Celebrate 75 years of Rotary Club of Cronulla at Cronulla RSL on 17 May 2025 at 630pm. Making a difference to local, national and international communities providing service to others, promoting integrity, while advancing world understanding, goodwill and peace. It will be a night of fellowship, memories, dinner, drinks and dancing. Please join us to help celebrate. Sadly this will be our last event ever as we are closing down effective 1 July 2025.
$65 per person - 2 course dinner/alternate drop - cash bar. RVSP 7 May 2025.
The Rotary Club of Cronulla would like to thank everyone for their support on Saturday 1 March 2025 our fundraiser "Rebuilding Schools in Vanuatu". We are fortunate to have help on this project from Port Vila Rotary who will have boots on the ground! The event was organised by Club member Margaret Johnson who has a close association with Vanuatu. Thanks are extended to all club members involved in arranging the event, and to staff and management of Cronulla RSL for their assistance with the venue and catering.
As a result of the devasting earthquake that occurred in Vanuatu on December 17th 2024, much of the CBD was damaged so badly that it will need to be demolished. 45 schools were also badly damaged and whilst most of them have funding allocated to them, the Survival School only has an empty UNICEF tent. The existing classroom, science lab and administration block was so badly damaged, it will also need to be demolished and rebuilt. This is where our fund-raising money will go to.
Another successful beach clean up was completed at Wanda Beach on 22 February 2025 involving members of SO Shire, Rotary Club of Cronulla and volunteers from the local community. We needed to finish a little early for this Beach Clean Up for a very good reason. Sarah-Jo Lobwein of SO Shire needed to attend a ceremony that afternoon at Cronulla RSL to receive a Cook Community Award for the ‘Environment’! Well done Sarah-Jo and Brett Lobwein. A very well deserved award. Refer https://www.theleader.com.au/story/8901057/cook-awards-2025-honour-dedicated-local-volunteers/?msg=login
Plastic Free Oceans - Wanda Beach Clean Up - 22 February 2025
Rotary Club of Caringbah has taken over the role of Market Operator for the Engadine Community market for the 2025 calendar year. A successful initial market was conducted in February 2025. The return of the Rotary BBQ was greatly welcomed by market attendees. Rotary Club of Cronulla wishes the team at Rotary Caringbah every success for 2025.
Thanks to the generosity of ANSTO employees, members of the Rotary Club of Cronulla (Jean Smith, Lynn Bates and Carol Denison), were able to distribute beautiful Christmas presents to Dandelion Support Network, Hopefield Services, and the Women’s Refuge in the Sutherland Shire.
Thank you ANSTO for helping us to make a difference.
Many thanks to Rotary Club of Cronulla members Lyn, Jean, Carol & Margi and Rotary Club of Sutherland members Bob and Bruce for their time and devotion to assist with the BBQ that was catered at the ANSTO Christmas party on Saturday 7 December 2024.
The team helped prepare and served around 1000 sausage rolls to employees and their families. Despite the pouring rain they got the job done. They then packed 2 cars full of Christmas presents provided by ANSTO employees for our club to distribute to organisations that support individuals and families in need in The Sutherland Shire.
A highlight of the month of December is our two Engadine Community 'XMAS' markets. A Xmas tree and associated signage contribute to creating a Christmas atmosphere. We were lucky that we experienced good weather for both markets. Thank you as always to market manager Glynis King for operating a very efficient market, and to stallholders, costume character friends and customers for making the markets a success. We hope that 2025 can also be a wonderful year for the markets.
The Rotary Clubs of Caringbah, Sutherland and Cronulla were all delighted to be able provide interviewers to undertake mock interviews at Cronulla High School on 2 December 2024. As always, the Rotary members that participated in the interviews were very impressed with the quality of students. Additionally, they also found the experience to be rewarding and worthwhile. Thanks as always to Bevan Gosby, Careers Advisor Cronulla High, who organised a very professional and well run event. Students were required to prepare an interview folder with relevant documentation such as a resume, prior to attending the interview. At the interview the students were asked a set of pro forma questions, assessed, and then feedback was provided as to how they performed against relevant criteria including: presentation, communication, interest in occupation, knowledge of occupation and the appropriateness of their interview folder.
Mock Interviews Cronulla High School - 2 December 2024
Rotary Club of Cronulla President Carol Denison joined Rotary Club of Caringbah members and others in proudly supporting the annual walk for respectful relationships event. Participants walk from Don Lucas Reserve along the Esplanade to Cronulla Park presenting a united front against domestic and family violence. At the end of the walk members of the Rotary Club of Caringbah provide fruit and snacks for participants.
