September is Basic Education and Literacy Month for Rotary. This is one of Rotary’s seven areas of focus. We all know how critical reading and writing are for success in life – for gaining information, communicating, making agreements, and so forth.
Enhancing Basic Education skills and Literacy are essential in reducing poverty, improving health, encouraging community and economic development, and promoting peace. Improvements can reduce maternal death, improve childhood survivability, and reduce poverty. They can also enable success in business or a profession. Projects undertaken by a Rotary Club can address low adult literacy, returning youth to school, enhancing student performance, or supplementing limited school resources.
President's Report
We have had two weeks of amazing activity in our Club, and its’ been truly inspiring to see us all work so well together in the true spirit of Rotary.
As I reported last week we had the Monster Garage Sale on Saturday, followed by a full-on day at the Springwood United Football Club Junior Presentation on the Sunday; both great events that raised significant funds for our Club.
This Saturday we had probably our biggest community support day of the year with the Springwood Festival. It was an absolutely magic day, with so many of our members and friends of the Club coming together and working as a well-oiled machine. We never stopped all day serving masses of sausages, steaks, bacon and eggs and hot dogs to crowds that delighted in our well cooked and well-priced fare. The opportunity to also speak to a number of customers about the work of Rotary was an added bonus and it’s my hope that a few will follow through with attending a meeting in the future. A very big thank you is owed to all that made this event such a success. The day was topped off by a visit from our super energetic District Governor, Michele Ellery, whose warmth and enthusiasm can’t help but rub off on all – thanks Michele for your ongoing support of our Club.
Then on Sunday we again supported Running Wild at the Kedumba Half Marathon at Wentworth Falls. Running Wild are a great organisation and it’s always inspiring to see young and old, super fit and those just happy to compete all enjoying the day. We served up our usual fare of a sausages sizzle to all the competitors as well as feeding a few hungry supporters. A very big thank you to Adam who co-ordinated the day and Norm on the till and sauces, with Cheryl cooking the sausages and onions to perfection. A small but expert team who with their usual aplomb made it all look so easy! A great day had by all.
Our Club is never one to rest on its laurels and we have our usual monthly Bunnings BBQ this coming Saturday 27 September. Please think about helping on the day, as we really need the support of our members and friends for this event as a few of our regulars are away. Plus, on that afternoon our very own fabulous talent, Deana Aikins will be sharing the stage with the Robertson Brothers at the Springwood Hub. There are still a few tickets left online, and it will be a great afternoon of musical entertainment – I’m booked and so looking forward to it. I hope to see you there.
Finally in support of the Penrith and Nepean Rotary Clubs we have some tickets to sell in their annual GREAT ROTARY WHITEWATER DUCK RACE. They are only $5 each and can be purchased by sending me an email liz.roberts2783@outlook.com and I will then forward you the details for payment. There are 3 great prizes to be won, with 1st being $5,000. The race will take place at the Penrith Whitewater Stadium on Sunday 12 October at 1pm. I’m looking forward to being there to support our sister Clubs and hope a few others will also be there to enjoy the fun and fly the Rotary flag.
Until next week, take care….Liz
Liz Roberts
President 2025-2026
The Rotary Club of Springwood
Last Week's Speaker
Last Monday night our Guest Speaker was DGN Haran Ramachandran OAM, who spoke to us about the Rotary Foundation. Haran is a long-time Rotarian, and is District Governor nominee for NSW’s Central Coast to Blue Mountains, having held multiple leadership roles and earned several Rotarian of the Year awards. He is passionate about Rotary and the Rotary Foundation and his talk was much anticipated.
Haran was welcomed and introduced by Marilyn Kenney
Haran presented a most informative discussion about the Rotary Foundation.
He was thanked by the Club's Foundation Director, Valda Bray.
Latest News
1. DATES TO LOOK FORWARD TO
We have two young people who attended the Winter RYPEN Camp coming to speak to us on Monday night. They are Cassie Pigram, Winmalee HS and Campbell Martin, Springwood HS. This is a greast program for youing people and always worth coming to our meeting to hear their reports.
Bunnings BBQ, Saturday 27th September
Robertson Brothers & Deana Atkins Concert, Saturday 27th September (see below).
2. THE FIRE PIT
Therese Jones' new cafe is called the Fire Pit.
The address is 2 Peninsula road, Valley Heights.
Phone No: 4731 5777
3. SPRINGWOOD FESTIVAL, SATURDAY 20TH SEPTEMBER
Despite the gusty conditions, nothing could deter the dedicated team that worked on the BBQ for the Festival event. The crowds turned out and shopped, and ate, and talked, and laughed, and enjoyed the brilliant day. The prparations began the days before the event, including mercy dashes by Frank Ross to take a broken canopy up to Adam Law for repairs to broken struts, only to find that the wrong ones hade been ordered. Then the next dash by Frank to Prospect to collect the correct ones, then back to Hazelbrook to Adam's house to work on the repairs, all in time for use on Saturday. A huge thank you to Adam and Frank.
The preparatory work by Rachel Pagitz and Liz Roberts was exceptional, and every member of the team on the day worked incredibly hard to produce an extremely successful BBQ and a great financial result. We even had support from a number of friends of our members and ex RYPEN students on the day, all of whom worked tirelessly.
Congratulations to all. The camaraderie on the day was outstanding, and despite being busy, everyone enjoyed the event.
