In a powerful talk on Identity and Labels, Alex from Transcend shared his journey and explored what it truly means to live authentically. He explained that while labels help others understand us, identity runs much deeper - it’s internal, evolving, and shaped by our values, belonging, and personal story.
Using the jar of jam analogy, he described how labels only show what’s on the surface, while identity holds the full richness inside. When labels and identity don’t align, it can lead to disconnection from ourselves and others.
Through a guided meditation, participants were encouraged to reconnect with their bodies and intuition - asking whether their name and choices feel true. Alex's story of transition reminded us that freedom comes from living in alignment with one’s authentic self.
THIS WEEK'S GUEST SPEAKER
Our very own Tony Heading will be chatting to us about the club By-laws and any changes we will vote on for the AGM. Keep an eye out for the email he's sent - check your spam/junk folder if you haven't seen it yet. There will be a pop quiz on the content!
Jo, Mike and Graham attended the Southern Gold Coast Chamber of Commerce Breakfast on Thursday. They are a major sponsor of our duck race this year. So far one large duck and five small ducks have been bought and more have been committed. They also made some really good connections for next year's race.
Duck Sales
Successful Duck Sales event on the weekend.Around 30 ducks and $150 in merchandise were sold! Well done to Richard, Kenneth, Annette and Kevin.
Outreach Kits
The first 20 outreach kits were delivered to the DV refuge on Friday. They were gratefully received and we now wait to see when they want some more kits made up.
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.
In the coming weeks, I will be providing video guides on Club Runner - how to log in, with or without a password, how to change your password, how to sign up for an event through the website or newsletter.
Olayinka Hakeem Babalola, a member of the Rotary Club of Trans Amadi, Nigeria, has been selected by the Board of Directors to become Rotary International’spresident for 2026-27. His term will begin on 1 July 2026.
The Board, guided by the RI code of policies, conducted a special session to select the organization’s leader after the resignation of RI President-elect SangKoo Yun, who decided to step back from his Rotary responsibilities and focus on his recovery from recent cancer treatment.
Babalola began his Rotary journey in 1984 as a Rotaractor. He joined the Rotary Club of Trans Amadi 10 years later. His leadership roles include serving as district governor (2011-12), RI vice president (2019-20), and member of the RI Board (2018-20). He was also an active leader and participant in RI committees such as the End Polio Now Countdown to History Campaign Committee (2017-23) and the Nigeria National PolioPlus Committee (2013-present, adviser 2016-present).
Babalola received a university degree in engineering in 1988. He worked for 25 years in the oil and gas industry, holding senior positions in Shell PLC. He is the founder of two companies: Riviera Technical Services Ltd., an oil and gas infrastructure delivery company, and Lead and Change Consulting, an executive coaching and organizational performance advisory group.
Babalola’s professional affiliations include the Nigerian Society of Engineers, the Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria, and the Association of Change Management Professionals. He is a member of Jericho Businessmen Club, an organization in his birth city of Ibadan that provides input to governments on economic and social policy.
Babalola and his wife, Preba, live in the city of Port Harcourt. He supports The Rotary Foundation with a named endowment and as an Arch Klumph Society member. A trustee of ShelterBox UK, he is a recipient of the Africa Centennial Heroes Award, the Regional Service Award for a Polio-Free World, the RI Service Above Self Award, and The Rotary Foundation Citation for Meritorious Service.
The president of Rotary International serves a one-year term, presiding over the Board of Directors and providing inspirational leadership for the organization. As the spokesperson for the global network, the president visits clubs around the world to promote Rotary's values and represent the organization at major events. Rotary chooses its president from members who have demonstrated extensive leadership experience within Rotary, including service as a club president, district governor, and member of the Board.
In our family’s time of need, Rotarians were there
By Chad Wellman
On the morning of 11 February our lives changed forever. I was at home in Gunnison, Colorado, getting ready for work when my phone buzzed with an alert: “Hard Fall SOS.” My mom, Grace’s, smartwatch had detected a hard fall and notified emergency services –and me, since I was listed as an emergency contact. With the alert was a surprisingly accurate map of the “hard fall” location, an on-ramp to Interstate Highway 95 near Florence, South Carolina, USA.
Grace and my dad, Phil, were traveling in their RV when they had an accident with another vehicle. Both vehicles burned. Grace was lost instantly. Miraculously, Phil and the two family dogs were unharmed. But my dad, left with nothing, was stranded in South Carolina, far from his home in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in a place where none of us had any connections. Read how Rotary connections helped.
Rotary Down Under
Celebrating membership achievements of Rotary Zone 8 in 2024–25
By PDG Andy Rajapakse. Membership Director, Rotary International Zone 8 Regional Council.
Last Rotary year, more than ever, was defined by resilience, innovation and the collective will to embrace change. It is only fitting then that we pause to reflect on and celebrate the extraordinary achievements, breakthroughs and lessons that have shaped our courageous journey.
Congratulations are due to every Rotary member and their families, club officers, district governors, Rotary community leaders and Rotary staff across Zone 8. Your unwavering commitment and collaborative spirit have driven a significant turnaround in our membership trends, unlocking new possibilities for engagement and growth. Read more about it here.
Rotary News
Rotary projects around the globe
By Brad Webber
Rotary members and their partners in service come together each World Polio Day on 24 October to recognize progress in the fight to end the disease. Here is a sample of the ways members are taking action to make history and eradicate polio.
In support of polio eradication, Ralph Zuke has raised more than $57,000 by pedaling his rickshaw bicycle from his Missouri home to recent Rotary International Conventions in North America: Toronto in 2018, Houston in 2022, and Calgary this year, a journey in which he braved hail, sleet, and snow, and even skirted a tornado. His next opportunity will be at the 2028 convention in Minneapolis. “If it’s needed,” Zuke adds, optimistically. “I hope we’ll be done with polio by then.”
Read how other Rotarians around the world have taken action.
________________________________________________
Please check the roster for the next few weeks and advise Vicki and David Ungar if you will be away that week. Meeting jobs will be allocated at the previous meeting.
In a powerful talk on Identity and Labels, Alex from 