The Sutherland Shire website advises: This event is led by the Walk for Respectful Relationships committee, consisting of representatives from Sutherland Shire Council, NSW Police, The Family Co, Caringbah Rotary, and Woolooware High School. Walk for Respectful Relationships is held every year as part of a larger global campaign led by UN Women to help their initiative to end gender-based violence. The walk takes place during the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence which kicks off on Monday 25 November (International day for Elimination of Violence Against Women) and ends on Tuesday 10 December (Human Rights Day). Refer: https://www.sutherlandshire.nsw.gov.au/play-and-explore/whats-on/walk-for-respectful-relationships
Walk for Respectful Relationships - 29 November 2024
Support the Rotary Club of Cronulla and the Its Time Foundation by purchasing a raffle ticket (prices starting at $11), by clicking on the following link https://itstime.org/Home/RafflePage/105570
The It's Time Foundation provides renewable power solutions for Pacific Island Schools - refer https://iitime.org
Activities of the Rotary Club of Cronulla can be seen from this website page and from our
Net profit from the current raffle will be distributed as follows - 50% to the Its Time Foundation and 50% to the Rotary Club of Cronulla (to be used for our Fiji Medical Centre Project in Yavusania village Fiji).
Complimentary 1-hour of non-motorized watersports daily
Introductory Pool Splash Dive Lesson at Reef Safari
Free WiFi
Plus dinner for two and bubbles at Sails Denarau at Port Denarau.The prize is valid for 18 months. The prize is transferable to friends (but the transfer must be registered within one week of receiving the prize) - your receipt will have a gift certificate to share.
Another successful beach clean up was completed at Wanda Beach on 10 November 2024 involving members of SO Shire, Rotary Club of Cronulla and volunteers from the local community. There were 10 of us this morning, and we collected a little over 13kgs of rubbish! Unfortunately it was a bit windy and we were unable to sort and count everything. Well done to everyone and thank you for your support.
Our next cleanup will be in Jan 2025 - watch this space!! Upcoming Clean Up days are advised on our 'Rotary Club of Cronulla' Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/cronullarotary/
Plastic Free Oceans - Wanda Beach Clean Up - 10 November 2024
The Engadine Community market was held as scheduled on Sunday 3 November. It was well attended. We had a pleasant albeit cloudy day with the temperature reaching around 30 degrees at lunchtime. Thanks as always to market manager Glynis, our fancy dress friends, customers and stallholders and the members of Rotary Club of Cronulla in attendance.
Please keep in mind that there will be two markets held in December. The first is on Sunday 1 December with the second on Sunday 15 December. To keep up to date with what is happening at the Engadine Community Markets please refer to the associated Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/engadinecommunitymarkets/
On Sunday 20th October we held our monthly beach clean at Wanda Beach. It was a bit cold and windy but we got the job done with our small enthusiastic crew. There were a few new individuals from a group called "Voices of Cook" which is a non-political group of local citizens working to promote community based participation in our community. They were a big help and we hope that they will join us at our next cleanup. We collected 8.9kgs of rubbish - hard & soft plastics, cans, paper, ropes, food items, plastic bags and many other items that do not belong on the beach. We were unable to do any sorting as we were not located at our regular spot due to the Wanda Nippers that were putting on a BBQ. It was very busy!
As always a big thanks to Brett & Sarah-Jo from #soshire for their assistance and expertise! Upcoming Clean Up days are advised on our 'Rotary Club of Cronulla' Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/cronullarotary/
Plastics Free Oceans - Wanda Beach Clean Up - 20 October 2024
Another month another successful market. The day was warm with some cloud cover ensuring that it did not get too hot. We were delighted to welcome the Engadine NSW Rural Fire Service team to our October Engadine Community Markets. The Fire Engine brought to the market by the Engadine crew was a significant attraction for children and adults attending the markets as were the information bags and information provided. We would like to thank our fancy dress market friends who add significantly to the friendly market atmosphere by regularly attending the markets. Thanks are also extended to our wonderful stallholders and customers. Finally, as always, we would like to thank market manager Glynis King, who spends many hours each month organising the market, and liaising with stallholders.
