This week like most weeks is yet another busy one for the club as we have a number of great events on the cards!
 
Rotoract + Rotary of Perth Joint Social: 30 August at 6.30pm, at The Emerson Bar (356 Murray Street, Perth)
 
 

ROTARY OF PERTH PRESIDENT’S UPDATE - 29TH AUG 2017

This week like most weeks is yet another busy one for the club as we have a number of great events on the cards! Starting on Wednesday evening, 30 August at 6.30pm, at The Emerson Bar (356 Murray Street, Perth) we need your support. Please come and join our joint social event with the Rotaract Club of Perth. Each month which contains a fifth Wednesday (i.e. this happens only 4 times a year!) we have an opportunity to fellowship with a great group of dynamic and energetic young professionals who in fact are the future leaders of our community. Come and get to know who they are, what their passions are, and maybe use this as an opportunity to start to build a genuine relationship which encourages continued service within our Rotary Club.

Ably led by President Renu Pantula, The Rotaract Club of Perth will be introducing the latest project that they are supporting: The Umoja Orphanage Project in Kenya. This project, supported by RAWCS, provides an alternative to child abandonment and gives orphaned and vulnerable children a safe and secure environment where they are given a second chance at life. The Umoja Children’s Village will expand to include 2 – 3 homes for up to 30 children, sustainable food and water production, a health clinic and a small school. By giving children access to a family-style support system, water and sanitation, health services and education they will be able to reach their full potential.

Just like our Rotary Club, the Rotaract Club of Perth’s board determines the direction and the areas of focus for their club for the year. Having recently participated in their strategic planning day, it was encouraging to see the diversity of projects and the passion that their members have. Each of our clubs brings certain capabilities and qualities to the table. I am keen to foster even greater mutual support between the clubs this year. Please help me in doing that by coming along and getting to know the members of OUR Rotaract Club.

On Thursday, 31st August the Rotary Club of Crawley has invited us to attend their "DRINKS ON THE TERRACE" social event. This takes place Thursday, August 31st from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM at the University Club, Hackett Dr, Crawley, WA. I am looking for at least 2 -3 Rotarians from our club who can attend on behalf of our club….no RSVP’s are necessary. Over the past several months, I have been meeting with the Director of Strategy from the Crawley Club and together, we’ve been looking at ways in which we can collaborate on a few projects of mutual interest. By doing so, the aim is to reduce some of the redundancies and overheads associated with running standalone events and fundraisers, bring together two clubs of dynamic Rotarians to encourage one another, and leverage or respective clubs’ unique capabilities.

Two projects we have potentially identified this year for collaboration include a joint fundraiser in early Mar/Apr 2018…they have a venue and concept already organised…we just need our ‘Causes’ to be named; and our District Grant approved National Birth Certificates Project. More information to follow… Please come join us if you can on Thursday!

This Friday, 1 Sep 2017, there is no scheduled Rotary Lunch!

But Friday evening we do have the launch event of for our New Years Eve Vienna Pops concert. Please join us as our Launch Guest Speaker, Music Director Mark Coughlan and Performer Tenor Paul O'Neil will be in attendance to provide a pre-view of the line-up of artists and music for the 2018 Vienna Pops New Year's Concert. Each year, we sell in excess of 1,000 tickets to the event and have 100+ of these concert goers attend the launch event. This year, we’re looking to be a bit ambitious and are scheduling the running of a SECOND CONCERT: a family friendly matinee concert earlier in the afternoon as a way of reaching out the message of Rotary to even more in the community.

Please join us as we kick start the event ticket sales. Here are the details:

When: On Friday 1 September 2017 at 5:30pm

Location: Parmelia Hilton Hotel 14 Mill Street, Perth, WA 6000

Time: 5:30pm - 7:30pm

Bookings: www.trybooking.com/RJLQ

In addition to our club hosting this annual event, this event is a major fund raiser for our club. This year, in addition to our club receiving a portion of the proceeds, we’ve decided to make our three Cambodia projects beneficiaries of the funds raised. These include:

Cambodia Family Support Group

Tabitha Australia (House That Jack Built Project)

Hagar (supported by HHG Legal – our corporate member)

Rotarian Marco Camer-Pecsi, our event organiser, does a fantastic job in assembling this magnificent event. There are plenty of ways in which others can get involved. We welcome your willingness to serve!

In other news, last week, Beatrice Cervi and our Passage team received some great news on the plans to relocate the drop in centre. Here is what she sent:

I attended the Council meeting at the City of Vincent tonight with Gayle Mitchell (Manager Homeless Services SVDP) and Susan Rooney (CEO SVDP), and I am very happy to announce the motion to approve the Development Approval was passed UNANIMOUSLY.

This was despite having received 91 comments, with 86 objections.

A number of the surrounding neighbours (commercial and residential) sitting in the gallery spoke vociferously against the proposal. Under deputation, Gayle spoke passionately for Passages and the wonderful work done to help 1000 young people out of homelessness in the 18 years it has been working with homeless youth. Well done Gayle - excellent speech!

The Mayor of Vincent Emma Cole and in particular Deputy Mayor Councillor Roslyn Harley, spoke strongly in favour of the proposal. Councillor Harley had experienced homelessness in her youth, and welcomed services such as Passages as it is part of the solution and not part of the problem.

I will receive the formal letter of approval within a week or two. A glass of champagne all round!!

This is another great example of how our members continue to provide our community service above self… Many thanks to the hard work and commitment of folks like David Reed, Ashley Ladner, Beatrice Cervi, David Wee, Graham Peden, and Kathy Kusinski who are using their passion and their professional skills to address the area of homelessness in our Perth community in such tangible ways.

Finally, did you get the latest news? Lunch is now just $35! For a trial period of three months, we’ve dropped the cost of our weekly lunch to encourage our members to attend and to bring guests more often! We’re hoping that this serves as an encouragement…at the end of 3 months, we’ll evaluate the impact on attendance! Lunch is still only $25 for our Rotaractors.

Have a great Rotary Week and don’t forget to: Join Leaders. Exchange Ideas. Take Action.

Yours in Rotary, Stephen Inouye - President - Rotary of Perth 2017/2018