Welcome to this week's edition of the Gateway Bulletin!
We're here to keep you informed with the latest updates, events, and stories from our Rotary community. Whether it's new initiatives, upcoming meetings, or ways to get involved, we'll keep you informed and up-to-date.
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PRESIDENT'S UPDATE
Next week’s meeting, on Tuesday, 25 November, is an important one for our club. Please note that the Officer Sikh Temple Visit has been postponed, and instead, we will hold the Deferred AGM on this date.
This is a pivotal moment as nominations are now locked in, and your attendance is important to support President-Elect Leanne Byron and her Executive Team for 2026/2027. By attending, you are helping shape the future of our club and showing the strength of our Rotary fellowship. Together, we ensure the club continues to thrive, grow, and make a meaningful impact in our community.
It’s another busy and rewarding week as we continue hands-on community projects, celebrate Rotary Foundation Month, and stay connected with our members and wider community.
🎉 Dandenong West Primary School 100-Year Celebration
A huge thank you to Di and Rahima for recognising our club’s contribution at the school’s centenary. Special thanks to Phil Thurgood (our BBQ King), joined by Brian Ashworth, John Peck, Peter Faulkner, Terry Valentine, and Hans Van Dyk, for running the BBQ.
Fun fact: The oldest student in attendance was 93 years old, giving us a fascinating glimpse into how Dandenong has evolved over the past century. Over the past 100 years, the school has welcomed students from more than 25 different countries, reflecting the rich diversity of the community. Currently, the school experiences a 30% annual student turnover and is seeing shrinking enrollments due to the rising rental market, which is pricing families out of housing. 🎓
🌟 Strategic Visioning – John Poke
John Poke shared his inspiring vision for Rotary, focusing on five-year strategic goals and collaboration among current and future presidents.
Key points from his session:
Collaborative Planning: John emphasised the importance of bringing current and incoming presidents together to jointly set goals, align priorities, and ensure continuity of impactful projects across the clubs.
Focus Areas: His strategy encourages clubs to identify key focus areas for growth, community impact, member engagement, and fundraising.
Long-Term Vision: By planning five years ahead, the club can anticipate challenges, develop sustainable programs, and create measurable outcomes that show Rotary’s impact locally and internationally.
Member Engagement: John highlighted that everyone can contribute, not just the leadership team. Members can share ideas, support initiatives, and help implement projects that align with the club’s strategic goals.
Inspiration and Momentum: His message was clear — a shared vision brings energy, purpose, and focus. Presidents and presidents-elect will meet this Saturday to begin implementing these plans, laying a strong foundation for the District 9815 club’s future.
Fun fact: Rotary has 1.4 million members in 200+ countries, all working together on life-changing projects. 🤝
💙 Rotary Foundation – Presentation by Colin Byron
Colin Byron delivered a truly inspiring presentation on Rotary Foundation, highlighting how our contributions transform lives locally and globally.
Key points:
Polio Eradication: Globally, there are only 39 known cases of polio, but the risk remains. Polio can resurge if vaccination efforts slow, which is why Rotary continues to focus on immunisation campaigns worldwide. (Your comment: “Vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate!” — a call to action for all of us.) 💉
Fun fact: Since 1985, Rotary has helped reduce polio cases by over 99.9% worldwide.
Donor Contribution and Recognition Programs: Rotary provides recognition for support through pins and awards. These programs celebrate contributions of every size, showing that every donation matters and that we are one Rotary family working together.
Impact Highlights: Rotary Foundation projects are carefully managed, with funds multiplied through District and Global Grants. Contributions support life-changing initiatives including education, clean water, health services, and economic development. Members’ support directly impacts both local community projects and global efforts, from disaster relief to disease eradication.
Foundation Vision: Colin’s message emphasised sustainable, measurable impact. By supporting the Foundation, we ensure that our contributions create lasting change for those who need it most.
Call to Action: I encourage every member to consider supporting the Foundation — through donations, volunteering, or advocacy. We are all part of one Rotary family, and together we can tackle challenges that no single organisation could solve alone. 🌎
🌐 Rotary International Meeting – Sunday Recap
At last Sunday’s meeting, fellow clubs shared updates on their international projects. One highlight was the FORaMEAL initiative by the Rotary Club of Canterbury:
Volunteers prepare meal pouches of rice, lentils, and oats fortified with essential vitamins and minerals.