We were again fortunate to be welcomed with a fine sunny day for our September (Father's Day) Engadine Community Markets. Customer traffic was steady throughout the morning although it did lessen a little in the afternoon when families were no doubt returning home to get together to celebrate Father's Day. We were joined as usual by our wonderful market fancy dress friends and the dedicated members of St Johns Ambulance. The Dandelion organisation also joined us to operate a charity stall. Our next market is scheduled for Sunday 6 October. Please consider attending, supporting our stallholders and enjoying the vibrant market atmosphere. Thanks, as always, are extended to our market manager Glynis King for undertaking the extensive work associated with organising the community market.
What a Sunday – another successful Bunnings BBQ over and done. So many wonderful people came to say hello and grab a snag. Funnily our sausages were very popular with the 4-legged woofers. It is amazing how many people walk their pups down to Bunnings to spoil them with a sausage sizzle for breakfast. Margaret, Ellen, Lyn, Jean, Charlotte and Glynis were there representing our Club. Special thanks to Grant for volunteering in support of our fund raising for the community.
On the 9th August 2024, Mayor Carmello Pesce presented our President Margaret Johnson a Community Grants and Subsidiary Program “Certificate of Appreciation” for the Intergenerational Learning Programme for 2024-2025.
This program has been extremely successful in the past financial year, and we are excited and thankful to receive funding to continue this program for the next year. President Margaret advises that 'We are most grateful to the council as this will allow us to offer to expand the programme to 4 other schools and Seniors Organisations. I am currently in discussions with both Greg Cronan (ILP Australia) and various schools and senior organisations'.
A successful Engadine Community Market was conducted on 4 August 2024. It was a coldish start to the day but the sky was largely clear of cloud and the day brought warming sunshine for the volunteers and customers attending the market. There was a good level of attendance throughout the morning and most stallholders were happy with the sales that they made. Thanks are extended to market manager Glynis King who runs a very efficient market. The next market is scheduled for Sunday 1 September.
The Engadine Community Markets are conducted in Engadine Town Square on the first Sunday of the month (with the exception of January and with the addition of a third Sunday in December), from 8am to 1pm. There are a variety of stalls offering items to tempt potential customers such stalls offering food, gifts, craft, plants, art and so on.
Another successful monthly beach clean up was conducted on 3 August 2024 following on from past successful clean ups. Due to bad weather in the weeks leading up to the beach clean up there was no shortage of plastic and other items that were found mixed in with other debris on Wanda beach. There were large quantities of the usual items that our team of volunteers normally find including: bottle tops, plastic cotton bud stems, food wrapping and containers, and so on.
Rotary Club of Cronulla members aim to attend Wanda Beach on a regular basis. We join with others interested in achieving plastic free oceans, and for a couple of hours, we collect and remove plastic items from the beach. We meet initially near the surf club Cafe and then proceed to the beach. All that is required to participate is a bag, gloves and a fun attitude. It's such a great way to get out in the fresh air on our beautiful beach, get a bit of exercise, while giving back to the community. We thank very much So Shire for assisting our Club in organising the activity. We also thank those that volunteered on the day. Please feel free to join us at our next 'Cronulla Rotary & So Shire' beach clean up. Upcoming Clean Up days are advised on our 'Rotary Club of Cronulla' Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/cronullarotary/
Plastic Free Oceans Wanda Beach Clean Up - 3 August 2024
On 25 June 2024 the Rotary Club of Cronulla held its annual changeover of Presidents. This event was encouraging, inspirational and provided for plenty of fellowship! We were encouraged by the words of the Honourable Mark Speakman MP and Mayor Carmelo Pesce, and inspired as always by PDG Dr Janice Hall. We also heard from Associate Professor Diana Olsberg (via phone) and Greg Cronan, both involved in the Intergenerational Learning Program. Outgoing President Jean-Philippe de Jong handed over the reins to incoming President Margaret Johnson. PDG Dr Janice Hall presented Jean-Philippe with a Paul Harris Fellow (PHF) award for his contribution to our club since the time he joined and for the work that he has put into the Intergenerational Learning Program. Congratulations Jean-Philippe. All members wish you and Louisa all the best on your move to Luxembourg. A big shout out to Lyn Bates for doing an excellent job of MC for the evening. Last but not least thank you to all who joined us for the evening!
