Great to see such good attendance at Mac's Parlor this week!
After Lisa opened the meeting and supplied us with suprise cookies for international cookie day, David Burt spoke to the club about the upcoming Sunday walk, run by 4 Reasons Why, which we're supporting. While the weather forecast isn't looking promising, registrations are up — so we'll budget for 100 egg and bacon rolls to hand out to participants and volunteers on the day.
Ray circulated a sign-up sheet for the next Adelaide University lecture on AI. Note that this moves our Tuesday 25th meeting to Adelaide Uni instead of our usual venue.
He further advised that Coming up:
Next week: Cameron Lonnie joins us to talk about his STEM project.
August 31st: We're supporting International Drug Overdose Awareness Day, providing insurance cover, the PA system, and soup courtesy of Ray.
Until next time...
Next Week
Meeting 2891 on Tuesday will be back at Macs with a guest speaker of Cameron Lonnie, on his STEM project, Jarvis.
August Sergeants
As mentioned above, Lisa's cookies were a huge hit so we took a look at what might be coming up this week and found 11 of August is an official day to a staggering 13 things...
10 August (Monday) - Graeme Cox - District 9780 Youth Protection Officer, Commodore Motel hosted by Lakes
11 August - Guest Speaker Cameron Lonnie, on his STEM project, Jarvis.
25 August - Adelaide University Public Lecture
31 August - International Drug Overdose Day Event
21 September (Monday) - Graeme Fischer - District 9780 End Trachoma Chair, Commodore Motel hosted by Lakes
30 October-1 November 2026 - Zone 8 Conference - Melbourne
A huge thank you to Ian, Greg and Neil for braving the weather and cooking up 82 tasty breakfast roles in support of the Four Reasons Why - Remembrance Walk today (Sunday). The roles were a donation to feed the participants raising money to support survivors and awareness of domestic violence in Australia. A particularly eye opening display remembering victims were also part of the event.
Redistricting Update
Rotary International has officially approved in principle the proposed redistricting of Zone 8, with the changes scheduled to take effect from 1 July 2028, subject to approval by clubs in the districts affected by the proposed mergers.
Over recent weeks, District Governors have been receiving information and guidance from Rotary International and the Rotary International South Pacific and Philippines Office (RISPPO) regarding the outcomes of the review and the next steps required to implement the proposal.
What Does This Mean for District 9780?
As one of the districts impacted by the proposed changes, District 9780 clubs will be asked to vote on the merger proposal. The outcome of this vote will determine whether the proposed district restructuring proceeds.
The proposal forms part of a broader initiative to ensure Rotary districts remain sustainable, effective, and well-positioned to support clubs into the future. Factors considered during the review included membership trends, geographic distribution, leadership capacity, and opportunities to strengthen support for clubs and communities.
Why Is a Vote Required?
While the Rotary International Board has approved the proposal in principle, Rotary's governance process requires that clubs in affected districts have the opportunity to decide whether their district will participate in the merger arrangements.
Every club's vote is important and will help shape the future structure of Rotary in our region.
Further information on the proposed redistricting and voting process will be shared as it becomes available.
Rotary programs offer valuable opportunities to empower and support emerging leaders, build international relationships, and expand your impact in the community.
What will be covered:
Learn about available programs and how to participate in them.
Evaluate the personal and professional benefits of program involvement.
Recognize and take advantage of opportunities for sustained long-term engagement through these programs.
If you have photos you can submit them on Facebook by the link below, or you can send a photo to Neil/Mary to send in, or you could even bring it along to Rotary for Neil to snap and submit for you.
Future Minds: Creativity & Ethics in the Age of AI
Delivered by Australian AI researchers Dr Rebecca Marrone and Dr Maria Vieira, this lecture will showcase national contributions to AI research while addressing key questions:
What role should AI play in creative work?
How do we balance innovation with ethical responsibility?
What choices do we want young people and communities to make as technology develops?
The session invites audiences to reflect, discuss and engage with some of the most important questions shaping our technological future. Suitable for anyone interested in creativity, emerging technologies, education, ethics and the future of society.
The Rotary South Pacific Regional Conference is the premier gathering of Rotary leaders, changemakers, and members across our region. It’s where vision meets action—where we explore the future of Rotary through the lens of People, Planet, and Peace, and connect with causes that reflect our shared values and areas of focus.
This is more than a conference—it’s a regional movement. A chance to build momentum, strengthen partnerships, and shape Rotary’s impact in the years ahead.
Date: 30 Oct - 1 Nov
Location: Melbourne Convention Centre PDG Tony Monley OAM, 2026 Zone Conference Chair
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