This year, two Presentation Balls were organised by the Rotary Club of Berwick and Berwick College for students in Years 11 and 12 at the College. They were held at The Grand Reception in Cathies Lane, Wantirna on Wednesday 12th and Thursday 13th May.
The 2020 Presentation Balls had to be cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, so it was awesome that this year’s could be held. It was a tribute to the courage and tenacity of the organisers that they managed to pull them together, despite ongoing fears of further COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions. In fact, some of the disappointed students unable to participate in last year’s cancelled Balls, were able to participate in these.
Fifty couples were presented over the two nights. Twenty-seven couples being presented to the Rotary Club of Berwick President, David Button and his wife Judy, at the Wednesday event and twenty-three couples presented to Principal Kerri Bolsch and President of School Council, Jarrod Flanagan, on Thursday evening.
In preparation for the Balls, the participants had undergone 10 weeks of intensive dance training to enable them to perform the Tango, Gipsy Tap, Merengue and the Progressive Jive. Their performance of these dances was a joy to behold and delighted their dance teachers, Joanne Mills and Judy Blackhurst, as well as the large audience of parents, family and friends.
Photos provided courtesy of Sandi Tarant and Isobel Caulfield
In addition to performing the dances, the students enjoyed getting dressed up for the occasion. It was amazing to witness the transformation of students in school uniform at training, to sophisticated young adults dancing at the Ball.
In summary, the 2021 Presentation Balls for the students at Berwick College were a big success and it is hoped that they can be repeated next year.
Our congratulations go to organisers, Isobel Caulfield and Peter Batterham, on a job well done.
It is a fantastic feeling turning 60! The Rotary Club of Berwick as well as four fine members have all clocked over this year. Gus, Boonie, Di D and Pres Dave have all crossed over to the dark side.
Let us all take a chance to look into the rear vision mirror to see where we have come from before we again look forward to find our path into the future. Any anniversary with a zero in it is well worth a celebration so lets saddle up, let our hair down and smash out a party to remember!
The Rotary Club of Berwick celebrated 60 years of charter on 3rd May and so, we are holding a birthday party on Friday 28th May 2021 at The Beaconsfield Club, Holm Park Reserve, Beaconsfield-Emerald Road, Beaconsfield! You are invited to a Rock n Roll themed night of fun and friendship to mark this special occasion.
Submitted by our Club Protection Officer - Graham Johnstone
When planning a Rotary event, it is important to identify and control the risks involved and that it is adequately covered by insurance.
All requests to the District Insurance Officer for insurance cover ask if a risk assessment has been made. We have excellent documents written in the past that will be on the club website as templates for risk assessments. They require forward thinking and are best debated at event committee level.
Each identified risk needs a hierarchy of control. Readers can identify the hierarchy of control for COVID-19 that unfortunately had to evolve as experience was gained over time.
The hierarchy of control is as follows in my OH&S textbook:
Eliminate the hazard.
Substitute with a lesser hazard.
Modify the system or process. Training.
Isolate the hazard.
Use engineering controls.
Use administrative controls such as PPE (Personal Protective Equipment.) This is a last resort.
Now this may all seem cut and dry, but careful planning of the hierarchy can give a blueprint for prompt control, whether it is preparation for a club event, or for a pandemic.
Let's now look at abuse of this careful planning.
We see politicians of all persuasions on TV looking very concerned and important wearing PPE hard hats. WHY?
The PPE is, as mentioned above, an option of last resort. What is the original hazard? Usually the polies are outdoors and the only hazard would be the proverbial pigeon flying overhead!
Just ask the polie to identify the hazard and that will leave them speechless!
I am pleased to inform the Club that work is well underway with the Mick Morland memorial walk in Clyde North. I have had a meeting with Kay and the City of Casey, to discuss a park bench that our Club can install in Mick's honour.
The type of seat and wording on the plaque is still in play, as is a unique advanced canopy tree that still needs to be planted. The tree and seat are to be sited to the far right of the photo above. That round circle at the end of the dashed line.
There will be future opportunities for Club members to add input to this project.
Our Interact Club, which we share with the Rotary Club of Emerald, is stepping into fundraising mode so they can earn a bit of coin to put into their projects account.
The club, with over 40 members has already been active through COVID, writing letters to people in local retirement villages and making 1000 paper cranes to recognize the LGBTIQ+ community. Their President, Annabelle Morton, along with her father Duncan, recently helped our crew prepare the SJoG hospital beds for their journey to Dili in Timor-Leste.
The Interact Club of St Margarets School and Berwick Grammar School are about to sell cookie dough as a fundraiser. It would be great to support our Interacts by purchasing some of their product, Billy G’s Cookie Dough, when it becomes available.
I will let you know when I have the details and they are ready to make some dough!
It is fantastic to have a vibrant bunch of young people involved with our Club. I have even had a request for some to visit one of our meetings!
Issue 43
12th May 2021
Join our meeting
Each Wednesday at
The Beaconsfield Club,
Holm Park, Beaconsfield,
Victoria, Australia
Throughout the month of May, members of Rotary Clubs, Rotaract, Interact and those involved in Rotary Youth Leadership Awards and Rotary Youth Exchange celebrate the opportunities that Rotary provides to connect, grow through service, develop leadership skills, mentor or be mentored, and to have fun.
By building on a proven concept — such as efforts to stamp out malaria in Zambia — Rotary’s new multimillion-dollar Programs of Scale grants help make good better.
The Otto and Fran Walter Foundation has pledged $15.5 million to The Rotary Foundation to start a Rotary Peace Center in the Middle East or North Africa.
The District Training Assembly is an annual event aimed at informing club office bearers of the latest developments in Rotary, in order to better prepare for their role. However, it isn't just for new office bearers. It’s also a great opportunity for newer Rotarians to network and learn more about the “bigger picture” of Rotary and what happens beyond their club.
There will be three parts to the District 9820 Assembly Learning and Development program, as follows:
Rotary Learning Centre modules for key club roles – this should be done before the Part 2 & 3 online topics are scheduled. Topics are listed on the District Assembly page on the district website.
Saturday 22nd May - one session ONLINE ZOOM "Youth Protection and Insurance"
Sunday 23rd May - Main Plenary 1 hour ONLINE VIA ZOOM and then sessions for Presidents Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, then Rotary Avenues of Service Topic Online Breakouts - (choices available)
Information and registration links are on our district website at:
Rotary International has adopted ‘Protecting the Environment’ as the new Area of Focus. So you are invited to the Australia/New Zealand zoom Launch of this new Area on Friday 4th June – the day before World Environment Day – at 6pm AEST/UTC+10.
The launch will feature PRIP Ian Riseley and PDG Juliet Riseley, Dr Roger Blakeley from Wellington NZ and Prof Leslie Hughes from Macquarie University, Sydney
During the launch, there will be a showcase of Environmental projects already underway in New Zealand, around Australia (in most States) and the South Pacific, so some of your Districts will be featured.
May 3rd marks the 60th anniversary of the charter of the Rotary Club of Berwick! A cause for great celebration.
To mark this special occasion, we invite you to party with us for dinner on Friday 28 May at The Beaconsfield Club, Holm Park Reserve, Beaconsfield. A fun night of Rock n Roll themed friendship is promised!
More details will be published soon, so for now, dust of your blue suede shoes and sneakers, dig out your denims and save the date.
When planning a Rotary event, it is important to identify and control the risks involved and that it is adequately covered by insurance.
