We are keeping busy as we head in August. Our annual tree planting event on 25th July with The City of Adelaide was a big success again this year. We got our hands dirty and worked hard to plant 500 natives at the edge of Victoria Park in under 2 hours! Luckily the weather was kind to us with the rain clearing just in time, and we ended up with 24 people turning up to lend a hand, including 7 club members (thank you all!), 2 Rotaractors and 15 migrants, the majority from Colombia. Afterwards the majority of us headed across the road to Commitment Issues Bar & Cafe where we enjoyed a warm drink, hearty brunch and had a great chat. Thanks to Alison for organising the booking.
For those wanting to participate, some of us will be doing Walk a Mile in My Boots this Friday 7th August, the annual fundraising event for the Hutt St Centre. It is always a very heartwarming to see everyone up early and walking together, with the plight of homelessness in the city a very worthy cause to support. Through Vinnies Fred's Van we see how many are doing it tough and the ongoing need for services, food, clothing, bedding. We will meet just prior to the starting time of 7am at Victoria Park and finish at South Terrace with a free breaky bun. Please let Alison know if you plan to join.
Our next social/community event will be the Afghan cooking class on 16th August, where Manizha Abidi will be showing us how to cook 2 traditional and tasty dishes. It is a way to come together to connect, share and learn more about Afghan culture and food and is sure to be a fun afternoon. Please let me know if you plan to attend as numbers will be capped at 20.
Behind the scenes we are also progressing our Catherine House garden makeover project and will have Jaylee, Manager of Philanthropy and Engagement, come to present to the club on 10th September to provide an overview of the service, their exciting new build and the garden makeover project. We are then aiming to do the working bee across two consecutive Sundays, 20th and 27th September so please put these dates in your diaries.
As for the District and Rotary Community Group 1, which our club falls in, there is also a lot happening with Musical Bingo coming up on 8th August (Rob has been busy organising a table and I believe there's still tickets if you want to join), and the Adelaide Show Booth. A few of us (myself, Paige and Rob) have been allocated our show shift and will report back on how it goes but hope it's a great success.
See you at our next Breakfast meeting on 13th August.
In our hunt for good wine, we managed to acquire the last pallet of Jim Barry’s special offer partnership shiraz for the McGrath Foundation (they receive $2 a bottle). The Foundation’s goal is a specialist McGrath Breast Care Nurse to all Australian families experiencing breast cancer (1 in 7 women). So, while supporting them, you can also help our Rotary Club of Adelaide Light’s own charitable work.
The wine's tasting notes are below. It’s a great price at $159/dozen (almost half), combining elegance with robust flavours.
Let us know if you’d like a dozen, then pay your $159 to Account: Rotary Club of Adelaide Light;
BSB: 085 005, Account No: 51 108 5536,Ref: your name - shiraz
Thank you, John Wotherspoon and Rob McLennan e: john@wothers.net | m: 0488 0000 50
SHIRAZ Winemaking Notes A lively, youthful Shiraz bursting with aromas of blue and dark berries, complemented by notes of black pepper and delicate spice. The palate reveals generous blueberry and blackberry !avours, subtle hints of violet, and beautifully integrated oak. Bright and fresh, it shows excellent structure and impressive layers of complexity.
Since our founding in 1959, our story has been shaped by passion, craftsmanship, and a deep respect for the people and land behind every bottle of Shiraz we produce. We believe in making a meaningful di"erence with what we have, a philosophy that underpins our partnership with the McGrath Foundation.
The McGrath Foundation’s mission is simple yet powerful: to ensure that no one faces cancer alone. With the same care and dedication we bring to nurturing our vineyards and crafting our wines, McGrath Cancer Care Nurses provide vital support and compassion to individuals and families navigating cancer. In 2025, we were proud to renew our three-year nurse funding partnership, committing $140,000 annually to support a dedicated McGrath Foundation Cancer Care Nurse.
Wine has been !owing in the Clare Valley since 1851 and is an integral part of the culture. It is one of Australia’s most prestigious premium wine regions, most famous for its Riesling and Shiraz. A small area, accounting for less than 1.5% of Australia’s total wine production.With its beautiful, rolling hills, ideal winter rainfall and Mediteranean climate, the Clare Valley carries a unique history and winemaking heritage.
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.
Several years ago, Andy was sentenced to prison. During his stay, he got along well with the guards and all his fellow inmates. The warden saw that deep down, Andy was a good person and made arrangements for Andy to learn a trade while doing his time.
After three years, Andy was recognized as one of the best carpenters in the local area. Often he would be given a weekend pass to do odd jobs for the citizens of the community and he always reported back to prison before Sunday night was over.
The warden was thinking of remodeling his kitchen and in fact had done much of the work himself. But he lacked the skills to build a set of kitchen cupboards and a large counter top, which he had promised his wife. So he called Andy into his office and asked him to complete the job for him.
But, alas, Andy refused. He told the warden, "Gosh, I'd really like to help you, but counter fitting is what got me into prison in the first place."