The Joint meeting of the Rotary Clubs of Sutherland Shire was hosted by the Rotary Club of Cronulla at Cronulla RSL on 11 June 2024. Attendees included District Governor Tonia Barnes, Assistant Governor Kay Mireylees, Rotary Community Group 3 Leader Vimla Hayman, Director Intergenerational Learning Australia Greg Cronan, and members of the Caringbah, Cronulla, Engadine and Sutherland Rotary Clubs. President Jean-Philippe de Jong wished outgoing DG Tonia Barnes, AG Kay Mireylees and Club Presidents all the best in their future roles within or outside Rotary. He also thanked the Engadine club members for their hard work and their substantial contributions to the local Shire community during the last decades noting that while your club may cease to exist soon your contributions will not be forgotten, neither by Rotary nor by the large number of beneficiaries from the multitude of humanitarian projects that your club has supported during all those years.
ANZAC day is a very important day for the Australian community and it is considered important by our membership that the Rotary Club of Cronulla join with other organisations and individuals from the Sutherland Shire in recognising the sacrifice made by many brave Australians in protecting Australia.
The Rotary Club of Cronulla was very pleased to be able to support the very worthy ANZAC Day “Books in Lieu of Wreaths” program arranged by Cronulla RSL (refer https://www.cronullarslcommunity.com.au/booksinlieu), by making a donation of $315. A place card recognising the donation was placed in the commemorative garden by a representative of the Rotary Club of Cronulla during the ANZAC Day ceremony at Cronulla.
A successful BBQ was undertaken at Bunnings Taren Point on Sunday 14 April 2024. An enthusiastic team of Rotary Club members and friends provided sausage sandwiches and soft drinks to Bunnings customers. The day went smoothly albeit it was a little quiet compared to the previous Sunday Bunnings BBQ our Club undertook. We cooked just under 600 sausages this time compared to around 700 at the previous Sunday BBQ.
Thanks are extended to our BBQ team and to the team at Bunnings who were happy and helpful in supporting our BBQ. It was decided prior to the BBQ that the funds raised would be committed to supporting Youth within the local community.
On 7 April 2024 the Rotary Club of Cronulla commenced its involvement in the Engadine Community Markets. The initial market experience was a successful and happy one.
Rotary Club of Cronulla members met some of the fancy dress characters that participate in every market. Members were also introduced to the ‘Bump in” process during which stallholders are directed to their allocated spaces. Thanks are extended to market manager Glynis King and Engadine Rotary Club member Kevin Stuart in making the transition of market responsibility from Rotary Club of Engadine to Rotary Club of Cronulla a smooth one.
Our Club ended the calendar year in style with a wonderful - and rocky - Xmas cruise on Gunnamatta Bay in Cronulla on Tuesday 19 December. While the weather was calm at the start of the cruise, reports were subsequently received advising of approaching stormy weather. As a result the cruise captain made the decision to move to protected waters within Gunnamatta Bay.
Whilst all the guests had a very enjoyable time, the highlight of the evening was the decoration of ex-President Carol Denison with a Paul Harris Fellow (PHF) 2 award presented to her by District Governor Tonia Barnes. Congratulations Carol for this well-deserved award! Thanks are extended to Ellen Klees for the organisation of the cruise and the on board cruise raffle. Thanks are also extended to the dignitaries, family and friends who joined our members on the cruise.
Members of the Rotary Club of Cronulla, and of other organisations, attended Cronulla High School, as has been done in previous years, to provide the students with 'interview' experience, that will hopefully help them prepare for future job interviews. Prior to the interview the students were required to prepare an 'Interview Folder' containing documents such as resume, references, school results and awards. Each interview was of approximately 15 minutes duration. Feedback was provided at the interview to students via a pro forma Evaluation sheet. Our Club members were impressed, as has been the case in past years, with the quality of the students. This in turn reflects favourably on the quality of teaching at Cronulla High School". Bevan Gosby, Career Advisor, Cronulla High, provided our Club with positive feedback advising "I have had some very positive feedback from our students today who gained some valuable skills and ideas from the experience".
Cronulla High School Practice Interviews - 1 December 2023
On 1 December Rotary Club of Cronulla member Carol Denison, who is also Assistant Governor St George area, joined with Campsie Police Area Command at Roselands Shopping centre to promote awareness of the importance of addressing the scourge of domestic violence. This activity is part of an internationally recognised ’16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence’ campaign that began on Saturday (25 November 2023). Together we can say No to Domestic & Family Violence and Yes to Respectful Relationships! #PeopleOfAction#15daysofawareness#CreateHopeInTheWorld#rotaryinternational#rotary#district9675
On 23rd and 24th of October, two representatives from District 9675 Mark Anderson and his son Dave, RRFC Peter Garnett from New Zealand and PDG Greg Marlow from the Northern Territory, together with other Rotary members, ride the trains through the Illawarra region as well as conduct a live radio interviews, in order to focus attention on the 'End Polio' cause and to raise funds. Their journey on 24 October commenced at 4.33am at Cronulla Railway station. Members of the Rotary Club of Cronulla attended to wish the 'End Polio Train Ride' team well, make a $700 donation to the cause, and to accompany the team to Sutherland station. 'Ending Polio is a great cause well worth supporting. Refer https://my.rotary.org/en/take-action/end-polio to make a donation.
