Please check the roster for the next few weeks and advise Vicki Kersey and David Ungar if you will be away that week. Meeting jobs will be allocated via email before the meeting.
Our guest speakers discussed Heartprints's efforts in Cambodia, focusing on providing sustainable support to families. Wendy O'Brien and Pheop highlighted their 10-year history of building homes and community centres, which have positively impacted families across five communes. They emphasised the importance of education, nutrition, and community engagement. A typical house costs $2,000 USD, and they face a significant backlog due to limited resources. The organisation also addresses addiction issues through their programs and aims to foster self-sufficiency through vocational training and employment opportunities.
The club recently held a successful Pride of Work Awards night. Some last minute run around increased stress levels, but the event ultimately ran well. A few nominees could not attend because of traffic issues and prior commitments. Key community figures, including Leanne Cohens from the Southern Gold Coast Chamber of Commerce, attended and delivered a speech that aligned strongly with the values behind the awards. Our thanks go to Jo Kane and Hannah Murray for putting the night together, and John Campbell for his great MC work.
Changeover Dinner
Don’t forget to get your tickets for our Changeover Dinner on Friday, June 26th at Currumbin RSL. Tickets in the link above. We are subsidising tickets for club members at only $48.
Luci update
Luci is still in Argentina but gave us the great news that her father is improving. He is out of the ICU and is communicating with his family. More surgery has been scheduled and we send our best wishes to Luci.
Barbecues and Fundraising
Last Friday’s barbecue raised over $1,600, which was a great result for a Friday BBQ. There are still a few volunteer spots to fill for the 30 May barbecue, and another barbecue is scheduled for 19 June. Links to sign up are above.
Membership Fees
The club has reduced annual membership fees to $285 for the next Rotary year. Invoices will be sent out, with payment requested by 27 June. This deadline ensures accurate member counts can be recorded, so the club only pays for confirmed members in its official records.
__________________________
Club runner information
If you do not have your Club Runner login information, you can go to the Club Runner website, scroll down a little and click on “Send me a Magic Link”. Enter the email address you gave to the club, and you will receive an email. Click on the login button and then select the club website. Go to ‘My Clubrunner’ and then ‘My Profile’. The ‘Edit’ button is at the top right and you can add/change any information on your profile. Click ‘Save’ and you’re done!
If you’re really feeling techy, you can download the Club Runner app.
If you would like any help resetting your password, or downloading the app to your phone, please let us know. There are a few members who can assist you.
We are looking to use Club Runner more for information and rosters, so it would be great if everyone is able to log in.
One Rotary mentor and a scarf can change the world
By Jeffrey Walsh, Rotary Club of Bloomington-Normal Sunrise, Illinois, USA
All Rotary members are role models and mentors. It starts during their new member induction when they learn about Service Above Self, The Four-Way Test, and receive their lapel pin.
2026-27 Rotary President Olayinka Hakeem Babalola has said the pin “is not an ornament, it’s a commitment. We take it to tell the world that we are people of honor and trust.” Women in my district have taken an even more hands-on approach to mentoring.
Turning the tide on waste in Bali’s coastal communities
Bali’s growing waste problem has been in the news recently due to its massive ocean debris and plastic pollution. Now, dedicated Rotarians from Bali and Australia are working together to create meaningful and lasting change.
Plastic Free Bali is a forward-thinking project introducing sustainable waste management practices across four villages surrounding the iconic West Bali National Park. This is Bali’s only national park, and just offshore lies Menjangan Island – a place of spiritual significance, with many Hindu temples and a world-renowned diving destination with crystal-clear waters and vibrant coral reefs. Read more here.
Rotary News
A monumental club project in South Dakota
By Kristen Pope
It would be, quite simply, the largest sculpture in the world: a colossal likeness of Crazy Horse, the Oglala Lakota chief, on a galloping stallion carved into the granite of a mountain in the Black Hills of South Dakota. But in 1949, about a year into the project, sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski ran into a vexing problem. He needed stairs. Lots of them.
“It was a very tedious process, and he just wasn’t moving as fast as he wanted, so he put a request out to the community,” says Marguerite Cullum, a retired staff librarian at the Crazy Horse Memorial, which manages the site. Read more here.
Our guest speakers discussed Heartprints's efforts in Cambodia, focusing on providing sustainable support to families. Wendy O'Brien and Pheop highlighted their 10-year history of building homes and community centres, which have positively impacted families across five communes. They emphasised the importance of education, nutrition, and community engagement. A typical house costs $2,000 USD, and they face a significant backlog due to limited resources. The organisation also addresses addiction issues through their programs and aims to foster self-sufficiency through vocational training and employment opportunities.
