BULLETIN 05th NOVEMBER 2025 (Nov 02, 2025)

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WHAT'S IN THIS BULLETIN

05th November 2025

Guest Speaker - 05th November 2025
Our Program For November
President's Post
Announcements From Last Meeting
Christmas Hamper Appeal
RIMERN Says Thank You
'Pho Bo with Love': Central Melbourne Helps Partner Rotary Saigon's Direct Service Program
Paul Harris Breakfast (Update!)
Gallery

NEXT MEETING

The next meeting will take place on Wednesday, 05th November due to the Melbourne Cup public holiday.

If you would like to visit our meeting, you are welcome to join us at the Theatrette, Chancery Level of the RACV Club. There is no charge for attending the meeting.

If you would like a more general discussion about attending a Rotary meeting, please contact the club secretary at rotaryclubcentralmelbourne@gmail.com

The meeting will commence at 7:40am and conclude no later than 8:30. Members and guests are invited to stay for coffee or breakfast in the RACV Club Bistro following the meeting.

GUEST SPEAKER 05 NOVEMBER 2025

Richard Lawrence: Getting Projects Done Under a Military Regime

Richard Lawrence has coordinated the Rotary Club of Essendon’s projects in Myanmar for the past 25 years. Projects include medical equipment to poor hospitals, education needs at schools and vocational training academies and children’s homes. He and others travel to Myanmar every year to follow up on all the projects on behalf of Rotary and welcome anyone to join them.

Richard has been a member at the Rotary Club of Essendon for 29 years, and was President in 2008. He has worked in various roles initially in Real Estate, then in 1990 managing his own small business in the petroleum and aviation industries. In 2013 he sold his domestic side of the business and concentrated on the international trade side which he continued until 2024 before retiring late 2024.

In the last few years Richard has joined the Board at the Community Bank Keilor East as well as the Board at the Let Them Flourish Foundation (charity). He is also on the Board of the Rotary Club of Essendon. He enjoys playing golf 2-3 times a week early in the morning at the Royal Park Veterans Golf Club which keeps him active.

PROGRAM FOR NOVEMBER

Wednesday 5th November - Club Meeting at RACV City Club from 7:30am
Saturday 15th November - Bunnings Collingwood Sausage Sizzle
Tuesday 18th November - Paul Harris Breakfast at Windsor Hotel from 7:30am
Saturday 22nd November - Bunnings Port Melbourne Sausage Sizzle
Tuesday 25th November - Annual General Meeting online from 7:30am
Tuesday 25th November - Donations in Kind Warehouse Working Bee from 9am
Saturday 29th November - RIMERN Warehouse Working Bee from 10:30am

PRESIDENT'S POST

There were no shortage of activities during October, with two club meetings, a RIMERN Warehouse working bee, preparations for the Paul Harris Breakfast, three Bunnings sausage sizzles and an afternoon tea.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to one or more of these activities.

I would especially like to thank Neville John and Peter Duras for coordinating the three Bunnings sausage sizzles and for Nicholas Oei who implemented an alternative electronic method for customers to pay at Bunnings Port Melbourne when the square failed.

I would also like to share my key takeaways from the October Board meeting:

We agreed the schedule of meetings during November, December and January, which I have emailed to members.

We agreed to engage a Third Party to conduct an anonymous membership survey to provide guidance for our future decisions.

Our Rotary Foundation grant applications for the Sleeping Bag Appeal ($3k) and Silk Miller Scholarship ($3k) have been approved.

We agreed to use $4k from the Jacobs Bequest to partially fund two students to attend the National Youth Science Forum at the University of Queensland in January.

I am now looking forward to a successful 33rd Paul Harris Breakfast and reviewing the results of the membership survey.

ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM LAST MEETING

Anne King shared best wishes from Justine Murphy.

Roy Garrett shared Isabell's gratitude for the hospitality provided to her during her stay in Melbourne as part of the Next Generation Service Exchange.

Neville John thanked everyone who volunteered at the three Bunnings sausage sizzles in October that raised $5.3k and made a call for volunteers for the two Bunnings sausage sizzles in November.

Frank O'Brien requested members who would like a RCM polo to contact him.

Peter Duras wished our visitors from Rotary Pune Parvati a Happy Diwali.

Kevin Love asked members to consider inviting friends to the Paul Harris Breakfast and to look out for Campbell's email on the raffle and silent auction.

Rohan Williams shared feedback from the October Board meeting and encouraged all members to participate in the anonymous membership survey.

CHRISTMAS HAMPER APPEAL

As referred to in a recent email, members and friends are invited to take part in Rotary Central Melbourne's annual Christmas Hamper Appeal by filling bags with specific grocery items for Steps Outreach Service and Uniting Asylum Seeker Project (please refer to the flyer).

In relation to hamper bags, Neville John will have a supply of hamper bags with him at every in-person event over the coming weeks, but you may also use your own. Remember to place a red tag on Steps Outreach hampers and a green tag on Uniting ASP. Please contact Neville (nrjohn@iprimus.com.au) or Rebecca John (beng1@iprimus.com.au) if you want to pick up a bag or to advise how many hampers you will be donating to which charity.

