I am honoured for the opportunity to serve this club as President.
Rotary International's message for the 2025-2026 year is "Unite for Good".
This theme encourages Rotary members to use human connection to create positive change and foster unity in a world often divided.
It emphasizes the power of collective action and collaboration to address global challenges and improve communities.
I look forward to working together as a team in a year of service, fellowship, and fun.
landscaping at the altona police station
Members of the Altona City Rotary Club and the Hobsons Bay Mens Shed combined to assist the local constabulary to landscape the police station front gardens. The weather was harsh but the hardy crews moved a mountain of mulch to bring back the former glory of the front area of the police station. There was a morning tea and cakes provided to the workers. Thanks to Hong who came down to help and the Dave Hopwood from the Hobsons Bay Mens Shed.
National Australia Day Council Recognition for Altona City Rotary Club for the Millenium Time Capsule Project.
Club Changeover 2025 - 2026
The club changeover was held on Sunday the 22nd of June, where we saw outgoing president Lenore hand the reins over to Bronnie to take on the rotary theme of "Unite for Good"
The changeover showcased the amazing work that the club had done under Lenore's fabulous leadership. Now its Bronnie's turn and the club is in great hands.
The night was also an opportunity to recognise the great work done by individual members of the club. Bryan Goodwin, a club stalwart was recognised for his work in projects such as, Australia Day Celebrations, Time Capsule Project, Mock Job Interviews and Wynspeak.
We also took the opportunity to recognise the tireless work of Brian and Jenny Noordenne with Paul Harris Fellowship recognition.
They have made a significant contribution to the club through the Australia Day celebrations and the use of their marvellous facilities and expertise for club events and projects. Well done to all. We now look ahead to an exciting year.
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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.
The Rotary Club of Central Launceston, TAS recently hosted a powerful Mental Health Symposium, featuring insightful speakers, including Professor Michael Sawyer OAM, Medical Advisor to Australian Rotary Health, and Associate Professor Amanda Neil from the ARH Research Committee.
Lift the Lid Walk - Rotary Club of Beenleigh, QLD
Another successful LIFT THE LID WALK for Mental Health was recently hosted by Rotary Club of Beenleigh, QLD. A peaceful, calming walk surrounded by nature, friendly animals and delicious food shared by everyone. All of the money raised from the event goes into mental health research focusing on children aged 0-12 years.
Lift the Lid Walk - Rotary Club of Nundah, QLD
The Rotary Club of Nundah, QLD proudly hosted their inaugural LIFT THE LID WALK in 2025, raising $1,000! A huge thank you to all the event supporters: Devils North League Club, Nundah Now, Loving Nundah, Bunnings Virginia, Cr Adam Allen, Leanne Linard MP and Anika Wells MP.
The club is aiming to double this fantastic result next year — stay tuned for the next walk!
Lift the Lid Walk - Rotary Clubs of Scarborough, Karrinyup and Osborne Park, WA
What an incredible turnout! Over 100 walkers joined the combined Lift the Lid Walk hosted by the Rotary Club of Karrinyup, Rotary Club of Scarborough , and Rotary Club of Osborne Park. We’re also grateful for the support of Councillor Tony Krsticevic, Councillor Rob Paparde, and Councillor Karlo Perkov.
Lift the Lid on Mental Illness is a national ARH initiative raising awareness of mental illness across Australia. Funds raised through these Walks go directly to mental health research via Australian Rotary Health.
Rotaract Club of Brisbane Rivercity Meeting
The Rotaract Club of Brisbane Rivercity planning committee has been meeting over the past few months and is excited to announce that the Lift the Lid Walk for Mental Health Brisbane 2025 will be held at Rocks Riverside Park on Sunday, 21st September!
Organised by Rotary Clubs of Brisbane Taylor Bridge, Brisbane Centenary, Brisbane Inner West, Greater Springfield, Sumner Park, Jindalee, and the Rotaract Club of Brisbane Rivercity – this event is all about community, connection, and conversation around mental health.
Rotary Club of Devonport, TAS Bear Drop
A huge thank you to the Rotary Club of Devonport for organising another Bear Drop. The event has been running for 21 years as a free-entry family event, consistently attracting an average of around 3,000 attendees throughout the day. It features free entertainment from musicians and singers, along with family-friendly activities such as face painting, food stalls and jumping castles.
Thanks to your amazing support, the event raised $4,000 for Australian Rotary Health to fund vital research into Gastroparesis. We’re so grateful to everyone who helped make it a success.
