BULLETIN 11th Jul, 2023 (Jul 11, 2023)

Space

WHAT'S IN THIS BULLETIN

11^th Jul 2023

Next Meeting
Guest speaker Tuesday, 11th July 2023
Reporter Notes For Changeover Dinner
Tree Planting Day on Philip Island - Saturday 12 Aug 2023
Peacebuilding Resources
Gallery

Chair

NEIL, Cecily

Greeter

HICKS, Kerrie

Reporter

HINES, Rob

Photographer

THORNTON, Roger

Bulletin Editor

HARVEY, Koren

NEXT MEETING

This is a Zoom meeting.

If you would like to visit our meeting, please contact us by email on rotaryclubcentralmelbourne@gmail.com or phone 0455-858-996 and request log-in details.

The meeting will commence at 7:40am and conclude no later than 8:45.

GUEST SPEAKER - DG RON PAYNE

District Governor Ron Payne: District Support for the Clubs

District Governor Ron will be joining us at our face to face meeting on 15 August. His presentation will focus on how he and the District Support Team can support the Clubs throughout the year and assist clubs to achieve their goals.

Ron has been a member of the Rotary Club of Eaglehawk for eighteen years, having twice served as President and filling most Board positions in that time. His District leadership journey started with the role of Assistant Governor and has included duties on various committees as well as mentoring the AG team.

Ron believes that building a committed team and empowering them to use initiative will ensure a successful and respectful environment develops across the District. A strong commitment to assisting the District Team in providing direct and informed support and guidance to clubs and club officers is a key priority for Ron.

Ron enjoyed a 47-year career with the Department of Education that saw him involved in teaching, principalship and senior management roles within the Department and communities across western and central Victoria. Ron and Deb have two adult daughters, two supportive sons-in-law and six grandchildren, all of whom they cherish sharing time with.

FROM THE LAST MEETING

Rotary Central Melbourne Breakfast Online (Zoom) Meeting Report

Tuesday 25^th July 2023

Posted by Mary Voice and Sarah Overton

The evening meeting kicked off late due to nefarious tampering with our Zoom link by an international spy ring… or just a weird tech glitch.

Thanks to all who stuck with the process to join the meeting! The resulting banter was rather cheeky.

Michelle opened the meeting with an acknowledgement of first nations of our localities; then informed the meeting that Marjorie Gerlinger is rejoining the club.

Club Reports

Club Admin (Suvam Ganguli)

Much change is underway, as we transition into the new Rotary year and the new leadership team. Please be forthcoming with feedback.

We are committed to trialling some new things, including reshaping our arrangements with RACV.

We are also looking forward to locking in details for upcoming major events: Victoria Police Leadership Mentoring Program, Paul Harris Breakfast, and Christmas breakfast.

Thanks to members who have signed up to take on meeting duties, and to all who are embracing & sharing new ideas. John Ilott reminded us of Rotary leadership training available for interested Rotarians.

Youth Service (Rhys Williams)

Goals for the year:

- Promote District programs, RYLA and RYPEN, the National Youth Science program (NYSF), keep in touch with Youth Exchange

- Growing impact of Bernie Gerlinger Scholarships (auspices by Concern Australia)

Strategic Challenges

- There is ongoing challenge to identify and consolidate long-term partnerships. One that is going well is Police Legacy. Also Melbourne Youth Alliance (working with African university students in partnership with Melbourne Huddle), looking to run a youth mental health program. Looking at secondary schools to connect with as the program expands. Simmons College is a potential.

Broader observations

- Rhys shared findings from a recent report regarding a “volatile workforce” influenced by AI and digital, which will drive great displacement over the next few decades. Rhys is looking into an ‘employability initiative’ on this front.

Vocational Service (Ignacio Inchausti)

- The committee remains focused on the two flagship vocational programs - Victoria Police and Ambulance Victoria Leadership Mentor Programs (VPLMP and AVLMP)

VPLMP - successfully graduated15 mentor/mentee pairs last year, and the program will start recruiting around October on the (now fixed) Rotary mentor website.

AVLMP - Currently under review

- International Students Mentoring Program - The focus of this newer initiative is connecting international students in Melbourne to local culture and networks. It is currently in a state of hiatus due to our partner, MentorMatch, undertaking a review.

- New Generations Service Exchange (NGSE) - International professional development exchange program to develop young people up to the age of 30 to hone their talent and build relationships. This is a District-wide program (potentially), although our club, along with RC Melbourne, leads the administration.

Fundraising (Campbell Chambers)

- Recent barbecue with Police Legatees raised $2000 for the Legatees and $4500 for the club.

- Next on-line raffle is planned for September.

