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President's Message
Michael Reed
President's Report No 46
Wasn’t that nice to have something different on Monday night.
Neil Henderson stepped in and took control of the meeting as our Sergeant.
I think ‘Sarge’ gave Past District Governor Alan Anderson about 5 minutes to prepare for the invocation, which Alan did for us and proposed the toast --- thanks Alan.
We were joined at our meeting by 8 guests Kelly invited and hosted, Past District Governor Philip and Judy Beasley, some of us had our partners and we had 4 members join us online.
Well, winter has arrived! – and is there a better way to ‘welcome in’ the cold weather than with a few glasses of wine?
Thanks to our program specialist Jan, we had David and Neville from Mt Moriac Wines join us with four of their wines.
For me --- I was rather content having the Heathcote Shiraz to accompany the lovely roast prepared by our caterers. I did notice others choosing samples from one (or more) of the other bottles bought along for us to try but heard no complaints!
As expected, there were several order sheets completed and handed to David and Neville on Monday night. These gentlemen have very generously extended their special ‘Rotary’ tasting prices until Wednesday 8th June, to give other members and families the opportunity to order at this price.
If you would like to order any wines on the list, please complete the sheet and let Jan Emmett know. The order form is below.
Jan will collate the orders coming in and will let the guys at Mt Moriac know.
All wines ordered – both on the night, and ones you order through Jan, will be delivered to Jan, at her place.
Jan will advise us when the orders arrive.
As we know, our fellow Rotarian and Friend Peter Bollen has been living with Parkinsons disease for over 20 years. Peter informed us all on Monday that the authorities have now taken his licence away. We wish Peter, Cynthia and the Bollen family all the very best as they adjust to this new way of life.
A big Thank you to Tom Fratantaro, who has been – and has offered to continue – to drive and bring Peter along to Rotary.
Neil was back! Mr Sergeant entertained us with a few fines and along with his ‘Corporal’, Trevor Pickles extracted a few dollars from those in attendance. Then it was time for a few jokes from both the Sergeant and the Corporal. Always good to have a laugh! Thanks Gents.
Thank you to the members, partners and friends who attended the tree planting working bee on Saturday 28th May.
We received a lovely thank you letter from Fiona. See the letter a little later in the bulletin.
You would have noticed in the bulletin over recent weeks, the mentioning of a Sisterhood Agreement with the Rotary Club of Rizal West, in the Philippines.
Last Thursday we had an online meeting with members of Rizal West and signed the document! Below is a copy for your records ….
You would have noticed the Rotary International Convention to be held in Melbourne next year, being mentioned in the Bulletin over recent weeks.
A big reminder folks, the cheapest you will be able to purchase tickets to this event is between the 4th and 8th June this year. They will continue to increase in price from the 8th of June.
Please keep an eye on this and secure your tickets and be part of this amazing Rotary Event.
Our Club Changeover is scheduled for Monday 4th of July. The invitation is below. Please make sure you book yourselves, and anyone accompanying you, in using the TryBookings link on the invitation. You will pay by credit card at this time after registering.
On Monday is the big Environment evening where all Rotary Clubs around the greater Geelong area – Groups 9&10, are coming together at the North Geelong Bowls Club, Ballarat Rd, Geelong. I look forward to seeing you and there.
I was just wondering if you or any of your members would be interested in supporting us by donating an hour or 2 of your time on either Saturday 25 or Sunday 26 June between 8am and 4pm at the Torquay Bunnings for a fundraising BBQ? Any help you could provide would be greatly appreciated in assisting us to raised much needed funds for our health service.
It was obvious who the ‘wine appreciators’ were on Monday night, as they were the ones who braved the freezing weather and came along to another successful ‘Wine Tasting Night’ at Kithbrooke Park… But it didn’t deter the many guests of Kelly’s, who managed to make up a full table of keen ‘sippers’ thank you all for your support.
It was also good to have a few of our Partners and Rotary friends come and join us, which is what we’re all about, Good Food, Good Fellowship and of course Good Wine…!
We were, this time, treated to two very nice whites, one being a 2021 Mt Moriac Pinot Gris and the other, which we’ve had before and I personally recommend, a 2018 Bells Clare Valley Riesling.
There were two very nice Reds too, both were so nice I bought a couple of bottles of each, and they were, 2015 Surf Coast Shiraz and a 2018 Bells Heathcote Shiraz all of which are at very reasonable reduced prices.
Download Wine Order Form and Prices below: Please call/email me if you are interested in ordering any of the above and I’ll be happy to place an order for you.
Thanks again to our caterers for supplying a very heart and toe warming Roast meal which made it all worthwhile venturing out in the cold.
Delegate registration cost for RICON23 in Melbourne changes depending on when you register. The earlier you register the more economical the price.
During Houston Convention timing (June 4th -8th ) if you register and pay for attending RICON23 you shall receive the maximum discount. From June 9th , the cost increases by $50. There is also a further increase after December 15th and then greater increases after March and April 2023.