NEW UPCOMING EVENTS
Mental Health First Aid
Online Blended Mental Health First Aid Zoom Course on Saturday 16th & 23rd August 2025 | 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM. Taught by MHFA Co-founder & Rotarian Betty Kitchener AM this course is open to the public.
The Rotary Clubs of Brisbane Taylor Bridge, Brisbane Centenary, Brisbane Inner West, Greater Springfield, Sumner Park, and the Rotaract Club of Brisbane Rivercity will host their second annual LIFT THE LID WALK in 2025!
Meet three inspiring Indigenous Health Scholarship recipients paving the way in Medicine! Tiana James, Ebony Hill and Sophie L'Estrange are all studying Medicine at Flinders University NT. Read more about them and how they contribute to improving Indigenous health as a qualified medical practitioner/health worker:
If you have any Australian Rotary Health fundraising events or news, please send to news@arh.org.au
CONSIDER LEAVING A LEGACY
Write your Will online and support Australian Rotary Health. Making a Will is important at any stage of our lives. It ensures that when we pass away, our estate will be handled the way we planned. Including a bequest in your Will is also the easiest ways to continue supporting Australian Rotary Health. Find out more!
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wynspeak 2025 - ALTONA CITY ROTARY HEAT 8
WYNSPEAK, a youth public speaking competition for secondary school students in the Western Suburbs of Melbourne, was established to provide students with an opportunity to practice and test their public speaking skills in front of a live audience. Through this comprehensive program students develop a skill for life. Since the inauguration of Wynspeak, over 1000 students have participated.
Our club hosted Heat 8 of this competition on Tuesday 27th of May at the Altona Civic Centre
The quality of the speeches in both the seniors and junior sections was amazing covering many topics such as, women's rights, sustainability, social media and animal welfare to name a few.
It was a hard decision but the judges deemed these students to be the winners
Juniors Section: Liam Mitchell (Altona College)
Seniors Section: Francis Bond (Williamstown High School - Pasco Campus
Thanks to Bryan and his team who organised and ran the event.
Our guest speaker at our last meeting was Joan Roose. Joan is no stranger to our club and is a tireless worker and organiser for basic water and education initiatives in India for disadvantaged people.
In over 15 years of tireless work she has been able to implement the following:
More than 100 bores sunk in remote villages providing clean, clear water to all.
Train families in raising health and hygiene standards in these villages.
Hundreds of children and adults have been taught literacy and tuition and several hundred children have joined their hostel and later at schools to study, to go to college and complete degrees in Arts, Science, Commerce and Fine Arts.
Our club was very happy and proud to further support Joan's work with a donation to her Foundation Jacobs's Well
Atop the 100 Steps of Federation at Truganina Park, watched over by the “Time Beacon” artwork by Cameron Robbins, Rotary Altona City’s Hobsons Bay Millennium Time Capsule lay buried for 25 years, safely holding the messages from over 12,000 people.
During the last 18 months, a team from Rotary Altona City and the Hobsons Bay Council worked collaboratively to open the capsule and re-connect with the 30 Schools and message contributors involved 25 years ago.
Rotary Altona City staged two Public Time Capsule Exhibitions, the first on Australia Day 2025 where over 3000 people visited at a local shopping centre, and the second as a signature event over the 4-week Hobsons Bay Heritage Festival.
Following keynote talks by Club President Lenore Thornton, and Victorian Government Minister Melissa Horne, the Hobsons Bay Mayor Cr Daria Kellander presented Hobsons Bay Schools with their mini-capsules on 2 May.
Thank you again to our contributors. Remember submit your stories in the Word Template provided to networker@rotary9800.orgWe do prefer your contributions in the template provided and with high resolution pictures NOT included in the story but attached separately. Look forward to seeing your stories and events.
As we turn the calendar page to June, we enter the final month of this Rotary year—and the closing chapter of my time as steward of our great District 9800. It’s a moment of reflection, gratitude, and anticipation.
Atop the 100 Steps of Federation at Truganina Park, watched over by the “Time Beacon” artwork by Cameron Robbins, Rotary Altona City’s Hobsons Bay Millennium Time Capsule lay buried for 25 years, safely holding messages from over 12,000 people. During the last 18 months, a team from Rotary Altona City and the Hobsons Bay Council worked collaboratively to open the capsule and re-connect with the 30 schools and contributors involved 25 years ago.
The weather conditions early on Sunday March 03, 2025 could only be described as one cheeky Rotarian put it when the sky opened and everybody took cover under the marquee, it's“great weather for ducks” But the sun shone through for the start of the race of bright yellow rubber ducks along the Maribyrnong River, The inaugural Great Essendon Rotary Duck Race began. Only outshone by the kids wearing their feathery duck hats, the racing ducks brought together kids of all ages for a day of fun.
