Our RCM members, Rob McGuirk and Kerry Kornhauser were joined by PDG Murray Verso recently in producing a Live Series of interviews with President Ian Riseley, RI; our Hon. Member Prof Hugh Taylor AC, Harold Mitchel Chair Indigenous Eye Health, University of Melbourne; Dr Anthony Solomon, WHO; Prof Kerry Arabena, Indigenous Health Equity Unit; Gwen Troutman-Weir, Aust. Trachoma Alliance.
Members will be pleased to hear that Melbourne has been asked to resubmit our bid to host the 2023 Rotary International Convention. This is great news for our Club and District. It is a really big deal!! More updates will be provided as they happen so you can commence planning for possibly THE biggest event in numbers of visitors to Melbourne.
“With end to polio in sight, vaccination gets creative”. Could the world be about to eradicate polio? Only 17 cases were diagnosed in 2016 and they were all in two countries with the last hard-to-reach corners: Afghanistan and Pakistan. The public health groups trying to put the squeeze on polio have started to get more creative in their last push. The latest: Turning Vaccination into a Circus.
One of the Club's Annual Awards is the Seniors' Award made to a person over the age of 60 years whose outstanding service in a voluntary capacity is judged to have made a positive difference to the lives of older people. 2017 Recipient Nancy Hogan is seen here with PP Quin Scalzo and Robin Syme.
In September 2017, the International PolioPlus Committee provided this latest update on the eradication of Polio:
1. The goal of the PolioPlus program:
The goal of the PolioPlus program is the global certification of polio eradication. By eradication, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Global Commission on Certification and Rotary mean the interruption of the transmission of all polioviruses.
Of recent years, the Rotary Club of Melbourne has followed the Rotary International area of focus strategy of clean water and sanitation as the best means of assistance to people in under resourced communities. This has been with the partnerships, and assistance of financial grants, from District 9800 and the Rotary Foundation.
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Rotary is now accepting applications for the world competitive Rotary Peace Fellowships program. The application deadline for submissions through local rotary clubs in District 9800 is to the District Chair, Rob Helme, by April, 2018.
Annually, in October, the Rotary Club of Melbourne supports the Around the Bay in a Day riding event. Sign to ride, or help run the event. Funds raised are given to The Smith Family Learning for Life program which helps children from disadvantaged families complete their schooling.
Volunteer and help find host schools and host families; select applicants for outbound exchange scholarships; liaise with hosting clubs supported by RCM; and support hosted students. Participants in Rotary exchange report that the experience changed their lives.
