History
To give a very brief history about our club – Botany and Randwick merged in June 2020. Both clubs have a very long history in the community being formed in the 1940’s.
After our merger we were affected by Covid, and like everyone we had two very difficult years. However we kept it together and here we are today a growing club which attracted 5 new members in the previous year, 7 members this Rotary year and an additional five being inducted tonight. We have more leads to follow up on.
Achievements and changes
Apart from growing a stronger membership base there have also been changes to the committee structure. Ken has taken on the membership portfolio and also the guest speaker roll from Aya, our Rotary Foundation Global Scholar. Phillip Paraggio has become our Club Services person. Peter Hamer and Warwick have taken on International and David Woodward Youth.
Our emblem has been completed during this year, and we now have two banners which look fantastic symbolising the area of the Eastern Suburbs and Botany Bay that we represent.
Sydney Airport
During this year we have re-engaged our relationship with Sydney Airport and many thanks to Ken’s and Warwick’s Rotary relationships guiding us and connecting the Airport at a senior level.
We have also been meeting with Marrickville Rotary regularly, opened a new joint bank account, after Rotary Rockdale closed. We have purchased a new coin counting machine and have just started to establish a system of sorting and counting foreign currency. Mark has created a relationship with Rotary Mosman, who collect proceeds from the Qantas terminal. We are currently in the process of refurbishing the collections bins and have engaged AW Signs. We are considering a QR code for further donations. In this current financial year our club has raised $25,000 from the funds collected at the airport.
Membership
It is with sadness I report that we lost three very important and long-serving Rotarians – Andrew Daniels, Alan Segal and Ray Aitken.
In the previous Rotary year to June 2022 we had four new members join: - Warwick, Ken, Phillip and Mark
In this current Rotary year 2022/23, we have had seven new members: - Danco, Simon, Samantha, Sam, Paul, Amir and Daniel.
We inducted Moria and Julie last week and next month we will be inducting Sara, Bridgit.
During this year we have formalised the budgeting process, spaced out the maturity of our investments to capture the rising interest rates. Created a relationship with JJ Cahill High School and contacted Randwick Boys High.
Our club had three fellowship social evenings this year. The bowling competition with Rotary Marrickville, created a relationship with Kenvale College and enjoyed a Social Christmas party with them, and then followed with another Christmas party at the Graphics with their special Christmas celebration dinner.
Projects supported during 2022/23 (in no particular order)
- Science Forum – Theo Varvaressos
- Windward Bound
- JJ Cahill High School
- Have applied for three Paul Harris Fellowships for ROMAC.
- Support for South Eastern Community Connect Peoples Pantry.
- Ongoing support for ROMAC patients from Pacific Islands
- Two students JJ Cahill H S attended RYPEN held in May.
- Donations to Ukraine Crisis Appeal, Rotary Foundation and the Polio Fund, ROMAC and Australian Rotary Health Indigenous Health Scholarship through Australian Rotary Health and we heard from our sponsored student, Jesse Aldridge, last week and were inspired by his ambition.
- Sponsoring a room at Ronald McDonald House, to provide accommodation for families from regional areas whilst their children are receiving treatment at the Sydney Children's Hospital.
- Ongoing support for Aya, a Rotary Foundation Global Scholar from Japan.
- Provided opportunities for disadvantaged families to attend a recent World Festival of Magic.
- Continue to support Blue Dragon Foundation, a youth project in Vietnam, supporting homeless or trafficked young people.
- Supported Honest Ocean Project, in their quest to combat plastic ocean waste in South East Asia, based in Indonesia.
- Supported the previous NSW Timor Leste Consul-General Luciano Valentin da Conceicao in his fund raising endeavours to publish a book on the recent history of his country.
- Sponsored Teams from Sydney Children's and Prince of Wales Hospitals in the City to Surf, with their aim being to provide improved support for the families of indigenous patients
- We attended three Anzac Day ceremonies
- and finally, earlier this month, supported the Body and Mind Program, with South Eastern Sydney Local Health District Maroubra Mental Health Centre for people with mental health issues.
What would I like to see us achieve for the 2023/24 Rotary year?
- Explore possibilities of using foreign currency.
- Create a QR code for bins
- Doggy Day in conjunction with Maroubra Rotary and Randwick Council.
- International projects should pick up momentum under Peter Hamer and Warwick’s guidance.
- We expect to invite our Federal Member – Matt Thistlewaite, State Member, Ron Hoenig and the Mayors from both councils.
- Create a closer relationship with Randwick Boys High School
Just to name a few.
In closing, I would like to thank Greg, Richard, Mark, Warwick, Ken and June, with whom I work closely with, and I thank them for their support.
In November we will hold our AGM and I ask that you consider becoming the next President-Elect for the 2024/25 Rotary Year.
I would like to conclude by saying that Peter Hamer, Greg and myself went to Maroubra’s changeover dinner. It was excellent. They outlined their past projects for the past 12 months and for a small club they do amazing work. I’m hoping that we too will strive for being - bigger and better!