If you missed the Rotary SAFE Families MEGA-Meeting via Zoom on 7 March, you missed a great presentation from speakers highlighting the issue of family violence. Fortunately, the MEGA-Meeting was recorded and Rotary SAFE Families is happy to share the event via the YouTube link. The hour-long broadcast attracted more than 200 people from at least 48 countries, including Kosovo, Peru, Mongolia, Timor Leste, Tunisia, Mexico, Finland, India, USA and a number African nations.
For over 37 years Rotary has been a significant cause for good in Flemington and Kensington. In recent years, members have operated the Op Shop, providing a focus on recycling and repurposing and providing goods at a low cost to the community. Additionally, funds raised have supported Mental Health First Aid training programs, youth driver safety education, the L2P project with MVCC and research into mental health for children.
In early 2025, Rotary Chadstone East Malvern (RCEM) members Paul Rake, Tania Aisbett, Kathryn O'Connor & friend of the club Sue Perriman headed to Cambodia for two weeks to continue the ongoing volunteer works in collaboration with Balwyn Rotary and Rotary Foundation. This recent trip was to finalise the completion of a three-year project: 307 washroom toilet facilities in the village of Tapoeur.
Following a meeting between the Sri Lankan Minister for Health, Senake Ameresinghe and Pubudu De Goysa from Rotary Colombo, Dr Harsha Gunasekara, President of the National Stroke Association, and PP Peter Cribb of Flemington Kensington Rotary, a partnership project was planned, with the assistance of RARE SA and Rotary Donations in Kind, to deliver medical equipment to fit-out stroke units in nine Sri Lankan hospitals.
The Council on Legislation (COL) was created at the 1933 Rotary International Convention to serve as an advisory body to assist with the review of enactments and resolutions proposed at the annual convention. It first convened as part of the 1934 convention. In 1970, it was decided that the Council should no longer serve in an advisory capacity but instead be Rotary International’s official legislative body, considering proposals to amend the RI Constitution and Bylaws and the Standard Rotary Club Constitution.
Rotary is great at attracting new members, but keeping them engaged is another challenge. District Governor Michael Lapiña's vision for 2024-25 is to make Rotary an irresistible experience, ensuring new and existing members feel a deep sense of belonging.
The Challenge:
While service projects attract members, many leave due to a lack of personal connection. Club Service plays a crucial role in fostering friendships, professional growth, and fun—all key to retention.
The Rotary District 9800 Australian Rotary Health (ARH) Committee invites Rotarians and others interested in mental health to an Online Blended Mental Heal First Aid Zoom course. There will be two opportunities to participate: one on 16 August and the other on 23 August. Check the District Events page for details. For more information contact: ARH via the attached flyer.
There are a few things that the board are working on at the moment and some important information for you to be aware of.
Membership Fee Rise
Club fees will go up from $340 to $350 for the next Rotary year. This is a very minor rise which doesn't even reach the current CPI level. Fees can be paid yearly, quarterly, monthly etc. Please contact our Treasurer Jan if you need to make any special arrangements.
Lions / Rotary Cherry Lake Market Collaboration
Discussions are underway that would see Rotary assisting the Altona Lions Club at the Cherry Lake Market Monthly. More details to follow.
Our club members were again helping out with the ANZAC Day Appeal at a local shopping centre and helping to raise thousands of dollars for servicemen and women. Well done to Lenore and Anne on their efforts.
The Rotary Youth Program of Enrichment (RYPEN) is a weekend camp, for young people who are between 15 and 17 and are in years 9, 10, and 11, where participants develop their potential through a mixture of lecture-style sessions and adventure-based learning.
It is designed for those students who just need a bit of a push and a confidence boost to start achieving their full potential. During the weekend students are encouraged to: learn to understand themselves and others and manage their relationships, lives, work, and learning more effectively.
RYPEN provides an experience of ideas, problems, and social experiences which will assist them in forming their own values and moral standards and allow them to broaden their horizons culturally, socially and academically. Challenge by choice is an important aspect of the program experience.
Our club recently sponsored two youths, Blaire Hurley from Laverton P-12 and Shayla Laube from Altona College to attend the camp. From all accounts they had a great time.
We look forward to them coming along to a club meeting and telling us about their experiences.
Despite the poor weather there were 80 registrations with riders braving the conditions to ride for mental health and the Black Dog Foundation.
We supported the event by providing a sausage sizzle and good cheer to the soaked riders. Congratulations to club member TJ for organising the event and raising much needed funds to combat mental health issues.
