Once again, we had the pleasure of hosting an extraordinary guest speaker, George Petrou OAM, who shared insights from one of his two published books, *The Art of Humanity*. This inspiring work delves into the essence of humanity and the spirit of generosity, highlighting the importance of caring for those in need. It features 40 uplifting stories accompanied by 40 stunning portraits painted by George himself. The book shines a light on 22 remarkable women and 18 humble men, all deserving of recognition and celebration for their humanitarian efforts. George’s presentation was truly inspiring and left us all feeling uplifted.
A special thank you to Ron Brooks for arranging such incredible speakers lately. Our meeting was also graced by the presence of Wendy and Darrin Scott from the Rotary Club of Maroondah. They are preparing for their annual Gala Ball on Saturday, 21st June, with proceeds going to Eastern Health for the purchase of equipment to assist stroke patients. The evening will be hosted by Jonathon Usher, a talented entertainer who has participated in many conferences. Mark and I will be attending, and we would love for more of you to join us in showing support. Please let me know if you’d like to attend.
Mark recently met with Bridgebuilders to explore potential collaboration on the Knox Rocks Project and returned excited about the prospects. They are considering using their venue for the sessions at no cost and are eager to involve their clients in the program. This is fantastic news—well done, Mark!
Looking ahead, I believe our Club should engage more with environmental projects. I’ve spoken with Barrie Vickers from the Rotary Club of Bayswater, and they’ve welcomed our participation in their tree-planting day along Dandenong Creek, scheduled for Sunday, 1st June. More details will follow. Collaborating with other Clubs allows us to make a greater impact, and I encourage everyone to get involved.
Additionally, I invite you to support the *Comedy for a Cause* night organized by Disaster Aid Australia on May 8th. Booking details are available in this bulletin—let’s show our support.
At our next meeting, we will have Steven Lakey from the Bendigo Bank Boronia, speaking to us about scams and fraud.  I encourage you all to attend this meeting and if you would like to bring along any guests.  This is a very important topic as so many people are targeted these days.
I wanted to share a friendly reminder regarding our attendance at meetings. The Knox Club has raised some concerns about our numbers lately, and we’re still facing a bit of a challenge with members not submitting their apologies in advance.
As a reminder, we need to inform the Knox Club of our meal counts by lunchtime on Tuesdays, and unfortunately, we are required to pay for any meals that are ordered. I completely understand that sometimes things come up that may prevent you from notifying us on time. However, if you could please make an effort to reach out to Janet Windebank at 0408 122 466 if you can’t make it, it would be greatly appreciated. Alternatively, you can submit your apology via Clubrunner in advance. If you’re having any trouble using Clubrunner, don’t hesitate to reach out to Peter Dalwood or myself—we’re here to help! Thank you so much to everyone who has been proactive in letting us know about their attendance. Your cooperation makes a big difference!
As the end of the year approaches, please mark your calendars for our Changeover luncheon on Sunday, 29th June. Invitations will be sent out soon, and I look forward to celebrating a wonderful year with all of you.
Take care,