Newsletter #21 | President Jill

• Perth Rotary Business Lunch Meeting | Friday 24 April 2026 
• Perth Rotary Business Lunch Meeting | Friday 1 May 2026
• Perth Rotary Legacy Luncheon | Friday 19 June 2026

Perth Rotary Business Lunch Meeting | 24 April 2026

1987 must have been a remarkable year for the Perth Rotary Club as we welcomed Ken Michael (6 March 87); Ted Wilhelm (13 March 87) and John Garland (10 April 87) as members.   It was a joy to celebrate Ken and John at our last meeting as they celebrated their respective birthdays in the month of April.   We are privileged to have such fine examples of what it is to be a Rotarian in our midst and whilst we wish both Ken and John the happiest of days, we also pay tribute to their families and thank them for enabling Ken and John to be such huge contributors to our club over the years.   Long may it continue. 

However, It's not just Perth Rotary Members who celebrate their birthday in April, but also the founding member of Rotary International Paul Harris.  His birthday was yesterday - Sunday 19 April.  Members can read up a little more about Paul Harris by clicking on this link 

Perth Rotary Board | Strategic Planning 

Our strategic planning began at the March Board meeting with an initial session facilitated by Rotarian Ian Belton. During this meeting, the Board conducted a SWOT analysis and reviewed the current state of the Club using the "Six Thinking Hats" method.  Building on that foundation, the Board dedicated a full day on Friday, 10 April, to setting our strategic goals beyond our Centenary Year. I would like to extend a sincere thank you to Ian for his expert facilitation of this productive session.

• Building a High-Functioning Team: Focus on establishing trust, functional dynamics, HAIL, and the Six Thinking Hats.
• Agreed Goals: Defining objectives for the current session and the year ahead.
• Strategy Development: Utilizing a cascading framework to define our winning aspirations, focus areas, and necessary capabilities and systems.

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 Rotary Elizabeth Quay | Are Coming on Board with us..... 

Elizabeth Quay Rotary Club are joining Perth Rotary from 1 July 2026 as a Satellite Club.  To this end, we will be advertising EQ events and opportunities and encourage members from both clubs to get to know each other.      

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Rotary Peace Fellowships: Applications Now Open

Rotary is seeking dedicated leaders for its fully-funded Peace Fellowship program. Each year, up to 170 fellowships are awarded to professionals committed to becoming catalysts for peace and development.

 

The Fellowship Covers:

• Full tuition and fees
• Room and board
• Round-trip transportation
• Internship and field-study expenses

Two Pathways to Impact:

1. Master’s Degree Programs: (15–24 months) Research-informed teaching at premier global universities, including a self-designed field study.
2. Professional Development Certificate: (1 year) A blended learning program for working professionals to gain practical skills and execute a social change initiative.

 Watch Video

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Out and about in our Community | Rethinking Parkinson's Disease. 

Medical research is entering a transformative era with the integration of AI, and the Perron Institute is leading the way across 19 research centres, including Parkinson’s, stroke, dementia, and MND.

 

Join us for "New Perspectives on the Causes, Discovery, and Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease and Dementia" to meet world-class experts and the Institute's executive team.    Tickets can be purchased via this link   

 

Susie Jackson 

Partnership Development | Perron Institute

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Perth Rotary | Centenary of Service: The Legacy Lunch

Event Format & Changeover Update Please note that this Legacy Lunch will take the place of our usual Changeover Dinner. For the 2026/27 Rotary year, our business lunch meetings will be hosted by our Past Presidents. Because of this shared leadership structure, there will be no formal changeover event this year.

The Next Chapter This luncheon is the official launch of our 2027 Centenary program. We will share the roadmap for our second century, including our major commitment to the Barry Marshall Research Institute for Infectious Diseases at UWA. This project represents our focus on impactful medical research both locally and globally.

Booking Information

• Link: https://www.trybooking.com/DKHKW

• Price: $135 per person.

• Table Discount: 10% discount for full table bookings.

• Inclusions: Two-course meal, wine, beer, soft drinks, tea, and coffee.

We look forward to seeing you there as we begin these celebrations.

Jill Dawson | President, Perth Rotary Club 2025–27

Our focus is clear: defining the trajectory of Perth Rotary beyond our first 100 years.  

The March Quarterly Report was sent to members via email, Friday 17 April 2026.  I welcome member feedback regarding this report.  Does the report provide you with a better understanding of Perth Rotary Projects; governance; how you can become engaged?    What else would you like to see included?    Is membership of the Perth Rotary Club meeting your needs?  What can we do better?   

LIFT THE LID WALK | Saturday 18 April 2026

Through Australian Rotary Health (ARH), we remain a leading force in addressing the mental health challenges facing our families—particularly our youth, who are now twice as likely to experience these struggles.

Last Saturday, Perth Rotarians joined District 9423 for a "fast-paced" walk through the UWA grounds. The event was a resounding success, raising $8,767 for ARH research, with Perth Rotary contributing $1,150 to that total. 

 

Our Sincere Thanks: Thank you to all who walked or donated. A special mention to Dr. David Preece for his tireless professional and personal commitment to raising awareness for the mental health of our teens and pre-teens.   Final Call: Donations remain open until this Saturday. Please help us continue this vital work.

  Click Here:  - to donate.  

 

PERTH ROTARY | FELLOWSHIP DATES for your diary.... 

Sincerely, 

Jill Dawson OAM | President Perth Rotary 2025/27