- Next big event will be the Paul Harris Breakfast. More will come on this, including calls for donations and auction items.

- Bunnings BBQs have been in a slight hiatus, however looking forward to getting them back up and running in the summer.

- Looking for ideas to supplant the Garden Design Fest, which has become challenging to manage in terms of burden of logistics.

Community Service (Rebecca John)

The committee welcomes project ideas from all members.

In the 2023-24 year, the committee:

- Continues to work with Youth Projects in Hosier Lane to address ongoing needs, reminder about the current toiletries callout.

- Ongoing relationship with RYMERN, which provides furniture and homewares to displaced members of our community. The roster is filled out for the remainder of the year.

- Lift the Lid - ongoing fundraising efforts for mental health research

- Tree of Joy partnership with TAL, to coordinate gifts for children

- Christmas Hampers - Coordinating food donations for Lantana and Steps

- Phillip Island Tree Planting (Saturday 12 August)

- IFTAR friendship dinner

- Liaising with district 9800 contacts on projects related to domestic violence

Foundation (Rohan Williams)

- Working with RACV to lock in a date for the Paul Harris breakfast, ideally on Level 17, where 200 people can be accommodated. Date TBA.

- Channel Nine presenter Peter Hitchener is locked in as the keynote speaker.

Treasurer (Doug Robertson)

- Annual dues are due now.

- Club financials are returning to pre-Covid health, with thanks to fundraising and great thanks to bequests.

The meeting concluded with a discussion of the club’s speakers program – all members are asked to identify at least one potential speaker, their topic title, potential speaking dates and online or in-person.

Roy Garrett informed us that Anne Mitchell (STEPS) featured in a recent article in the AGE, from a former role as a teacher, see extract below.

REPORTER NOTES FROM RCM CHANGEOVER DINNER

Reporter notes from RCM Changeover Dinner.

Rotary Central Melbourne’s 36th Changeover Dinner was held on Friday, 30th June 2023 at Studley Grounds in Kew. It was a beautiful venue with a view of the city lights. The event was attended by RCM members, their partners and guests along with a few District 9800 officials. Past DG Amanda Wendt and DG Ron Payne attended the event along with their partners.

As guests arrived at the venue they enjoyed the warmth of an open fire, a drink, and some canapés. Guests were also encouraged to buy raffle tickets and bid on silent auction items.

President elects Campbell Chambers was the MC for the night and kicked off the official proceedings around 7:15pm by welcoming guests and acknowledgement of country. Campbell invited DG Ron Payne to offer a Toast to Rotary. DG Ron reminded members of the Rotary theme of the year of ‘Create Hope in the World’ and encouraged members to create hope in their communities.

Past DG Amanda Wendt gave vote of thanks to RCM members, particularly to members who have greatly served the district in her year. Past DG Amanda recognised the following members who supported her during 2022/23:

Neville John, Vice Governor
Anne King, District Secretary
Justine Murphy, Assistant District Secretary
Sarah Overton, Vocational Service Chair
Therese Robinson, Assistant Governor Eastside Cluster

Amanda recognised the following members for their mentoring of newer members:

Rob Hines – not present
Elias Lebbos
Neville Taylor

Amanda also recognize the following members for the successful delivery of projects during 2022/23:

Arik Marwen and Neville John for the South Sudan Menstrual Hygiene & Education project for Empowering Others
Doug Robertson and Rhys Williams for the Youth Mental First Aid Workshops for Saving Lives

Past President Rohan Williams provided members and guests a review of his year as President. Rohan reiterated his priorities for his year as President. They were:

1. To re-engage in our service projects

2. To invite friends to participate in our projects and meetings

3. To help our new members to find their place in Rotary

Rohan mentioned that all his priorities were met and by the end of the year, has completed almost all of its planned service projects and 40 or more of our members have contributed to one or more projects each month. Rohan thanked every Rotarian and every family member who contributed to this excellent outcome.

Some honourable mentions for the year were:

Ariik Ariik, Mawien for sharing your vision and inviting RCM to contribute to this wonderful project to supply reusable menstrual kits and provide education to 800 girls to help them avoid missing 6 days of school each month.

DougR and RhysW for coordinating 4 Youth Mental Health First Aid workshops.

Alan Seale for coordinating New Generations Service Exchange. And members who hosted David Rosenberg and Charly Brielmaier.

Paul Fowler who convinced the Gailey Lazarus Foundation to provide a community grant of $40k to RIMERN.

Campbell Chambers, Neville John, Roger Thornton and Rob Hines and the club’s Fundraising Team for raising $70k in funding.

Rohan acknowledged the passing of one of our Charter members Past President, Cec Akerley.