On 15 October our Club held a sausage sizzle at Bunnings. A lot of organising, hard work and lots of fellowship made it a very successful day. We sold over 650 sausage sandwiches along with drinks. Members, family and friends pitched in and we could not have done it without their help.The funds we raise go right back into the community be it youth projects, vulnerable individuals or the environment to name just a few. A big shout out to all the customers who supported us. Thank you!!
On Sunday 17 September 2023 members of the Rotary Club of Cronulla joined members of other Rotary Clubs in conducting course marshalling duties for the Sydney Marathon. We were allocated to the Moore Park area. Our start was a very early one being required to be at the check in point before 5am. The day was a hot but most participants in the event seemed to cope very well. Amazing! Thank you very much to Phil Snider and the Rotary Club of Rose Bay for organising Rotary member participation and to our Team Leader Jackie Charlton of Rotary Club of Sydney Cove for her advice and leadership on the day.
Sydney Marathon Course Marshalling - 17 September 2023
The Rotary Club of Cronulla was delighted to sponsor Jai Sivamogga to attend Rotary Youth Program of Enrichment (RYPEN) training held at Telford in the Royal National Park from 11 to 13 August 2023. Jai reported on the weekend experience as follows:
"A great, valuable and highly entertaining camp at which (a) I made some good friends who I still talk to today. (b) I learnt a few things about indigenous culture and heritage as well as mental health. (C) I had a great time and developed some communication and leadership skills as a whole".
Our Club looks forward to hearing from Jai about his experience at a future Club meeting.
Members of the Rotary Club of Cronulla joined other Rotarians of District 9675 to perform course marshalling duties at the Sydney City to Surf 2023. Thank you very much to Area Governor Vimla Hayman of the Rotary Club of St George Next Generation for organising the Rotarian involvement and thank you to all those who volunteered. There were around 80,000 participants in the event. The weather was a little cool but the rain held off and there were lots of smiling faces evidencing the fun nature of the event.
The Rotary Club of Cronulla has in recent years been providing funding to support the building of a much needed Medical Centre in the Yavusania village, near Nadi, in Fiji. Building work has recommenced after a lull due principally to COVID. The attached image provides evidence of progress made to date. One way funds are being raised is through an On Line Raffle which also appears on this website. If you are in a position to support this project by purchasing some tickets it would be greatly appreciated.
Members of the Rotary Club of Cronulla were delighted to issue a Certificate of Appreciation to Sarah-Jo and Brett Lobwein of Sustainable Organisations of the Sutherland Shire (SO Shire) in recognition of their organisation partnering with our Club in conducting a monthly beach clean up of plastic items from Wanda Beach. Their analysis of the plastic items that are removed from Wanda beach by our team of volunteers, adds greatly to the value and significance of the monthly beach clean-up activity. It is through working together that success is achieved!
Certificate of Appreciation SO Shire - 1 August 2023
A wonderful Presidential and Board changeover night for the Rotary Club of Cronulla was held at Cronulla RSL. Our past President Carol Denison was congratulated for a successful and passionate 2022-2023. Incoming President Jean-Philippe de Jong provided an inspirational talk outlining his aspirations for 2023-2024. Our latest new member Ken Larbalestier was inducted. Thanks were extended to our inspirational Rotary leadership team of Tonia Barnes (DG), Janice Hall (IPDG), Kay Mireylees (AG), and Phil Whyte (PDG). Mayor Carmelo Pesce and his wonderful team at Sutherland Shire Council were thanked for their considerable support as were Brett and Sarah-Jo Lobwein of So Shire for partnering with us on our Beach Clean ups. Our MC for the night was Lyn Bates who performed this task professionally as always. Thanks were extended to those who organised the night Including Carol, Maria Moran and Jean Smith, as well as to our club photographer Keiko Ellis, to Cronulla RSL for providing a wonderful venue and customer service team, and last but not least to all members and friends who took the time to attend the changeover event.
