On Duty: Bob Glindemann, Robert Fisher (Reception), John Saunders (Raffle), Richard Dent (MC), Barbara Yerondais (Reflection), Gerald Ashman (Photos).
Membership Anniversary Anthony Battaini (3), Catherine Baxter (7), Kenza Dairi (2), Joseph Ebbage (11), Ted Garland (43), Christine Johnson (24), David Kram (20).
Happy Birthday Peter Hollingworth.
Thank you to Ruth Carlos Martinez for last week's reflection.
We’re delighted to welcome Manon Beauchamp-Tardieu the Founder and CEO of Little Green Panda, a Melbourne-based sustainable packaging company focused on creating innovative products designed to replace traditional single-use plastics made from food waste.
The attached is the FINAL March 26 RGECAF newsletter which reveals that the as previously reported, our goal of raising US$3.9 million was achieved in August 2023. Rotary’s fundraising is completed while our project partner, UNICEF, continues to implement the project on our behalf.
No cost No waiting ..all it needs now is publicity by you.
Attempted suicide in Australia equates to a full plane crashing every day, injuring 95% of the passengers, (mainly our healthy young women) and killing 5%. 3-5% call crisis lines, but 70-80% hint or warn friends and family. Most people freeze. MessagesHelp.Org is an Australian pilot launched by the Australian Suicide Prevention Foundation with Rotary in Sri Lanka and RC Melbourne.
The Rotary Foundation Webinar: Legacy in Action with Rotarian Quin Scalzo AM and his daughter Cathy Scalzo is now available for viewing if you missed it on Monday 16 March 26. Please note that while the live video was showing correctly, the recording did not capture one of the panellist's video - apparently a technical glitch in zoom.
The 2025-26 Sir John Reid Community Service Award recipient, Fartun Farah, recently updated Rotary Melbourne on an important program funded by the award. On behalf of the East African Women’s Foundation, Fartun writes, “We sincerely thank Rotary Melbourne members for your ongoing support and partnership. Your contribution plays a vital role in enabling us to deliver impactful programs and create safer, stronger and more connected communities.”
What a terrific few days on the road for our 2026 OTC/Fellowship group, travelling from Melbourne through regional Victoria and finishing in Horsham, enjoying good company, great food and visits to some iconic historic sites along the way.
Master of Ceremonies: Karen Kim
Reflection Delivered by Ruth Carlos Martinez (See transcript later in this bulletin)
As meeting chair for the day, President Philip then introduced PRIP Jennifer Jones to address the meeting on Building Peace Through Action: Her address challenged us to think boldly about our role in building peace through action.
You may recall the call we made recently for volunteers for a small task at DIK to take lots of children’s shoes out of their packaging before they were sent to schools in Timor as part of the latest consignment of desk and chairs for several new schools being built by Spend it Well. Despite not being rushed with volunteers, a working bee of one (Bob) almost got the task done in the allotted time but there were still many cartons to do before the container was collected.
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 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.
On Duty: Marg Leser (Reception), Clive Weeks (Raffle), Karen Kim (MC), Ruth Carlos Martinez (Reflection), John Peberdy (Photos).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
