At the 9th of January 2020 meeting of the Rotary Club of Pinjarra, President Vince Costantino took the opportunity to review the Club's activities over the past six months.

President Vince welcomed all members and guests Jane-Anne McLarty and Amelia McLarty to the meeting. Songmaster Don opened the meeting in the manner which is traditional for this Club, and led the group in a raucous (if not necessarily) melodic version of the song "If I Had A Hammer".

 

Vince noted that the Nation was suffering the ravages of bushfires, and although written more than a century age, he invited Past District Governor (and Club Past President) John Smith to read "A Bushfire", a poem by Henry Lawson.

 

President Vince advised the meeting that the Club has just made a contribution of $2225 through the Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS) Bushfire Appeal known as Bushfire Traumatised Farmers in Need. This project focuses on the areas affected by the Bees Nest Fires east of Armidale, NSW. The Club will continue to look at ways to augment these funds (Community Service Committee Director Miles Hewitt and his committee, will examine how this goal can be attained, so feed any ideas to him, please).

The Club also acknowledges an anonymous donation of $1000 which has been made by a club member to the same RAWCS Appeal fund. 

With full Australian Tax Office Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status, donations may be made at: https://rawcs.org.au/project-search/

 

President Vince listed some of our most significant achievements thus far in this Rotary Year:

  • Assisted with the establishment of the Men’s Shed in Pinjarra

  • Contributed to the Personalised Music for Dememtia Patients fund which is an on-going project

  • Supported the bike-ride for cancer 

  • Helped with the re-establishment of the Sail Into Life programme in Mandurah. 

  • Fairbridge Bike Shed completed and opened

  • Cooking at St Stephens Camp in Dwellingup

  • Conducted Rotary Western Australia Driver Awareness Event at Pinjarra Senior High School

  • The Club has sponsored Alex Barrie to the Rotary Exchange Student Program. Alex will leave in a matter of days to Austria where he will enjoy
    living for the next twelve months

  • The Club has sponsored Indi McClements to attend the National Youth Science Forum. Indi is currently participating in the event

  • The Club is sponsoring a participant and carer to attend Handicamp, which is a Rotary-sponsored live-in camp for 18-35 year old people with a disability
  • The Club has joined with the Rotary Club of Mandurah Districts participating in the Bicycles for Humanity Project.
 

The Club has 2 big projects to go before June: the Long Slow Lunch (5th April) and the Alcoa-Rotary Club of Pinjarra Annual Art Show and Sale (29th May-1st June). The beneficiaries from these events to which funds are to be contributed will be formally identified shortly.

 

Rotarian Bob de Bijl thanked, and reminded the club, on behalf of the Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disporder Committee (FASD), that the Club had made a contribution of a $4000 donation during this Rotary Year.

 

President Vince also reminded members that our Club has committed to share meetings with the Rotary Clubs of Mandurah, and Mandurah Districts in an effort to solidify the cooperation that exists between our Clubs. We are all involved in the revitalisation of the Sail Into Life- Peel Project.

https://www.facebook.com/events/mandurah-offshore-fishing-and-sailing-club/rotary-sail-into-life-peel/2409934392617026/

 

The Rotary Club of Mandurah will host us on Monday, February 17th (time and venue to be advised), while our Club will host the other Clubs on Thursday 7th May at the Pinjarra Golf Club premises.

 

Clearly, the coming six months will keep the Club busy, and we look forward to continuing our ethos of having fun while we serve our community.