BUNYIP-GARFIELD
Paul Harris Fellows: Harry van den Broek received a Sapphire Pin, his wife Jo received a PHF recognition. Jo is not a member of Rotary but attends with Harry to almost every Rotary meeting. She also assists with fundraising etc. Hence the award. Harry is a Foundation member of our club and has been a tireless worker throughout his membership.
Wheelchairs for Kids (WFK): For the past several years the Junior Red Cross students at Bunyip PS hold a ‘Wheels Day’. On this day students are encouraged to ride, skate or scoot to school and make a gold coin donation to WFK. A Rotary member pops in and chats with the Junior Red Cross members to explain what WFK is about.
Money raised is then matched (and more) and each year around $600 is handed across to WFK. The wheelchairs are manufactured in Perth by the Rotary Club of Scarborough and sent to various countries. The wheelchairs are basically an all-terrain version of a normal wheelchair and are given to recipients free of charge.
Our next “giving” date is July 27th with another $300 raised by the students and topped up by a matching amount from our club.
DROUIN
Farm World Field Days 2022: This was our major event in late March, where we had 33 Rotarians helping over a 4-day period, monitoring gates, car parks & driving a tractor complete with a trailer (set up as a bus to ferry people around the Lardner Park site). A donation of $6000 was presented to our club.
Tools for East Gippsland: It has left the front pages because of COVID and floods, but this doesn’t mean that the victims of the fires are no longer in need. Over several months we publicised and collected tools from across our District, everything from shovels to power tools, with help from the Drouin Men’s Shed. This resulted in two large trailer loads of quality tools being delivered to East Gippsland that will be stored in shed in four different locations for those in need to access. Kevin Roberts led this collection effort.
Food Parcel Deliveries: Teams of Drouin Rotary members are entering the third year of Friday deliveries of food parcels from the Longwarry Lions Food Bank which started 17 July 2020, to some of those in need in Longwarry, Drouin, and Warragul. We deliver around 200 kgs each time. From its peak of six teams, it dropped down three but is again on the rise. A sign of the times.
WARRAGUL
Farm World Field Days Marketing: Warragul Rotary President Diane Carson proposed a stand at Farm World to promote Rotary and the clubs in our cluster and beyond, over the four days on the event this year. Although not the greatest success in immediately attracting members this year, it was a most enjoyable time for Rotarians from clubs in the cluster and beyond who participated, and lessons have been learnt for improvements in 2023.
KooWeeRup-Lang Lang
Show ‘n Shine: The biggest ever Lang Lang Show ’n Shine/Motor Mowing Races and Swap Meet was held in February after several years cancellation due to Covid restrictions. The huge crowd of participants with 750 automobiles and 150 stalls and 4000 visitors were testament to how popular its return was. Ensuring Covid protocols were actioned lead to long delays, very long lines of traffic going off in all directions, more than a few boiled engines BUT, all in all, a great day and highly profitable for the club and the community groups that joined in to help.
Hazelwood
‘Christmas in July’ or October or perhaps even December: Due to Covid restrictions and shutdowns, our Christmas in July function was finally held on 10 December 2021 at "the real Christmas time". The function was a joint venture for Rotary Century House & Hazelwood Rotary club. Eighty-eight people attended and helped produce a total profit for the night of $6110.40…plus money was raised from a raffle and an auction held on the night.
CHRISTMAS WRAP: A principal fundraising activity for the club is the ‘Christmas Wrap’ at Mid Valley shopping complex. Covid impacted last year but the club, and other thirteen organisations enlisted to help, managed to raise a total of $5,639 which was returned to the community in various ways.
Recognition for a generous donor: Carol Crew was given PHF Ruby recognition for her ongoing and generous support or our Rotary Foundation. The ruby pin was presented by District Foundation Chair and PDG Mark Humphries.
