Welcome to our vibrant and relaxed Rotary Club, where community spirit thrives alongside a sense of ease and camaraderie. Picture a place where laughter mingles with purpose and friendships are forged through shared experiences and meaningful endeavours.
Jasmine and Ian from Hendo’s Restos had the members totally engrossed with their presentation at out last meeting. A desire to prevent old bicycles from going into landfill has seen them ‘rescue’ discarded and unwanted bikes and repurpose them. Some are sold to help with covering their costs but as we heard many are donated, including the six already donated to our club which are destined to bring joy to children in Timor Leste.
It is a testament to the power of social media, with Ian seeing a Facebook post about RORP leading him to contact the Club. As we heard on the night, several Club members have already offered some unused bikes which will make their way to them for restoration.
Sergeant Trevor reminded us of the concept of ‘paying it forward’. It is such a simple thing to for example pay for a coffee for someone who is doing it tough. A very appropriate message on the night as ‘paying it forward’ is exactly what the team at Hendo’s Restos are doing.
We have a board meeting this week, so stay tuned to head about any important decision made. I will also be attending the first of our new Rotary Community Group meetings next weekend along with President Elect Jen.
This week we also heard the sad news of the passing of PDG Ian Pickering from the Rotary Club of Narre Warren. Ian was well known to many members of our Club.
For our meeting this week we have a change of direction and will be hearing from lawyer Desmond Maruziva who will be talking to us about the very important and currently very topical subject of domestic violence in Victoria. This ties in very well with our alliance with Violence Free Families and the Caroline Chisolm Education Foundation, where PP David Button now serves on the Board.
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of PDG Ian Pickering.
Ian and Lyn are a well-known and respected couple in Rotary. Ian’s occupation was in the nursery trade and fostered an early love of environmental improvement.
Ian joined the Rotary Club of Narre Warren in 1985 and remained a Rotarian for the last nearly 39 years, holding many positions at both District and Club level. He was District Water Resource Group Coordinator (2007-2010), District Water, Health and Hunger Resource Group Coordinator (2005-2006), District Rotary Foundation Chair (DRFC) (2004-2007), District New Club Development Chair (2003-2004), District Governor (DG) (2000-2001), District Governor-elect (DGE) (1999-2000) and District Governor-nominee (DGN) (1998-1999), Club President (1993-1994, 2008-2009), Club Secretary (1991-1992) and a Paul Harris Fellow.
Ian and Lyn, who is also a Rotarian and has herself been President of their Club, were long-time supporters of Rotary projects in India, focusing on sponsorship to support Indian children. Working with Action Aid, they created a program where a child could be sponsored for $20/month, providing clothing, schoolbooks and food. Together they visited the country more than 30 times between them, also encouraging their granddaughter to accompany them at times. A successful application for a matching grant in 2011, enabled $55,100 to be provided for the provision of basic necessities such as uniforms, school bags and eating utensils, with some also applied to the purchase and supply of school desks, sports equipment and computers for a vocational training project.
They also facilitated and assisted with several community projects, working with Partners in Aid to re-vegetate barren hills, drill and install bore wells and seed tanks and fitting of pumps, while other projects included providing bicycles for secondary school students.
Ian not only contributed through Rotary in Australian Club but in 2021 accompanied two members of the Rotary Club of Worcester, UK on an Action for Children project to raise funds through a 9-day foot, kayak and bike challenge along the length of the River Severn- some 215 miles.
These humble people did not believe they were heroic, more they believed they were just being “normal” while assisting in the fight against poverty. They were truly Rotarians of action.
Our thoughts and prayers go to Lyn and their family. Ian will be sadly missed by many.
Young people continue to be overrepresented in road deaths and serious injuries.
The RYDA program is a whole-school approach that supports schools in teaching the specialty subject of road safety. It includes a one-day practical workshop supported by online and classroom learning.
The RYDA workshop features six sessions of highly engaging practical demonstrations, real-life narratives, videos, quizzes, and interactive role-play. Students typically attend the workshop at a dedicated external venue.
RYDA’s online teachers’ portal, loaded with classroom and homework activities, supports the workshop and gives educators everything they need to continue learning throughout the school year. Students can also access an online revision course through our Learning Management System.
Created for senior high schools, RYDA supports youth development in several areas, including social resilience and anticipating and managing risk. It also gives students a unique opportunity to set road safety goals and build strategies alongside the friends they will most likely be riding with as drivers or passengers.
RYDA is delivered to over 660 high schools throughout Australia and New Zealand, and an average of 60,000 students participate in the program every year.
Get ready for an incredible adventure at our District Conference, themed "We Are Better Together"! Rotarians from both District 9810 and District 9820 have been working tirelessly to make the world a better place, honing their skills and becoming true masters in their fields.
But here's the exciting part: when two amazing Rotary Districts come together, magic happens! It's like a cosmic collision, unleashing a supernova of potential and creativity. 💥✨This conference is all about discovering our hidden talents, sharing our skills, and using our collective imagination to achieve even greater things in our communities. Together, we'll unlock new possibilities, grow our numbers, and make a bigger impact than ever before. 🚀🤝
Join us for an unforgettable experience where we connect, collaborate, and create a brighter future together! 🌍💖
Things to know:
The booking platform we are using is Humanatix. It is quite intuitive and easy to use. During the booking process, you will be asked for your
Contact details for the person making the booking: Name, Email and mobile number
Contact details for each ticket holder, including Club Name (if applicable), Dietary requirements, Accessibility requirements and if you are a Rotary Alumni.
Payment is by Credit Card, Google Pay, or Paypal. Watch out for any extra fees listed on the payment page for some payment methods.
Once you have made your booking, you can manage your ticket registrations, including
Adding/deleting information to any of the questions asked for that ticket, and
Cancelling your tickets (fully refunded) up to 30 days before the event.
If you get stuck, don't have a credit card, or find something wrong with the booking system, help is available.
Please email David Button at david.button@rotary9815.org.au. David works seven days a week in a busy production environment. He is usually quite responsive, but please be patient if you don't hear from him until the evening.
To make it as easy as possible to make a booking, use the button below.
On to Conference Leaders: If you are promoting this Conference to your Club and need extra information, images, a speaker or other help to bring your club members together to attend the first D9815 District ever, please have a look at the District Conference Page: https://rotary9815.org.au/sitepage/district-conference-2025/conference-home-page
Sangkoo Yun, of the Rotary Club of Sae Hanyang, Seoul, Korea, is the selection of the nominating committee to become Rotary International’s president for 2026-27.
