Its been a few months since our last in-person meeting but in the meantime, we have had some really great guest speakers on zoom and met a few new local people on zoom as well. A couple of them have also recently volunteered at Rimern. Some of the newer visitors to our club have expressed an interest to join the club and so tomorrow's meeting is really targeted at giving them as much information as we can about Rotary.

We actually had another contact today from Lucia Halliburton from Ames Australia who spoke to us a couple of weeks ago about the support they are providing the newly arrived refugees from Afghanistan. she has requested our club provide a quote to provide a Halal BBQ for 500 staff and clients. As well they have made a request for a donation of luggage inc overnight bags and suitcases.

Talking of BBQ's Cheryl has given me the latest update on our Streatrader licence and it is still good till the end of the year.

 

It really was an eye-opener learning that this independent school is operating right on our doorstep in Capel Street North Melbourne. She explained how they offer full-time programs delivering the VCAL curriculum to re-engage Refugee and Asylum Seeker school-aged young women who may have experienced disrupted schooling, are newly arrived in Australia, or find a flexible learning environment most suitable to their learning. There are no fees at the school and students can enter at any stage during the year.

The club is currently looking at how we can take advantage of a grant being offered by the City of Melbourne to do projects that will activate the city again with a view of bringing people and business back to the city. Ted was looking at an idea of a Rotary Clock but it was felt that putting almost at the foot of the North Melbourne Town Hall with its big clocktower might not be justified but Ted is still looking at more creative ideas so if anyone else has any ideas please let us know.

Our President, Sainab Sheikh at a recent "Morning Tea with the DG" Zoom meeting mentioned she was looking for urgent support for the Royal Beled Hawo Hospital & New MCH Mother and Child Health Hospital. Well, Past District Governor, Murray Verso was listening and he is the chair of the District Rotary Foundation Committee.

Just today he emailed the club to give details of the possibility of getting either a District Grant of between $1,000.00 and $6,000.00 on a 1:2 basis (e.g. Club contributes $2,000, Foundation contributes $1,000.).

He also pointed out that much bigger grants are available as Global Grants through the Rotary Foundation but of course these have a lot more rigid rules to satisfy.

(Rotary Inner Melbourne Emergency Relief Network)

We had a shift last week and we had 5 volunteers that helped out.

They were our President, Sainab Sheikh and Herbson Singo and also 3 volunteers being  Rahma Abdirahman, Michelle Donelly, and Vidya Yeleswarapu. Michelle Donelly and Vidya Yeleswarapu both came to us from reading the North West City News.

we know things can always change but this is our upcoming roster.

The shift is from 1.00 pm at 32-34 Lincoln St East Brunswick.

If anyone else is interested to get on our roster then please contact Judy Page on 0425 741 624 or email on judypage3@gmail.com. You do have to be double vaccinated

Give yourself a treat. You can't get a better fruit cake than this. 50% Fruit. If you want a few for presents then let me know and we can do a group order.

We now have all the details for the next Ryla program. Ryla is a Rotary Youth Leadership Award and is targeted for 18-25-year-olds. It is going to be on 13th-19th February 2021 at Camp Getaway in Axedale. Applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, the LGBTIQ community, and people from culturally diverse backgrounds are encouraged. The cost of the program is $1,000.00 of which the candidate is asked to $50.00 and the remaining $950.00 from the sponsoring club.

As has already been advised this meeting is restricted for Members of the club and non-members that have expressed some level of interest in possibly joining the club. If you are receiving this invitation means you are considered to be in this category. The main purpose of the meeting is so that new members and those non-members that would like to find out more about Rotary be given a bit more of an insight that you will have had to date. The meeting will be run by the club's 3 most experienced Rotarians being

Ted Dziadkiewicz - President 1997-1998

Andrew Georgiou  - President 1998 -1999

Neville Page - President 1999 - 2000 & 2020 -2021

I have already been informed that some of you are coming and some of you are not able to make it. For those that are still interested but cannot make the meeting, we are going to do our best to also show the meeting on Zoom and you can use this link.

The Zoom Link is  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82885605624?pwd=QmdDL3pPUGU0NzdxU21qVmZ2bFpyZz09

Meeting ID: 828 8560 5624        Passcode: 585402

For those that can make it you should be aware that under current regulations you will need to provide your Covid Vaccination Certificate when you Check-In.