Thank you to all our members who continue to give their time and money towards our projects and activities., especially as we acknowledge National Volunteer Week. Volunteers are at the heart of Rotary and our communities and bring joy, comfort and solace to so many.
As the end of the Rotary year approaches, there are many opportunities to celebrate including the club President's Changeover on 25th June. Please book now! Either through Humanitix or by contacting me. https://events.humaitix.com/president-changeover.
Please consider making a donation to the Rotary Foundation. All donations over $2 are tax deductible, and without the Foundation, many of our projects would not go ahead. This year we have received a Global Grant for Nepal and a District grant to support the Somalia medical container.
Brian, longtime partner of Josie Magri has passed away after 2 years with Alzheimer's.
Brian was well known to many members as a regular attendee at events with Josie. He was a Past President of the Rotary Club of Pascoe Vale, Trustee and Treasurer of Pascoe Vale and Glenroy RSL and worked at ANZAC House. A former Policeman, Navy, Army, ASIS and Special Air Service Paratrooper, Brian had many interesting tales to recount and was close to Peter Donnellan who shared his Vietnam experiences.
Brian lived a rich and rewarding life and made invaluable contributions to Australia and the world.
He is very badly missed by Josie and Lochie {the dog} and his 2 sons by his wife Margaret who died in 1994. RiP
*********************************************************** DATES FOR YOUR DIARY:
Wednesday 4th May: Breakfast at Mama Bear 8am, 7.45 for 8am start
Saturday 7th May: Eid BBQ at Djerring Hub 12-3
Wednesday 18th June: Peace Pole dedication at Mount Alexander College 11:30am
Wednesday 25th June: President's Changeover at Riverside Golf Club 6pm
Register through Humanitix $60pp
Wednesday 2nd July: Breakfast at Mama Bear 8am, 7.45 for 8am start
Saturday 5th July: District Governor's Changeover at Grand Star Receptions, Altona North 12 noon Register at https://www.trybooking.com/DCATG
Mel attended President Elect training i Bendigo where she met up with our Community Group President Elects.
FAMILY FUN DAY AT FLEMKEN BOWLING CLUB:
Many thanks to Drew, Peter, Jo and David Dippie who ran the BBQ on Good Friday. This is the club's annual fundraiser for the Royal Children's Hospital and was a fun day.
$4,547.95 was raised on the day!
ROTARY OVERSEAS RELOCATED PLAYGROUNDS
Peter scored a spot on ABC radio with David Astle recently where he spoke about RORP.
We've been out and about marking up playgrounds and meeting with Moonee Valley Council about a storage space here - Kilsyth is a long trip!
FLEMINGTON SERVICES EXPO AT DJERRING HUB
Shraddha and I attended the expo on 15 May where we joined 73 other groups and organisations providing services, training, connections and support to the community.
It was great to catch up with our MVCC friends, MMVLLEN, Farnham Street, L2P and CoHealth as well as others.
NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK
We acknowledged our Op Shop volunteers with lunch this week. Sincere thanks to Debra, Frances, Nahla, Vinh, Rui, Gail, Glenice, Laura, Karolina, Chris, Jo, and Shraddha for their service. Wonderful to have Geoff Cawsey and Dulcie Heard join us.
Nepal Education and teacher training: Shraddha is coordinating a delegation to visit Nepal and Sri Lanka in mid late September. Itineraries and visits have been organised with RC Kathmandu and RC Colombo.
Please advise Shraddha if you are interested in this trip.
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/16LJ4AR1ba/
The Fundraising APP is in progress. Peter and Shraddha are working with Darryll Chappell at Sputnik. This has been made possible by a grant from Bendigo Bank.
Books to Kismayo: Mohammed and his team have now made 4 collections from Donations in Kind. As well as the books provided by Jeff Taylor at Mount Waverley, Robert Aykeroyd and us, DiK has donated 3 pallets of children's fiction and a pallet of school stationery - sufficient for 400 children. Thank you!
Abdi advised that the group are still fundraising for the shipping to Kismayo.
Our contribution is in people, books and school stationary and a small financial contribution towards shipping. Thanks to Peter and Abdiwahid for their work.
