Latest News

Sophia, a student at Footscray High School and the Rotary Foundation Scholarship recipient for 2023-24 who recently attended one of our meetings has written to Maria Silber with good news.

Exciting news! Registration for the Multi District Impact Summit are now LIVE, and you won’t want to miss out! This event is set to be an inspiring gathering of Rotary minds, all coming together to make a greater impact.

The Annual General meeting of FRACS was conducted prior to the regular meeting on December 19th. This fund which resulted from a merger of Western Region Aged Care and the Rotary Community Service Fund with a charter to support charities, with deductible gift recipient (DGR) status, working in Footscray and the inner West.

At our Christmas meeting Eloise, our outgoing Exchange Student spoke to us briefly about her year ahead in the Czech Republic/Czechia, and included a brief message in Czech. Eloise has had a number of “ups and downs” finding a county to host her exchange and after offers from France, Switzerland and Austria didn’t eventuate a host club was secured in Czechia.

District Governor's visit

At this meeting we were honoured to welcome DG Michael Lapina for his visit to our club. He complemented the club for the impact it has had locally and internationally.

He then spoke to the annual theme “The Magic of Rotary”...

Nina Fromhold, from Memory Lane - Life Stories was our speaker on November 7th.

Discovering a recorded message of her “Nan” 4 weeks after she passed away made Nina realise the value of such a recording as it included important content of the family history in her grandmother’s voice.

Such recordings provide an understanding of a person across subsequent generations and avoids their story being lost.

Of late, this on-going project has been flying under the radar for most members of the club. Since its inception, it has grown and evolved to the extent that the original focus of providing disease prevention and primary care for rural school children has ended, perhaps temporarily, while the tutoring visits to Vietnam’s main dental hospital has gone from strength to strength.

We mourn the loss of our longtime member Frank Brown, who died on 19th November. A member of the Rotary Club of Footscray for 49 years having joined in April 1975, President 1986/87 and Paul Harris recognition with Sapphire 1992-93.
The Rotary theme during his year as President was “Rotary Brings Hope”. During his presidency the Club’s 50th Anniversary was celebrated with a black tie gala dinner at the Arts Centre. Other highlights of that year were Sir Edward (Weary ) Dunlop being the most significant lunchtime speaker and a Children’s Christmas party being instituted.

On October 3rd club member Stephen Palmer spoke about his life and work as a “Person behind the Badge” presentation
At the meeting on October 17th Megan Bridger-Darling spoke about “National Survivors Day”. The day commemorates the courage and journeys of survivors of sexual, institutional abuse and their supporters. This was a challenging presentation for all present.
Attending the meeting was Sophia Wilson - pictured with Maria Silber. Sophia is the nominee of Footscray High School as the recipient of the District Foundation Grant Scholarship which will support her during year 11 and 12.

Footscray West Primary School have sent a certificate of appreciation for our donation of $500 to their Vision and Values launch. Each student planted a sunflower seed…nearly 680!…in a small pot to demonstrate the value of responsibility.
Their new responsibility icon is a plant!
There are 6 primary schools in our area and we have been able to donate $500 each to St Monica’s Primary School and Footscray Primary School.

Report from Jama Farah

I would like to provide an update regarding the Horn of Africa project, which has now successfully sent its 18th container of essential goods to the Horn of Africa region. The Horn of Africa project was commissioned to provide those living in the Horn of Africa region with the resources and materials that would make a positive difference in their lives. In particular, the project aimed to provide medical equipment to local hospitals that were in dire need, and to support locals who would otherwise travel long distances to receive the basic medical care that they needed. The beneficiaries of these donated resources can now boast of much improved facilities and vastly superior patient care.
Through the generous contributions and support of our community, in particular Rotarians and the Tigray community, our crowdfunding campaign was able to raise $20,268, which has covered the transportation costs of one container loaded with donated medical equipment and sent on the 1st of June 2024.

The club board set a target of $2000 to raise supporting End Polio Now during the D9800 "Walk With Us" during the month of October.