Rotarians, Rotaractors and friends can obtain the maximum discount to attend RICON23. From 4 June 2022 registration will be available through the RI website on this link
Grade 6 students started levelling the toilet site, under the watchful eyes of Thomas our builder, their teacher, and Joseph. All the students want to chip in and help prepare for this projects. They are so keen, they want changes done in their school. WASH programs will be done, set up, students want to take the lead in the WASH programs etc I am so excited.
Hello All Brendon and I say a sincere thank you to each of you, and to the TDLG, Rotary and FOLM members who came along today for the planting at The Stone Chimney. We estimate 700 - 800 trees were planted and guarded, and what a lovely energy was generated during the process! The day was a picture of collaboration and investment in the environment. The group spanned volunteers in their first decade of life to several in their eighth. Let’s hope it encourages the younger ones to develop a taste for life in nature and maybe a passion for science and the environment.
Our decision to plant as late in May as possible looks sound. With this week’s few mm already and more substantial downpour predicted for the coming few days we chose the best of the month for the trees.
A big thank you to Graeme and Joy for growing such successful and healthy indigenous provenance.
Please pass on our thanks to all in your participation list. We hope they will enjoy visiting from time to time to see the results their work will have generated.
Welcome to the very late May edition of our monthly newsletter. This month we share the report from last month's Chapter Meeting where our Zone Director Jessie Harman helped launch the Club Carbon Calculator. We also include links and resources for you to use. Have you discussed this in your club yet? Imagine the impact if every Rotary Club worldwide adopted the Club Carbon Calculator and hen offset their carbon emissions?
And as always, we are also keen to hear from Rotarians and clubs about their environmental projects. Please send words{400-600} and images or a website/Facebook link and I would be delighted to share and celebrate your work.
What is your club doing for World Environment Day?
Please join us for our next chapter meeting to be held on Tuesday 21st June. This meeting will reflect on the past 12 months and ask for feedback and suggestions from all members on our speakers and focus for the coming year.
CLICK HEREfor the latest ESRAG May Newsletter (Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group)
With thanks to you and your fellow Rotarians, Operation Cleft Australia, together with our Bangladesh partner have brought a smile to the face of more than 1,500 life threatening, Cleft suffering Children over this last challenging 12 month.
Rotary continues to prove that ‘When the going gets tough the tough get going’. Our surgeons and hospital support staff have not stopped, despite all the tough times they have continuing to operate – to change faces and change lives!
This attached Newsletter includes some amazing stories of children and families impacted by life changing surgeries; you have made possible. It also highlights the exciting and unique way in which Rotary Clubs and Rotarians support Operation Cleft Australia.
Thanks for your help in transforming the lives of so many desperately needy children. Through your gift and your Club’s support, these children can participate in school, benefit so much from the life-long value of education, enjoy good health, make, and sustain friendships, play normal sport and …. Smile!
Registrations are now open for The Push-Up Challenge 2022, so jump in! We'd love to have you be a part of it.
Join the amazing online community for The Push-Up Challenge as we stay connected, get fit, learn about mental health and have a bit of fun along the way.
All the while supporting Lifeline Geelong & South West Victoria.
In 2017, The Push-Up Challenge was created as a way to make a positive difference to mental health in Australia.
This year, we’re going to push big,
we’re going to push-up, and we’re going to push
for better mental health
We would like to give people across Australian like you, the chance to get fit for tomorrow’s challenges and show your support for mental health in Australia. 💪
If you think you have what it takes, go solo or grab some mates and challenge yourself to 3,139 push-ups over 24 days in June.
WHAT'S DIFFERENT THIS YEAR?
• This year your target is 3,139 push-ups. To represent the number of lives lost in Australia to suicide in 2020.
• Our event app has a few new, funky features up its sleeve
• A whole lot of new, surprising and insightful mental health facts to get you thinking
• We have some sweet, new merch for you to push-up in style
• You will be able to support Lifeline Geelong & South West Victoria and our local community.
You will be able to aim for 25%, 50%, 75% or 100% of each day's target. As always, alternatives to push-ups are welcomed and encouraged.
Please click on the above image to read the article from the latest edition of Rotary Down Under for details of how you can assist the citizens of Ukraine through the Rotary network.
President Michael Reed along with President Elect Ben Featherston would like to invite you and your partner to attend the changeover of The Rotary Club of Torquay, where Michael will hand over the Presidency of the club to Ben and welcome the new leadership team for 2022/23.
This event will be held on: - Monday 4th July 2022.
To be held at: - Kithbrooke Park, in the Community Hall, 350 Grossmans Rd, Torquay, 3228.
Time: - 6.00PM Arrival for 6.30PM.
Cost: - $40 per Head for Two Course meal.
Drinks at Bar Prices.
Please use this TryBooking link for all Registrations and Payment
And …. don’t forget to Include any dietary requirements.
The Rotary Australia World Community Service website at https://directory.rawcs.com.au/41-2021-22 is our donor page, still being worked on, but with the completion of the business case, we will start our fundraising from March 1.
