MC: Philip Endersbee acknowledged the Wurundjeri and Bunurong people, and the presence of past, present, and future Rotarians, and opened this hybrid meeting format and invited President Catherine Baxter to the podium.  After proposing the loyal toast, Catherine invited Past President Peter Dakin to deliver the weekly reflection, which is published later in this Bulletin.

Following the meal break, President Catherine welcomed members, visitors and guests, at Rotary Melbourne’s 10^thMeeting of the Rotary Year and our all-time 5048^th Club meeting. She welcomed in particular, District Governor Michael Lapina, and son Alex who is President of RC Activate, as well as district Governor Elect, Peter Shepherd and David Carruthers, District 9800 Treasurer and member of Rotary Melbourne. Full details of all guests are included later in this Bulletin. 

In her notices President Catherine:

1. Welcomed Jim Orchard to the podium to discuss the initiation of the Smith Family Learning for Life fundraising project and provide details on upcoming events like the Around the Bay bike ride and Melbourne Marathon, encouraging member participation.
2. Made special mention and appreciation for Sue Smith on her birthday and her contributions as the bulletin editor and directory producer; and,
3. Foreshadowed the upcoming AFL events and the Annual General Meeting plans and encouraged participation in the member survey to gather insights for future club activities.

Guest Speaker, Michael Lapina. District 9800 Governor was then introduced by President Catherine to deliver the annual District Governor’s address.

His address emphasized three important priorities for Rotary worldwide as articulated by RI President Stephanie Urchick, to create an irresistible membership experience by making members feel valued and engaged; healing a divided world by focusing on contributing to peace and ensuring harmonious club environments; and continuity, ensuring long-term club projects and objectives are sustained beyond individual leadership terms.

Michael proposed two key takeaways from his presentation, emphasising that the essence of Rotary's success lies in the engagement and sense of belonging of its members and emphasized the significance of personal connections and the impact of each member on a club's overall success.

Q&A:  Michael's concluded with an engaging Q&A session addressing concerns about membership costs, club sustainability, and the future of Rotary's regionalization efforts.

His unique closure was to lead a collective affirmation termed "Michael's Magical Minute" to underline the unity and magic of Rotary.

Finally Mark Hnatjuk (Amnat Charoen, Thailand), exchanged a banner with President Catherine and DG Michael.

The meeting concluded with affirmations and a spirited rendition of the National Anthem led by Michael Lapina.  Bulletin readers can access the recording of this meeting by clicking here

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