Happy New Year everyone. I hope you have all had a a great Christmas and New Year and are refreshed and ready for the year ahead. 2017 ended very emotionally for us all, so I was very pleased to see so many Eltham Rotarians enjoying New Year celebrations with one another, either at the RACV Club or at various beach locations. One of the many benefits of being a Rotarian is the enduring friendships that are made and the support and fellowship that we offer one another - particularly in difficult times.
We start 2018 with several very enjoyable and informal social occasions: a BBQ dinner at Rob and Margot Kilcullen’s home in Research this coming Wednesday evening and Luncheon on the Deck at Rye at the beautiful home of Lyn and Graeme Hardiman onSunday 11 February. Please remember to RSVP direct to Graeme Hardiman if you are intending to come. Our formal Thursday night meetings at Heidelberg Golf Club will resume on 1 February.
The work of Rotary has not been on hold whilst we’ve been at the beach. Just prior to Christmas Rob Kilcullen and the International team put forward a proposal to the Board that we fund a feeding program for pre-schoolers in the very under-privileged township areas of Hout Bay, Capetown South Africa in partnership with the Rotary Club of Hout Bay. The Board approved the proposal and $3500 will be sent to the RC Hout Bay in the next week or so. Two local Elthamites - Sue and Len Horwood - introduced us to this project and we have arranged for them to be guest speakers at a forthcoming Thursday meeting.
Also just before Christmas, we were asked by local MP Vicki Ward to provide a sausage sizzle on 23 December at the burnt out Eltham North playground to thank the CFA and police for their efforts in combatting the fire and to support a gathering of people interested in the reconstruction of the playground. Thanks to team leader Alan McCleary, Mary McCleary, Ross McDonald, Ann Lynch, Paul Kelly and myself, we were able to raise $750 which will be donated to the reconstruction fund.
Funding has now been received from the Federal Government for the shade sails in the playground at Eltham Lower Park. Nillumbik Council are partners in the project and have advised that a contractor has been selected and will erect the sails in February.
Festival dates for 2018 have now been confirmed. It seems a long way off but put Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 November in your diaries now! Stay cool everyone and I look forward to seeing most of you again on Wednesday 24 January.
Cheers, President Judy
Lower Eltham Park BBQ 9:30 am - 2:30 pm
You are responsible for finding a replacement if you are unable to do your rostered duty and to notify Lyn Truran ljtruran@bigpond.com
BBQ Team captains, please submit your report after each BBQ (email with instructions has been sent to Team Captains)
Sunday 28 Jan
Sunday 4 Feb
Sunday 11 Feb
Paul Kelly (TC)
John O'Callaghan (TC)
1st Eltham North Scouts
Kaye Smith
Roma O'Callaghan
Victoria Clague
Diane Penkethman
Keith den Hartog
Mike Englefield
Thanks to the busy BBQ teams, we have taken $1553.60 so far in January. Ken’s team of Jules, Lyn and Kaye took $996.30 in a bumper first Sunday back on 14/1 and Mike Wetzler’s team of Jill, Lyn and Gary took $557.30 on a quieter day last Sunday.
The Conference is now only seven weeks away and we need to firm up bookings. Currently some 31 Eltham Rotarians and partners have indicated that they are attending the Conference. Have you booked for the Conference on Trybooking? To book go to the link on the flier below. You can also book for the Conference dinner on Saturday evening at the same time - so far some 7 Eltham Rotarians are intending to go to the dinner.
Friday Night (23/3/18) We have booked a sunset dinner cruise on Lake Mulwala for our Friday night’s entertainment. The cruise is for 3 -4 hours, and includes dinner and entertainment from a band. Drinks at bar prices - $45 per head. Some 31 people have indicated they wish to participate but there is space for more. The cruise will take 48 people so we will also open up bookings to other Rotarians if not fully subscribed by Eltham. Please confirm your participation in this event by emailing Jules Aussems on aussems@optusnet.com.au . We will set up Trybooking for forward payments for this event so stay tuned.
Accomodation Jules has organised accomodation at Club Mulwala (the Conference venue), and at Yarrawonga Holiday Park. There are still 4 rooms available at the Country Club and three cabins at the Holiday Park. Please contact Jules by email if you wish to book one of these options. All caravan spots reserved for Eltham Rotary are taken but there may be more available by contacting the Holiday Park directly on 57443420 and mentioning Eltham Rotary.
