On the 31^st August, we celebrated the end of winter with a special virtual guest, Clinton Meehan, from Helping Hoops to share some of the challenges that the organisation has faced since Covid19 hit our shores. Despite some huge challenges this team continue to provide support and encourage kids to get out and be active. As restrictions start to ease in the future, we look forward to being able to assist Helping Hoops with some hands-on projects and also attend their fundraising events.

Watch this space for more information on their upcoming fundraisers. If you would like to support Helping Hoops directly you can donate directly here

After two years of Rotary Virtual Conventions, there is a real chance that members will once again be able to attend this annual convention in Houston, USA, (combined with a virtual experience for those unable to make it.)

To learn more about the event, go to Houston | Rotary Convention and also Houston RI Convention (houstonri2022.org) for the opportunity to be a part of the event.

Although the following year, we know that Rotary Convention will return to Melbourne. The Houston event will however be an opportunity to celebrate border restrictions being relaxed subject to vaccination targets being met.

Likewise, you will be to meet with Rotarians from across the world and invite them to come and join us in Melbourne!

(Now Online)

Join us for this annual event that is full of inspiring information and opportunities as these important roles come together.

We invite Membership Chairs, Communication & Public Image Chairs, Club Service Chairs, Bulletin Creators, Webmasters, Presidents, Presidents-elect and any other members of your club to join us.

Bookings at: https://www.trybooking.com/BTCQA

What is Rotary SAFE Families?

“Simply, Rotary SAFE Families is a primary prevention method of stopping abuse. Abuse being physical, financial, emotional, coercive control to women, men, elderly and our children.

With powerful messages of the “3RRR’s” of abuse prevention, Rotary SAFE Families provides the “What to do” if faced with a sense of helplessness when witnessing abuse.

We must NOT continue to be passive bystanders, and convincing ourselves: “This is not my problem!” “I must not interfere!”, “What can I do?”. Instead we must be informed and apply the 3RRR’s of prevention:

1. Recognise the signs of abuse;
2. Raise our concerns safely with the victim;
3. Refer the victim to appropriate support (000 if emergency)/1800 RESPECT or Make the call yourself!!!

When was the last time you discussed abuse and elder abuse with your family, friends or work colleagues? Why is abuse a “taboo” subject.

In 1985, the Traffic Accident Commission, rolled out a campaign around drinking and driving: “If you drink’n drive … you’re a bloody idiot!”  Do you remember?  36 years later, and millions of dollars of marketing, our culture has slowly changed and we know that drinking and driving is unacceptable and a crime.  Abuse is also unacceptable and a crime!

Rotary SAFE Families campaign, asks that all Australian Rotarians,

• become aware of this “taboo” subject,
• endorse the primary prevention methods provided in our website,
• provide a Champion from each Club to assist in the circulating of these, free of charge, methods and films, to Members far and wide.

Share Rotary SAFE Families resources with your communities and businesses,

• create a collective Australian Rotary voice, promoting Stopping Abuse in Families Everywhere.
• Let us “chip, chip away” at changing the culture that drives abuse, just as we did in 1985 with changing the culture around drinking and driving. 
• We don’t have millions of dollars to spend, but we do have 30,000 Rotarians who are committed to making a difference. 
• We can easily distribute the prevention of abuse messages around Australia by linking and supporting Rotary SAFE Families.

Promo – 1 minute: 

We are working with Vanessa Parsons, author of the children’s book ‘The Rainbow Connection’ to spread the word globally on the importance of colour in the world and to promote mental health discussions. Particularly for children who have experienced lockdown.

Our International Service Director, Judy Parslow has been instrumental in getting this project off the ground. She has been providing copies of the book to children already and encouraging the sharing of rainbows to spread joy.

For more information on Vanessa Parsons you can view her website here.

Vanessa will be joining us on the 12^th October, 2021 to talk about her book and her goal to help children around the world.  

Want to be a part of this project, contact us here

On the 5th December 2020, some of our members attended Impact for Women to assist with Christmas wrapping in their annual Bags of Love Christmas Event. 

Sadly we learned that almost 50 women and children have died at the hands of domestic violence this year - represented by a pair of shoes for each death. We added 5 new pairs of shoes to the line. Over 2000 women have escaped violence this year and they will be the recipients of the work we have done today. 

Impact is an amazing charity helping women and children fleeing extreme violence at home.

See how you can help here 

It was with much joy that most of were able to come together in person on the 15th December to celebrate Christmas at our usual venue, The Belgian Beer Cafe. For many of us, this was the first time we were able to see each other in person since March and we started our night going around the table and saying what we were grateful for after a year of disruption. We were also joined virtually via zoom and were grateful for technology and our ability to connect. 

Judy Parslow, our International Director did a fantastic job in coordinating and running the festivities, including a competition on bubble blowing - Bishan Dhillon taking the crown!

Santa paid us a visit and we all donated $5 for the Salvation Army Appeal as well as made a pledge that over the holidays we would support Australian Business' in the economic recovery from Covid-19 

Food, wine, friends and laughter - It was a fabulous night had by all. We will now take a break from formal meetings and return in the New Year on the 19th January refreshed and energised for a big 2021.

Merry Christmas from Rotary Southbank. 

On the 24th November some of gathered in person at the Red Emporer Restaurant in Southbank, whilst some of us joined virtually via zoom and we inducted our new members of the CEO Satelite Club of Southbank.

With varying backgrounds and interesting stories this group have big ideas and are keen to get involved in projects that make a difference.

Welcome to the Southbank Rotary Family!

On the 20th October we came together to celebrate Oktoberfest, which was our 7th Oktoberfest as a club, however our first virtual one! In honour of our German exchange student in 2013, Shirin, we have continued this tradition yearly and this year we also used it as a fundraiser to help our friends in Bali at the Rotary Club of Tamin raise funds for their project, Women's Health Mobile Clinic.

Nick Klaus, an old friend from the Belgian Beer Café came along and taught us how to taste two different beers, from the smell, the texture, the colour and then the taste We all enjoyed the experience. Our two beers experienced were Weihenstephaner Hefeweizen and Weihenstephaner Dunkel.

We had a lot of fun and had a few auctions with gifts kindly donated from Wendy Bennett, Stockland Wines and Liam Jones and ending up raising over $1000 for our friends at the Rotary Club of Tamin, Bali.

We look forward to having this event in 2021, hopefully in person this time!