What a wonderful meeting we had last week with our guest speaker Boyd Mapletone from the MMVLLEN and visitors.
Maria Silber and Emanuel Tumino from Footscray Rotary, members of the District Youth Exchange team came along to support Jay Tatulaschwili - our sponsored outbound exchange student who hopes to travel to Denmark next year.
It was great to welcome back Karolina and Jeff after their recent ailments and catch up on all their news.
We have had a very busy month so far - see reports below.
Remember that we have District Governor Michael Lapina coming to our next evening meeting on 18 September. This event will be held at the Riverside Golf Club in Ascot Vale {no stairs!} Let's all make an effort and give Michael a big FlemKen welcome!
This is the Magic of Rotary!
Maribyrnong and Moonee Valley Local Learning and Employment Network -
Boyd Maplestone, CEO gave us a presentation about the MMVLLEN, which many at the meeting had no knowledge of. The LLEN works to connect education, industry and community and to support, assist and encourage young people into fulfilling employment opportunities.
Funded by the Victorian Government and other organisations and donors, the LLEN offers Structured Workplace Learning placements, supported pathways learning, industry-school events, mentoring and more. They work with schools across Maribyrnong and Moonee Valley, industries, larger employers and community organisations. Try-a-Trade, the virtual reality platform and summer jobs workshops were very popular.
All present agreed that there were many opportunities for Rotary to collaborate with the LLEN including our youth programs, the Op Shop and identifying placements.
There were lots of questions, and a connection was made with Footscray Rotary as well.
Jay Tatulaschwili
Jay introduced himself and gave us a brief overview of his life, sports, schooling and hopes for exchange. He lives in Kensington Road with his parents and 2 younger brothers and attends De La Salle College n Malvern. Jay chose Denmark {Maria} over Brazil {sorry Emanuel} as it was not quite so hot. He is looking forward to trying handball and introducing some of his new school friends to Aussie Rules: he plays, coaches and umpires at JJ Holland Park.
Jay recently attended an orientation camp at Beechworth with Maria where he met the 25 inbound and 15 outbound students from across Victoria.
READ MORE
He met some Danish students who are here now and was able to learn a bit more. His mother has already organised some language lessons for him.
Packing the Container for Jarriban University Hospital Last week the container filled with hope: hospital, medical and educational supplies was packed at Donations in Kind and is on its way to Puntland.
Thanks to the amazing crew at DiK, led by Andy and Jim, the majority of large items were loaded by 11am. Peter Cribb and Jo Walker helped Lesley with loading smaller items and boxes.
Yasir, Soraya, Abdullah and Abdullahi, and Soraya's husband and son were there to see and help with the smaller items and selection of boxes of extra medical and educational goods.
Friday 25 to Sunday 29 October - RYPEN at Doxa, Malmsbury Saturday 9 November: Bunnings BBQ Maribyrnong
30 November: BBQ at Moonee Ponds Creek renewal Ethel Reserve Strathmore
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News:
1. We have 2 successful students for NYSF in January: Charlotte Marshall Pearson is off to Brisbane and Simeon Baker will go to Canberra. Congratulations to them both, we look forward to meeting them at the September meeting.
2. agreed to collaborate with the BEAP Foundation and the Rotary of Colombo, our long-term sister club in supporting the Accident & Emergency Trauma Hospital at Batticoloa in the remote eastern part of Sri Lanka. Mr Nihal De Run and PDG Senake Ameresinghe have worked with Peter Cribb on projects previously. READ MORE
3. We are increasing our partnership with Anwar Alishek and EAHA {the Eritrean Australian Humanitarian Association} and supporting them in their fundraising efforts to provide education to students at the Kassala Refugee Camp in Sudan. We have provided assistance for this school previously, and assisted EAHA to access a BBQ trailer.
Peter Cribb and Shraddha Sharma have worked assiduously to develop a donation platform which we will host. READ MORE
4. Peter and Shraddha are also working on the development of an APP to accept donations similar to that used by the Sputnik Girls Orphanage in Kurunegala, Sri Lanka, which we have supported previously. They met with representatives at Bendigo Bank last week and have applied for a grant.
Members may remember that Peter requested donations to cover meals for the girls in, lieu of 80th birthday gifts. He has been able to transfer quite a significant sum already.
5. Lorry Rowe is off to the Philippines again next month, with the final tranche of books and thongs for the children in Manila, She will be hosted by the Rotary Club of Cabanatuan again. Lorry has just had another bout of cataract surgery which went well.
PROJECT UPDATES: 1. Sri Lanka Stroke Project: the 2nd container was been held up at port awaiting inspection by Ministry of Health. Peter has liaised with RC Columbo and the container is now released.
2. Books to the Maldives - 10 pallets of books and stationery have arrived in Male.
3. Jarriban Hospital - this container has shipped.
4. Nepal Education and teacher training: Shraddha is in discussion with RC Tri[pureswor re commencement.
5. RYDA - he initial program will run in October with students from MAC.
OP SHOP NEWS:
Business continues to be slow allowing time for Mel and volunteers to do some much-needed tidying and sorting. July income was again under the $6k mark which has been a trend all year. Our volunteers logged 325 hours and sent 246kgs to the RagMan. Mel was particularly pleased with the sale of a big oil painting which helped with sales.
The Food Pantry continues to be in great demand. At the last Board Meeting we agreed to fund additional purchases as we have lost access to FoodBank {they are finding it very difficult to meet the need}.
Mel has begun planning for Art Therapy classes to run at the shop - day/time TBC. We received a small grant last year to support this and will access art/craft materials from DiK as well as applying for donations from local businesses.