Rohan also acknowledged members who had attended the very successful Rotary International Convention in Melbourne and thanked Anne for providing the spectacular venue to host our Japanese sister club, Rotary Osaka-Midosuji Hommachi.

Rohan recognised the following members for their service to the club.

President’s Distinguished Service Citation

Paul Fowler as our Secretary
Doug Robertson as our Treasurer
John Ilott as our Executive Secretary
David Jones as our Speaker Coordinator
Daniel Lim as our Bulletin Editor – not present

Family of Rotary Award

Pippa Thornton

Royce Abbey Award

Peter and Sue Duras

Paul Harris Fellowships

Elias Lebbos
Cecily Neil
Rhys Williams

Rotarian of the Year

Roger Thornton

Everyone present celebrated the Rotarians who were felicitated. Attendees also enjoyed dinner and entertainment. Soloist Mezz Coleman serenated the congregation with her charming music.

After dinner the formality of the Presidential Changeover was completed. President Michelle Crawford was formally appointed President of Rotary Central Melbourne for the Rotary year 2023-24.

Michelle addressed attendees and mentioned that she joined Rotary not long after stepping into her first CEO role, with the heartfelt desire to access mentors and leaders who she could tap into as she commenced a new chapter in her working life.

The aspect of service through Rotary wasn’t something Michelle gave great consideration to when she first joined RCM. As an active member of The Salvation Army from childhood through to her early 30s, Michelle’s faith community had presented many opportunities for service, both in Australia and overseas.

However, Michelle has been inspired by the opportunities to make a difference through Rotary and she is constantly in awe of what Rotary Central Melbourne achieves – both through individual involvement, but also as a collective and through various avenues of service. Michelle is proud to be a member of Rotary Central Melbourne.

After sharing her reasons for joining Rotary, Michelle’s question to the Rotarians in the room, was ..

Why did they join Rotary?

Why did they join RCM?

Michelle stressed that stories were the way that we tell what we do. Michelle encouraged members to take the time and identify what is their Rotary story?

Michelle mentioned that she was delighted to be part of President train. Rohan, Campbell, Rhys and herself would be working collaboratively and with the club to develop RCM’s 3-year strategic plan.

Michelle ended her address with a poem:

“Come to the edge.

We might fall.

Come to the edge.

It’s too high!

COME TO THE EDGE!

And they came

And he pushed

And they flew.”

― Christopher Logue, New Members

Michelle’s message to members and guests present was “If we work together, build each other up, support each other, I know that we are going to have a year ahead where we can fly… as we CREATE HOPE IN THE WORLD.”

TREE PLANTING DAY ON PHILLIP ISLAND - SATURDAY, 12 AUGUST 2023

In 2018, Rotary Central Melbourne donated a trailer to the Phillip Island Landcare group. The trailer had done sterling service to the club for its Community Village project. When that project finished, the trailer was surplus to the club's needs, so a new home was found for it.

The Landcare group now uses it for their planting days and for promoting their activities at community events. The gift from RCM is still recognised by our (old) branding on the trailer.

The intention at the time of the donation was that the club would join the Landcare group for planting days, as part of its hands on service activities. We have had two very successful planting days over the last two years (see happy volunteers below) and we have arranged for another opportunity this year.

It is proposed we join with the Landcare group and other volunteers on Saturday, 12 August. It is on a new site this year at 300 Watts Road, Ventnor. The day starts with morning tea at 9.30 am and we plant from 10 to 12.30, followed by lunch. Refreshments and lunch are provided by the Landcare group.

All that you need to bring are sturdy footwear, gloves, a water bottle and wet weather gear. As an alternative to planting, people can also help with assembling materials and preparing the lunch.

Please let me Roger Thornton know ASAP if you can attend. Both Roger and Kevin Love are available if you need any further information.

PEACEBUILDING RESOURCES

Many club members know Tania Militec who is a Rotary Peace Fellow and the Assistant Director, Initiative for Peacebuilding at The University of Melbourne from her RCM breakfast meeting presentations. The Initiative for Peacebuilding host monthly virtual events (free and open to the public) that may be of interest to RCM members. The next one is Monday 10^th July 2023 at 1-2pm, “Peacebuilding in Bougainville”. For more information, including event registration links and recordings for previous events, please visit: The Initiative for Peacebuilding (unimelb.edu.au).

If interested in learning more about Peacebuilding, did you know Rotary enjoys a strategic partnership with the Institute for Economics and Peace | Rotary International? Rotarians can complete a free, self-guided course to learn more about Positive Peace and discover the strategies and tools that can help individuals, Rotarians, cities and nations to build and sustain peace. For more information, please explore at the Rotary Positive Peace Academy.