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President's Message
Ben Featherston
President's Report No 18
Our Melbourne Cup Social Night was a blast! We had close to 50 attend the evening at the Torquay Hotel on Monday. Well done to those “fillies and colts” that dared to parade the “mounting yard” with such humor, and congratulations to those that took out the best-dressed categories and prizes!
Thank-you to Maggie Isom for organising the event, and to armchair racing expert Neil Henderson for hosting and passionately educating us in all things horse racing, fun! Neil has mentioned that he will pay out to the sweep winners at our next face-to-face meeting at Kithbrooke Park on Monday 14th November.
A Big shout-out also to those members and friends from other Rotary Clubs who attended the evening, particularly to those from Belmont RC, who helped increase the buzz and fun had by everyone. A special mention also to Betty Jo Parent, who was visiting us all the way from the Rotary Club of Mississauga West in Canada. Betty Jo reminded us of the important international work of Rotary, in particular the Youth Exchange program and the herculean efforts of her District 7080 in raising funds for bushfire relief in Australia in 2019/20. Thank-you Betty Jo.
Regionalisation Pilot Project update:
The result of the voting for the Regionalisation pilot project in District 9780 was that the great majority of our Districts clubs voted, with 91% of clubs approving of the project. At their October Rotary International (RI) board meeting, the 20 districts that reached the required 2/3rds vote were authorized to proceed with further development of the regional governance model for report to the RI Board at its January 2023 meeting. This means that the planning to participate in a pilot, including determination of costs to Rotary International, can now continue in preparation for the January RI Board meeting.
Annual General Meeting:
The AGM is not far away, Monday 21st November. All members please note this in your diary and make a special effort to attend. Secretary Allan Hillgrove has this week sent out nomination forms for club Board positions. I encourage all club members to consider a leadership position, as this is so vital to the ongoing stability and coherence of our club.
District are holding the President Elect (PE) training sessions on the 20th November and 4th December, and I would love for us to be sending a member/s from our club to learn skills to becoming a fabulous club President for the 2023/2024 year. Members, please let me know your interest in the President position ASAP!
Upcoming events:
BBQs: Our next fundraising BBQ is the Cowrie Market on Sunday 20th November. 8 volunteers required for half day shifts, please let Mal Slater know if you can assist ASAP.
Pop-up Book Sale #2: After the success of the first event, another day is planned for Saturday 3rd December at ARP in Grovedale. Volunteers needed, please contact Mike Reed regarding your availability.
The Rotaract Club of Djilang (Geelong) turns 1 in November! Their club would love for other club members to join them to mark the achievement of their anniversary, with dinner and drinks in Newtown on Saturday the 19th November. Please see the flyer later in the bulletin for full details, RSVP by 9th November.
Kardinia Rotary Club is once again selling the Geelong Gourmet Goodies Christmas Gift Boxes for 2022. All contents are sourced from and support Geelong area businesses, with the profits going towards Rotary Projects.
Kardinia RC will also pay our club $5 for each $55 box, $10 for each $80 box, and $15 for each $120 box that is sold and nominated through the club. Details and ordering can be found at: https://kardiniarotary.org.au/page/geelong-gourmet-goodies
Bayside Rotary Club are having their annual Trivia Night Challenge, on Friday 18th November. Last year the Rotary Club of Geelong won the Trivia Challenge. Who will become the most Intelligent Rotary Club and take home the Trivia Trophy this year? Please see flyer later in the bulletin.
This Monday is an online, MS Teams meeting. We will be celebrating Rotary Foundation Month, with an on-line presentation from PDG Julie Mason - assistant Regional Rotary Foundation Coordinator.
Just on 50 members and guests, including folk from Belmont Rotary Club, enjoyed a great night of good food and fellowship. There were the obligatory sweeps, the results of which have already been communicated through the club email system. Neil Henderson provided some horse racing based entertainment. We laughed at the “Race Callers Nightmare” – a replay of a race in which 9 out of the 10 horse’s names started with “Mashani”. (This was an actual race in Brisbane last Saturday!)
Then there was a Phantom Call of the big race. Neil called Knights Order as the winner and his prophecy looked likely on the home turn the following day when Knights Order did in fact skip 3 lengths clear on the home turn – but got run down. A short Trivia Quiz drew out the usual protests and disputes as to what were in fact the true answers – all in fun. Maggie and John McD’s table won and shared a couple of boxes of Choccies as a result.