It is pleasing to rreport that thanks to members, friends and family members a toral of $2056 was raised to support this Rotary International project. Thanks to the 2:1 contribution from the Gates Foundation this will add $6168 to End Polio Now

One member took the walking seriously and was seen wandering around Fryerstown and other places in his special T-shirt.

A project by the Rotary Clubs of Kew and Brighton North – Garden Designfest is being held on 15 and 16 November 10am – 5pm when 23 wonderful gardens open in Melbourne and Mornington Peninsula with designers or their staff present. There is also a raffle. All funds raised go to Rotary charities with the principal charity for this year being “Impact for Women”.
Go to the website where all tickets – weekend passes, individual garden tickets and bus tours as well as the raffle can be purchased.

The Youth Exchange students from District 9800 and 9790 had a weekend camp at Beechworth on 10th - 11th August. Accommodation was in the Old Priory, a beautiful old building near the centre of town. The camp was organised by D9790 for both inbound and outbound students and our students enjoyed the opportunity to mix with such a large group of students. The Outbound students found it really informative as they had the opportunity to speak to newly arrived students from the country where they will be spending 2024. They had the opportunity to ask about what school is like, what the local customs are and what sort of clothes they are going to need for the winter. They had an endless list of questions.

Over recent years we have developed a strong relationship with Vicrtoria University, particularly by providing a BBQ for their special occasions. Over the last two weekend we have provided BBQs at the Sunshine and City campuses for Open Days. Both were great financial successes and opportunities for club fellowship. At the city campus we were particularly busy with ~1500 sausages cooked. Our proceeeds from the two weekend was approx $7000. There are plans for us to be involved in future events.

Through the generous support of health services, donations of valuable medical equipment continues.

Jama has recently taken delivery of 40 hospital beds and matresses from a nursing home in Kew and this week Western Health donated XR and anaesthetic machines and more ultrasound equipment. Western Health recently published an article in one of their newsletters featuring the association with the Rotary Club of Footscray and this wonderful project.

At our meeting on July 4^th we viewed a challenging recorded address from newly inducted RI President Gordon McInally. There was also discussion of plan for the club in the coming year.

We were asked to run a BBQ at the Stony Creek Music Festival so that families would have a more affordable alternative to the usual food trucks. The weather was windy and at times wet but people who attended really enjoyed themselves. There were lots of children and their dogs. It was a most enjoyable BBQ to run with the music as a background. Again thanks to Rodney, Ron and Elia for their organisation and to everyone else who turned up to help on the day.

As a partner in the Footscray Art Prize our club will once again sponsor the Young Artists Awards of $500 for both a Primary and Secondary category. The prize is open to younf peoiple in Melbournes West Entries  close on March 20th. the FAP exhibition will be held in July-August.

The nationwide visual art prize has a total of $33000 prize money.

Full details at FAP website.

The Changeover from President Maria Silber to Bob Newman was held at the Yarraville Club on 29th June. Maria reviewed the past year whilst Bob spoke of the plans he has for the club in 2023-24.

District Governor Elect Michael Lapiña from the Rotary Club of Wyndham proposed the toast to Rotary.

A Paul Harris recognition was awarded to Carol Castano for her leadership of the handcraft group that has over many years raised money for Foundation.

Ryan Haque was sponsored by our club to attend the National Youth Science Forum earlier this year. This was the first NYSF for three years due to COVID and in contrast to previous residential events in 2023 the event was a hybrid of on-line and face to face activities in hubs around Australia.

Our final meeting for the 2022 year naturally had a Christmas flavour. Thanks to Maria and Dianne for decorating the tables with a Christmas flavour.

A trivial pursuit quiz with a Christmas theme prepared by Maria with John Granger as quizmaste There were several winners and thanks go to Phillip Caruso for providing the prizes, bottles of fine wines. Graeme gave a presentation about his recent Nullarbor experience he and Joy had by road and rail.