmore Men’s Shed, to name a few. Currently, Essendon Rotary is providing hand sanitiser kits to other clubs for distribution where needed.
“Recycled as President,” David said he is surprised how the role has changed since the early 1990s. “We should be wary of too much imposed structure and process. Excessive administrative obligations can be a disincentive. I will focus on the Avenues of Service and keep things simple,” advised David.
The Royce Abbey Award and Vocational Scholarships have been David’s most important projects. He believes that getting involved, attending meetings, fellowship and supporting the board are the keys to being a good Rotarian. “They make a club vibrant. Good attendance is about setting priorities, and it is important.”
David enjoys the beach and testing out his new wetsuit, but it should come as no surprise his true leisure passion is…cycling!
I joined Rotary on 20th June 2020 via Zoom with my fellow Passport Rotarians. I am a passionate new member, already on three different committees and looking forward to making an impact.
Whilst I am now based in Melbourne with my husband and two kids, I originally came from Adelaide and, whilst working in politics, also lived in Canberra. I spent ten years there working under the Howard leadership before moving to Melbourne. I initially met with Rotary to discuss some funding for the organisation for which I was working, but after having a coffee with a Rotarian, I was told that the best way to get to know Rotary was just to get involved. So I did!
Thanks to lockdown, I attended a few different clubs via Zoom, and I was drawn to the Passport club because they have connections in areas in Southeast Asia and Cambodia where I was already working in the area of abolishing child slavery. I am the Partnerships Manager at Destiny Rescue, an international not-for-profit organisation dedicated to rescuing children trapped in the slave trade.
I found that Rotary has so much depth and contributes so much to policy change, both locally and internationally, as well as doing great work in the community. I was amazed at the dedication of Rotarians and the amount of projects that were going on to drive change, despite many Rotarians having their own businesses or working full time. I thought how can I not do this, and why didn’t I do it sooner! I was in awe.
My personal goals as a Rotarian are all about learning. I want to learn from those Rotarians who have been in Rotary a long time, and draw on the knowledge of those who have been before me and are still involved. I am happiest when I am learning about someone who takes the initiative on an idea and goes for it! From tiny oak seeds, a big oak grows, and there are so many amazing oak seeds around.
I am so grateful that in our current situation we have the ability to go to the shops and get what we need, and still have some freedom. I speak with connections in India who have not been able to leave their compound for five months and have food delivered to them. We are fortunate to have what we have.
Being on the fundraising committee for our club, I think this area will be a challenge for us in the future, as will gaining new members when there are so many attractive options out there for networking. Whilst networking groups have a purpose, I believe Rotary offers the experience of growing and learning in the community.
In the destitute villages of Bodhgaya region of Bihar state of India, where normal children are considered by their parents as assets and those with mental health issues as liabilities, Bodhi Tree Special School was established with a clear vision to bring about attitudinal change.
The school, through its very limited resources, offers help to approximately 1,000 families, as well as assists with the sanitisation of village hutments.
COVID-19 is having a significant impact on the management of the school, as the children are expressing their frustration to the pandemic response in the form of violent behaviour. A great video highlighting the work being done at the school during this current COVID-19 crisis has been sent by the school’s Director, Dhirendra Sharma and can be seen below:
Currently the school looks after 70 mentally challenged children and is being fully funded by approximately 40 individuals mainly from Melbourne through committed $100 monthly donations. Through the Rotary Club of Albert Park and its registered project status with Rotary Australia World Community, $14,000 has been donated to the school towards sustaining it for the current quarter.
By providing these children with education and integrating them with normal children, the school is fostering a sense of equality and at the same time, stopping at-risk children from being soft trafficking targets.
The Rotary Club of North Balwyn turned 40 early this year. Balwyn Rotary sponsored it when Jack Nankervis was District Governor, and it was chartered on 8th May 1980 with 32 members.
With Stan Hibbert as Charter President, the Rotary Club of North Balwyn has, from day one, been active in all areas of Rotary service. With diversity, equality and inclusion key to its culture, the Club’s membership is made up of a wide variety of nationalities, occupations and backgrounds with a good gender balance. Weekly meetings are conducted on Thursday evenings at the magnificent Kew Golf Club.
North Balwyn Rotary has provided three District Governors; Greg Ross, John Reddish and Jim Studebaker, with district conferences convened In Adelaide, Melbourne and Launceston. The Club’s social activities include an annual fellowship weekend at country locations while theme dinners, theatre nights and dine-outs are held regularly.
In the Vocational area, the Club continues to support projects such as Shine On, Livewire, as well as those involving literacy, job search and vocational visits. Disaster relief has seen North Balwyn teams assisting in bushfire affected areas, as well as providing flood relief in Gippsland, northern and north-eastern Victoria.
Local community service activities have included associations with Variety, Servants Community Housing, Second Bite food distribution, the garden project and the formation and management of a local Men’s Shed. Over time, North Balwyn’s members have honed their catering skills, raising significant funds at the Melbourne Grand Prix, Bunnings, Reclink, Camberwell Market, local council functions, the Club’s annual Charity Golf Day, and even the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.
