Posted on Sep 29, 2020
Members & Friends of the Perth Rotary Club,
 
Welcome back after a long weekend like none other – How could we survive the last weekend in September without an AFL Grand Final to watch or The Perth Royal Show to attend?  How very un-Australian?   
 
Apparently we can do it and no doubt discovered other healthy pursuits, family and friends to keep us busy.
 
This week is an exciting week in Western Australia with the implementation of the WA Container Deposit Scheme on Thursday 1 October 2020.  Perth Rotary Corporate Member Greenbatch has been working towards this date over a long period of time.  “Our mission at the Greenbatch Foundation is to Engage, Educate and Empower, Western Australians to reduce plastic pollution and give waste plastic a new life”  We look forward to living in a world of reduced plastic and improved environmental outcomes for ourselves and our children/grandchildren. 
 
Last Thursday 24 September was the launch of the 2020 Vienna Pops New Years Eve Gala Concert at the Cottesloe Central Shopping Centre.  We had 164 people register to attend the event and were thrilled beyond words with the professional manner in which Showman & Vienna Pops Musical Director, Mark Coughlan ignited the crowd with a description of not just a New Years Eve Concert… but what might be “The Only Show in Town” come New Years Eve!
 
I would particularly like to thank the Perth Rotary Vienna Pops Team who worked tirelessly to ensure that this year’s launch was the best possible example of Rotary working within the community and for the community.  Particular thanks to Stephen Inouye, Nan Walker, Amanda MacGregor, Marco Camer-Pesci, Leah Granucci, Darren Perera, and Ashley Whitworth.  We also acknowledge our sponsors PrimeWest and JLL Property who supported the event and were a delight to work with. 
 
 
Tickets for the Vienna Pops New Years Eve Concert are available from http://bit.ly/ViennaPopsNYE.  VIP packages ($198/pp all-inclusive of VIP seating, pre-show canapes and sparkling wine, interval canapes and drinks and post-show concert and chance to meet the stars of the show), are available through direct sale.  Please register your interest with the Vienna Pops sales team by sending an email to  viennapops@rotaryperth.org.au for your VIP ticket. 
 
FRIDAY 2 OCTOBER 2020 | PERTH ROTARY LUNCH MEETING | HAVE YOU RSVP’d?
 
This week we look forward to welcoming Sandy McKiernan as our guest speaker.  Sandy is the Executive Manager of Specialist Community Services with Vinnies WA and will speak about Ending Homelessness, a simple yet complex challenge, particularly within the CBD area at the moment.  Registration is via your paperless post invitation and the lunch fee of $55 is payable on the day.  Alternatively, please email your rsvp to Club Services Director Darren Perera – clubservice@rotaryperth.org.au.  We also look forward to welcoming two new members to the club - Phillip Lako and the return of Maree MasamayorSeb Tarrant is also attending Friday which will be his first meeting after having been inducted to the club at our last lunch meeting, Friday 18 September.  We warmly welcome all of our new members this year. 
 
 
Volunteering has been a real focus of the club this year and even on a long weekend Perth Rotarians and family members were hard at work making sandwiches for the homeless.  In light of our guest speaker this week, last weekend's volunteer activities are particularly meaningful.  I would like to acknowledge Perth Rotary Nominee Eileen Hao and her daughter Christina who joined Perth Rotary stalwarts, Darren Perera, Tristan & Blaine Campbell, Manu Gupta and the Perth Rotaract Team led by President Tara Sherwood.  Please refer to the links below for further information regarding future Perth Rotary Volunteer Opportunities. 
 
 
LIQUID GOLD END POLIO NOW FUNDRAISER
PERTH AND CRAWLEY ROTARY CLUBS JOINT MEETING
THURSDAY EVENING 22 OCTOBER 2020
 
Earlier this year (pre-COVID) President Elect of the Crawley RC, Karin Cable and I got together to plan a Perth/Crawley Rotary Meeting to be jointly hosted once we had become the respective Presidents of our Clubs.  We wanted to do something that was special in Rotary Australia's Centennial Year and that would have a positive and meaningful impact on the community and for Rotarians. We chose Thursday 22 October being the closest meeting date to Rotary International World Polio Day
 
 
I am very excited to announce that The Honorable Kim Beazley AC, Governor of Western Australia, a polio survivor himself, will be the key note speaker at the Perth/Crawley Rotary Club joint meeting and End Polio Now fundraising & awareness dinner, 6pm Thursday 22 October 2020.  Unfortunately due to COVID, Government House has requested that we limited attendance at this meeting to 80 people maximum.  
 
Therefore, We have split the event into two sections: 
  1. A ticketed event to attend dinner at The Westin Hotel with The Governor, The Hon Kim Beazley AC and Polio survivors who will tell their personal stories of survival, adaptability and resourcefulness as they adjusted to their new lives after contracting the disease.  Tickets to the dinner are $120/pp and include a 2 course meal and glass of wine on arrival.  The profit from the ticket will form part of the fundraising effort.  There will be no further fundraising at the dinner.  As tickets are limited, Please email president@rotaryperth.org.au for the booking link.  Tickets will be sold on a first come/first serve basis. 
     