Changeover Night - Rotary Club of Cronulla 1 August 2023
Rotary Club of Cronulla members assisted members of the Rotary Club of Caringbah in operating a BBQ at the NAIDOC community event of 6 July 2023 held at Gunnamatta Park at Cronulla. We were all kept very busy. Our catering was based on the purchase of 500 sausages with accompanying quantities of bread and onions. Such was customer demand that our stocks were exhausted much earlier than expected. It was great being part of the day, serving happy customers and supporting the Kurranulla Aboriginal Corporation and the staff of Sutherland Shire Council in conducting a wonderful event for our community. Well done to all involved.
Rotary Club of Cronulla members were up and about early this morning along with Caringbah & Sutherland Rotary Clubs feeding the masses that participated in the Relay for Life event. Congratulations to everyone in the community that took part in this global movement that brings communities together to celebrate cancer survivorship, remember loved ones lost and to fight back against cancer.
It was a wet & soggy day but we got the job done. Our club was asked to support Sutherland Shire Council's "Meeting of Two Cultures" ceremony this morning. We BBQ'd & served free sausages provided by the council to all that participated and attended. Unfortunately the rain kept alot of folks at home; however, it was a nice ceremony & successful day.
President Carol Denison & Treasurer Mark Ellis attended the Cronulla RSL ANZAC Day Dawn Service at Cronulla Park this morning. They had the honor of laying placards for "Books in Lieu of Wreaths" which benefits local schools.
What a beautiful and solemn service it was with South Cronulla Beach as it's background.
What a fun Charity Trivia Night last night with Caringbah Rotary, Cronulla Rotary Club and Rotary Club of Engadine! Thank you Grill'd Miranda for organising a wonderful charity fundraiser for us. The winning prizes of Grill’d vouchers will be donated to Care4Kids to give to local families. The funds raised are for a future Environmental Project involving all Shire clubs. Thank you to Caringbah Rotary for organising this event.
Shire Rotary Clubs Charity Trivia Night - 27 March 2023
When Rotary Club of Cronulla Past President Maria Moran was approached by the Chumpy Pullin Foundation asking if our club would be willing to help out on this event to assist in wave counting there was no hesitation! What an honour for our club to be involved (if only in a small way) with this incredible event! Thank you Chumpy Pullin Foundation and Blake Johnston on your amazing accomplishment!
It has truly been a remarkable and unforgettable 2 days!
The Rotary International organisation promotes the philosophy of service above self. One of Rotary’s avenues of service is Vocational Service, and part of that avenue is the encouragement of the pursuit of excellence. The Pride of Workmanship (POW) Award is one way Rotary can recognise those in our community who do this as part of their everyday lives.
Last night we had the honour of presenting two POWs. They were awarded to:
Members of the Rotary Club of Cronulla joined other members of Rotary, including members of the Rotary Club of St George Next Gen and Rotary Club of Sutherland, in performing course marshalling duties for the City to Surf event in Sydney on 14 August 2022.
The weather was good, the city to surf participants were enthusiastic and happy, and the company of Rotary colleagues while course marshalling was great and made the activity a very enjoyable one.
A big thank you to all of our sponsors, guest speakers, club members, fellow Rotarians, family and & friends of rotary for making our Fiji High Tea such a huge success. It was wonderful seeing old friends and making new ones at the Cronulla RSL venue. Everyone enjoyed the presentations, fellowship, food & drinks and were very generous.
Silver Sponsors - Payne Pacific Real Estate; Trend Tyre Imports Pty Ltd (Taren Point); Phil and Cheryl Whyte
BACKGROUND
The Cronulla Rotary Club has been providing support to an international project – ‘Yavusania Village’ outside Nadi, FIJI, for the past six years. Our main focus has been their village medical clinic. On our club’s first visit the clinic was an empty building. For the past three years our club raised funds, and along with a Rotary Grant we have been able to help the community in developing their medical centre facility which is supported by the Fijian Government. Unfortunately, due to COVID the work has been held up for the past two years and the community has not been able to work so unable to keep the supplies going for the original medical clinic. The club is continuing to support the good work that the villagers are doing leading to a sustainable and healthy future for their families and children.
Rotary Club of Cronulla members joined with members of other Sutherland Shire Clubs to provide a BBQ for participants in the Relay for Life event on Saturday 30 April and Sunday 1 May 2022. This event raises funds for the Cancer Council on an annual basis.
Cronulla Rotary along with Sutherland & Engadine Rotary Clubs hosted a "thank you" barbecue yesterday at Sutherland Hospital. We acknowledged the dedication the staff have shown to patients during the pandemic. Thank you to Sutherland Rotary Club for organising. It was a fun day working alongside with other Shire Rotarians.
