Hi $FIRST_NAME$, I have talked about what I do in Rotary with one of my staff this week since she asked what my hobby was. She said her grandfather was in Rotary but didn't think Rotary was around anymore. Fortunately, I soon put that idea to rest but you have to ask, How visible is Rotary in the community if the community isn't looking? It is very interesting to learn how we are doing by just having a random chat.
Thanks, Trevor for putting together a fantastic Footy Trivia night which was well attended by Rotarians and also some wonderful guests and I have to send a big shout-out to Andrew & Trevor for bringing along their Fitness 4 Blokes training mates. A great way of showcasing our club.
The night promised plenty and delivered in spades. For those who could not make it you unfortunately missed an extremely enjoyable evening with the quiz testing not only footy trivia but also general trivia and incorporated a treasure hunt (abley assisted by Georgia & Lachie Marshall), some fun games as well as the return of the “Richo masks”. The scoreboard was close over 2n6 to 5th but the runaway winners were the Fitness 4 Blokes team. There were plenty of prizes along the way including some lovely Rotary memorabilia donated by the family of Gerald Treasure.
I’m sure the event will find its way onto next year’s calendar and I hope that we might see a few more club members come along not just for the fun but to support and acknowledge Trevor for the mountain of work and energy he puts into the night.
I also made a quick announcement last night that I have arranged for the club to get on the Bunnings Sausage Sizzle roster at Clyde North. Won’t be for a few months but more importantly they are keen to forge a relationship with us which I will pursue further. Great opportunity for our brand.
By now you will be aware that Marta Faithful has taken on the role of Club Program, including the sourcing and locking in of interesting, engaging and thought-provoking guest speakers. This is something she cannot and should not do alone and I welcome all members to think about the types of guest speakers you would like to hear from and provide these ideas and more valuably leads to Marta so she can go about locking them in.
Please direct all your thoughts and ideas to Marta at rfai9975@bigpond.net.au or via mobile 0414 371 185. Marta wants to move the dial over the remainder of the Rotary year.
Also Jane Moore is our Retention, Care & Social specialist. As with Marta, for any help, ideas and, more importantly, any care and love we need to provide, please let Jane know at jane@cinet.com.au or 0418 175 878
I’m heading up to Bendigo Thursday morning after Art Screen deliveries and then back to watch the Pies play in the Grand Final
We all love a good time, we all love to spend time with friends, we all love to be entertained, we all need a break away from the everyday and to be rejuvenated and inspired, we love a road trip to a regional area and to support regional towns. What’s not to look forward to in spending a weekend of fun and friendship together as club mates?
The D9820 conference team have been beavering away for more than a year, engaging the likes of Mr Magic himself, the wonderfully talented and funny Jonathan Usher from New Zealand. His wit, mastery of illusion, warmth and professional emcee ability will have you looking forward to going to the conference sessions and rolling in the aisles! Jonathan Usher – Magician, Comedian, Speaker and MC based in Dunedin New Zealand (hocuspocus.nz) The lineup of speakers is inspiring and relevant – be inspired in the company of new and old friends, rejuvenate your why, gain a vision beyond club level, revive your membership or simply have a ball!
In the formal sense, Rotary District Conferences are a mandate of Rotary International. The purpose being to provide opportunities for networking, inspirational addresses, and discussion of Rotary related matters, to hear the message of the Rotary International President and to provide memorable friendship experiences.
In days of old, the Rotary Club of Berwick had at least 80% of the 60 members and partners attend the annual conference. A group of us would head to the location the week after it had been announced and scope for a caravan park that had all levels of accommodation from deluxe cabins to unpowered tent sites – something for everyone! We’d make a block booking and really look forward to the following year. A park created fabulous socialising opportunities for being together. BBQ breakfasts, after conference coffee and drinks around a the camp, pre dinner drinkies and the much celebrated Club president’s gathering before the Saturday night dinner. Dress ups were the go and we would wear club “themed” uniform. Some will remember the pink theme – imagine Tim in a pink t-shirt donning a pink curly wig and we once saw a very gorgeous Viviana Dominguez in fishnet stockings and a Charleston dress. At our club conference the theme was Chinese. There were a number of rice grains hitting the dance floor! Funno would bring BJ along and a dearly departed Fred McCubbin would hide his whiskey in a coffee cup! Such great memories, such great club bonding times.
