As the changeover approaches, I would like to take this opportunity to thank members and particularly directors for making this past year a successful and pleasant one for me as President. The club has always achieved so much, and I am just pleased to have been a part of yet another year of service to the community.
We held a board meeting this past week and it is exciting that the next board meeting will involve the past year, and next year’s board. With leadership changing every year in rotary, succession and handover becomes very important, but like so many things in Rotary, there is quite an organised structure of support to achieve that.
Our speaker on Tuesday evening was St Catherines Y12 student, Nadia Mohamed. RCG sponsored Nadia to the 2024 National Youth Science Forum (NYSF) at the University of Queensland in Brisbane held in January.
NYSF is a not-for-profit organization founded by Rotary in 1984, to encourage students entering Y12 in their love of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). It is now an independent organisation, still supported by Rotary as well as by major sponsors, most Australian universities and Governments (both State and Federal).
Nadia couldn’t speak highly enough about her experience and how it has opened her mind to areas of science she hadn’t explored before.
Nadia Mohamed, Farah Pasha, PP Carol Benson & President Mark Howlett
Our Club’s contribution of 60 toiletry kits to this project finally arrived at the school in Nganmarriyanga, 350Km south-west of Darwin in the Daly River region. Pleasingly Australia Post delivered all six large postage boxes in one tranche. The delivery was quite timely as the unpacking of the boxes coincided with the visit of a midwife and nutritionist, who were presenting some “healthy body” classes. Hopefully our delivery will go some way to improving children’s hygiene and reduce transmission of trachoma. Many thanks to all the Club members who contributed to this project.
The club's stocks of the fabulous LightWalker walking sticks have now completely sold out, following a concerted sales effort by Glenferrie Rotarians. The generous gift bestowed by ex-Rotarian, the late Walter Glaser has raised almost $7,500, after expenses, all of which will go towards the clubs WASH project in Sierra Leone. The club received 519 of the walking sticks originally, 204 Telescopics and 315 Folding. Of these a total of 23 were written off, mainly due to battery leaks in the torches, 3 samples were given out as freebies and 493 were sold, of which 120 were sold at the Boroondara Farmers Market.
So many Glenferrie Rotarians chipped in to help sell LightWalker, through the Farmers Market, to friends, and into pharmacies and other retail outlets that it is not possible to name you all. A sincere thank you, however, for your superb efforts and endless goodwill, and hearty congratulations to you on your success. Sales through local Probus were highly successful when the walking sticks were demonstrated in person.
Big thanks to PP Jan Twite, Michael Hills, PP John Hudson and to Camberwell Probus member David Turner for your great work with Probus. Many customers came back for multiple repeat orders. A special thank you goes to sales champion extraordinaire Maria Pantling, who sold an extraordinary 236 LightWalker walking sticks, 200 of which went to pharmacy distributor Chempharm and 24 to Supply and Demand in Malvern Road, Hawthorn. Maria you are unbelievable! Thank you!
Future enquiries regarding LightWalker will be directed to Chempharm, based in Moorabbin, Ph. (03) 9553 5775. Walter was a member of the Rotary Club of Moorabbin. He would have been so pleased! Well done everyone, and thank you!
This is an email to all Club members to provide some further information regarding sleeping arrangements for the work party. The sign-up page is up on the club website - click here - and press read more for the attached outline of the camp describing the range of accommodation.
I have not been to a work party at Camp Getaway, but I've been assured by Ken Maxfield that a good time is had by all participants. In the past, weekends have usually commenced with a pub meal at the Axedale Hotel with the possibility of some golf during the Friday afternoon. There are tasks to suit all physical capabilities and the jobs usually run throughout Saturday and on Sunday morning.
The Rotary Club of Glenferrie acknowledges the traditional owners as the custodians of this land, recognising their connection to land, waters and community. We pay our respects to Australia's First Peoples, and to their elders, past, present and future.
The Rotary Club of Glenferrie | PO Box 2134 | Hawthorn Vic 3122
Register for the next meeting of the Rotary Club of Glenferrie - An excursion to the MCG with lunch
