The final meeting of the year is on 13 December and President Chris invites all members and friends to join the festive lunch which will feature organised entertainment. This meeting is in person only and we hope all members able, plan to attend.
The Christmas Appeal will benefit Palz [Professionals with Alzheimer's and related diseases]. Previously highlighted by Cathy Roth our 2021 Seniors Award recipient.
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Rotary Club of Melbourne
Service to Seniors Award 2021-22
In recognition for outstanding and dedicated service in
Improving the lives of Victorian Senior Citizens
Awarded to
Ms Cathy Roth OAM
Cathy Roth has held senior management positions in diverse industries, including medical, hospitality, major event industries, and in executive mentoring. Cathy’s original tertiary qualifications were in Diagnostic Radiography, and subsequently, in Business and Management. Her numerous leadership roles include having been the first female President of the Geelong Chamber of Commerce and the first female President of a Rotary Club in the ANZO region. She was Governor of Rotary District 9780 in 2004-5.
When Cathy’s husband, John, a general surgeon, was diagnosed with dementia and cut-off from his professional colleagues and career, it became her “next magnificent obsession” ( as she described it in the Geelong Advertiser ) to establish a support group to ensure that persons from a high-powered work environment with early stages of dementia could continue to maintain dignity and respect through active participation and interaction within a socially and intellectually stimulating environment.
With Cathy’s extensive network of contacts and the support of the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Dementia Australia, PALZ ( Professionals with Alzheimer’s and related diseases ) was formed in 2016. There are now PALZ groups in Geelong, Melbourne, Ballarat, Sydney, Canberra, Perth, Bateman’s Bay, shortly in Brisbane, and the UK. Each group is coordinated by a facilitator and meets bi-monthly with a corporate style speaker who has been briefed on the need for multi-sensory inputs and repetition of key points. Each group is autonomous and reports annually to the PALZ Board. Cathy is the National Chairman of PALZ.
Cathy’s community contributions have been acknowledged by the award of the Medal of the Order of Australia, by her selection as a State finalist in the Telstra Businesswoman of the Year awards, and through a number of business and Rotary awards.
Cathy Roth meets all the criteria for the Club’s Service to Seniors Award and is a very worthy winner.
Presented on behalf of the Club by the President Mr Reg Smith OAM
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Read more about Palz here. New support network helping professionals with Alzheimer's 'retain dignity' launches in regional Victoria - ABC News