  2. An opportunity to donate to the fundraiser in lieu of attending. 
     
    • The Liquid Gold Polio Fundraiser Dinner, is a collaboration between the Perth and Crawley Rotary Clubs to hi-light the personal stories of polio survivors and why it is important to continue to raise funds and eradicate polio from the world. Rotary International first committed to the fight against Polio in 1979 with a project to immunize 6 million children in the Philippines. By 2020, only two countries remain polio endemic, down from 125 in 1988.  Should you choose to donate towards this fundraiser in lieu of attending, we would be very grateful of your generosity and support.
       
    • Rotarians and friends of Rotary have the opportunity to donate money and raise funds which will be forwarded to the Rotary International End Polio Now Campaign via the The Sir Norman Brearley Community & International Service Benevolent Fund (ABN 38 838 038 588)..  You can donate direct via this link -  http://bit.ly/ LiquidGoldDonations .  All donations in lieu of attending will be processed via the try booking site as a donation to the Sir Norman Brearley Trust (SNBT) which has Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status.  All donors will receive a tax receipt from SNBT.   We aim to raise $10,000 and thank you in advance for your kind donations towards eradicating Polio from the last two endemic countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan.  We are THIS CLOSE! 
I thank you in advance for your understanding of the continued & unusual circumstances we find ourselves in this year.  COVID continues to impact our planned activities in new and interesting ways, however, our club members have shown themselves to be resilient, resourceful and creative as we have combatted the challenges put before us.  This latest little hiccup to our plans is just another hurdle to jump and I am confident, that with your support and understanding we can make this a fundraising event that all members can participate in and contribute towards.
 
 
 
 
PERTH ROTARY AGM – Friday 16 October 2020.  Please mark this date in your calendar and come to lunch.  This is an important opportunity for members to engage with our club leaders, have some input into the future direction of the club and understand where our strengths and weaknesses lay.  How can we make the Perth Rotary Club the Best Rotary Club?  What can we do?  Are we doing enough?  Are we relying on too few members?  How can we improve?  What do we do well? 
 
This week has also been designated Rotary Mental Health Awareness Week.  With this in mind I would like to draw your attention to two initiatives: 
 
  1. Australian Rotary Health Lift The Lid On Mental Health Hat Day Campaign - Perth Rotary will combine our AGM with a Lift the Lid event.  Please wear your BEST, MOST LOVED, EXTRAVAGANT Hat to lunch or risk the financial burden of paying up to the Sergeant.  All funds collected by Sergeant Larry will be forwarded to ARH in support of their important work in raising awareness and funding medical research into mental health.   Australian Rotary Health is one of the largest independent funders of mental health research within Australia.  ARH also provides funding into a broad range of general health areas, provide scholarships for rural medical and nursing students, as well as Indigenous health students. Australian Rotary Health provides funding into areas of health that do not readily attract funding, and promotes findings to the community.  Australian Rotary Health is a project of the Rotary Districts of Australia and is supported by Rotary Clubs.  We have a broad vision to improve the health and wellbeing of all Australians.
  2. District 9455 in conjunction with ARH are hosting a Statewide Rural Mental Health Virtual Forum Interest Meeting via zoom Friday 16 October 10am - 12 noon.  Mental health, particularly of young people, is often raised as an issue in country areas around Western Australia.  As ‘People of Action’ can Rotary with others in towns and shires across WA address this challenge?
Can our metropolitan club members’ expertise, efforts and networks help bring this initiative to fruition?
Can you help out with initiating practical vocational responses and community mental health forums and projects across country WA?
 
Join Rotary colleagues from rural communities across Western Australia to explore how Rotary and other service groups, local government, education and health services, community groups and others might address this challenge in 2021 and beyond.
 
How can Australian Rotary Health and Rotary in Western Australia open opportunities and make a difference in the lives and mental wellbeing of many across our great state?
 
To participate in this online discussion, please register your interest today.  Registrants will be advised of the Zoom link prior to the event.
To register:
 
 
 
 
Other Events you may be interested in: 
 
  • The Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) | Alternative Training Dates Available and the sessions reduced to two only. 
To register your interest in attending, simply contact Hank de Smit by telephone on
0419 926425 or by email on hank@businessmasters.net.au or simply go online to https://rotarydistrict9455.org/ and book in upcoming events.
 
  • Joondalup Rotary Club - Italian Car Day - 1 November 2020
 
 
PERTH ROTARY 2020/21 BOARD EMAIL - Our Next Board Meeting - Monday 5 October 2020
 
President:                  Jill Dawson               president@rotaryperth.org.au
Past President:         Vangelis Katsaitis    vangelis@excellenceps.com.au
President Elect:        Rev Dr John Shepherd AM john.h.shepherd@bigpond.com
Treasurer:                  Joseph Wambua      treasurer@rotaryperth.org.au
Secretary:                  Jacques Phillips      secretary@rotaryperth.org.au
Rotary Foundation  Emma Cork               emma@oneenergyfps.com.au
Club Service:           Darren Perera           clubservice@rotaryperth.org.au
Fellowship Chair:    Jo Morris                    fellowship@rotaryperth.org.au     
Media Chair              Barry Thornton         barrythornton@hotmail.com
Speaker Program     Nicola Johnston       programmechair@rotaryperth.org.au
Membership              Ashley Whitworth    membership@rotaryperth.org.au
Vocational                 Jonas Edner             vocational@rotaryperth.org.au
Community               David Wee                community@rotaryperth.org.au
International             Wesley Sim               international@rotaryperth.org.au
Youth                         Kelly Gibson             youth@rotaryperth.org.au