Hi all

 

As you are all aware I am filling in for Bill through to the end of this Rotary year. We welcomed Coddy onboard to fill the vacancy of Community Services/Environment/Public Relations & Fundraising. Coddy will also head up this committee in the new Rotary year.

Another busy month that kicked off with Committees at RV, followed by an enjoyable meal at Sandstone Cafe with Story Dogs rounding out our meetings. Natasha, a former teacher herself introduced Andy to us and told us how they have four students at Grovedale West Primary School. Students are from grade two and selection is based on their literary skills. They work together for the entire school year.  Natasha has made her own story books based on her dog Andy which have proven very popular with the students. Perhaps she is quietly testing their response and a publishing contract may be in the future. Story Dogs is an Australia wide organisation with the Geelong area for Story Dog volunteers covering from Little River down to the Bellarine & Torquay. This year saw them bring on and train up five new volunteers.

 

Thursday was perfect weather for another successful & busy Bunnings BBQ. Thanks to all the volunteers & Gary for making it happen.

 

The Club is assisting Highton RC with their nature strip project with myself & Perko providing trailers to transport mulch to local nature strips. Coddy & Gary also volunteered to assist. 

 

 

Reminder no meeting this coming Wednesday as it is the 5th Wednesday of the month.

 

Please take particular note of the upcoming month's calendar as there are some changes to our usual format.

 

Regards Paul           

 

 

 

 

Geelong Science & Engineering Challenge 2026

To be held at Deakin University on Tuesday 23rd & Wednesday 24th June 2026. The Board has approved $1000 to support this event as we have done in the past.

 

 

International Report

The Board passed the motion for a donation of $1000.00 to go to Interplast.

The 2025-2026 Interplast Report was received from John Richmond. A team went to Bhutan where life-changing surgeries were done. In 2026, 2 nurses went to Vanuatu to train local nurses in vital skills to manage complex wounds, burns and traumatic injuries. A volunteer surgical team went to Samoa and performed 33 life-changing surgeries on adults and children. Our donation will help to continue this vital work.

 

The Board also passed the motion that $1000.00 be donated to ROMAC. Children from our Sth Pacific developing neighbours, are assisted by the ROMAC medical program, to enable them to live a greatly improved life. Last year some Rotary clubs in Geelong, hosted Janet, a child from Vanuatu, so that she could have complex surgery on her leg.

 

Our committee has discussed financial support for Shelterbox, as there is an evergrowing need for assistance across the world. Currently the focus is on the Middle East and its response in Lebanon. Shelterbox is also working in Myanmar, Gaza, Syria, Sudan, Mozambique, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Somalia and the Philippines. The Board will consider a donation again at the end of this Rotary year.

 

RARE’s report for 2025-2026 listed that 5 containers loaded with medical and educational goods were shipped. One to PNG, 3 to Vanuatu, 1 to Tanzania and 1 ready to be go to PNG this month. Funding is always required and the cost will only be increasing with the current fuel shortages.

 

House of Angels. Our monthly donation of $50 continues until the end of this Rotary year. We will be checking with Dawn in relation to the current situation.

 

 

 

Black Rock water reclamation plant.

 

 

The address to come is Gate 3, 400 Black Rock Rd, Connewarre, Vic. (The Gate 3 sign recently blew down but I’m expecting it will be back in place by the time we meet.

It is the last driveway to the right before the gravel carpark near the shore, as you drive down Black Rock Rd.

The tours last for around an hour and involve approximately 1 kilometre of walking outside. There are some gravel surfaces and slight inclines, so a reasonable level of fitness is needed. If you have any requests around accessibility, please let me know. We can accommodate up to around 25 people per tour, with a minimum group size of 10. We ask all participants to wear long sleeves and pants, and enclosed shoes suitable for walking outside. We also ask if possible for participants to car pool, to reduce the number of vehicles coming onto the site.

Perhaps afterwards we could have a bite to eat at 9 Grams Armstrong Creek.

 

Report from RARE

For the 2025/26 year to date the North Geelong depot has shipped 6 containers of medical & educational goods to PNG, Vanuatu & Tanzania.

They have also supplied a Ghana orphanage with 44 computers, 3 sewing machines & 12 boxes of school books. Sri Lanka 70 computers, Sierra Leone 5 computers, educational equipment & books. Uganda 2 pallets of books.

RARE is manned by approx 30 volunteers and are open every Tuesday & Wednesday morning. So far they have repurposed just over 30 tonnes of goods away from landfill.