Bulletin 20 May 2026

Highlights

• This Week
• Member News
• Club News
• Last Week's Meeting
• Other News
• Upcoming Events

This Week Wednesday 20 May 2026
No 5124 in the Club's 106th Year

Lunch with 2026 Young Achievers

May 20, 2026, 12:45 pm to May 20, 2026, 2:00 pm

No 35, Sofitel on Collins 25 Collins Street Melbourne VIC 3000

Guest Presenter Nick Pearce, Founder HOMIE
Topic: Young Achiever Awards 2026
Wednesday 20th of May 2026
12:45 PM to 2:00 PM
No 35, Sofitel on Collins
Also Online via Zoom

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This Week's Duties - 20 May 26

On Duty: Sandra Hills, Marg Leser, Marg Leser (Raffle), Karen Kim (MC), Peter Dakin (Reflection), Gerald Ashman (Photographer).

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Member News

At the start of the meeting President Philip asked all present to stand as we recognise Stewart Stribling on his birthday.
A member of our Club since 2001, Stewart is a retired barrister and a valued member of the Toorak 2 group. Over the years he has also chaired our Foundation Committee and made a significant contribution to the Club and the wider community.
Stewart is a familiar face at our lunches… except, of course, for the six weeks each year when he heads off to his beloved Lorne Surf Life Saving Club.
Stewart, thank you for your friendship, service and longstanding contribution to the community. We hope you had a very happy birthday and many happy returns.

Peter McCall OAM
27th June 1941 – 21st April 2026
Family and friends are warmly invited to celebrate the life of a much-loved husband, father, grandfather, friend, and community member.
A Memorial Service and Celebration of Life will be held on:
Thursday, 28 May 2026
at St Cuthbert's Presbyterian Church 10 Wilson Street, Brighton VIC 3186
Service Commencing: 1.30 pm
Followed by Afternoon Tea 2.45 pm - 5.00 pm

Membership Anniversary Marg Leser (7), Kevin O’Flaherty (34) – TODAY!, Reg Smith (18), Chris Wang (38).

Happy Birthday Peter Hanlon, Stanley Ho. 

An email has been sent to all Rotary Melbourne members to check their online Directory data in preparation of the 2026-2027 printed Directory. Please ensure you have checked both the hardcopy and online directory and advise any changes including updated photos. Please send your updates to the Directory Editor directory@rotarymelbourne.org.au 

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Club News

by Robert McGuirk

At the Baker Oration last week (wednesday 13 May 26), Rob McGuirk, the Chair of the National Rotary EndTrachoma project outlined how the Baker Foundation enabled Rotary Australia to contribute to a landmark national health achievement: the elimination of trachoma as a public health problem in Australia.    

An article from PDG Murray Verso, Rotary Club of Williamstown

by Anthony Battaini

An Epic Day activity packing T-shirts and caps destined for St John PNG’s Clinical Snakebite Trainer, Andrew Maru, and his colleagues. CSL’s Anna Schulze will deliver these RCM branded goods when she’s in Port Moresby for the upcoming PNG Snakebite Partnership annual meeting on 25 May 2026.     

The Rotary Melbourne Board has supported the establishment of a Peace Interest Group in the Club. The group would support peace building projects already in the club and partners and promote new peace building projects and discussions. In this we note the example of PP Sir Angus Mitchell who led goodwill missions to Japan and the near East after WWII, and as President of RI strongly supported the re-establishment of Rotary Clubs in Japan and Germany. It is intended that this will be a light touch actvity. Please contact President Philip Cornish if you are interested in joining this. 

Rotary Melbourne member Ruth Carlos Martinez has reported that Persie Torregoza, RC Lubang Island passed away on 10 May 2026. Persie was President of the club in 2011 and worked closely with Ruth on the Renewable Energy water distribution pipeline project.      

Thank you to our valued partner, Rotary Melbourne, for their generous donation of $20,000 to enable us to evaluate our Model of Care across one or more Lighthouse programs.
Evaluations like these are crucial as they enable us to show the positive impact of our work, and also make improvements to strengthen our programs further.
Rotary Melbourne is proud to continue our long term support of Lighthouse Foundation.

Sambun Sambath, a Cambodian scholar supported by Rotary Melbourne and Member of Rotaract Club of Siem Reap, has provided a May 26 update where he completed his first foundation-year subject, Cultural Anthropology. He sincerely appreciates you taking the time to read his update and for the continued support of Rotary Melbourne.      

