A big thanks again to Ray for stepping in as President while I was at the conference on the Gold Coast. The weather was lovely, and I heard the speakers last week were exceptional.
I’d like to remind everyone about a cybersecurity issue. Someone, purporting to be me, sent an email to several members asking them to purchase gift cards. Please be aware that I would neverask anyone to purchase gift cards, so if you receive such a request, it’s a scam. Stay vigilant and let me know if you have any concerns.
We’re having a board meeting this Tuesday, and I apologize again for cancelling last week’s meeting. We had three key members absent, and I felt their presence was critical for a successful discussion.
I look forward to seeing you all this week.
Yours in Rotary
WEEKLY REMINDERS
REMINDER - Annual Fees are now due. If not already paid, please pay yearly/half yearly at your earliest convenience. Thank you to those members who have already paid. :)
ATTENDANCE
Please use Club Runner to manage your attendance. If you are unable to attend and/or wish to bring additional guestsfor a special event or partners night please do so by 5pm Monday night. We need to give Knox Club numbers and pay for meals even if you do not attend.
If you would like something to be included in the website please advise Jim Sly. He is always looking for content and pictures of hard working rotarians is his favourite.
Our last meeting we had a presentation by Penny Christie from EACH.
Her presentation was about the problems facing communities and individuals from gambling. With some amazing stats on the actual amounts spent and lost and devastating impacts on families.
What is gambling actually costing you and your community.
It was a great evening with lots of fun. Hopefully the message Penny spoke about resonated with the attendees. Below is a link to the latest newsletter for anyone who is interested.
The Men's Mental Health Hub will be up and running soon.
Anyone who is having a clean out and has serviettes, plastic drink cups, bread and butter plates and TEASPOONS. All items greatly received and although not politically.correct. These items might as well be used before disposing of them. Also if anyone has a set of Salt and Pepper grinders at the back of their cupboards a set would be appreciated.
When the Men's Hub is up and running, we would also appreciate a few vegetables, so if anyone has a glut of produce, would be great. We can always use lemons as well.
Thank you,
Heather Anderson
RYDA REPORT
On Thursday 23rd Oct, Ray, Paul and Ron assisted running the latest RYDA course at Box Hill TAFE, Lilydale campus with three other Rotarians from Mitcham club. RYDA was originally set up over 20 years ago by D9620 and stood for Rotary Youth Driver Awareness. It is now independently run by RSE, Road Safety Education, and covers all of Australia and New Zealand with over 750,000 students having participated to date. The programme is subtitled “My Life: My Choices”. It is run for year 10 and 11 students. There are six 30 minute sessions run by professional presenters. The Rotarians task is to guide students between classrooms, to help presenters keep to time, and to tidy up at the end of the day. Rotary helps fund the programme along with BOC, Toyota, Bridgestone, and Boral. Each group has a teacher to keep the students in line. Morning tea and lunch is provided.
After a short introduction together, the students split into their school groups. Ray had the 38 year 10 students from Boronia K-12 College, Paul had the 28 year 11 students from Whitefriars Catholic College for Boys, and Ron had the 28 year 10 students from Whitefriars while Mitcham looked after the 100 year 10 students from Mullauna College. The six sessions are entitled Mind Matters, The “I” in Drive, Drive SOS, Crash Investigators, Road Choices, and Speed & Stopping. The Speed & Stopping session is held outdoors in the carpark in which a car is driven at 40, 50, and 60km/hr to demonstrate the dramatic effect of speed on car stopping distance.
Each student is provided with their own personal handbook covering Goals, Plans, and Strategies. This handbook is a record of their answers to a wide range of questions which they fill out as they go during the sessions. There are a number of videos shown giving examples of driver scenarios and behaviours. There is a $250 voucher given to one student who registers after the end of the day. The overall message of the day is to lower your risks as a driver or passenger. If any Rotarian would like to look at a handbook please see Ray, Paul, or Ron. Each time you listen to what the presenters have to say you learn more about driving and reducing risks. It is really worthwhile volunteering to help on any future RYDA courses our club gets involved in.
Ron Brooks
WORLD POLIO DAY - OCT 24
ROTARY AND THE FIGHT AGAINST POLIO
At a recent Club visit, Past President Monique Smith was presented with the above Certificate from Past District Governor Colin Byron for our Club's contribution to the End Polio campaign in 2024-25. Our contribution of $1000 USD dollars was matched by foundation and 2-1 by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. We were 1 of the first 10 Clubs whose contributions were matched.