As an aside, Lucy received the following message re our project from the Governor of the Gulf Province Chris Haiveta
Thank you, Sis, for your tireless efforts to Assist our village over the years through the foundation.
I am committed to supporting you and the foundation as you prepare to widen your coverage on critical issues.
We are working with a couple NGOs in the Province already and can provide you the letter of support.
I suggest that we formalize the support and collaboration through an MOU.
In the meantime it would be much better to send a profile and EOI from the foundation to me aa head of the Provincial Government so that we can commence to formalize the relationship.
As a club president, you play a critical role in keeping members informed about the Rotary Peace Centers programs. Encourage club members to use their professional and social contacts to find potential candidates. They can also support the program by coaching candidates through the application process and connecting them to districts that can endorse their applications, a required step in the application process.
These resources can help you and your members recruit candidates for 2023 Rotary Peace Fellowships:
Take the All About the Rotary Peace Fellowships course to learn about qualification requirements, eligibility restrictions, the application process, and more.
Use our referral form to tell us about potential candidates, and we’ll follow up with them.
As we grow our certificate program, we are particularly seeking qualified candidates for our peace centers at Chulalongkorn University (Thailand) and Makerere University (Uganda). The one-year program is intended for working professionals and requires 11 weeks of on-site participation. We are looking for candidates with a minimum of five years of relevant work experience (the average age for this program is 42). Graduates receive a post-graduate diploma in peace studies upon completion of the program.
Candidates have until 15 May to submit applications to The Rotary Foundation. Trained Rotary endorsers have until 1 July to submit endorsed applications to The Rotary Foundation.
Send any questions about the fellowship program to rotarypeacecenters@rotary.org. Thank you for your dedication to the Rotary Peace Centers and your help educating Rotary members and your community about the fellowships.
Sincerely, Rotary Peace Centers
Rotary Peace Centers are made possible by the generosity of donors.
WHAT WE ARE COLLECTING AND WHERE TO DROP OFF ITEMS
Bottle Top Lids
Cause:- Lids4Kids is a nationwide 100% volunteer project to rescue plastic bottle lids
from landfill to benefit the environment and kids. Lids4Kids hopes to rescue eligible lids from landfill for projects that benefit all Australian kids in need.
So if you could collect milk bottle tops for recycling to reduce the amount of waste being sent to landfill., you will contribute to Torquay Rotary’s Environment Project
Just remove the yellow, blue or red plastic top from milk bottles, wash clean & pop into a container .
Maggie Isom will let us know when we can drop off to a bin at Coles Supermarket 41 Bristol Rd Torquay
Cause :- Aussie Bread Tags for Wheelchairs, who collect them, sell them to recyclers and turn the cash into wheelchairs for people who can’t afford them.
Cause :- Recycle for Sight Australia a joint effort with Torquay Lions Club to send old prescription glasses to overseas communities where people cannot afford them.
Cause :- A Rotary "Donations in Kind" joint exercise with the Rotary Club of Boroko to disperse to needing schools in PNG. They need books that are used in Australian schools from Grades Prep to 8. Plus story books for younger children for grades Prep to 3.
Shekhar and Rashi Mehta at their home in Kolkata. Rashi painted the picture Mother and Child, behind her.
When I met Shekhar almost 20 years ago, he was busily manning a booth at the Rotary International Convention. His enthusiasm and energy in showcasing his club’s projects were infectious. A project man myself, I was inspired by the work exhibited at the booth. That casual encounter developed into a strong friendship.
Shekhar is a visionary leader. He always sees things others can’t. He envisaged a way to eradicate illiteracy in India by 2025 and designed the TEACH program (which stands for Teacher support, E-learning, Adult literacy, Child development, Happy school). He started the Shelter Kit project that now is in the vanguard of disaster relief in India. His Saving Little Hearts project, which provides heart surgeries to thousands of children, along with the more than 15 eye hospitals he helped establish, which have served hundreds of thousands, speaks to the scope of his dreams.
Ravi Vadlamani
Rotary Club of Guntur, India 2001-02 governor of District 3150
He has an exceptional talent for building teams and driving them to achieve their goals. Shekhar’s programs and ideas may seem larger than life, but he always walks the extra mile to make Rotarians feel at home.
His power of dreaming big is backed up by planning, perseverance, and patience. He’s an excellent communicator who connects with his audience instantly and can motivate people to move mountains. He is also a family man, ably supported by his spouse, Rashi.
Shekhar’s X factor as a leader? Nobody is able to say no to him when he asks for something.
District 9780 Governor for 2021-22 is John Clue from Rotary Club of Port Fairy
Melbourne has been announced as the host city for the 2023 Rotary International Convention, the largest conference secured this century for Victoria.
Melbourne is a Big Events City! Set to deliver over $88 million to the Victorian economy, the Convention is the most valuable conference ever won for the state, with the four-day event anticipated to attract more than 20,000 Rotarians from around the world. The global spotlight will be on Melbourne and how we present ourselves to the world.
The Convention will take place 27-31 May 2023 using Rod Laver Arena and the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre for functions.
Watch this Space for further news as it comes to hand.
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