After a wet and drizzly start, a large group of Rotarians and friends banded together to finish off the first major stage of the St John of God Berwick garden redevelopment.
Prior to this busy day, a number of people have been working behind the scenes to prepare for the day. Terry Pollock and I met with SJOG management to work out the logistics for the working bees. Wendy Moseley did an outstanding job in coordinating the planting schedule. David & Judy Button assisted with the sourcing of all the plants and the truck load of specialist potting mix, which we all agreed we'd love to have in our own gardens. The water feature filter box had previously been modified and installed by Gary Evans, so it was ready for the big day.
Thanks to SJOG and Rhonda O'Connor, we were spoilt with a lovely morning tea and a delicious lunch.
The sun eventually came out, and the gardens and water feature were completed. At the end of the working bee the irrigation was officially turned on, giving all the plants a good watering in.
Thanks to the work of our Rotarians and friends, the gardens now look fantastic.
Future stages will be improving the irrigation to the Crepe Myrtle planter boxes in the playground area, as well as moving up to the maternity ward courtyard.
Here, we will be installing planter boxes, which Eric Boon will be making, and a team will be planting out this garden.
Our final stage will be the redevelopment of the Palliative Care Courtyard.
My first working bee as a New Rotarian for 2025-2026
I was asked to write something about my first experience as a Rotarian on my very first project. This is what I have come up with in my own words.
On a sunny but very cold frosty Sunday morning a team of willing members from Berwick Rotary, made their way towards the St. John of God hospital in Narre Warren Their cars trucks and vans loaded up with Wheelbarrows, forks spades and brooms, equipped to take on a mighty job.
Expectancy filled the air as we were inducted. Colours of orange, yellow and pink flashed from the group in their Hi Viz j as they hurried off to work on the job they wanted to do. The list was long, and I did not know how on earth it was going to be done in such a short space of time. There was clearing the garden of shrubs and trees and garden beds from never ending pebbles that seemed incorrectly placed in tired old garden beds. Weeding and taking ivy off a garden trellis, not to forget the Pond! ☹ Oh, the job seemed huge to me but members soon found their pace and so the jobs were being done.
A group of men with specialised skills in watering systems, took particular interest in the watering system. It seemed to be everywhere to me. I found it almost amusing to see how they intricately assessed the footpath, the garden beds and? to find it’s pathway and origin.
Yet another group of men were just as keen to pull water and pebbles out of a large cleopatra eye shaped pond! I think it was being dismantled! Oh, the fun we were having fulfilling our roles. I distinctly remember the buzz of the talking, the laughter in the background as I kept pulling large pebbles out of a Garden bed. It was like a hive of buzzing bees (no wonder we call them working bees, 😊. Gently humming as the day started to warm up and the sun continued to shine.
A team of people enjoying the sun, the comradery and the fun of working together, focussed and purring like a well-oiled engine. This left a significant impression on me as the newest member of this Rotary group. The sound of a babbling brook as it made its way through the morning. The Brook started gaining Energy and more focused and intense. The trees and shrubs were disappearing, the pipes were being found, then a lull in energy ensued. The energy waned as if the team needed an input of Sugar.
Fruit cake appeared and with it came the sugar surge to keep the members moving. Lunch was soon to be had so a push to the end of the job was required. Lunch time! The thought of sitting down having a bite to eat and recharge was delightful. The friendship of the Rotary group as they ate was evident, as the laughter and shanagans flowed. Several members left, whilst others stayed to complete a job of making that Garden Neat.
On they went, digging and pulling and pushing those big 9-year-old plants out of the garden beds. Pressure on until release; the plants were gone, the job completed Just like that! :) What seemed like a job too big just vanished as the work was done! Amazing! We worked together, we focused and joined our energy and our talents little or large in what we had to give. Enjoyment, hard work and fun, friendship and accomplishment were experienced by all.
What a day, you could not buy a day like it. To Volunteer, to give your best, to enjoy such rewards that money and status cannot buy, get involved, find friendship and a place that recognises your potential and worth. Become a Rotarian today.
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
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Contact details for each ticket holder, including Club Name (if applicable), Dietary requirements, Accessibility requirements and if you are a Rotary Alumni.
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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
Many Rotary Youth programs change lives for both Rotarians and participants alike. Rotary Youth Exchange is one such program, and although it has hibernated since COVID-19, it is still playing a big part in Rotary by connecting people worldwide.
