At our last breakfast meeting we heard from guest speaker Rebecca Millard, Strategic Relationship Specialist from Catherine House sharing the work they do and updates about their new build. Some key messages shared were:
Catherine House was the 1st women's only homelessness service in South Australia and remains the only recovery-based service for women experiencing homelessness
There has been an 81% increase in requests for support in the past year
There are 60 women on the waitlist for accommodation
No one leaves the service to homelessness, leading to the average stay of 5-7 months in the longer-term service
To help manage the increased need for support they have expanded their intake and waitlist support services
The new 8 storey fit for purpose building is expected to open in early 2027 and will include 52 self-contained units providing a mix of crisis, transitional and long-term accommodation, a Women's Centre and 24/7 support, with much improved security.
This leads on nicely to the first of our Catherine House garden working bees which was held on Sunday 20th September. With Catherine House rep, Amy and her very handy husband, we had 14 volunteers come together for 3 hours of hard yacka. Thanks to Rotarians Rob, Paul, Liz, Lili, Fatemeh (and husband Reza) and 7 very hard-working migrants from Colombia, Argentina, Japan and Malaysia we completed the removal of the irrigation system, significant weeding, some plant removal and repositioning, hedging and lay out new weed mat for the 5 cottage gardens ready for next week. On Sunday 27th a new group will assemble to lay down the gravel/stone and a new bistro set for each garden to complete the low maintenance makeover.
Other things happening include that we are in the midst of purchasing new spiffy signs for our Christmas trees sales and designing new club shirts (a few options are in the works) with AI's help, which I will present at a meeting soon. Fred's Van keeps rolling on with another shift this Wednesday 23rd, followed by our dinner meeting on Thursday 24th which will be focused on action planning, led by Paul Jupp, as the next step in the strategic planning process. Please come along if you can as every voice present helps shape the direction of our club.
PS please save the date for our October dinner meeting on 22nd where we will have guest speaker, Mohsen Abdel Meseh, from the Australian Refugee Association come present to us about their driving program and swimming classes. This has come about through Erfan identifying a high need for both in the refugee community and bringing this to the Community Service Committee.
PPS our Christmas celebration has been confirmed for Friday 4th December at the South Terrace croquet club.
The Walk for Respect is being held on 7 November 2026 and details are in the attached flyer and further information is available on the Walk for Respect website www.walkforrespect.au
In summary:
Gather at 9am Victoria Square South
Walk Commences at 10 am
Walk Concludes at Elder Park
Speeches 10.45
We would like this years walk to be bigger than ever before, to show that together we say NO to Domestic Violence and YES to Respectful relationships.
If your club is within reasonable commuting distance to Victoria Square we would love to see you there and if not why not have your own walk where you are like I know the Rotary Club of Port Pirie is doing!
Minister Alice Rolls will be one of the guest speakers at the end of our walk this year so come along and hear how the Government's response is tracking to implementing the recommendations from the Royal Commission into Domestic, Family & Sexual Violence.
Get your purple on, get a group together of club members, family and friends and come and support this the 4th Annual Walk for Respect.
During President Elect Training it was requested that clubs put aside $500 in their budget to support the Walk for Respect and other activities of the Rotary Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Prevention Committee, so if your club can support the work of the committee in this way, now is also the time to make a contribution;
Contributions can be made to the walks host club for receiving payments:
Rotary Club of Regency Park DV Campaign Account
BSB 105-011
Account 125 153 440
Please include a payment reference with your club name.
It would be appreciated if you will advertise the walk during your club meetings, in your newsletter and on your social media accounts.
Please get a group from your club together, and come and support this Rotary event. It's important that we do what we can to promote peace and peace starts with ourselves an in our homes with respectful relationships.
Yours in Rotary
Paul
Paul Della
Chair, Rotary Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Prevention Committee in District 9510
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.