A successful Pride of Workmanship (POW) awards presentation night was held at Cronulla RSL on 29 March 2022 with three inspiring winners. Dr. Gabrielle Humphreys, the CEO of Dandelion Support Network gave a talk about her organisation (this important charity run by volunteers who accept, sort and safety check nursery items, clothes, toys and linen for babies and kids that Cronulla Rotary and its members work closely with and support). The three inspiring POW award winners were:
Kirsty Mason, Toys Volunteer Team Lead with Dandelion Support Network
Brenda Lavender, Quality Assurance Officer with Dandelion Support Network
Susan Green, Manager Food Services Sutherland/ The Shires Meals on Wheels - (also an invaluable community service within the shire).
Members of the Rotary Club of Cronulla visited the Cronulla Railway station in support of Rotary Australia's "End Polio Train Ride" activity.
Virtual Train Ride to End Polio – Wednesday, Feb. 23rd
Each year in Sydney along with other cities in Australia, there has been a Train Ride to End Polio fundraising event. The Sydney train ride has raised over $450,000 in the past three years, so for Polio it is a focal point for fundraising. This year, due to Covid the event was postponed, and again due to Covid it is not practical to ride the trains so we have created a VIRTUAL TRAIN RIDE to end polio. We also have a new fundraising platform called RAISE FOR ROTARY and we ask members and friends of Rotary to try it - go to https://raise.rotary.org/EndPolioVirtualTrainRide/challenge21.
Members of the Rotary Club of Cronulla joined together with members of other Clubs within the Sutherland Shire to promote the Rotary Australia 'Adopt a Tree' activity.
The combined clubs of the Sutherland Shire are getting together to promote the Adopt a Tree project at Bunnings, Kirrawee, over the 25 and 26th of January. This project is part of Rotary’s commitment to the environment, and we have been asked to provide volunteers over the two days to “virtually sell” saplings to customersand the community which will be planted later in the year as a “hands on” project at a site to be confirmed as one of significance to the community.
There are millions of people in the world suffering extreme cold. In 1992 Wrap with Love began with the idea to help as many people as possible by providing warm Wraps to ward off hypothermia and in the past 23 years they have sent more than 400,000 Wraps to people in over 75 countries, including Australia, with the help of hardworking and generous volunteers. Each wrap consists of 28 squares and if anyone is interested in sewing squares, please contact Lyn Bates.
Ralf Zuke, president of the Rotary Club of Fairview Heights, Illinois, USA, will completeRalph’s Rickshaw Ride for Polio from St. Louis, Missouri, USA to the Rotary International Convention in Toronto, Canada. This ride will last 22 days with the goal to raise $22,000. Each day is in honor of one of the preventable cases of polio in 2017.
Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children, ROMAC facilitates life saving surgery for children from more than 20 developing countries. ROMAC is a not-for-profit humanitarian organisation being run entirely by volunteers, many of whom are Rotarians.
Last Wednesday night Carmen and Maria took the ROMAC family from the Solomon Islands to see Vivid with the City of Sydney Rotary Club. Mareen and her mum Akila will be in Australia for 8 months plus, as Mareen has a Desmoid tumour that is being treated at the cancer unit at Randwick Hospital.
The "U Turn the Wheel" program is a one-day in-school program that is now being delivered to Year 11 students in every High School in the Sutherland Shire. "U Turn the Wheel" is coordinated by local Rotary Clubs and supported by Sutherland Shire Council. Between 2009 and 2012 the casualty rate of 17-20 year old drivers fell 49% in the Sutherland Shire LGA (where UTTW has 100% of the schools) whereas there was a 13% reduction across the Sydney Region.
Numbers were up again this year at the annual Pre-WWll Vintage Car and Bike Show. In the 8 hours of the show it is estimated 25,000 people came through the mall to see Pre-WWII machines, many of which were well over 100 years old.
The event raises much needed funds for the Sylvanvale Kids Club. The Kids Club is vital to the Sutherland Shire and surrounding communities. Sylvanvale Kids Club ensures that school aged children with disabilities are cared for after school, during school holidays and on weekends. The event would not be a success if it was not for support from the Sutherland Shire Council, the Sylvanvale Foundation and Cronulla Rotary members.
Another very successful golf day was held on Monday 19 February 2018.
