About Us
The Rotary Club of Berwick is a group of men and women who take action locally and globally. Each week club members work together completing projects that have a lasting impact.
Locally we support and work alongside community programs and a not for profit organisations in supporting those less fortunate. Our club is engaged in Rotary leadership and educational programs for young people.
Together as Rotarians …
  • We see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change — across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves. Driven by a desire to create opportunities, strengthen communities, and find solutions to the tough challenges that affect people
  • We bring together leaders who use their combined expertise to tackle some of the toughest challenges facing our communities.  We find a place for your expertise and passion. Whether you want to lead a project or participate in one, the Rotary Club of Berwick welcomes your involvement.
  • Many members are involved in hands on projects in our community or in international projects in creating opportunities through sustainable educational development, clean water or disease prevention in helping to break the cycle of poverty.
The Rotary Club of Berwick is part of a global network of 1.2 million men and women - neighbours, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers who join together to make a difference in our communities. If you would like to give back to your community, get to know a new group of people and are interested in joining us, please contact us.
August is Membership Month

August is Membership month

Well not really, every month is membership month! We need to have a conversation about membership!
 
Members of Rotary are the most important asset we have. A diverse range of members allows us to do a diverse range of activities, transfers a diverse range of skills and gives the opportunity for a diverse range of experiences. Members should not be just bums on seats. We need to have an active meaningful involvement within the Club, a purpose to fulfill and an expectation of satisfaction that what we are doing has meaning.
 
We should be actively seeking people who can help us achieve projects that our current skillset cannot. People who have projects or ideas that they cannot achieve alone. People who can contribute to our own well being by their very positive approach and sense of community. Rotary should be challenging, fun, and also have purpose, significance, fulfillment and satisfaction.
 
Find the right people and who knows what we can achieve! Every month is Membership Month. Right now, while we are on Zoom it is a perfect time to invite a friend or colleague to a meeting, show them our website, look us up on Facebook and show what we do.
 
Welcome Greg Lee
President David had the pleasure of inducting Greg Lee into the Rotary Club of Berwick, with the classification of “Law Enforcement”. 
 
Greg has been joining us on zoom for some time now from his postings in Wangaratta and Wodonga and it was great to have him join us in person with only hours to spare before the new lockdown.
 
Greg has been with Victoria Police for over 30 years, beginning as a police clerk in 1985 and was accepted into the Academy in 1989.  He has enjoyed a variety of different roles which include being a Detective at Cranbourne, Dandenong and Narre Warren Criminal Investigation Units, Acting Sergeant at Cranbourne and Endeavour Hills Police Station and Detective Acting Sergeant at Dandenong Sexual Offence & Child Abuse Team.
 
Greg spent 3 years at the Homicide Squad and 5 years as an undercover officer which were profound experiences in different ways.  Undercover work gave him an in-depth view of the negative ripple effect drug abuse has not only on the individual, but the family and community.  
 
He was promoted as Senior Sergeant and worked at Transit Safety Division and Transit Criminal Investigation Unit managing Sergeants, other ranks and Protective Service Officers (PSOs); and also worked at Purana Task Force working on organised crime enterprises involved in homicides, drug and firearm importation.    
 
After a short stint at Purana Greg was asked to take over a cyber-crime squad. He has been doing this now for the last 3 years. Greg is currently an Interim Board member of the Home Affairs Joint Cyber Security Centre Melbourne, strengthening a working relationship with Commonwealth agencies, Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet, Australian Federal Police and industry.  Greg has been upgraded as Inspector at various Squads and at one time placed in charge of the Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team which investigates (with AFP) child sexual abuse.
 
Greg is an extremely busy individual and brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience that can push the reach of the Rotary Club of Berwick into new and exciting areas concerning youth. He is joining our Rotary Club to be an active member of a community organisation that does make a difference in the community.
 
It is up to all of us to extend our friendship to Greg and wife Sharon. We must also impart our knowledge of Rotary so that Greg can become an effective Rotarian in the months to come. In the short term, Greg will be working with President David and Past District Governor Tim to get him started on learning about Rotary. 
 
When Greg is not at work, he enjoys family life, fishing and caravanning.  He follows the Bulldogs and American Gridiron.  Greg plays squash and is pretty keen to get better at playing golf. I look forward to getting to know Greg and I am sure he will make a positive contribution to the club and also to the community. Congratulations Greg!
Rotary Centenary Baton Launch
On Wednesday 10 July, the Rotary Centenary Baton Launch was held at Government House in Canberra using the latest technologies to involve approximately 900 participants.  Throughout the event, the written chat was continual as the participants exchanged comments and said "Hi" from all parts of Australia.  
 
The proceedings got under way with popular songs by Leo Sayer, who managed to overcome the poor sound quality emanating from Government House.  The energy and enthusiasm that he exuded was very contagious.
 
Then his Excellency the Governor General, the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd), paid tribute to the terrific work of Rotarians globally over the last 100 years, in areas such as health, the environment, education and literacy and community development.  He stated that the work would certainly continue over the next 100 years.
 