4. KEDUMBA HALF MARATHON, SUNDAY 21ST SEPTEMBER
And the work goes on! Another event in what has been an extremely busy September.
This Running Wild event was organised by Adam Law who with a small team on the day ran a successful BBQ to supply food to the runners in the 1/2 Marathon. It is wonderful to see Norm and Cheryl Kitto who have returned from recent travels and have them able to fill some of the roles on the day. Many thanks to Adam, Norm, Cheryl, and of course Liz Roberts who is everywhere, for a great effort on the day.
5. WORLD POLIO DAY
Visit Rotary’s Brand Center for End Polio Now resources such as graphics, videos, photos, public relations templates, and more.
6. TRAIN RIDE TO END POLIO
Districts 9685 and 9675 are gearing up for the annual Polio Train Ride which will be held on World Polio Day - the 24th of October 2025. The Illawarra train ride will be held on the 23rd of October.
Where possible, donations of US$1,500 per club are being sought or whatever you are able to donate would be greatly appreciated and will make a significant impact.
Details for payments are
Club Donations : BSB 342 011 Account 523 370 001
Personal Donations: BSB 342 011 Account 663 499 001
To increase awareness about Rotary Global Polio Eradication Initiative, this year politicians are being invited to join the train ride by coming aboard at a station in their electorate and having their photo taken. See the attached list of politicians. Please feel free to follow up with your local members to see if they have received their invitation and if they are able to participate.
Action List for our Club
Commit the Club to donating $US 1,500 or whatever we can donate during October.
Encourage fellow members and others to support the campaign by
giving $1 per station
there are over 200 train and light rail stations in Sydney stations so $200 donation to show support would be amazing.
If you are not already Polio Plus Society members, this is the best way to become a member.
Invite our local members to join the train ride.
Put it in your diary: Thursday 24 October, get your Red END POLIO NOW Shirt from RDU Supplies and join the train ride to end Polio.
We need to know which clubs will be participating in the train ride, so please let us know whether you will be joining the train ride and at which station. Our Club usually meets the train with members from Lower Blue Mountains Club at Emu Plains Railway Station.
For anyone who has joined Rotary recently, one of the major projects Rotary International has committed to is to eradicate Polio through the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. We are very fortunate to have a partnership with the Bill Gates Foundation which has just been extended for another 3 years. During this time the Bill Gates Foundation will donate US$2.00 for every US$1.00 we raise. We are close to the end with polio now in two countries- Afghanistan and Pakistan, however, if we don't eradicate polio, the risk is that within 10 years there could be 200,000 cases across the world including Australia.
Timetable for Train Ride
Our District Governor, Michele Ellery, has sent everyone the information above and the train timetable. You will need to view the Excel file from that email. When you open it, you will need to scroll to the right across the spreadsheet to find when the train will come closest to us.
7. DISTRICT CONFERENCE 2026
Registration
Secure your spot and take advantage of early-bird pricing by registering before September 30, 2025. Some events have limited capacity, so we recommend booking early.
2. CREATIVE THINKING FUNDS EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Providing care for young children doesn’t just change their lives, it changes society. Patrick Moore, a Rotary member in Louisiana, USA, found a way to make donors see that. Read more about this project for Basic Education and Literacy month.
3. EXCITING NEWS – $1 MILLION GIFT TO SUPPORT ROTARY AUSTRALIA COMPASSIONATE GRANTS
Dear Fellow Rotarians,
I am delighted to share some wonderful news that will greatly strengthen Rotary’s ability to support Australians in need. At a special event in Sydney a couple of nights ago, philanthropists Dick and Pip Smith announced a generous donation of $1 million to Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS) for the Rotary Australia Compassionate Grants (RACG) program. The RACG program enables Rotary Clubs to deliver compassionate, practical support to individuals and families in crisis. Through this initiative, clubs can apply for matching grants of up to $15,000, effectively doubling the impact of funds raised locally. This is an incredible opportunity for our clubs to extend their reach and support those doing it tough in our
communities.
I encourage you to consider how your club might take advantage of this program and the generosity of the Smith
family. Together, we can continue to make a meaningful difference in the lives of Australians.
Yours in Rotary,
Michele Ellery
District Governor
4. BRAND CENTER -New videos spotlight areas of focus
Compelling new videos in the Brand Center showcase Rotary’s areas of focus and the transformative work that Rotary and Rotaract clubs support worldwide. These short videos can help you engage with service-minded individuals, potential partners, and your community. Show them at club meetings and public-facing events and post them to your social media channels. Each video ends with an invitation for viewers to find their cause and take action with us. Watch the videos on the Our Causes pages or download them from the Brand Center.
5. THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK
As we look to the future, I am reminded of the words of our founder, Paul Harris, who said, "Only those who dare to fail greatly can achieve greatly." As Rotarians, we are not afraid to take risks, to challenge ourselves, and to strive for excellence. We are a community of leaders, innovators, and change-makers.
6. ROTARY INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION
Acknowledgement of Country
We would like to acknowledge the Gundungurra and Dharug peoples past, present and emerging as the traditional owners of the land where our Club resides and pay our respects to them.
Providing care for young children doesn’t just change their lives, it changes society. Patrick Moore, a Rotary member in Louisiana, USA, found a way to make donors see that. 
