Meeting 2859 was our Christmas Break Up and we had a full house of Rotarians, families and Guests.
We started the evening with a performance from Gabriel Strahan from Tenison Woods College. Gabriel was the 2025 Shine Scholarship recipient. He performed a musical number, a Piano Man cover, and VIP from his album 'Sixteen' released earlier this year.
After dinner, I presented 8 of the 9 cheques to community organisations as part of our End of Year Season of Giving. In total the club has donated 11,500 across the 9 organisations. See photos below for recipients.
And to end the year in style, Sergeants David Burt and Mackenzie Davies hosted an interactive scrum for the goodies in the Santa Sack! congratulations on raising $173.05 from the session.
Have a safe and happy holidays, bulletins and meetings will resume from 7 January 2026.
Until next time.
Maree Thompson - Sunset Kitchen
Milton Turnbull - Royal Flying Doctors with Judith Whitehead who walked over 160 km in October to raise funds for the local group.
David Burt - 4 Reasons Why
Captain Tim Frost - Salvos
Jeanette Elliott - St Vinnies
Shalini McCarthy - AC Care
Vicki Clark - Community Lunch
Lynne Neshoda - Food Bank
Mayor Lynette Martin - Mayor's Christmas Appeal 2025
Shine Scholarship Performance
We were pleased to welcome Gabriel Strahan as the 2025 recipient of the Tenison Woods College Shine Scholarship to perform at dinner.
The scholarship is a $500 unrestricted prize awarded annually as the clubs way of giving back to the music community and is funded by money raised at the Generations in Jazz event.
Neville Gilbertson OAM works with Tenison Woods College to interview and select the winner from applicants within the college community. It is a very competitive process and has been ongoing for ten years. Congratulations Gabriel, you have a bright future ahead.
Meeting 2860 is the Mount Gambier clubs Annual Rawdon Mitchell Challenge and partners are encouraged to attend. Please remember we are seeking to lose so we don't have to organise 2027. Details will be circulated on Facebook and email early in the new year.
December Sergeants:
David Burt
Mary Irwin-Davies
Upcoming Events
Rawdon Mitchell Challenge Mini Golf, Wednesday 7 January 2026
Australian Sprint Car Catering 30-31 January 2026 TBC
Bondi Terror Attack Appeal
Rotary, in collaboration with the NSW Government, has launched the Unite for Bondi - Bondi Terror Attack Appeal to provide benevolent relief and support to injured survivors and direct next of kin of those deceased following the fatal shootings which occurred in Bondi NSW, on Sunday 14 December 2025.
The NSW Government has provided a support package with a contribution of $1 million to this public donation appeal launched through Rotary.
As Rotarians we stand united in our values of compassion, peace, and community with the victims and survivors of the Bondi shooting tragedy. Our hearts and thoughts go out to the victims, their families, and all impacted by this devastating event.
Thank you to everyone who had a chance to provide feedback. If you would like to have your say, this is your opportunity to reach out and tell us what you think.
Whether you want to email it, message it, or write it down and hand deliver it at a meeting, all responses are valued and will inform the direction of our club into 2026 and beyond.
QUESTION:
What do you want that our club does not currently provide? and
Do you have any suggestions on how this could be achieved?
Each Week we will be taking a Deep Dive into our Committee Leadership Opportunities. This week we will look at Secretary.
As club secretary you help your club run smoothly and effectively. You also monitor club trends to help identify strengths and areas for improvement, and share this information with club and district leaders.
Duties:
Maintain membership records,
Maintain minutes of board meetings,
Work with incoming secretary to ensure smooth transition
Make the President look good...
You will also be provided with specific training and resourcing opportunities to assist in your leadership journey!
If you are interested in more information on becoming Secretary, please reach out to Neil for more information.
The 2026 summit brings together three districts to amplify the collective power and drive meaningful change. We'll be focusing on the incredible things we can achieve when we work together, sharing our successes, and planning our future impact.
What to expect:
Inspiring Speakers: Hear from visionary leaders.
Collaborative Workshops: Engage in hands-on sessions.
Networking Opportunities: Connect with fellow members from across the districts.
Celebration of Service: We'll be showcasing amazing projects and celebrating the impact we've all made.
Experience Horsham: Discover the best of the Wimmera region with a Paddock to Plate-themed Gala Dinner and more.