Each pouch feeds 5–6 people and is designed to be quickly cooked with added proteins or vegetables.
Approximately 97% of donations go directly to producing and distributing meals.
Meals are sent both internationally to disaster-affected areas and locally to support vulnerable communities.
In one day, volunteers packed 70,000 meals — a remarkable effort!
I also highlighted the amazing work that Ashton, Babar, and Howard are doing on our solar and battery project for the Peter Weerasekera Orphanage in Gampaha, Sri Lanka. For many years, the orphanage has provided a safe and nurturing home for children, but faces daily challenges due to unreliable electricity. Funds raised through our Business Breakfast and Indian Dinner Dance will help make a lasting difference.
🛠️ Endeavour Hills Men’s Shed – Recent Updates
A big thanks to Howard for repairing our Rotary wheel’s support hinge — we now have a fully functioning wheel, ready for use in events and displays!
Dandenong West Primary School has also approached us for support following recent thefts of children’s bikes from their open storage area. The school has identified an alternative space on-site that could be converted into a secure bike and scooter enclosure, involving:
Installing a fence and gate
Adding bike racks for safe storage
We are currently scoping this work and will present the project to the club in the near future for a collective decision on how we can support this initiative.
📅Christmas Business Breakfast – Tuesday 2 December (7:00–9:00 am)
Our Christmas Business Breakfast is a wonderful opportunity to invite business contacts, colleagues, and friends to network, share ideas, and celebrate the season.
We are excited to welcome Jacqui Weatherill from Dandenong Council, who will provide an overview of the council’s plans for Dandenong and answer questions from attendees.
Highlights:
Networking Opportunities: Connect with local business leaders, community members, and Rotary supporters over breakfast.
Council Insights: Learn about Dandenong’s development plans, upcoming projects, and community initiatives directly from Jacqui Weatherill.
Support Rotary Projects: Funds raised will contribute to our solar and battery project for the Peter Weerasekera Orphanage.
Festive Atmosphere: Enjoy a relaxed, professional breakfast while celebrating the spirit of Rotary and giving back.
🍚 ASRC Rice Packing and Dinner Night – 9 December 2025
Get ready for a hands-on, heartwarming event! At this much-loved tradition, we’ll purchase Basmati rice and repack it into 1kg bags to support vulnerable members of our local community. Every bag provides a meal for families in need, giving nourishment, hope, and care.
This event is about more than just packing rice — it’s a chance to come together, work as a team, and see the immediate impact of our efforts. After packing, we’ll enjoy a delicious dinner together, sharing fellowship and celebrating our contributions.
Space is limited for 14–16 people, so register early on Clubrunner and be part of this meaningful experience. 🙌💛
🔥 Bunnings Narre Warren BBQ – Saturday 7 February 2026
We’re gearing up for a high-volume BBQ at the new Bunnings Narre Warren store. A big team will be needed — register early and be part of this fun, high-profile community event!
💃 Indian Dinner Dance – February 21, 2026
A night of fun, food, and fundraising for a great cause — supporting the Peter Weerasekera Orphanage solar and battery project.
📅 Upcoming Events (in date order)
Nov 25, 2025 – 💼 Deferred AGM, Dandenong Club (support PE Leanne Byron and Exec Team)
Dec 02, 2025 – 🎄 Christmas Business Breakfast, Dandenong Club (7–9 am)
Dec 09, 2025 – 🍚 ASRC Rice Packing and Dinner Night
Dec 16, 2025 – 🎅 Christmas Social Night, Dandenong Club
Dec 23, 2025 – Jan 20, 2026 – 🎄 Christmas Break
Jan 27, 2026 – 🎉 Social Night
Feb 07, 2026 – 🔥 Bunnings Narre Warren BBQ
Feb 21, 2026 – 💃 Indian Dinner Dance
Feb 24, 2026 – 📜 Anniversary of Rotary’s Foundation (Feb 23)
Let’s come together to celebrate the joy of Christmas, the spirit of fellowship, and another wonderful year of Rotary service!