Nicholas Jones, a very talented tenor, sang "The Impossible Dream", which was excellent and it seemed to be very appropriate for the occasion.
 
The Centenary Baton was formally handed over to the President of the Rotary Club of Sydney, Ms Fatima Ali, who was present at Government House.  In an interesting use of technology and split screens, the baton was handed across borders to the President of the Rotary Club of Melbourne, Therese Robinson, who was in Melbourne.
 
The event closed with an impressive use of technology that allowed Josh Piterman in London to sing 'Music of the night' from Phantom of the Opera accompanied on piano by John Foreman OAM, who was in Melbourne.  The high quality of the singing and the music was absolutely in sync and it seemed as though they were in the same venue.  Well done! 
 
The comments on Chat from the virtual audience, were glowing in their appreciation.  Congratulations to all involved in organising the event
Congratulations St Margarets and Berwick Grammar
Congratulations to the Rotary Club of Berwick and the Rotary Club of Emerald who are the proud sponsors of the St. Margaret’s and Berwick Grammar Interact Club.
 
While Rotary rules prevented RC Emerald from being included “officially” as a co-sponsor as they are from another District (9810) the club is very much an active partner with RC Berwick. Promotional items are expected to have the wording: “Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Berwick, in partnership with the Rotary Club of Emerald”, however, the Charter shows the Rotary Club of Berwick as the sponsoring Club.
 
We are very proud to have an active group of students doing some good work in the community.
 
Rotary Saves Lives
 
Posted by David Button on Apr 05, 2020

GRANT OPTIONS TO RESPOND TO COVID-19

As people of action, Rotary members want to find ways to respond to COVID-19, which is now a global pandemic, and to help people affected by it. The Rotary Foundation offers several options that Rotarians can use to help care for and protect people in their own communities and others around the world.
 

District grants

Districts can use district grant funds to support local activities, like purchasing thermometers, protective medical gear, or other items to donate to medical professionals who need them. Districts can also use contingency funds from an open district grant or repurpose previously planned activities as a COVID-19 response. As districts prepare to submit new district grant applications for 2020-21, we encourage you to designate funds for COVID-19 responses. As a one-time exception, the Foundation will allow expenses related to COVID-19 that were incurred since 15 March 2020 to be reimbursed through 2020-21 district grants.
 

Disaster response grants and the Rotary Disaster Response Fund

Rotary’s disaster response grants provide a fast and effective way to respond to local events. The Rotary Foundation recently added COVID-19 projects to its list of eligible activities for these grants. Each district can apply for one grant (of up to $25,000) to address COVID-19, depending on the available funds. Disaster response grants are funded by the Rotary Disaster Response Fund to help districts around the world respond to disasters. The fund accepts online contributions and DDF. Districts may designate that their DDF contributions to the Disaster Response Fund be used exclusively for COVID-19 grant activities. Cash contributions will be used for general disaster response, including response to COVID-19.
 

Global Grants

Global grants remain an excellent way to make a transformative impact in a community. If medical equipment is needed in order to respond effectively to COVID-19, global grants can help pay for these items. The Foundation is waiving the 30 percent foreign financing requirement for any new global grant that addresses COVID-19. Note that these grants still require both a host and an international partner.
 
 
In response to these new guidelines, District 7475 (New Jersey USA) has partnered with the Rotary Club of Berwick to apply for two Global Grants specifically for ventilators to help patients recover from life-threatening COVID19 infection. Between these two Grants totalling $100,000 US, ten refurbished ventilators have been purchased to be used in two local New Jersey Hospitals. New Jersey Hospitals are already overrun with cases of COVID19, so the threat is real and action is urgent. Both these Global Grants have been approved and the equipment is on its way! 
 
 
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Club Activities
Speaker: Abbie Lane, City of Casey
Speaker: Abbie Lane, City of Casey
Aug 12, 2020 7:20 PM – 8:30 PM
Coffee Club
Aug 15, 2020 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Club Meeting on Zoom
Club Meeting on Zoom
Aug 19, 2020 7:20 PM – 8:30 PM
Club Meeting on Zoom
Club Meeting on Zoom
Aug 26, 2020 7:20 PM – 8:30 PM
Environmental Sustainability Rotarian Action Group
Environmental Sustainability Rotarian Action Group
Nov 04, 2020 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM
Calendar
August 2020
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Bulletins
Club Executives & Directors
President
David Button
Treasurer
Gary Castricum
Secretary
Sam McCurdy
Rotary Foundation Chair
Mark Caulfield
International Service Director
Mark Caulfield
Vice President
Isobel Caulfield
Immediate Past President
Isobel Caulfield
Membership Chair
Di Scheepers
Public Image Chair
Sam McCurdy
Ex Officio Officer
Laury Gordyn
Youth and New Ideas
Tim Moore
Ex Officio Officer
Jack Kraan
Avenues of Service Chair
Adrian Froggatt
Fundraising Chair
Pete Batterham
Club Protection Officer
Graham Johnstone
On to Conference
Isobel Caulfield
Sergeant-at-Arms
Funno Funston
Rotary Links
 
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