Firstly thank you to all the members who attended the MHU Care Packs session at Notting Hill earlier today.

I believe we packed close to 200 Care Packs in the two hour session and were joined by 4 members from the Rotary Club of Port Philip.

Our Zoom meeting guest speaker today, Dr Kate Robb, gave us an interesting insight into the unique specie of Burrunan dolphins found only in Port Phillip Bay and Gippsland Lakes.  I’m sure many of us have experienced seeing the dolphins swim past the Sorrento-Queenscliff ferry, which is always an exhilarating sight. 

Dr Robb and her colleagues are working to ensure the survival of the dolphins and have some real concerns with the small numbers today in the Gippsland Lakes due to flooding events reducing the salinity in the lakes.   

 I am pleased to announce Rotary SAFE Families have received a donation of $1,000 from Rotary Maitland Sunrise to support their work across the community.  Well done to Dorothy and her team!

As outlined in a recent Bulletin update, the Board are working with Lille Fro to establish a closer link with the charity to ensure we meet all the Rotary Australia World Community Service requirements to enable them to continue offering tax deductable status to their donors.  As part of this project, Tamara Cannon has decided to join Rotary Hawthorn and we are working through her application.

Bunnings BBQ Saturday 20^th April.  We have had a positive response from members and have been able to fill the roster across the day.  Terry will be emailing all Barbeque team members with roster information and further details after Easter.

Rotary Hawthorn AFL Tipping Competition Update.  Round 2 has concluded (poor old Collingwood) and the top tippers are Demons of Old, Purring and Richard Logan.  Don’t forget to submit your tips for this week’s round.

Just a reminder there will be no meeting next Tuesday 2^nd April due to the Easter long weekend. The next Club meeting will be at Kooyong on Tuesday 9^th April at 12:45 PM.

Our guest speaker is Sophie Flynn. Sophie is a lawyer with around 20 years of work experience, mainly in international humanitarian programming and policy.  She is currently working with UNICEF in a Chid Protection Programme role. The presentation will focus on Rotary and UNICEF's strong partnership, against the backdrop of UNICEF's role within the United Nations and UNICEF's mandate and work around the world.

Sophie is also the mother of Evie Flynn, our Club’s Rotary Exchange student in France.

The Board will also be meeting on Tuesday 9^th April at 5:30 pm.

Terry and I would like to wish everyone a Happy Easter and safe travels for those heading out of Melbourne.

Doug McLean

President 2023-24