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CLUB MEETINGS
Where Club meetings are listed as TBC, please refer to the Events Calendar on our club website for the latest updates.
ATTENDANCE
We’d love to see you at our meetings! Please use ClubRunner to let us know if you’ll be attending, and feel free to include any guests — especially for special events or partners’ nights.
To help us plan with the Dandenong Club, please update your attendance by 5 pmon Monday. This ensures we can confirm numbers and make the most of our time together.
Davao Oriental Disaster Response
After the 7.6-magnitude earthquake hit Davao Oriental in October, many communities suddenly lost access to clean and safe drinking water. Thanks to the quick work of the Safe Water Action Team (SWAT-Philippines), Disaster Aid Australia, and the SkyJuice Foundation, mobile SkyHydrant units were deployed and moved from one barangay to another to restore clean water flow where it was needed most.
The presentation below gives a great overview of how these teams worked together on the ground, the challenges they faced, and how Rotary support helped make a real difference for families who were already dealing with so much.
If you’d like to take a closer look at the full story, we’ve included the complete presentation below.
Celebrating a Milestone: 20 Containers Sent to the Horn of Africa
At a special gathering on 18 November 2025, Rotarians and community leaders came together to celebrate an incredible milestone — the dispatch of the 20th container as part of the Horn of Africa project. This latest shipment is headed to Dilchora Referral Hospital in the Dire Dawa City Administration, Ethiopia, marking another significant step in supporting healthcare services across the region.
Jama Farah, Director of International Service for the Rotary Club of Footscray, opened the event by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the land and welcoming a wide range of distinguished guests. Attendees included Maribyrnong Mayor Cr Pradeep Tiwari, representatives from the Rotary Club of Footscray, leaders from Donations in Kind (DIK), members of the Ethiopian Embassy in Canberra, and local diaspora media and community representatives. Their presence reflected the strong community partnerships that have helped this project thrive.
The Horn of Africa initiative has grown steadily over the years, with the 20th container representing countless hours of coordination, generosity, and volunteer effort. Jama paid special thanks to the Footscray Rotary Aged and Community Service Fund, the District 9800 Foundation, the Dire Dawa City Relief and Support Association, and the Harari, Somali and Dire Dawa diaspora communities both in Australia and abroad — all of whom have contributed significantly to this latest shipment.
He also acknowledged the extraordinary work of DIK management and volunteers, whose dedication ensures that every container is filled, packed, and shipped with care. Their commitment has been essential to the success of each stage of the project.
In closing, Jama expressed his deep gratitude to everyone involved in the Horn of Africa project, noting the inspiration that comes from seeing so many people unite behind a shared purpose. This milestone — 20 containers and counting — is a testament to the power of collaboration, compassion, and Rotary’s ongoing commitment to making a difference.
Attendance and Participation: Regularly attend club meetings and participate actively in club activities and projects.
Service Projects: Engage in community service projects, both locally and internationally, aimed at addressing humanitarian needs, promoting goodwill, and fostering peace.
Fundraising: Contribute to fundraising efforts that support Rotary's service projects and charitable activities.
Vocational Expertise: Share their professional skills and expertise to benefit others within the club and in service projects.
Ethical Standards: Adhere to high ethical standards in their personal and professional lives, reflecting Rotary's commitment to integrity and ethical behavior.
Networking and Fellowship: Build relationships and network with other Rotarians and community leaders, fostering goodwill and understanding.
Membership Growth: Support efforts to grow Rotary's membership and extend invitations to prospective members who embody Rotary's ideals.
Rotary Foundation: Contribute financially to the Rotary Foundation, which funds international scholarships, humanitarian projects, and other charitable efforts.
Public Image: Promote Rotary's mission and achievements within the community and advocate for Rotary's values and initiatives.
Leadership: Serve in leadership roles within the club or district, providing guidance and direction to advance Rotary's goals.
Overall, Rotarians are dedicated to making a positive impact in their communities and the world at large through service, fellowship, and ethical leadership.
All members are invited to contribute to our newsletter.
If you have an interesting article or some great pictures, please share them with us by Thursday so we can include them in Friday's edition.
Send all articles and notifications to our Editor, David Langworthy, at david@bevmarks.com.au.