REMEMBER JON TEMBY?
This article caught my eye when I saw it in the Bass Coast Post and I wanted to share what Jon and Robyn have been upto at their property at West Creek near Wonthaggi.
Three years ago we bought a property in
West Creek that had a Trust for Nature
covenant protecting its bushland.
We knew there wasPittosporum undulatum on the property and that it was going to be a big job to get rid of it. We probably didn’t realise just how big a job.
The Pittosporum had formed an almost complete canopy, shutting out the light and outcompeting almost all our understorey plants across the entire bushland section.
In places, thickets were close to impenetrable and the ground underneath bigger stands of Pittosporum (which we call ”pitto”) was totally bare of other vegetation.
The change in that environment is so markedly better than when they first took over. The tall Eucalypts were very hard to see because of the dense understory of Pittosporums. Now, they stand out beautifully prominent among the canopy of other native vegetation.
Seen at DiK recently:
Barbara Ryan, Op Shop volunteer, called in to see the warehouse. Peter Cribb has been a dedicated volunteer in the clothing aisle. Len Seddon visited with a friend and obtained a 4 wheel-walker.
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LOOKING FOR WORK:
Anwar Alishek, former member and good friend of the club and our members is seeking work. Anwar has done home handyman and maintenance jobs for many of us and previously assisted Ted Frank on maintenance of his rental properties. He lives in St Albans and has an ABN.
He is skilled at:
- carpentry
- painting
- general home repairs
- gardening
- home handyman type jobs
Contact Anwar on 0401 372 713
Peter Cribb, Allan Bruno, Lesley McCarthy and Anne Dynon can provide references.
Wednesday 18 September - District Governor visit to our club.
Riverside Golf Club, Newsom Street, Ascot Vale 6pm.
Please block this date in your diary now.
Governor of District 9800, operatic tenor Michael Lapiña began his professional career in 1988 performing in musicals, touring extensively in Australia and Asia, and being engaged with many of Australia’s leading opera houses to perform some of the most coveted tenor roles in the operatic repertoire.
His Rotary career began in 2005 joining the Rotary Club of Central Melbourne Sunrise, a breakfast Club that suited Michael’s corporate role as an Executive Coach & Project Director at the National Australia Bank that was situated across the road from where Rotary met.
Transferring his membership to the Rotary Club of Wyndham in 2018, he juggles his professional opera career with being a Music Tutor at the prestigious Haileybury College, as well as his Rotary commitments, which has seen him hold several District Leadership roles, including Assistant Governor, Team Leader of the Group Vocational Exchange, Artistic Director of several District Conferences, and Artistic Consultant for the Next Generation Service Exchange sending aspiring young Opera professionals to Bayreuth, Germany annually.
Recently, he has was invited to sing at the closing ceremony of the 2024 Rotary International Convention in Singapore.
Michael’s passion and success stems from the support of his wife, Niña, and his three adult
children, Mikey, Alex and Brianna – all of whom are Rotarians.
The Neighbourhood Spirit Awards are Council’s opportunity to recognise community members who have contributed to their local neighbourhoods across Moonee Valley and can be for an individual or community group who live, work study of plan in Moonee Valley.
Nominations can be made for individuals, groups or communities.
The new ward structure has divided Moonee Valley into 9 wards - and one councillor will be elected in each ward. Council elections are by post and ballots will hit your letter boxes from 7 October. All votes must be posted by 25 October.
‘Let’s GoZero Moonee Valley’is the program name of the 20 community carbon emissions reduction initiatives funded by the Community Climate Emissions Reduction Reserve. A communications campaign has been created called ‘Let’s Go Zero –Rock Stars’, which showcases Moonee Valley residents being ‘rock stars’ inenergy efficiency and renewable energy in their homes and work.
City of Melbourne news: Men's Table is a safe space for men to talk about how they feel over dinner once a month. Get food in your belly and stuff off your chest.
The ‘Kensington/Flemington Entrée’ event is an introduction to The Men’s Table initiative. The Entree event is a chance to meet other men, and to learn about how a Table works to help you consider whether you’d like to be part of a local Men’s Table.
It will be hosted by a couple of lrong standing members of othe Men’s Tables. Tickets cost $27.50 which covers the cost of your meal at the Doutta Galla Hotel.
A part of the Gardens for Wildlife program, our garden guides are ready to visit your gardens, no matter how big or small. By taking part, you will help conserve Melbourne's biodiversity and create habitat links for local wildlife. Afterwards you'll be provided with a report on how you can work towards your goals, as well as a voucher for free native plants from Bili Nursery and Landcare. Booking a visit at Gardens for Wildlife Melbourne program | City of Melbourne
Ongoing person to manage IT. (Google based emails and documents, and webpress webpage)
Home based
Volunteer Coordinator
Home and warehouse based
Supervisor for 1-2 Saturdays per month
Warehouse
Additional Good Selection Hosts required
Warehouse
An accountant to be a back up for current accountant when on leave etc
Home based
General warehouse volunteers – don’t have to be Rotary members. Regular commitment preferred – doesn’t have to be weekly, can be fortnightly or monthly
Warehouse
More volunteers for Saturday collection team – particularly jockeys
Warehouse
Person to train in testing and tagging of electrical goods. Can do in own time, warehouse doesn’t have to be open
Governor of District 9800, operatic tenor Michael Lapiña began his professional career in 1988 performing in musicals, touring extensively in Australia and Asia, and being engaged with many of Australia’s leading opera houses to perform some of the most coveted tenor roles in the operatic repertoire.