End Polio Now: How Rotary Is Finishing the Fight
For more than three decades, Rotary’s End Polio Now campaign has been one of the world’s most enduring, volunteer-driven public-health efforts. Since Rotary led the first mass immunisation project in the Philippines in 1979 and helped launch the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in 1988, polio cases have fallen by 99.9% worldwide. Rotary members have contributed more than US$2.1 billion and millions of volunteer hours to protect children in 122 countries. (Rotary International)
Where the world stands today
Wild poliovirus remains endemic in just two countries—Afghanistan and Pakistan—thanks to relentless vaccination campaigns, surveillance, and rapid outbreak response. However, setbacks in 2024 prompted GPEI partners to extend the eradication timeline and intensify activities in these last reservoirs. (GPEI)
Polio’s final mile is famously the hardest. Recent cases in Pakistan underscore how quickly the virus can exploit gaps in immunity and access, and why sustained support for vaccinators and community engagement is essential. (AP News)
The Rotary–Gates partnership: multiplying every gift
Rotary’s fundraising is amplified by a powerful 2-to-1 match from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation—turning every US$1 given to PolioPlus into US$3 (up to US$50 million matched each year). In June 2025, Rotary and the Gates Foundation renewed their partnership with a joint commitment of up to US$450 million over three years to finish the job. (Rotary International)
Rotary’s advocacy has also helped unlock more than US$10 billion from governments for eradication efforts—evidence that this volunteer movement continues to punch far above its weight in global health. (Rotary International)
Why “purple” is everywhere in October
Each October, clubs mark World Polio Day (24 October) with events and fundraisers that raise money and awareness. The colour purple is no accident: in many vaccination drives, a child’s little finger is dyed purple to show they’ve received the vaccine—the inspiration for Rotary’s “Purple4Polio” crocus plantings that carpet parks each spring. (End Polio)
What your support makes possible
Every donation helps:
Vaccines and rapid response to stop outbreaks quickly and prevent the virus from regaining a foothold. (GPEI)
Surveillance systems that track the virus in people and wastewater, so health teams can act fast. (GPEI)
Front-line vaccinators and community engagement, vital for reaching remote areas and building trust where misinformation persists. (AP News)
The finish line is within reach—if we keep going
Polio has been pushed back to two last strongholds. Letting up now would risk a resurgence that could paralyse thousands of children each year and squander decades of progress. Staying the course—funding vaccination, protecting health workers, and keeping the world focused—will consign polio to history. (GPEI)
Together—with persistence, partnership, and that Rotary knack for turning compassion into action—we can deliver a world where no child is paralysed by polio ever again.
A huge thanks to Simba Global for their very generous donation of 19 sets of bedding and towels. Several members of our club picked up donations and delivered to Tamminya House. These items were very well received. Thanks to Peter & Jan Malden and Heather for organising.
Tamminya House provides emergency housing for victims of family violence.
They provide emergency accommodation and support to those who literally have nowhere else to go. The Community housing units are managed by the organisation. They receive no assistance from governments in the form of grants, loans, dwellings or funding but are completely funded by the Op Shop and your donations.
Join us for our next Coffee Catch-Up on Saturday 15 November 2025 at Montano’s Patisserie Café, 719 Mountain Hwy, Bayswater.
Come for a chat, a laugh, and great coffee—plus a tempting array of cakes and pastries if you feel like indulging. Bring a friend or family member—they’re most welcome!
NEWS FROM THE ENVIRONMENT TEAM
Use this A-Z Waste Guide to find out how to recycle or dispose of household items in the City of Knox area.
The Rotary Club of Boronia is registered as a donation partner with the Victorian Container Deposit Scheme.
Victoria is divided into 3 zones and of course we sit on the border between two of them, so we’re registered with both the North and East zones. Persons returning containers to any collection point in either zone may nominate us to receive the funds from their donations simply by scanning the attached barcode or entering our Donation Partner ID. All funds contributed will be deposited to our Committee account.
** Remember, you can bring along your empty bottles to our meetings. Our Environment Chair, Annette Griffin, will take them to a recycling location to make a deposit on our behalf.
Followed by lunch at Rose Cottage, Monbulk. Park at Rose Cottage & walk around the corner to “The Nook”
RSVP: no later than Tuesday 25th November - Julienne Hyams 0414 501 886
This beautiful romantic cottage style garden is set in the Dandenong Ranges against the backdrop of imposing chestnut trees.
One of the owners was a contemporary and fellow horticulturalist of Edna Walling. The planting of silver birches near the entrance pays homage to her work.
During the year various parts of the garden come into their own. In spring roses, rhododendrons and azaleas are the highlight. In summer the herbaceous border is a riot of colour. This autumn opening will feature salvias and other late perennials, intermingled with roses, hydrangeas and sasanqua camellias. Meandering paths lead to a secret garden and rock garden filled with treasures.
Our community (Group 4) leader is Guz Rozycki (Belgrave) and our fellow community clubs are
Belgrave
Bunyip Garfield
Emerald & District
Ferntree Gully
Healesville
Koo Wee Rup Lang Lang
Lilydale
Monbulk & District
Pakenham
Upper Yarra
Wandin
DISTRICT 9815 FACEBOOK PAGE
Please like and follow the BRAND NEW District 9815 Facebook Page. This will be a place to keep up to date with what's going in our District. Follow the link below to get connected.
If members are unable to attend Tuesday night's meeting, please decline on ClubRunner by 5pm the Monday before. This is important for Knox Club staff and catering purposes.
You can update or find information on this website or contact Monique Smith to register or update your details. *Please remember to list Rotary Club of Boronia as a place you volunteer.
Our social media platforms are a great way to see what our club is up to and share our progress with others. If you're not yet connected, just click the icons below and follow.