The Rotary Club of Berwick has had a very long and colourful connection to Rotary Youth Exchange by hosting students from around the world almost every year for 25 years (I will stand corrected on that, I'm just guessing from my comfortable perch in Germany). If you ask any RCB member who has been in Rotary over 5 years, they are sure to tell you all about those Exchange students.
For those unfamiliar with the program, Rotary swaps a student from Australia (Outbound) with a student from another country (Inbound) for 12 months. During that time, club members host the students and take them to school, outings, events, and other activities to show them what living in another country is like. Some students blend right in and make the most of the opportunity!
I am visiting Lisa Bayer, our Exchange student from Germany who lived with us in 2017. Lisa is still active in many of our lives and keeps contact with many people in the club. She has a long list of fellow exchange students she regularly visits. While I am over here, it was only fair that Lisa and her family showed me what it is like for me to live in Germany, so I have been having German lessons, eating traditional German food and looking at all the great history in the town where she lives. More from Lisa next week.
What Is your Rotary Club doing to focus on Youth Service this month? May is Youth Service (formerly called New Generations) Month when Rotary Clubs, around the world focus on youth services, Rotaract, Interact, RYLA, Youth Exchange.
INTERACT
Interact is a Rotary-sponsored service club comprised of 14-18 year olds. Interact gives young people the opportunity to take part in fun, meaningful service projects. Along the way, Interactors develop their leadership skills and initiative while meeting new friends. Members exchange ideas, opinions and plans with other talented, energetic people, in an atmosphere free from negative pressures and distraction. Interact strives to promote student leadership, local volunteer service, and to make members aware of the many global and world issues that effect people everyday.
Ultimately, students can:
• Become acquainted with a premiere service organization (Rotary International) and proven leaders from communities throughout Rotary; • Learn how to manage and head community service projects; • Learn about other Rotary club programs including Rotaract (service club for young adults), Earlyact (a service club for primary school students), youth exchange (a chance to live and study abroad ) and RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards).
The word Interact stands for “international action” and today there are more than 10,700 clubs in 109 countries.
ROTARACT
Rotaract is a Rotary-sponsored service club for young people ages 18-30. Rotaract clubs are usually community or university-based and are sponsored by a local Rotary club, making them true “partners in service” and key members of the Rotary family.
Young adults augment their knowledge and skill and also address the physical and social needs of their communities while promoting international understanding and peace through a framework of friendship and service. Rotaractors also often spearhead the formation of Interact clubs and participate in RYLA.
Rotaract is one of the fastest-growing programs of Rotary service with more than 9,500 Rotaract Clubs with 291,000 members in 177 countries.
Rotaractors follow the motto “fellowship through service”.
ROTARY YOUTH EXCHANGE
Rotary Youth Exchange is an excellent and inexpensive way for high school age students to travel and study in a foreign country.
Youth exchange gives the participant the opportunity to improve their language skills and school and family experiences will teach them the culture of their host country. They also act as ambassadors for their home country. Each year the Rotary Districts that are part of CSRYE send approximately 300 young people to other countries and accept 300 young people from other countries in return.
Accepting a youth exchange student into your club, community and household can be a very rewarding experience. It’s an opportunity for you, your family and your fellow Rotarians to learn about a different culture and also help a young person understand your culture. The goal of Rotary Youth Exchange is to promote the advancement of international understanding, goodwill and peace at the person to person level.
ange is an excellent and inexpensive way for high school age students to travel and study in a foreign country.
Youth exchange gives the participant the opportunity to improve their language skills and school and family experiences will teach them the culture of their host country. They also act as ambassadors for their home country. Each year the Rotary Districts that are part of CSRYE send approximately 300 young people to other countries and accept 300 young people from other countries in return.
Accepting a youth exchange student into your club, community and household can be a very rewarding experience. It’s an opportunity for you, your family and your fellow Rotarians to learn about a different culture and also help a young person understand your culture. The goal of Rotary Youth Exchange is to promote the advancement of international understanding, goodwill and peace at the person-to-person level.
On a sunny but very cold frosty Sunday morning a team of willing members from Berwick Rotary, made their way towards the St. John of God hospital in Narre Warren Their cars trucks and vans loaded up with Wheelbarrows, forks spades and brooms, equipped to take on a mighty job. 