WERN is a non-profit Incorporated Association that comprises of interested Rotary Clubs and designed to supply good quality second hand furniture, electronic and whitegoods, to people in need without charge. WERN is located at 23 Westwood Dve., Ravenhall Victoria 3023.
They are currently looking for volunteers to help out on Wednesdays. If you can spare some time please click the link below and go to contact page.
Long time club stalwarts Jan and Barry Douglas are soon moving to a retirement village and so a few of their duties will need to be picked up by club members. The role we require asap is:
Assistant Treasurer
These are vital roles within the club which in themselves are not onerous. Contact Jan to assist in these roles.
Hong had been thinking for a long time whether to join rotary through connections he had made over the years. Hong is a microbiologist who's interest to join was sparked at a recent Clean Up Australia Day that the club were involved in. Hong was joined by his wife Hongli where Rotarian Graham Roper installed him into the club as our newest member. We wish Hong and his wife a great rotary experience that is rewarding and satisfying. We know they will be great assets to the club.
The crew from Altona City again did their bit to clean up Australia in March this year. Ably led by Barry Hanson, rubbish was collected in Truganina Park and disposed of. Great job people.
Mini-capsules from the Hobsons Bay Millennium Time Capsule will be presented to Hobsons Bay school representatives by the Mayor, Cr. Daria Kellander, on Friday 2nd May 2025.
Note that as part of the upcoming Hobsons Bay Heritage Festival, there will be a display of Time Capsule exhibits at the Hobsons Bay Civic Centre Display Wall, between April 7 and 2 May 2025. This display will include the mini-capsules to be presented on 2 May.
We are looking for volunteers to help at council offices for the following dates and times:
Saturday 12 April and Saturday 26 April between 10am to 2pm.
If you can spare a couple of hours to help and reunite people with their capsules that would be most helpful.
Morgan and Heath Hurley were our guest speakers at a recent meeting. With our club’s assistance they were both able to attend a Defying the Drift 3 Day residential program organised by Rotary District 9780. This program is designed to empower young people to identify and explore agriculture and agribusiness career opportunities. Both students spoke extremely well of all aspects of their learnings from this program. We wish them the best of luck in all future studies.
It is with deep regret we advise that club member Mandy Dayal passed away on the 16th of December last year suddenly after a cardiac arrest. True to her devotion to community service, two days prior she had been helping at one of our sausage sizzles when she complained of tiredness.
Mandy had in total 12 years of service to rotary with six of those with Brimbank and the remainder with Altona City. Our thought are with her children and extended family at this time. She will be missed by the club.
DISTRICT GOVERNOR MICHAEL LAPINa - OFFICIAL club VISIT
Michael Lapina the District Governor paid us an official visit at our last meeting where he outlined his vision and the International President's Stephanie Urchick's vision for Rotary going forward under our current Theme : The Magic of Rotary.
The presentation was very well accepted and informative and Michael took the opportunity to present President Lenore and the club with official recognition of our clubs commitment to The Rotary Foundation.
Our club was the Third Highest Contributor to the Rotary Foundation. Given that there are over 60 clubs in the District, thats a mightly effort for a club that often punches well above its own weight.
Well done to all club members.
Thanks Michael and son Alex for your informative visit.
In now its 7th year, the Hobsons Bay Education Awards were held on Tuesday the 15th of October at the Kooringal Golf Course. In all, four schools were represented in three different categories.
There was a total of 20 nominations with the profiles of the winners read out. It was absolutely amazing to hear the work and dedication shown by these educators who are making a difference and enhancing our children's and loved ones education.
The key note speaker was Lucienne Heyworth who spoke of her passion in providing educational opportunties for children in war torn and troubled areas of the world.
She was truly inspirational and easily held the room with her passion and inspiration.
The awards are the brain child of Past District Governor Julie Mason who also handed out awards on the night. The categories were:
An Encouragement award for early career stage teachers.
An Achievement award for more experienced teachers.
Rhett Dadswell (Altona P-12)
Greta Aranha (Emmanuel College- Notre Dame Campus)
Marc Nicols (Emmanuel College- St Paul’s Campus)
A Team Award where a group of Teachers or Education Support Staff have collaborated effectively to address an important challenge or new development for a school.
Bayside College: Sam Levy, Suzanne Towe, Darren Sutcliffe, Angela North, Camilla Bishop
Emmanuel College: Keenan Gatens, Sian O’Neale, Michael Green
Williamstown HS: Alice Reid, Soula Sapounakis, Marnie Van Luinen.
