October is Economic and Community Development Month.
It’s an opportunity for Rotary to celebrate the difference in strengthening our communities and improving lives.
Alfredton Rotary contribute to our local community by supporting and volunteering at the Community Care Centre Ballarat as well as our Eat Up program ably lead by our dynamic Deb Robertson {Victorian Volunteer Award winner and District representative}.
Whether we are supporting local schools, providing meals to students, assisting community organisations or helping those in need, every contribution makes a difference.
Welcome to our two new members Jane Jens [Former member of Young Ambition] and David Sproules [a transfer from RC of Wendouree Breakfast]. We all look forward to working along side you both.
Jill
Welcome David
A big Alfie welcome to David Sproules who has joined us from RC Wendouree Breakfast.
David is renowned for his ability to connect people, creating teams to get things done, and we have already seen and heard some of his ideas that could increase our connections and multiply our effectiveness. It is great to have David on board.
Hat Day for Mental Health Research
Members donned a range of weird and wonderful hats at our recent meeting to raise awareness and funds for Australian Rotary Health.
Australian Rotary Health is one of the largest independent funders of mental health research within Australia.
Australian Rotary Health provides funding towards research grants, fellowships and PhD scholarships focused on finding preventative and curative solutions for mental illness in young Australians. From 2023, our funding focus narrowed to the mental health of children aged 0-12.
We also provide funding into a broad range of general health areas, provide scholarships for rural medical and nursing students, as well as Indigenous health students. Australian Rotary Health provides funding into areas of health that do not readily attract funding, and promotes findings to the community.
Australian Rotary Health is a project of the Rotary Districts of Australia.
On October 26 Lyla and her mum Emily attended our meeting so that we could hear from Lyla about her Defying the Drift experience.
To say that Lyla was well prepared is a huge understatement. Her confidently presented information covered her own background and motivations, all aspects of the DtD program at Longerenong, her thoughts on what was important in agricultural careers, what she got out of the camp and why she came to that decision. We were all blown away by her composure and depth of perception.
It was easy to see what a valuable program Defying the Drift is, providing opportunities for young people to broaden their knowledge about the wide range of careers involved in agriculture.
Victorian Volunteer Leadership Award 2026
I was humbled and a little embarrassed to be nominated in two sections of Victorian Volunteering Awards - by Jill for the Volunteer Impact Award, and Eatup for the Volunteer Leadership Award - but hey, anything to help our marketing/public image. Nominations like this provide the opportunity to speak up about the great work that we are doing in our community and the impact our projects have on other people.
I was therefore surprised to be selected as a finalist, and when meeting and hearing about the other six finalists, even more surprised to win the Leadership Award. The ceremony was an amazing opportunity to meet with and hear about the amazing work done, all over the state by volunteer organisations. It really does ‘take a village’ - to raise a child, to feed families, to care for the environment, save lives, protect women and children - and it was inspirational to meet so many members of that village.
Thank you to everyone who has congratulated me (but you can stop now, or my head will be to big to fit through doors!)
Deb
What's Coming Up?
November 8 - Bacon and Egg Rolls for breakfast at Big 4 Windmill Holiday Park.
November 28 - Democracy Sausages! BBQ on election day at Alfredton Primary - team required
November 29 - Springfest - Cartoon creations
November 30 - Social Night at the Market Hotel - let us know if you'd like to join us
December 3 - BBQ for Alfredton Primary End of Year celebrations - team required
December 5 - Bunnings DTC BBQ - team required
December 14 - Our Christmas/Birthday bash with District Governor Tonie Theil and husband Wally Walsh. Venue tbc.
February 6 - Bunnings DTC BBQ - team required
If you are available to help or join in at any of these events, email alfredtonrotary@hotmail.com with your availability.
Cocktails for Our Communty
On 9th October the CCCB fundraising committee held a very successful cocktails & canapes event at the Canberra hotel where a profit of over $5500 was achieved. We received high praise for a wonderful evening and was enjoyed by over 50 Rotarians and guests.
A huge thank you to my local fundraising committee [ Malcolm Roberts, Suzanne Batch, Karen Clarnette, Carmel West] and a special vote of thanks to Dahlia & Ian Cochrane for their very generous donations for the raffle.
Jill
Polio Plus - What is it?
The Rotary appeal to aid the worldwide eradication of Polio is called Polio Plus - Why?
Well, the Polio Plus program does more than provide training, support and vaccines to ensure the safe delivery of the Polio vaccine to communities where the wild virus still persists. It means providing more than just polio vaccines. In Pakistan, Rotary and its partners are supporting clean water, nutrition services, routine immunizations, and vaccination points along major travel routes.
These services help build trust with communities and make it easier to reach more children with lifesaving vaccines. That’s the “plus” in PolioPlus
Of course the Gates Foundation still matches any donations made to Rotary 2 to 1, so every dollar we donate has a threefold effect.
So get your families, friends or work colleagues hopping and donating to mark World Polio Day on October 24.
Please support these amazing organisations who have all assisted us in some way. Without them, our reach would be smaller and projects less impactful..
