Welcome to this week's edition of the Gateway Bulletin!
We're here to provide you with the latest updates, events, and stories from our Rotary community. Whether it's new initiatives, upcoming meetings, or opportunities to get involved, we'll ensure you're kept informed and up to date.
Our Facebook page is also an excellent way to stay updated on our club's activities. If you haven't connected yet, click here to follow.
Thursday, 3rd July Soap Aid Tour – 11:00 am
📍 95A Cheltenham Rd, Dandenong
A fantastic opportunity to learn more about this life-saving hygiene initiative.
Saturday, 12th July District Changeover
📍 Pakenham Racecourse, Tynong
Celebrate the incoming District team and connect with fellow Rotarians.
🎟️ Bookings essential via Humanitix.
Saturday, 19th July Club Changeover
📍 Stella’s Kitchen, Lysterfield
Come along as we celebrate the past year and welcome our new Club leadership team. Click to view the Video Invitation 🎟️ Bookings via TryBooking.com.
Also on Saturday, 19th July Bunnings BBQ Fundraiser
📍 Bunnings (Location TBA)
We need volunteers for our Bunnings BBQ fundraiser - even a couple of hours makes a big difference!
NB: Where Club meetings are listed as TBA, please refer to the Events Calendar on our club website for the latest updates.
Membership Dues – Coming Soon
A friendly reminder that Rotary membership dues will be payable in July. The team is preparing the invoices, so please keep an eye on your inbox in the coming weeks.
Thank you for your continued support and commitment to Rotary.
Club Meeting
Tuesday, 24th June 2025
Wrapping Up the Rotary Year
Our final club meeting for the 2024–25 Rotary year was a casual and enjoyable social night shared with members, partners, and friends.
Peter F kicked off the evening with an engaging update on the important work being done by Disaster Aid Australia — a reminder of the powerful impact Rotary can have in times of crisis.
We then switched gears for some light-hearted fun with trivia led by Quiz Master John. With games, laughter, and prizes up for grabs, it was a great way to wrap up the year in true Rotary spirit — with fellowship, generosity, and good humour.
Rotarians: People of Action
While on a routine visit to Bunnings Narre Warren, Selina and John Ternel found themselves drawn in by a familiar scent — the classic aroma of a sausage sizzle. Spotting a long line of hungry locals, they soon discovered that the Rotary Club of Casey was running the BBQ but were short on volunteers.
True to the Rotary spirit, Selina and John didn’t hesitate. They rolled up their sleeves and spent the afternoon flipping sausages and helping keep things moving behind the grill. What began as a casual shopping trip quickly turned into a spontaneous act of service and a great reminder of how community spirit can come to life when you least expect it.
For several years, myself, Colin, Hans, Ken, and Lynn have been attending the graduation ceremonies to celebrate the success of the students involved with the program.
This is a great organisation for Rotary to support as it fits within our Action Plan and the outcomes are always very positive.
At the ceremonies, they invite previous students to tell their stories of personal development and success in the years following their engagement with Operation Newstart.
This program is very worthy of the support of Rotary. Our club has previoeusly supported this program financially and will hopefully continue to do so.
WHAT THEY DO
Operation Newstart addresses the needs of students at risk in the middle years of their secondary schooling.
Operation Newstart is an innovative re-engagement program for young people aged 14 -16 attending Victorian Government Secondary schools who are at significant educational risk. Many are at risk of expulsion, have failed to attend school regularly and are at risk of not completing their secondary education.
Using a combination of experiential learning, wilderness therapy, family group work, mediation, counselling and community interconnectedness, our goal is to prevent students from disengaging prematurely from their families and schools and to prepare pathways to further education and employment.
A key feature is small group work (maximum of 8 or 9 students) under the direction of highly skilled professionals who provide a multi-layered intervention focusing on the young person’s relationship with self, family, school and community.
Programs run for a full school term, with students attending their home school for two days each week, and the program for the remaining three days.
