Rotary Club of Ballarat West
Our Club's History
Rotary Club of Ballarat West
The club was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Ballarat South who instigated the formation in 1985. It was officially admitted to Rotary International in May 1986 with 23 inaugural members.
Since then the club has progressed significantly and in 2010 under President Rex Petersen has 35 members. The club has been involved in many projects including Youth exchanges to US, Canada, Norway and Netherlands and from South Africa, US, Indonesia, Denmark, Finland, Wales and Thailand. Many short term exchanges between Ballarat and Sonora, California have occurred. Also the club has supported youth in the Science Summer School, participation in Melbourne's industrial adventure and Rotary leadership programs. Community support has come from annual Salvation Army door-knocks, Clean Up Australia Day and at Lake Wendouree assisting in the construction of the children's playground and a wetlands pedestrian bridge.
Yearly between $10,000 and $20,000 has been raised for distribution to Ballarat and international organizations. The main fundraising event since 2000 has been a wine auction each November. This activity has been conducted jointly with the Rotary Club of Wendouree Breakfast and annually has a profit of between $5,000 and $8,000. From 2003 through the Murray to Moyne bike riding and dinner about $10,000 each year has been donated to the Leukaemia Foundation and also through fundraising the Club significant support has been given to local organizations including in 2004 $6000 towards a dialysis chair at the Base Hospital.
In the international area the club has had a very strong involvement in three major projects. Since the early 1990s through Rotarian Dr John Oswald the club has overseen many matching grant projects that have benefited the Vaiola Hospital in Tonga. Over the years well over $1 million of equipment has been sent from Australia to Tonga. The St John of God hospital itself, hospital staff and Rotary volunteers have worked at the hospital in teaching and support roles. John Oswald has also been heavily involved in the Interplast program where plastic and reconstructive surgical services benefit young children especially. John has had eleven trips to Indonesia with this work.
In Tonga the club's dental support program has also been outstanding. Coordinated by Rotarian dentist Dr David Goldsmith each year a team of dentists, dental nurses and other Rotarians have travelled to Tonga for about a fortnight to conduct dental clinics and to equip and repair the dental section of the Vaiola Hospital. Many container loads of specialist dental equipment have been sent.In 2008-09 the program was extended to the Cook Islands.
Ballarat West is a very active, social and harmonious club providing enormous benefit to the community.
Rotary Shares.
Phil Roberts
Club Historian and President 2007/08
The club was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Ballarat South who instigated the formation in 1985. It was officially admitted to Rotary International in May 1986 with 23 inaugural members.
Since then the club has progressed significantly and in 2010 under President Rex Petersen has 35 members. The club has been involved in many projects including Youth exchanges to US, Canada, Norway and Netherlands and from South Africa, US, Indonesia, Denmark, Finland, Wales and Thailand. Many short term exchanges between Ballarat and Sonora, California have occurred. Also the club has supported youth in the Science Summer School, participation in Melbourne's industrial adventure and Rotary leadership programs. Community support has come from annual Salvation Army door-knocks, Clean Up Australia Day and at Lake Wendouree assisting in the construction of the children's playground and a wetlands pedestrian bridge.
Yearly between $10,000 and $20,000 has been raised for distribution to Ballarat and international organizations. The main fundraising event since 2000 has been a wine auction each November. This activity has been conducted jointly with the Rotary Club of Wendouree Breakfast and annually has a profit of between $5,000 and $8,000. From 2003 through the Murray to Moyne bike riding and dinner about $10,000 each year has been donated to the Leukaemia Foundation and also through fundraising the Club significant support has been given to local organizations including in 2004 $6000 towards a dialysis chair at the Base Hospital.
In the international area the club has had a very strong involvement in three major projects. Since the early 1990s through Rotarian Dr John Oswald the club has overseen many matching grant projects that have benefited the Vaiola Hospital in Tonga. Over the years well over $1 million of equipment has been sent from Australia to Tonga. The St John of God hospital itself, hospital staff and Rotary volunteers have worked at the hospital in teaching and support roles. John Oswald has also been heavily involved in the Interplast program where plastic and reconstructive surgical services benefit young children especially. John has had eleven trips to Indonesia with this work.
In Tonga the club's dental support program has also been outstanding. Coordinated by Rotarian dentist Dr David Goldsmith each year a team of dentists, dental nurses and other Rotarians have travelled to Tonga for about a fortnight to conduct dental clinics and to equip and repair the dental section of the Vaiola Hospital. Many container loads of specialist dental equipment have been sent.In 2008-09 the program was extended to the Cook Islands.
Ballarat West is a very active, social and harmonious club providing enormous benefit to the community.
Rotary Shares.
Phil Roberts
Club Historian and President 2007/08