I am endeavouring to find a young person who may be looking for a job.The person I am looking for is a School Leaver - someone who may be disadvantaged, is willing to learn and is struggling to fit into mainstream employment.
We are a small team with great people who are willing to assist, train and encourage the right person.The role would initially be in our customer service and billing area, with scope for progression to other parts of our business.
We understand that not everyone in this world is tertiary educated but some kids just need a break. We are centrally located in the Melbourne CBD - close to Flinders Street railway station - and trams run past our door.
If you know of anyone who would respond to this opportunity please contact Ian Kiddle on ian.kiddle@ensa.net.au
Council recognises the importance of the Eltham North adventure playground to local community and acknowledges the loss. Council is working with the community to dream up a new adventure playground. Community members aged from 1 to 101 are invited to come and create with professional artists from the Butterfly Studio at the Eltham North adventure playground site. These whimsical pop-up art activities are an opportunity for the community to help vision the new adventure playground. Activities will run from 10.30am-1.30pm on Sat 27 January and Sun 28 January 2018. Visit our Facebook page to see a short video of the first weekend of Once Upon a Dream Tree activities.
The Rotary Club of Diamond Creek is pleased to sponsor a new project - an open air production of Shakespeare's 'The Dream' - otherwise known as 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' which will be held in Eltham and Diamond Creek on the first two weekends in February. The production is being performed by a professional production company, the Soothplayers and it is set in 1946.This is a family friendly event and patrons are encouraged to bring a picnic, or just buy an ice-cream and relax and enjoy it.
Fun Fields in Whittlesea has partnered with local autism groups Wings and Plenty Valley Clubhouse, and the five North Eastern Metro Councils (Banyule, Darebin, Nillumbik, Whittlesea and Yarra), to present their first ever Sensory Friendly Family Day.
Fun Fields is offering heavily discounted ticket prices, much smaller crowds, and quiet breakout spaces, and their staff will work with Wings and Plenty Valley Clubhouse to support visitors on this sensory friendly day.
On behalf of everyone in the Inclusion Team at Nillumbik Shire Council, I would like to thank you for your feedback and support this year and wish you all a happy and healthy 2018. As the NDIS continues to roll out across neighbouring Councils, we are seeing some big changes in disability service provision, and more support for those struggling with NDIS plans or reviews. Inclusion at Nillumbik would like to hear from you about your areas of interest and concern. Please let us know:
Whether you are a person with disability / carer / service provider / other
The area of disability you experience / provide care for / have experience or interest in
Suggestions for Network areas of focus for 2018
Kind regards, Angela
2017 - 2018 Board
President
Judy Sharp
President Elect
Jill Ramsay
Rotary Foundation
Kevin Hadingham
Secretary
Ann Lynch
Aquabox
Dale Atkins
Treasurer
Lou Bolzonello
Membership
Margaret Lane (interim)
Immediate Past President
Kevin Hadingham
Public Relations
Sally Squires
Community Service
Alan McCleary
Club Administration
Jill Ramsay
Youth Service
Ken Paynter
Club Service and Program
Alison Cooper
International Service
Rob Kilcullen
2017 Festival
Jill Ramsay
PAST PRESIDENTS The Rotary Club Of Eltham Chartered 19th April 1973, District 9790
Geoff Dreverman 73-74: Neville Emerson 74-75: Bruce Holland 75-76: Bob McLellan 76-77:
Doug Blaikie 77-78: Les Clarke 78-79: Keith Kelley 79-80: John Smibert 80-81: Paul Gardner 81-82:
Chris Parenthoine 82-83: Arthur Trainor 83-84: Merv Günter 84-85: John Maltha 85-86: Graeme Beyer 86-87:
Mike Ramsay 87-88: Terry Boocock 88-89: Ken Ferguson 89-90: Bill Penna 90-91: John Jacobson 91-92:
Jim Nairn 92-93: Nigel Bell 93-94: David Bowen 94-95: Ian Thomas 95-96: Vic Vela 96-97: Gabor Tamas 97-98:
Gordon Birch 98-99: Gary Reid 99-00: Mike Irwin 00-01: John Lewis 01-02: Brian Weyman 02- 03:
Graeme Hardiman 03-04: Alan Anderson 04-05: Chris Chapple 05-06: Max Lee 06-07: Ross McDonald 07-08:
David Flint 08-09: Tony Wason 09-10: Michael Englefield 10-11: Rob Kilcullen 11-12: Mike Wetzler 12-13:
Ken Paynter 13-14: Con Proussalis 14-15: David McFarlane 15-16