Rotary Melbourne partner, the Melbourne Arboretum is excited to have received  21 Bird boxes, made by the Mernda Men's Shed. These boxes have been well crafted from weather proof marine ply, with specific native bird's needs given to to the Arboretum by Bird Life Australia.

Some months ago Faye Waterman interviewed Susie Cole, RIMERN, in her studio and Nicola Tuhoro (both a Sacred Heart Mission Case Worker and until fairly recently a RIMERN saturday volunteer) at the warehouse, To view Susie's interview 'Beyond The Basics Rebuilding Lives With Care' click on the link below (24 mins).

https://ctvplus.org.au/episode/beyond-the-basics-rebuilding-lives-with-care-susie-cole/

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Last Week's Meeting 

The Rotary Club of Melbourne marked a milestone occasion with the 10th Thomas Baker Oration, held during the centenary year of the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute.   

Before the Rotary Melbourne Thomas Baker Oration, Presented by Professor John Greenwood, Director, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, several articles appeared in The Age newspaper on Monday 11 May 2026.      

by Anthony Battaini

Thank you to Tony Battaini for your reflection on Wednesday 13 May  26.   

Visitors & Guests at Meeting 13 May 26

Club Guests: John Greenwood (Speaker), Sharon Lewin, Ziggy Switkowski, Elizabeth Delahunty, Kate Metcalf.

Visiting Australian Rotarians: Quentin Parker (RC Kunanarra)

Guests of Members: Carlos Castillo (Mary Barry), Rosemary Syme ( Robin Syme), Vicki Kharucky (Chris Sotiropoulos),     Dores   Schembri (Deb Yin Foo), Kate Hoy, Anne Johnston, Tom Kay (Gerry Johnston), Thomas Spurling (Jim Barry), Hila Barzilai-Tutsch, Renee Chow, Peter Currie, Nir Eynon, Roger Flynn, Fabrice Jaffre, Bernadette Jones-Freeman, Edwina McGlinn, Meroula Richardson, William Roman, Nathalie Saurat, Jennifer Zenker (Peter Rogers), Alexander Bobik, Anthony Cavanagh, Robert Daly, Megan Douglas, Pierston Hawkins, Melissa Hilton, Millicent Nink, Lloyd Hollenberg, Jane Dinn, Alexandra Griffiths,  Baker IDI (Trevor Nink), Prasanna De Silva, Jesus Gary Domingo (Philip Cornish).

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Other News

Peace Poles Take Root in Kew: What began as a vision held by Canterbury Rotarian Elizabeth Shepherd has become a permanent feature of Victoria Park. Four peace poles now stand near the children's playground at Possum Corner, surrounded by a native pollinator garden designed by landscape architect Jen Martin and planted in April 2026 by members of the Rotary Clubs of Canterbury and Kew. Boroondara Council prepared the site, and the finished space — just off High Street near Adeney Avenue — is already drawing families who encounter Rotary's message of peace in multiple languages. A quiet corner of Kew now carries a universal one.

The May 2026 ESRAG newsletter covers a busy month for Rotary's environmental arm. Chair Michael Terrelonge reflects on Hurricane Melissa — the most powerful Atlantic storm on record — and the lesson it carries: communities must build for a new climate reality, not just recover from the last one. May's three biodiversity observances (World Migratory Bird Day, World Bee Day, and International Day for Biological Diversity) add urgency to that message. Elsewhere in the issue: ESRAG's presence at EarthX, a Philippine reforestation model that replaces one-day planting events with year-round community systems, new research on the vulnerable mangroves of the Galápagos, and Rotary's preparation for the International Convention in Taipei this June. Click ESRAG_Issue_6,_Volume_15.pdf

The most important moment in a mental health journey often arrives before anyone notices it. New research is showing how much can change when we act earlier — identifying patterns, building evidence, and turning that evidence into practical tools used every day. The Cool Kids Program is one example of research that became real-world support for children managing anxiety. As the financial year draws to a close, Australian Rotary Health invites you to invest in this long-term work. Donations over $2 are tax deductible.

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Upcoming Events

Environment Lunch with Prof Graeme Samuel AC

June 3, 2026, 12:45 pm to June 3, 2026, 2:00 pm

Fitzroy Room, Level 1, Sofitel on Collins 25 Collins Street Melbourne VIC 3000

Topic: Environment Lunch 2026
Wednesday 3rd of June 2026
12:45 PM to 2:00 PM
Fitzroy Room, Level 1, Sofitel on Collins

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