The event raises money for Motor Neurone Disease research. Motor neurone disorders (MND) are one of the most rapidly-progressive age-related diseases known to man. There is no known cure and no effective treatment for MND. Each day two Australian people die from MND.
The golf day event helps us sponsor PHD scholarships. Dr. Dharmadasa is a Neurologist who recently completed her Advanced Training in Neurology through the Royal Melbourne Hospital and The Alfred Hospital, Victoria. Through this time she cultivated a particular interest in motor neurone disease, and is now commencing a PhD in this area under Professor Matthew Kiernan, University of Sydney, Co-funded by The Rotary Club of Cronulla.
Throughout India and around the world, Rotary clubs are celebrating a major milestone: India has gone three years without a new case of polio. The last reported case was a two-year-old girl in West Bengal on 13 January 2011. To mark this historic triumph, Rotary clubs illuminated landmarks and iconic structures throughout the country with four simple but powerful words, "India is polio free."
The three-year achievement sets the stage for polio-free certification of the entire Southeast Asia region by the World Health Organization. The Indian government also plans to convene a polio summit in February to commemorate this victory in the global effort to eradicate polio.
What is it like taking a large team to Africa? It has probably been one of the most rewarding experiences in my life. In mid February, I began leading Rotary members from all over the East Coast of the United States through Ghana. I’ve tried to give the team a warm Ghanaian welcome like I’ve received on my earlier trips. A large trip is a real blessing because each person sees Ghana and our work in a different way.
A highlight for the team was greeting the chief of Sagadugu. The team got excited about buying goats and food for children in the villages where I support eight churches. It was good to see the pastors of most of the eight churches, and I had to explain that we were just passing through on our way to Bolgatanga.
Music has been an important part of leading an ordinary life for students at the Music School for Children With Disabilities in Honor of Paul Harris in Lublin, Poland. Founded by Rotary members, the school serves 20 students with various disabilities, including Down syndrome, autism, and visual impairments. The Rotary Club of Lublin-Centrum-Maria Curie-Sklodowska has provided funding with help from Rotary Foundation Matching Grants and the Henryk Wieniawski Musical Society, which houses the school.
After their son Mateusz was born with underdeveloped eyes, Mariusz and Joanna Kania looked for ways to help him be active. When he showed an aptitude for music, they looked for a teacher and were thrilled to find the Paul Harris music school.
For years, Angalia Bianca had slept in abandoned buildings throughout Chicago. She stole. She did drugs. She spent time in and out of jail for forgery, theft, trespassing, and possession of narcotics. But after she landed in prison for the seventh time, something changed -- Bianca knew she wanted a better life. She just didn’t know how to make it happen.
After serving her time, Bianca sought help from a local homeless organization, A Safe Haven, and moved to its shelter in the Rogers Park neighborhood. Bianca followed the program closely -- she attended all the required meetings, passed drug tests, and volunteered at every opportunity.
Lest We Forget 
The "U Turn the Wheel" program is a one-day in-school program that is now being delivered to Year 11 students in every High School in the Sutherland Shire. "U Turn the Wheel" is coordinated by local Rotary Clubs and supported by Sutherland Shire Council. Between 2009 and 2012 the casualty rate of 17-20 year old drivers fell 49% in the Sutherland Shire LGA (where UTTW has 100% of the schools) whereas there was a 13% reduction across the Sydney Region.
Numbers were up again this year at the annual Pre-WWll Vintage Car and Bike Show. In the 8 hours of the show it is estimated 25,000 people came through the mall to see Pre-WWII machines, many of which were well over 100 years old..jpg)
Another very successful golf day was held on Monday 19 February 2018. 
Throughout India and around the world, Rotary clubs are celebrating a major milestone: India has gone three years without a new case of polio. The last reported case was a two-year-old girl in West Bengal on 13 January 2011. To mark this historic triumph, Rotary clubs illuminated landmarks and iconic structures throughout the country with four simple but powerful words, "India is polio free."
What is it like taking a large team to Africa? It has probably been one of the most rewarding experiences in my life. In mid February, I began leading Rotary members from all over the East Coast of the United States through Ghana. I’ve tried to give the team a warm Ghanaian welcome like I’ve received on my earlier trips. A large trip is a real blessing because each person sees Ghana and our work in a different way.
For years, Angalia Bianca had slept in abandoned buildings throughout Chicago. She stole. She did drugs. She spent time in and out of jail for forgery, theft, trespassing, and possession of narcotics. But after she landed in prison for the seventh time, something changed -- Bianca knew she wanted a better life. She just didn’t know how to make it happen.