On the International front, the Club is involved in projects in the Solomon Islands, Vietnam, Timor Leste and Sri Lanka. In each case, North Balwyn club members travel to the destination to partake in the project and supervise the aid provided.
Involvement in Youth projects is a priority for the Club. These include Youth Exchange, Model United Nations Assembly, Rotary Youth Program of Enrichment, Rotaract, Interact and Earlyact. Recently North Balwyn Rotary arranged a cultural experience exchange with Mongolia.
Forty years on and, North Balwyn Rotary can certainly be justifiably proud of the many faceted contributions to local and international communities it provides.
Victorian Rotarians, living in the current COVID-19 lockdown, may be forgiven for assuming that their clubs are functioning just like Rotary e-clubs, with meetings conducted online.
However, Rotary e-clubs have arisen out of a need to extend Rotary to those people who have difficulty attending regular Rotary meetings. These people include those in the business world, medical professionals, parents of young children, those with disabilities, and many more.
Paul Harris, the founder of Rotary, made a telling comment in the Rotarian Magazine in 1945. He said: “Rotary simply must continue to pioneer or be left in the rear of progress.”
Rotary e-clubs certainly follow this philosophy.
When Rotary E-Club One received its charter in 2002, the Board of Directors of Rotary International prescribed 5 key goals, which now apply to every Rotary e-club. These are:
Use the internet to retain Rotarians who would otherwise be lost to Rotary
Use the internet to attract new Rotarians
Use the internet to facilitate meetings
Use the internet to manage service projects, and
Use the internet for fellowship and creating a friendly Rotary community.
Rotary International recognises two types of Rotary e-clubs; a pure Rotary e-club and a hybrid Rotary e-club.
Pure Rotary e-clubs conduct all of their business on the internet. Their members are from a wide geographical area, including global. They meet for only one face-to-face dinner per year and this is usually at a Rotary International Convention. Rotary service is undertaken in the community where a member lives, or groups of members get together and work as teams on service projects in areas of need where no member resides.
An example of such a club is Rotary E-Club One. It has members in 13 countries and they meet once a week. As members live in different parts of the world they can respond quickly to emergency situations. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, members were able to quickly respond. They provided food in Mexico and India and delivered face masks to nursing homes and hospices. Their other programs include implementing clean water, education of children, training of women and they provide sponsorship for orphaned young people and students.
Hybrid Rotary e-clubs conduct most of their business on the Internet, but meet face-to-face at their own designated times for dinner meetings. These e-clubs work successfully when all the members live within a relatively close distance from each other and are therefore able to travel to meetings. They perform their service programs within their own region but also beyond its boundaries, including internationally.
A good example of a hybrid e-club is in District 9800; the Rotary E-Club of Melbourne, which was chartered in 2013. This e-club comprises members from all age groups. Members remain connected with each other and Rotarians around the world via video-conferencing, their website and social media. They collaborate with other Rotary clubs in the district and internationally to plan and carry out projects. Their areas of focus are listed on their website and include promoting peace, fighting disease, providing clean water, saving mothers and children, supporting education and growing local economies.
Rotarian E-Club Fellowship was approved by the Rotary International Board in November 2013. Any Rotarian, Rotaractor or spouse of a Rotarian may join this fellowship. To learn more about Rotarian E-Club Fellowship, join us on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/rotarianeclubfellowship/
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up-to-date are always welcome. Contact us at networker@rotarydistrict9800.org.au.
It is so appropriate that one of the feature stories in this week’s Networker is about 
On Saturday 8th August, the first "Membership Ideas" forum was held for club Membership chairs. Over thirty attendees were welcomed by DG Philip Archer. The main presenter was Regional Membership Officer Barbara Mifsud and the club of the month was Central Melbourne. Membership chair and PDG Neville John described how the club has grown by 20 members (from 45 to 65) over the last five years, through sustained efforts. For those who would like to view the session it is available at 
Restrictions due to COVID-19 have certainly challenged our communities, our clubs and ourselves.
Rotary clubs reflect the communities in which they are based, and by definition this is the reason diversity, equity and inclusion are so important, including as a means of increasing membership.
Alice asked the White Rabbit, “Which way should I go?”
David was born in Essendon, attended Essendon Grammar and studied Arts/Law at ANU. After being admitted, he took up a legal position in Echuca, planning to stay for a couple of years but staying for twenty!
I joined Rotary on 20th June 2020 via Zoom with my fellow Passport Rotarians. I am a passionate new member, already on three different committees and looking forward to making an impact.
The Rotary Club of North Balwyn turned 40 early this year. Balwyn Rotary sponsored it when Jack Nankervis was District Governor, and it was chartered on 8th May 1980 with 32 members.
Local community service activities have included associations with Variety, Servants Community Housing, Second Bite food distribution, the garden project and the formation and management of a local Men’s Shed. Over time, North Balwyn’s members have honed their catering skills, raising significant funds at the Melbourne Grand Prix, Bunnings, Reclink, Camberwell Market, local council functions, the Club’s annual Charity Golf Day, and even the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.
Victorian Rotarians, living in the current COVID-19 lockdown, may be forgiven for assuming that their clubs are functioning just like Rotary e-clubs, with meetings conducted online.