WHY THEY DO IT
Those who disengage early from school tend to be significantly more disadvantaged in later life with:
Increased likelihood of experiencing unemployment
Lowered lifelong income
Poorer outcomes in health, accommodation and social status
Greater risk of offending behaviour
Greater susceptibility to the influences of drug and alcohol misuse
Homelessness and anti-social behaviour.
Leanne Byron
YOUTH CHAIR
Rotary Club of Greater Dandenong & Endeavour Hills
Phone: 0402 242 743
District Governor Partner D9815
Blast from the Past Rotary at Work and Play
Thanks to Hans Van Dyk for sharing this great throwback photo from the Dandenong Holden Car Show, 2014. A fantastic reminder of Rotary in Action — connecting with the community through both service and fun!
Upcoming Event: Soap Aid Recycling Plant Tour
Join us for a tour of Soap Aid's recycling facility, where discarded hotel soaps are transformed into life-saving hygiene products for communities in need.
During the approximately 45-minute tour, attendees will witness the soap sorting process firsthand, gain insights into the recycling operations, and learn about the equipment involved.
This event offers a unique opportunity to understand how Soap Aid's partnership with the accommodation industry helps divert waste from landfills and supports global hygiene initiatives.
Don't miss this chance to see the impactful work being done to promote sustainability and improve lives through hygiene.
Upcoming Bunnings BBQ
Volunteers Needed!
BBQs are not only a great fundraising opportunity for our club, but also a wonderful way to build fellowship among members and connect with our local community.
Our next BBQ is scheduled for Saturday, 19th July, and we need your help to fill the volunteer roster. Even just a couple of hours of your time can make a big difference.
Here’s the current roster and the spots we still need to fill:
Saturday, 19th July:
8am – 10am: Phil T / Colin B / …… / ……
10am – 12pm: Alan C / Peter B / …… / ……
12pm – 2pm: …… / …… / …… / ……
2pm – 4pm: John P / Joe / …… / ……
If you can assist, please contact Phil Thurgood as soon as possible.
Ph: 0407 325 241
Rotary Club of Rowville-Lysterfield
Final Newsletter for 2024-2025
Hello everyone,
Please find attached a copy of the final newsletter for the 2024-2025 year.
I hope you have enjoyed reading the newsletters, and I look forward to sending newsletters again next year!
Regards, Corinne Baillie Newsletter Editor Rotary Club of Rowville-Lysterfield
Please note delegates will need to use the ‘Access Conference Rates Here’ button at the bottom of the screen and not the ‘search availability’ function at the top of the screen, otherwise they will not gain access to the discount rates!
If any delegates have any questions or concerns about the link, please feel free to reach out to the hotel directly.
Between 2008 and 2011, Associate Professor Elizabeth Scarr received the Royce Abbey Postdoctoral Fellowship from Australian Rotary Health (ARH) to explore brain chemistry changes in schizophrenia.
Nearly 18 years later, the FDA approved a new drug for schizophrenia that targets these muscarinic receptors. “My work provided support for the drug company to develop and test the original version of the drug, which was then modified to the version that has been approved,” she shares, crediting ARH’s support as pivotal to this life-changing development.
This is the impact your donation can have.
As the end of financial year approaches, consider making a tax-deductible donation to ARH. Help fund the next generation of research that changes lives.
June is Rotary Fellowships Month — a special time for Rotary clubs around the world to celebrate the incredible diversity and camaraderie found within Rotary Fellowships. These international groups bring together Rotarians, family members, and friends who share common interests, hobbies, or professions, fostering lifelong friendships and collaboration beyond traditional club boundaries.
Rotary Fellowships provide unique opportunities to connect, learn, and grow with like-minded people across the globe. Whether your passion lies in photography, hiking, wine appreciation, aviation, or countless other areas, there’s likely a fellowship that fits your interests. These groups offer a wonderful way to deepen your Rotary experience while promoting goodwill and understanding internationally.
We encourage members to explore and join fellowships that inspire them. It’s a fantastic way to expand your network, exchange ideas, and enhance your service projects with fresh perspectives and expertise.
Let’s use this month to celebrate the diverse passions that unite us as Rotarians and to strengthen the bonds of friendship that make Rotary such a powerful global community.
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.
