The Chair on Tuesday night was Rotarian Svet Lineham.
Photo is of Svet's dog Max :)
We had an inspiring presentation from Chris Preston this week from the Rotary club of Daybreak on the subject of Wheelchairs for Kids (wheelchairsforkids.org ). He brought along two other members from Daybreak Jayne Preston and Ian Harper.
Apologies were from Rachel, Kelly, Sharon, Greg, Keith, Chris, Anne Body.
Member announcements were from;
Janet, who gave us an update on the Early Loss Memorial. Work should be starting on it soon. She mentioned Brooke and Angela will be looking into a logo and branding for the project. Janet also handed out the $2.00 collection tubes for Rotary Foundation. Each tube collects $100.00. If you would like one please see a member of the Board.
John Beks let us know that Relay for Life is back on again -Saturday 22 February 12 noon till 10.30pm at Deakin UNI oval.
Judy finalised volunteers for the Bike Races this weekend . Each volunteer receives $70 per shift for our rotary club.
Please bring back your hi-vis vest next week to our rotary meeting.
Hope you have a great week.
Next Meeting 11th February
On the couch with Rotarian Angela!
6pm for a 6.15pm start
Warrnambool Bowls Club. Corner of Kelp and Timor St
A reminder, if you cannot attend the meeting; please contact David Brown via 0438 647 536 or dljb3280@gmail.com
Meeting Jobs
Sargeant:
Ann Body
Fellowship:
Terry O'Neill
Invocation:
John Beks
If you are unable to fill this position, please contact Anne Adams on 0418 528 787 or
adamsanne49@gmail.com
Make sure to return your borrowed high vis vest to Tony or Judy at the next meeting. Thanks to everyone who participated in the race on the weekend.
Member Announcements
Robbie Blackmore
Social Outing!
A day at Timboon - A social day which will include a visit to the strawberry farm, lunch, plus fudge and ice cream shops. Date is 16th February and if you would like to go, please contact Robbie.
Judy Ross
Bread Tags
The bread tags have been going to Bakers Delight in the coles carpark at the rear of Target. Feel free to drop them in if you are in the area. However, if you still want to bring them to Rotary, I am happy to deliver them on your behalf.
Ann Body
Bottle Top Collection
Ann will happily take your plastic bottle tops. Please make sure they are washed and dried before you give them to her. They are sent to the lids for kids program in Mt Gambier.
Rachel Furnell
RYLA 2025
will take place in the April 2025 school holidays. We are seeking participants to attend aged between 18-25 at the time of the camp. Applications will open around October. If you have anyone in mind, please contact Rachel.
Brooke McLeod
Youth Exchange
Rotary internationally promotes youth exchange across the globe. Our district has 3 incoming 16 year old students for the 2025 year. Maria from Brazil will be living here in Warrnambool, and as such we are looking for homestays for Maria. This basically means taking on board Maria in your house for a minimum of 6 weeks. She will be attending school and volunteering at Rotary events while here in Warrnambool. If you are not able to take her on board, there are options that if you are doing something fun or 'cool', you are welcome to take Maria along as she is here is experience everything Australian culture. Peter has offered to bring her to the Australian Open for example.
Please get in contact with me about what is means to be a homestay parent.
More info about Rotary Youth Exchange (maybe you know someone we can sponsor out-bound?)
- https://www.rotary.org/en/our-programs/youth-exchanges
- https://ryea.org.au/
Our district: https://rotary9780.org/sitepage/youth-services/what-is-youth-exchange
Upcoming Speakers
February
11th - Angela Wheeler
On the couch
18th - Sharyn Anderson
Dorothea Mackellar
25th - Brian Trenery
RI Constitution
March
4th
Andrew Jerrrey from
Wannon Water
11th
Zoe Dammon from
Brophy L2P
18th
Kelly Curran with Rotary values and the Code of Conduct
25th
On the couch with Wendy Gosden
April
TBA
May
TBA
June
TBA
Upcoming Events
February 8th - 9th
Melb to Warrnambool
Bike Race
16th
Social day at Timboon
March
7th-10th
Port Fairy Folk Festival
April 6th
Daybreak's Long Lunch 6th-11th
RYLA
May
Upcoming Meeting Jobs Roster
Date
Sargeant
Fellowship
Invocation
schedule TBC
Additions to the Bulletin
Please contact Brooke and Sarah to add items to the bulletin
brookeemmajensen@gmail.com and sarah.adams2509@gmail.com
Wheelchairs for Kids
Thanks to Chris Preston for stopping by to tell us about this amazing project!
