The Australian Rotary Health February 26 Newsletter is available by clicking on Read More below and features articles on upcoming events and feature articles.
The East African Women’s Foundation invited Peter Berg, Amanda and Tony Battaini to Harmony Through Eid 2026 on Sunday 22 March, at the North Cyprus Turkish Community Centre in Albion.
On Sunday 22 March 26 we loaded Reg & Sue Smith's cars to the gunnels at Prahran Market! Reg & Sue, along with Tony Battaini volunteered with Victoria, a student from Melbourne Girls College. We’re always after additional help, so anyone willing to give a couple of hours on an occasional Sunday afternoon please contact Robert Fisher by email.
Rotary Melbourne has received the latest update on the Cambodia Project from Stuart McIntyre OAM, District 9800 International Chairman. Thank you for your Club’s support for the Joint-Club Cambodia Project to supply essential medical equipment and supplies to The Children's Surgical Centre in Phnom Penh. It's great that 14 District 9800 Clubs supported by a District Grant from Rotary Foundation are collaborating to fund the project.
Membership Anniversary Peter Berg (12), Patricia von Matuschka (1), Rosemary Nixon (9), Richard Parker (18).
Happy Birthday Sharann Johnson, Malcolm Simpson.
Club Guests: Nargessi Alan, Minh Le (Station Architects/Engagement)
Guests of Members: Philip Whelan (Mary Barry), Sue Burleigh (Austen Burleigh), Debbie Sonin (Philip Cornish), Michael Gornalle (Karen Gornalle), Millicent Nink (Trevor Nink), Cathy Rogers (Peter Rogers), Marion Shaw (John Shaw), Janet Wang (Chris Wang), Helen Weeks (Clive Weeks), Bree Ferrara, George Kokovas, Ioanna Petropoulo, Judit Sedercole (Barbara Yerondais), Caroline Pilot (Deb YinFoo), Karen Satchell (Bruce Levitt), Meredith Allan (Mark Allan), Robert Johnson (Christine Johnson).
Rotary Melbourne bulletin readers might be interested to view a YouTube video on how our program of mentoring young Africans in Melbourne has changed their lives. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwLkLNsZFh0&list=LL&index=3
Architecture Walk 2026, Friday 20th March, Metro Tunnel stations by Barbara Yerondais.
40 Rotarians and friends gathered at the new ANZAC Station for an informative and interesting tour of the new Metro Tunnel project.
The Rotary Melbourne Board met again on Wednesday 18 March 26. We are working further on the Strategic Plan. We'd like to keep it down to 4 pages in the Directory, which is where we think members are most likely to read it, if at all. Brevity is even more of a virtus in modern communications.
On Duty: Marg Leser (Reception), Clive Weeks (Raffle), Karen Kim (MC), Ruth Carlos Martinez (Reflection), John Peberdy (Photos).
Rotary Melbourne is holding an Evening of rewarding volunteer effort, creating food packs for FORaMEAL together on Thursday 23 April 26, 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm at RMIT Melbourne. MARK YOUR DIARIES NOW!!! ALL ARE WELCOME! Rotary Melbourne has partnered with the Rotary Club of Canterbury to host a relief-meal packing event. RMIT staff, students, and Rotarians will convene for 90 minutes to pack roughly 12,000 meals that are air dropped by the ADF to people living in temporary housing in war zones, disaster zones, and refugee camps.
Master of Ceremonies: PP Philip Endersbee
Reflection Delivered by Tony Battaini
After welcoming visitors and guests, and making our Guest Speaker, Walter Lee, AFL Executive General Manager Strategy, Data & Analytics, and Investments to speak on Playing the long game, to be fully introduced later in the meeting by VP Branko Panich.
For the 8th edition of District 9800 February 26 Networker for 2025-2026, please click on Read More below. In this issue there is an article on Rotary Melbourne's Sustainable Alliance Gives Life (and Water) in Philippines.
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Club Guests: Walter Lee (Speaker).
Visiting Rotarians: Jarrod Freer (Gosnells, WA), Fran & Neil Taylor (Uxbridge, Canada).
Guests of Members: Paul Rayner (Philip Endersbee), Bruno Malepa (Deb Yin Foo), Sajjad Ahmad (Bernie McIntosh).
Membership Anniversary Sumeer Bhandarkar (5), Grahme Bond (41), Tokuro Furuya (1), Rob Medcalf (17), Jacques Morin (18), Celina Yu (8).
Happy Birthday Helen Durham, Gerry Johnston, Tilman Ruff, Quin Scalzo, Prabal Soans.
Lesley McCarthy, Donations in Kind, is asking for Rotary Melbourne's assistance with a couple of different projects, including an Indigenous Op Shop Project and collecting tools to assist with the recent bushfires in Victoria.
Rotary Melbourne members are encouraged to book for the evening gathering on Thursday 9th April for the 7.30 show at Paris Cat Jazz Cafe for the Musical Tribute to Wes Montgomery Featuring the Jack Pantazis Group. Book online with the venue Paris Cat Jazz Cafe and put in the notes that you are Rotary Melbourne members. https://bookings.pariscat.com.au/checkout/2171/
Rotary South Pacific 2026 is where regional leadership gathers, ideas ignite and momentum builds. Under the bold theme People. Planet. Peace., this Conference brings together Rotary leaders, changemakers and members from across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific to shape the future of our organisation. Friday, 30 October 2026 - Sunday, 1 November 2026 Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC)
Join us for the Multi-District Impact Summit in the vibrant regional city of Horsham, Victoria. This isn't just another conference; it's a powerful collaboration where we will Unite for Good.
This year's summit brings together three districts to amplify our collective power and drive meaningful change. We'll be focusing on the incredible things we can achieve when we work together, sharing our successes, and planning our future impact. Click on link for more info.
My name is Harry Dempsey and I am the Secretary of the District 9800 Australian Rotary Health (ARH) Committee. I am reaching out to seek your support for Australian Rotary Health (ARH). Our mission is to improve the health and wellbeing of Australians through research, awareness, and education, and we need your help to continue making a difference.
Thank you to Tony Battaini for your reflection on Wednesday 11 March 26.
An unexpected leadership transition delayed the Malvern Group’s traditional outdoor gathering to mark the start of the new calendar year. Happily, the event was able to proceed on Sunday 15 March 26, bringing members together for an enjoyable afternoon of fellowship.
On Sunday 8 March 26 we loaded founder Simone Carson’s Tesla to the gunnels at Prahran Market! Her she is with volunteer Victoria, a student from Melbourne Girls College. We’re always after additional help, so anyone willing to give a couple of hours on an occasional Sunday afternoon please contact Robert on robertwfisher1@outlook.com
The success of a program to reduce maternal deaths in Nigeria is measured in more than statistics.
The statistics may appear faceless on paper: 512 deaths for every 100,000 pregnant women in Nigeria, one of the highest maternal mortality rates globally. But they’re not faceless to me. I see the mothers. I see the babies. I have stood in the rooms where those numbers become either tragedies or triumphs. Click to read more.
This month the Environmental Sustainability Rotarian Action Group (ESRAG) newsletter ESRAG March 2026 Volume 13 Issue 6 features an article titled 'South Australian Algae Bloom – What has that got to do with Climate Change'. Click ESRAG_Issue_6,_Volume_13.pdf to read more.