Highlight of the evening was Fashions on the Field. All classes were heavily contested. Lyn Brown won best dressed lady in a classic earthy toned frock with matching accessories and a delightful black fascinator. The sartorial Phil Beasley, decked out with bow tie and fashionable hat, won best dressed male while the widely travelled Frats paraded in tandem to take out the award for best dressed couple.
A happy, socially connected club is a great club. Keep it up Torquay.
Unfortunately due to Greg & Helen Plumridge being unable to make it to the meeting we do not seem to have any pics from the night. If you did happen to take some please forward to Greg for inclusion in next weeks Bulletin.
Our next chapter meeting will be held on Thursday 17th November at 6.30pm. We will be joined by Sarah Moran from the Electric Vehicle Council of Australia. Please register at Humanitix
CLICK HERE for the latest ESRAG Newsletter (Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group)
Further to the question posed at dinner on Monday night, I have booked the Torquay Foreshore Caravan Park for Thursday, 16th to Sunday 19th of February 2023 for a muster of the Recreational Vehicle Fellowship of Rotarians. This is the week after the Motor show.
Usual bookings are for 30 powered caravan sites and 10 cabins. Cut-off date for bookings is mid-November, so we will have a good idea of the numbers that will come by then.
Kelly, Sue (Currie) and one other have very kindly offered to help with the planning of the social side of the muster. I hope we can meet up later in this week.
For any further information regarding the Recreational Vehicle Fellowship of Rotarians and their planned trips please contact John Oswald.
Our combined JJCA & SCEG AGM & Presentation will be held on Wednesday November 2nd, 2022, at 6.15pmat The Birdrock Jan Juc, 2 Princes TerraceJanJuc, VIC.
Dinner to follow
and...
Our next Working Bee is Sunday 6th November details to come
In May 2023, Rotary in Geelong is mounting the Geelong Drone Expo (the week before the International Conference in Melbourne). The Expo brings together business, the arts and community into an inspirational family day.
The attached brochure outlines the promotional opportunitites, with the Supporter category being developed particularly with Rotarians in mind. Contact details are in the brochure.
If you could add this to your facebook or website we would be mighty grateful!! The Expo will have a Rotary display area where visitors can see the great work we do. We hope also to attract some of the international Rotarians coming early to visit our great state.
Following the wonderful reception from Orange Sky for the Coats and winter clothing donated by Rotarians last year, and the chilly winter that we are experiencing we have been asked to continue collecting for them again this winter.
Please note that all the people receiving the coats are currently homeless and many have asked if there are any thermal pants or skivvies.
So please check your wardrobes and donate any warm skivvies or pants as well as coats which are always in demand.
I will do regular pickups from our central collection point in Torquay which the Birchalls have kindly agreed to do.
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.
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. Registration and Accommodation Bookings are now available through the RI website on this link
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.
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.
2022-23 President Jennifer Jones is eager to advance Rotary’s narrative. To learn more of our RI President's vision and listen to her podcast follow this link RI President Jennifer Jones LINK
District 9780 Governor for 2021-22 is Kathy Rivett from RC of Alfredton
Kathy currently works in the travel industry and previously held positions in the Federal public service.
Kathy is married to David Rivett.
Kathy served as President of the Rotary Club of Wendouree in 2007-08 and worked with PDG Ken Broadbent in 2010 to set up the then Alfredton Satellite Club. With Kathy's support, Alfredton went on to charter in 2013, the first one to convert to a full Club. Kathy is a proud member of the Alfredton Rotary Club.
Kathy has been involved in a wide range of Rotary activities over the years including:
as a Youth Exchange Counsellor
serving on two District Conference Committees
as an RLI Trainer
working on FAIM Projects in Samoa, Cook Islands and Bali.
Kathy's particular love is Event Co-ordination, being a key player in organising Rotary activities including competitions, community events, concerts, expos etc.
LATEST PUBLICATIONS
To read the DG Kathy's latest District 9780 July 22 eNewsletter CLICK HERE
Rotary Down Under 2022 October Edition 654 CLICK HERE
INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION 2023
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.