So for all of the reasons above AND because this will be the penultimate D9820 conference being the last before we amalgamate with our neighbouring District friends in July, let’s go out with a huge contingent of Berwick bods celebrating District 9820!
Tim and I will still be there. A bit of a drive from our new home in QLD, but we’ve registered and booked a site for our van at Discovery Park, 25 Pertobe Street Warrnambool. There are cabins of all levels and motel rooms on site too. A 6 minute drive from the venue, there are heaps of options still available. If a park is not your style, gather some friends and book a house, or go upmarket and treat yourself to something special!
We often speak of change as the things we have done; the visits, the surgeries, and the training. However, Interplast’s impact can also be measured in what we no longer do.
In the past year alone, 1,772 of staff in partner countries undertook training through Interplast, made possible by the generosity of their Australian and New Zealand colleagues who give freely of their time and knowledge. By providing these opportunities for professional development, we can support our partners to serve their communities now, and also develop their capacity to teach others in the future.
One day, Interplast will no longer need to treat patients or provide training. Our international colleagues will have the resources, knowledge and experience to perform procedures locally and when needed. Every training session, mentoring visit and online course takes us a step closer to that goal.
So, whilst we often judge success by our current outputs, let’s also celebrate what we no longer have to do.
There is much to celebrate when thinking about the past 40 years of Interplast. I encourage you to join us in Melbourne on Saturday 11th November 2023, to look back on the impact you have had on the many countries in the Asia and Pacific regions, and the lives of people that have been changed because Interplast volunteers and partners have been there to change them.
I look forward to sharing more about this event in the near future.
Sincerely,
Cameron Glover Chief Executive Officer
Dafne in 2017, before and after surgery to repair a cleft lip. Her in 2023 during our recent visit.
Dafne thrives after early intervention
While we’re honoured to share stories of successful procedures, sometimes there can be just as much reason to celebrate the stories of those who don’t receive surgery.
During our recent trip back to Tonga this year, our team followed up with Dafne. We first met Dafne and her mother in 2017, when she was three months old. Though this is the recommended age for babies to receive this surgery, Dafne’s mother still struggled with anxiety at the thought of her daughter’s procedure.
“I was so nervous. This is the first cleft lip in our family and our little village. But I said to myself ‘It’s okay. This team is doing their best to take care of my baby.'"
Thankfully, it wasn’t too long before Dafne was back in her mother’s arms, to the relief and happiness of all.
This year the visiting team were able to follow up with Dafne, who is now six years old! After consultation, it was clear that she would not need any further procedures for the indefinite future. She is free to spend her time continuing to grow, play and learn.
Interplast acknowledges the generosity of the Rotary Clubs of the Mornington Peninsula Cluster in District 9820 and Rotary Clubs of District 9920, and the invaluable support of the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP) for making this visit possible.
Rotary to amplify climate action at COP28 in DubaiRotary will help facilitate collaboration on community-led climate action, and discuss the intersection of climate change and
Thanks, Trevor for putting together a fantastic Footy Trivia night which was well attended by Rotarians and also some wonderful guests and I have to send a big shout-out to Andrew & Trevor for bringing along their Fitness 4 Blokes training mates. A great way of showcasing our club.
We all love a good time, we all love to spend time with friends, we all love to be entertained, we all need a break away from the everyday and to be rejuvenated and inspired, we love a road trip to a regional area and to support regional towns. What’s not to look forward to in spending a weekend of fun and friendship together as club mates?
In days of old, the Rotary Club of Berwick had at least 80% of the 60 members and partners attend the annual conference. A group of us would head to the location the week after it had been announced and scope for a caravan park that had all levels of accommodation from deluxe cabins to unpowered tent sites – something for everyone! We’d make a block booking and really look forward to the following year. A park created fabulous socialising opportunities for being together. BBQ breakfasts, after conference coffee and drinks around a the camp, pre dinner drinkies and the much celebrated Club president’s gathering before the Saturday night dinner. Dress ups were the go and we would wear club “themed” uniform. Some will remember the pink theme – imagine Tim in a pink t-shirt donning a pink curly wig and we once saw a very gorgeous Viviana Dominguez in fishnet stockings and a Charleston dress. At our club conference the theme was Chinese. There were a number of rice grains hitting the dance floor! Funno would bring BJ along and a dearly departed Fred McCubbin would hide his whiskey in a coffee cup! Such great memories, such great club bonding times.
