Last Thursday’s breakfast speakers (who had us captivated for the entire meeting) were Incoming DG Tim Mee (RC of Morialta) and friend Maurice O’Donnell who volunteers for 6 months of every year with the New Dawn Ukraine project. Tim started off his talk about engagement through International Service – especially around the areas of impact, reach, engagement and adaptation. On any given overseas project, there needs to be a community needs assessment, MOI with NGO or other non-Rotary partner, goal setting and measures of success, budget, project control and evaluation post-project.
Tim then continued re RAWCS (Rotary Australia World Community Service) where projects can be registered on-line so that RAWCS can provide benefits such as no-fee bank accounts, fundraising support, tax deductability for donations and crowd funding, external funding partnerships, robust governance – and all at a low cost admin fee of 5.5%. Just as an example, the Hay Bale project started by the RC of Adelaide Central (and which our club donated $2000 to) was provided with $50,000 from RAWCS to help SA farmers.
Maurice then spoke on his experience over the past few years in the Ukraine with the New Dawn project which provides everything from school reconstruction, mobile medical centres, food hampers for those in need and water projects in areas reclaimed from Russian invasion/bombings etc. Maurice, who has a background as a Captain in the British army before entering the Financial arena, had visited and loved Kiev when he visited in his youth, so when the Russians started bombing the country he felt a great need to help.
In August 2022, New Dawn Ukraine was started when Julia went on the radio asking for volunteers to help collate and deliver 100 food parcels. New Dawn Ukraine is now bigger than the Red Cross in that country, with over 200 food parcels per day to the aged and needy. In the southern region of the country, after the dam burst/was sabotaged? and water was scarce, New Dawn helped with water purification projects and delivered four transportable medical centres in the countryside where they were needed the most due to bombings of hospitals and whole towns. Employees of New Dawn Ukraine is funded by NGOs (Non-Government Organisations), so all Rotary funds are directed to projects only. An exceedingly informative talk by both Tim and Maurice.
“Shop and Share” – whereby shoppers are asked if they would buy extra non-perishables for people in need – was held on Friday 11 and Saturday 12 April at the North Adelaide Village shopping centre. Adelaide Club and Adelaide Light Club came together to support women and children who are in Domestic Violence Shelters. The two large fully shopping trolleys of canned goods, bathroom necessities ie shampoos, toothpaste and toothbrushes, pasta and pasta sauces, cereals etc were collected on Friday and these were donated by Adelaide Light to Catherine House. On Saturday and similar amount of goods were donated by the Adelaide Club to the Women’s Safety Service (also also provide many women’s shelters). Our Club’s thanks go to RC of Adelaide’s Incoming President Gildi Carty for arranging the venue details and roster of volunteer hours. My thanks to Club members Di, Rob, Elaine, Yvette, Helen and Yulieth for volunteering over the two days. Adelaide Club had a similar number of volunteers to fill the six shifts.
Today (Monday) we had a very successful – albeit incredibly hot – Bunnings BBQ fundraising event. Sausages were flying out thick and fast. Thanks to volunteers Paul E, Rob, Dean, Yvette, Di, Elaine, Joy (a Croquet Club friend), Angus, Ian and Bruce.
This coming Thursday is Coffee Catch-up at the White Picket Café from 9.30am.
Best wishes and have a great week. Yvette, President.
District Conference 2025 – Multi-District Impact Summit 2025
When: 16-18 May 2025 Where: Morphettville Racecourse, Morphettville, SA
Join fellow Rotarians from Districts 9800 (Central Victoria) and 9510 (South Australia, Broken Hill, Sunraysia, and Alice Springs) for an inspiring and impactful summit focused on driving meaningful change in our communities.
Program Highlights:
Keynote Speakers
Gala Dinner
Club Project Showcase
Cocktail Party
Networking Opportunities
Foundation Breakfast
Interactive Breakout Sessions
End Polio Walk
Duck Racing Fundraiser
"Why Should I Attend?"
Engage with influential speakers and community leaders.
Discover innovative projects and strategies to showcase Rotary’s impact.
Expand your network and collaborate with fellow Rotarians.
Together, we can make a greater difference! Don’t miss this opportunity to CONNECT, SHARE, and LEARN.
Hey there! Get ready for the next Cuppa Conversation! Join us on Saturday, 26th April, at Bocelli Caffe Ristorante (81–83 Hutt Street, outside tables).
Hope to see you there! Just let me know if you’ll be coming.
Our happy little Rotary Club has just acquired a pallet of Mitchell's outstanding 2018 Kalmar Shiraz @ $150/dozen - a cut above the average shiraz. 🍷
2018 was a fine vintage and it sells on Wine Direct for $45/bottle but China’s helped us to offer it for 70% less than that… so, it’s understandably popular.
Perhaps you'd fancy a case or two of this lovely drop for the cooler weather ahead?
If you’d like some for you or your friends, contact me or my colleague, Rob...
This year's fundraising will among other needs, help us towards building our next Timor Lesté community project, Australia's nearest north-west neighbour.
Warmest regards,
John Wotherspoon
Rotary Club of Adelaide Light e: john@wothers.net | m: 0488 0000 50
The Kalmar Vineyard takes its name from the homestead that has housed the Mitchell family for three generations. A classic Clare Valley Shiraz with style and great flavour.
T A S T I N G N O T E
A delicious example of Clare Valley Shiraz. blue forest fruits, bay leaf and a smooth finish. a perfect balance of fruit and acid make this the perfect Shiraz for all occasions. Will continue to develop over time, although drinking beautifully right now.
G R O W I N G C O N D I T I O N S
2018 growing season was warm and dry. Despite this, the vines were in a perfectly balanced and healthy state heading into vintage. All canopies in the vineyard were strong and full, the fruit set and ripening was consistent with fantastic flavours. Clare Valley at its best!
W I N E M A K I N G
The juice for this wine was fermented open slate tanks, including a whole bunch component. Hand plunged and a slow ferment to capture the natural flavours from the vineyard. The wine is then aged in French oak barrels for 18 months before being bottled without filtration.
United in the spirit of Service we value truth, fairness and friendship; and we welcome the opportunity that Rotary gives us to contribute our talents and resources in support of others.
Rotary Club of Adelaide Light Mission Statement
To have fun and engage interest from new members and friends as we use our strengths for a better world here and abroad - a welcoming, flexible group having fun doing hands-on activities for positive impact.