The Community Service Committee has also offered to assist those who want to donate hampers but are unable to shop, in which case a donation of $50 per bag should be be made to the RCM bank account. We need to keep track of all donations so please let Neville or Rebecca know if you are planning to use this offer as soon as possible. The RCM banking details are:

BSB: 033000 (Westpac)
Account number: 791085

The collection and distribution of hampers has changed. Hampers will be distributed to representatives of Steps and Uniting ASP after the RCM Christmas breakfast on 9^th December 2025. As mentioned in the email, your hampers will either need be dropped off to one of the Community Service Committee members mentioned, or you can arrange with Neville to have them collected.

RIMERN SAYS THANK YOU

Throughout the year Alan Seale and Roger Thornton use their woodwork skills to create small items of furniture for RIMERN clients. Here are two photos that demonstrate this, one being self explanatory and the other a shot of several prints that Robyn Seale donated from her collection of fabulous botanical artwork. Thank you to all of you!

‘PHO BO WITH LOVE’: CENTRAL MELBOURNE HELPS PARTNER ROTARY SAIGON’S DIRECT SERVICE PROGRAM

One Sunday per month volunteers from Rotary Saigon and three Rotaract Clubs (located in RMIT Vietnam, University of Economics and the Saigon Aviation Academy) fund, assemble and deliver 700 bowls of pho bo (the beef soup which is the national staple) into poor communities. It is one of the Club’s ‘direct service initiatives’ to engage members. Another direct service project involves assisting mobile blood banks collect blood.

Rhys Williams had the pleasure of joining the Rotary Saigon team last Sunday which provided the meals for a Local Government Ward Committee in a poor area in District 12 in the teeming north of Ho Chi Minh City. The meals were distributed to needy individuals and families at the Ward’s community centre and to two ‘Compassionate Schools’. These small boarding schools run by the Catholic diocese house children who have no or no suitable family environment for various reasons and support them into mainstream schools, vocational programs and work. The schools operate principally on a volunteer basis.

I write this article to highlight the success of ‘direct service’ to engage members which is what Central Melbourne is doing more of. Some of Rotary Saigon’s experience can be generalised.

Charter President Kieu Vuong Nguyen said: ‘It works for us. Our members have the opportunity to make a direct difference which they appreciate. It is a good Rotary way especially for younger Rotaractors. They also exposed to the organisation involved- partnering, funding, getting ingredients etc etc which is valuable for them.’ The Rotaractors who are all university students were unanimous that their reason for involvement was both for giving back and being part of something relevant.

Rotary Saigon is the local implementation partner for Vietnam Foundation’s Build a Future Scholarship Program which Central Melbourne has supported financially and with Club members volunteering on its online English practice and in-Vietnam summer camps.

The next idea is to work on a global grant to support a number of ‘Compassionate Schools’, especially through supoplying recycled digital devices, and Rotaractors leading a program of professional development for the volunteer teachers to enhance their skills and the diversity of the programs.

If you would like to make a donation to ‘Pho Bo with Love’- AU$20 will fund about 35 meals- let Rhys Williams know and he’ll get it to Rotary Saigon! Let me know if you’d like to become involved.

PAUL HARRIS BREAKFAST 2025 (UPDATE!)

Prof Ross Garnaut AC: Exploring economic opportunities in a post-carbon world

This is a rare opportunity to be stimulated by one of Australia’s leading thinkers on one of our most critical issues. Professor Garnaut currently heads the Superpower Institute in Melbourne. Its mission is to position Australia as a global leader in the post-carbon economy.

Much of our wealth has come from coal and gas exports, but this cannot continue. The Institute believes Australia’s natural resources can drive prosperity by developing and exporting green, energy-intensive commodities. Meeting this challenge is vital for jobs, wealth, and emissions reduction towards net zero.

Professor Garnaut will outline both the opportunities and risks of action or inaction. For decades, he has brought clarity to the net-zero debate. His career includes:

Australian Ambassador to China (1985-88);
Author of Garnaut Climate Change Reviews over nearly 20 years for Australian governments;
Leadership roles in major enterprises including Ok Tedi Mines, PNG.

Venue: Windsor Hotel, 111 Spring Street, Melbourne.

Ground Floor, Corner Spring and Bourke Streets, Melbourne CBD (ample parking garages close by).

Time: 7:15am for 7:30am to 9:00am.

Tickets: $75 per head OR $700 per table of 10 (incl. GST).
For table bookings of 10, please forward names and emails of guests to Rhys Williams at rhys0908@msn.com.

RSVP: Friday, 31 October, 2025 purchase tickets here

Join us for what promises to be an inspiring morning and be part of a key fundraising event for The Rotary Foundation which supports Rotary projects domestically and internationally.

There will be a live auction and raffle during the event, links below. They are now live and consider making a bid or buying a ticket to participate. QR codes are below as an alternative.

Auction: https://www.32auctions.com/RotarycentralmelbournePHB
Raffle: https://www.raffletix.com.au/?ref=msubm