As I write this from 123.12 degrees West, it’s early morning on the first day of my second term as President of the Rotary Club of Hawthorn. The weather here in Vancouver is perfect - hopefully a good omen for the year ahead.

Thanks to PP Dorothy, you’ve likely been kept up to date on Jane’s and my travels with Vincent and his wife, Chen — including our time at the RI Convention in Calgary, where the weather was less than kind, but the experience more than made up for it.

The Convention certainly lived up to this year’s theme: Unite for Good. Nearly 16,000 Rotarians from more than 120 countries came together in a powerful celebration of Rotary’s global reach and shared purpose.

The program was packed, with something for everyone - from spectacular general sessions, to practical RI ‘chats’ and more substantial breakout presentations. A focus that resonated strongly with me, and which I’ve identified as a priority for 2025–26, is membership, including optimising social media use, a topic Ari Talantis will have recently introduced to you. I did, however, ensure that I attended presentations on a wide variety of topics spanning Rotary’s focus areas.

Rotary membership is intricately linked to Rotary action. To attract and inspire new members, we need to demonstrate Rotary in action - both within our Club and across the world. The Convention gave me the opportunity to meet many truly inspirational Rotarians - people who are changing lives through projects in health and hygiene, clean water, education, community development, and peace building.

It was a privilege and a reminder of the impact we can have, locally and globally, when we unite for good.

Looking forward to seeing you soon.

President Ian Bentley
 

NEXT MEETING – Kooyong – 15 July

Jane Stewart, Co-Founder of It's The Little Things

'At It’s the Little Things Community, our meals are more than just nourishment—they are a symbol of care, dignity, and human connection.

Each dish is thoughtfully prepared in a home-style manner, using fresh, wholesome ingredients and guided by compassion.

We craft every meal with the goal of bringing comfort, warmth, and a sense of normalcy to those experiencing hardship.

Whether it’s a hearty casserole for a family seeking refuge from domestic violence, a nutritious lunch for someone experiencing homelessness, or a lovingly packed dinner for a child in hospital care, our meals reflect the kindness of the volunteers, schools, and businesses who come together to make them possible'.

Please note: If you haven’t received your invitation to our lunch meeting by Thursday, please check your SPAM box or contact Terry Kitchen.

Clean Water for Calcassa Village

Report from our International Service Director: Mark Pinoli and Noel Halford

Lakes Entrance and Hawthorn Rotary clubs have successfully brought clean drinking water to Calcassa village in Timor-Leste. 

The project involved installing a Disaster Aid SkyHydrant water filtration system with Rotary Projects Timor-Leste East providing supplementary support to complete the installation.  

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