Chris is a member of Rotary Club of Warrnambool Daybreak.
Originally joined Rotary Warrnambool Central in 1988 before becoming a charter member of Daybreak in 1998.
Chris has a long history in the carpenter and joinery insudtry which is why he is such a valued member of the PNG project team. Both Chris and Janey are valued members of the Rotary Warrnambool community and it was a pleasure to host them and Rotarian Ian on Tuesday night.
Chris spoke about his recent trip to Perth and the tour through the Wheelchairs for Kids factory. You can read through the amazing website that they have here: https://wheelchairsforkids.org/ or watch this video from Rotary Down Under: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1tlXHEgFzU
Olly Pickett is the Rotarian who started this project long ago, and this year was honoured with the 2025 Senior Australian of the Year Award for his amazing and continuing contributions.
You can watch this video about Olly and the Wheelchair for Kids project recently made by the ABC in conjunction with the awards.
https://youtu.be/VwfCuWcHVyQ
RELAY FOR LIFE – 2025
Why??? Why bother??? Why get involved???
My family, like so many others, has been affected by the untimely, indiscriminate and usually painful death of a member. In some families, there is just the isolated case of CANCER: in others there appears to be a common gene. As far as I am able to trace back, I count 4 successive generations of MALE cancer victims in my family tree. A statistic not lost on me, nor my close surviving relatives!
Ever since the origin at the 2003 Warrnambool Relay for Life, a variety of local community groups have teamed together to make a difference: in these 22 years raising about $2 million.
Unfortunately, COVID-19, and subsequent years, put a halt to the physical side of the Relay.
Until then our Rotary Club to date had raised in excess of $15,000.
This year's Relay will once more take place at Deakin Oval, but will only run on one day, Saturday 22nd February, from 12 noon til 10:30pm.
Unless there is a real appetite from a worthwhile number of members to register (at $50 per head) in the actual WALK event, I proposed that our Club again this year contribute the usual sum of $1000.
Please see John if you are interested in being in the walking team for the Relay. If a there are not an enough persons able to participate, the vote will be sent to the board towards a donation.
John Beks
Thanks to the Warrnambool Weekly for covering the book sale recently. You can read the article here:
https://www.warrnamboolweekly.com.au/book-sale-a-huge-success-2025-01-31?fbclid=IwY2xjawIVXFdleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHZCfc8n2eLExsSMI3Kroby7ayEQilBDK-nQDf2K2vgwbZGWwoHFR2iw-4g_aem_crZE9PhxnPf2D-ks9HFZxw
The Folkie is just around the corner!
Each year we provide volunteer support to the folkie. The requirement is for each volunteer to work two shifts of 6 hours a shift over the course of the long weekend in Tent 5 as ushers providing guidance/directions to festival patrons. In return for this work volunteers receive a weekend pass to the Folkie.
If you are interested in volunteering, please get in contact with David Brown to fit yourself into the roster via 0438 647 536 or dljb3280@gmail.com
RYLA applications are now open!
We are on the hunt for 18-25 year olds.
For further information about the program visit our website: https://ryla9780.org/
Please see Rachel about any information or if you have someone interested. Rachel also has physical copies of the flyer if you would like one.
Wisecrack of the week
From John Beks
WHAT IS A GRANDFATHER?
Grandfathers are put on this earth for a purpose. To prove how kind a human being can really be, to provide happiness for little children, and leave wisdom and a sense of values for people to live by.
Grandfather is a man of principle. He is honest, sometimes gruff – yet soft as a kitten underneath, living on principles that a man should be judged not on who he is, but by what he does.
Grandfather is liked by his grand-children with an indescribable deepness – for some, when he comes into the room, every corner of a childs world brightens.
Grandpa can patch family quarrels, mend broken toys, when there’s a rosebush, which never quite seems to grow properly, the magic touch and the tender care of his green fingers seems to make it flourish in no time.
Grandfathers are like a mountain. You look at them in awe, and with great respect for the solidity and strength that lies within them. He is a very wonderful person, is Grandfather – for when he talks to you, he seems to talk to you with his heart.
DISTRICT CONFERENCE 2025
Time to put March 21 - 23 in your diary and get ready to head to the Surf Coast for District Conference. Numbers are strictly limited to 200 attendees, so hop online and register now to get the Early Bird Special price! https://rotary9780conference.com.au/