It was a great night and congratulations to award winners and the organising committee, particularly Bryan Goodwin for pulling this event together.
WERN UPDATE
Saturday 5 October, saw 7 volunteers from our Club help out at the Western Emergency Relief Network at Ravenhall.
We spent the time creating crockery and cutlery packs for 4, sorting donated goods, and restacking shelves of kitchenware and other useful items.
It was a rewarding experience and enjoyable as well. I hope we can do more volunteering there in the future. The need is enormous and the volunteers hard to find.
Our Lift the Lid event was a great success and very well attended. Rotarians, families and friends all got together wearing silly and colourful hats on the night and raffles and blind auctions helping raise money for the Australian Rotary Health Foundation.
Guest speaker Dr Lachlan Kent from Prevention United gave an informative and interesting presentation on mental health and ways we can assist ourselves and others in tackling this issue.
Prizes were awarded for the most colourful and interesting hats. President Lenore wishes to thank all those who attended and contributed to this important fundraising event.
Members from local clubs were in attendance and an intrepid crew from Preston Rotary also joined us making the night a speical one.
As we turn the calendar page to June, we enter the final month of this Rotary year—and the closing chapter of my time as steward of our great District 9800. It’s a moment of reflection, gratitude, and anticipation.
Atop the 100 Steps of Federation at Truganina Park, watched over by the “Time Beacon” artwork by Cameron Robbins, Rotary Altona City’s Hobsons Bay Millennium Time Capsule lay buried for 25 years, safely holding messages from over 12,000 people. During the last 18 months, a team from Rotary Altona City and the Hobsons Bay Council worked collaboratively to open the capsule and re-connect with the 30 schools and contributors involved 25 years ago.
The weather conditions early on Sunday March 03, 2025 could only be described as one cheeky Rotarian put it when the sky opened and everybody took cover under the marquee, it's“great weather for ducks” But the sun shone through for the start of the race of bright yellow rubber ducks along the Maribyrnong River, The inaugural Great Essendon Rotary Duck Race began. Only outshone by the kids wearing their feathery duck hats, the racing ducks brought together kids of all ages for a day of fun.
If you missed the Rotary SAFE Families MEGA-Meeting via Zoom on 7 March, you missed a great presentation from speakers highlighting the issue of family violence. Fortunately, the MEGA-Meeting was recorded and Rotary SAFE Families is happy to share the event via the YouTube link. The hour-long broadcast attracted more than 200 people from at least 48 countries, including Kosovo, Peru, Mongolia, Timor Leste, Tunisia, Mexico, Finland, India, USA and a number African nations.
For over 37 years Rotary has been a significant cause for good in Flemington and Kensington. In recent years, members have operated the Op Shop, providing a focus on recycling and repurposing and providing goods at a low cost to the community. Additionally, funds raised have supported Mental Health First Aid training programs, youth driver safety education, the L2P project with MVCC and research into mental health for children. 
In early 2025, Rotary Chadstone East Malvern (RCEM) members Paul Rake, Tania Aisbett, Kathryn O'Connor & friend of the club Sue Perriman headed to Cambodia for two weeks to continue the ongoing volunteer works in collaboration with Balwyn Rotary and Rotary Foundation. This recent trip was to finalise the completion of a three-year project: 307 washroom toilet facilities in the village of Tapoeur.
Following a meeting between the Sri Lankan Minister for Health, Senake Ameresinghe and Pubudu De Goysa from Rotary Colombo, Dr Harsha Gunasekara, President of the National Stroke Association, and PP Peter Cribb of Flemington Kensington Rotary, a partnership project was planned, with the assistance of RARE SA and Rotary Donations in Kind, to deliver medical equipment to fit-out stroke units in nine Sri Lankan hospitals.
The Council on Legislation (COL) was created at the 1933 Rotary International Convention to serve as an advisory body to assist with the review of enactments and resolutions proposed at the annual convention. It first convened as part of the 1934 convention. In 1970, it was decided that the Council should no longer serve in an advisory capacity but instead be Rotary International’s official legislative body, considering proposals to amend the RI Constitution and Bylaws and the Standard Rotary Club Constitution.
Rotary is great at attracting new members, but keeping them engaged is another challenge. District Governor Michael Lapiña's vision for 2024-25 is to make Rotary an irresistible experience, ensuring new and existing members feel a deep sense of belonging.
The Rotary District 9800 Australian Rotary Health (ARH) Committee invites Rotarians and others interested in mental health to an Online Blended Mental Heal First Aid Zoom course. There will be two opportunities to participate: one on 16 August and the other on 23 August. Check the District Events page for details. For more information contact: 