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OP SHOP REPORT AND ROSTER:
The shop is now managed by Rotarians who are on duty each day with assistance from our wonderful volunteers.
There have been changes to parking in Clarence Street - I have negotiated for us to be able to park in the Industrie Carpark.
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1FhEFz8Xwx/
Hours are Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 11am to 4pm, Saturday 10am to 2pm
WEDNESDAY; Lesley, Deborah, Vinh and Rui
THURSDAY: Deborah, Vinh and Rui, Barbara
FRIDAY: Shraddha, Jo, Vinh and Rui, Nahla
SATURDAY: Deb, Chris, Karolina, Nahla, Glenice
Closed Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.
Volunteers are needed. If you are able, please allocate a few hours a month to OUR hands on project! We would like to reopen on Tuesdays.
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Youth Projects:
Youth Projects is helping the most vulnerable people living in the centre of the city of Melbourne. They provide food, medical care, connections with essential services as well as clothing and bedding for those living rough.
Peter Duras from Rotary Central Melbourne calls at the Op Shop monthly to collect our excess stock. Vinh and Rui collect and store suitable garments from our donations and welcome Peter on his visits.
Can you help? With winter approaching there is a request for adult sized socks, men's underwear, jackets, jumpers, hoodies, blankets, sleeping bags, backpacks.
Donate at the op Shop please.
Caroline Chisholm Society and the NEC project:
Rotary Essendon has asked for new or good quality used baby and children’s clothing up to the age of 5 for winter.
Pease do not donate anything you wouldn’t want your own children or grandchildren wearing. Maria and Shirley collect from us.
There is a special need is for items for the Newborn Unit. If you are a knitter they have stock of wool for you to knit new items as well.
Contact Lesley.
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MAY IS YOUTH SERVICES MONTH:
Well, we have this one well and truly covered!
In July we will welcome Lenka Pocarovska from the Czech Republic. Our club and Footsray are cohosting so members will be asked to assist and provide outings, trips and experiences over the 12 months. Lenka will be attending Mount Alexander College and we thank Principal Dani Angelico and Assistant Principal Kate Stevanovic for their help.
Her first host family will be Carla and Scott Tatulaschwili, parents to Jay who is currently in Denmark having a most amazing experience.
So what else do we do?
Thanks to our Youth Chair Jeff, MAC nominates students to attend RYPEN and NYSF, we provide scholarships to MAC, Kensington CHS, Ascot Vale Heights School and primary schools.
Last year we sponsored RYDA to MAC and will offer the program this year to 4 schools.
We nominate students to RYLA, provide books and toys for The Venny, Djerring Hub, the Wingate Ave Maternal & Child Health Nurses and Christmas gifts for local groups.
But there's more ................
THE PEACE POLE PROJECT:
With encouragement and support from the District and following discussions with the school, we have arranged to install 2 Peace Poles at Mount Alexander College.
Peace Poles were initiated by Rotary in Ishikawa, Japan, in 1955. There are now over 250,000 poles across the world. The 100 Peace Pole project was initiated as a Rotary Centenary project.
Our 2 poles show the message; "May Peace Prevail on Earth" in English, Arabic, Cantonese, Mandarin, Mongolian, Oromo, Somali and Vietnamese, the languages identified by the school.
They will be formally unveiled at an assembly on Wednesday 18th June.
Meet the Rotary Scholars
Let us introduce you to our newest star performers - the ROTARY DISTRICT 9800 2025-26 GLOBAL GRANT SCHOLARS:
Nishtha Chadha (London School of Economics & Political Science)
Ashley Chandler (University of Geneva - Graduate Institute of International & Development Studies)
For the 16th consecutive year, The Rotary Foundation has received the highest rating — four stars — from Charity Navigator, an independent evaluator of charities.
Have you made your EOFY donation yet?
Donate direct via My Rotary
Electronic Bank transfer: The Australian Rotary Foundation Trust
BSB No: 342 011
Acct No: 663499001
We are club number 24401.
Thank you to our sponsors, supporters and corporate members.
$4,547.95 was raised on the day!
ntial services as well as clothing and bedding for those living rough.
Rotary Essendon has asked for 
