Our Causes

All Rotary Clubs aim to provide service to their local community and globally around the world.  Our members can be found fundraising for local and international charities, volunteering time on boards and organising committees for club or multi-club projects and initiatives or directly participating in community projects and programs.
 
Listed below you will find a little bit more about the different causes we support.  Many of the causes we support accept direct donations and links are provided below if you wish to do so.  However, if you are unsure and interested in donating to a cause please do not hesitate to contact us and we will ensure that your generosity is directed appropriately.
FACT:  In 2018/19, our club donated over $89k to a range of causes including the Armistice Memorial ($50.6k), The Rotary Foundation ($10.5k), Malaria Vaccine Project ($7.3k), Drought Appeals ($5.6k) and Disaster Aid Australia ($5.4k).
Key Causes We Support.
Drought, Bushfire & Flood Relief.
 
Dorothea Mackellar in her famous poem, My Country described Australia as a "land of drought and flooding rains".
 
Unfortunately, our Rotary District covers areas that are particularly effected by drought, bushfires and floods.  Our club is proud to be able to support our local community through various community appeals but also through member led initiatives such as -
 
The Rotary Foundation.
 
Our club is a significant contributor to the work of Rotary's own charity, The Rotary Foundation.
 
The Rotary Foundation is one of the world's leading charity and, since it's founding over 100 years ago, has funded over USD 3 billion in life saving sustainable projects around the world in six key focus areas -
 
  1. Promoting Peace
  2. Providing Clean Water
  3. Saving Mothers & Children
  4. Supporting Education
  5. Growing Local Economies
  6. Fighting Disease
As a founding partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, we've reduced polio cases by 99.9 percent since our first project to vaccinate children in The Philippines in 1979.
 
 
 
Malaria Vaccine Project.
 
A join initiative of the Rotary Clubs of Southport, Broadbeach, Hope Island and Griffith Gold Coast, the project was established to financially support the clinical trials of a malaria vaccine developed by the Institute for Glycomics at Griffith University on the Gold Coast.
 
The vaccine has recently entered clinical trials and the goal of the project's fundraising is now $2m with around $1m+ having already been raised.
 
A number of our fundraising events, including the Charity Golf Day and Sanctuary Cove Boat Show BBQ have contributed towards our club's donations to this important project.
 
 
 
Zephyr Education Inc.
 
Zephyr Education Inc (Zephyr) is a group of volunteers who got together in 2013 to help children at domestic violence shelters get on with their education by supplying them with everything they need to start at their new school.
 
In 2017, our club awarded Paul Harris Fellowships to sisters Isabella Bevan and Carmel Martin who are the driving force behind Zephyr for their tremendous work in the community.
 
 
Disaster Aid Australia.
 
Disaster Aid Australia (DAA) provides an innovative Australian-based humanitarian aid package: one that provides those in need with a new start in family units within their communities.  Its mission is to deliver hope and dignity in the form of high quality shelter and survival tools to victims of disasters worldwide.
 
Our club is proud to be able to regularly donate to the causes supported by DAA including having donated SkyHydrantsTM  to assist in the provision of sustainable clean drinking water in the aftermath of natural disasters such as in The Philippines and Nepal.
 
 
Human Brain Research Program.
 
Our Club's Past President, Sam Doumany is the Patron of the Human Brain Research Program which is a project of the Rotary Clubs of Maclean, Yamba and Iluka Woombah.
 
The Program aims to fund a PHD student at a Queensland University to do research into Parkinson’s Disease and related diseases based on the pioneering work of Professor Peter Silburn in the area of Deep Brain Stimulation.
 
Our club runs a Black Tie Dinner as a major fundraiser to support this program.
 
Other Causes We Support.
Homelessness.
 
There are hundreds homeless on the Gold Coast each night and our club is proud to support, through funds raised from various events, a range of organisations that support homelessness amongst local youth and adults, including -
 
Victims of Domestic Violence.
 
Unfortunately there are thousands of cases of domestic violence perpetrated, primarily against women and children, every year across Australia.  On the Gold Coast alone there are over 2,000 breaches of Domestic Violence Orders annually.  Along with our support for the Zephyr Foundation (see above), our club is proud to provide financial support other local organisations that provide support to victims of domestic violence and abuse  -
 
Other.
 
Other groups and causes our club is proud to support, or have supported in the past, through one off donations or volunteer time include  -
 
Community Projects and Programs.
Sensory Garden.
 
Our club installed a sensory garden at the Woodlands Lodge Aged Care Facility in Arundel which provides residents (including many suffering from dementia) with a stimulating outdoor space.  We have returned in recent times to upgrade and enhance this project and will continue to do so in the coming years.
Armistice Memorial.
 
Our Club, partnering with our sponsors and the community established an Armistice Memorial at the entrance to Sanctuary Cove to remember those who have lost their lives for our country. 
 
Youth Programs.
 
Our club provides support for local youth to attend Rotary endorsed leadership and development programs. 
 
Programs are available to support young people aged from 14-29 years of age.