Last week, Ian Bentley and I attended the Rotary Network Meeting with City of Boroondara. The seven Rotary Clubs in our ‘cluster’ headed by Michael Stilwell, our Regionalisation Leader of Group 2 were represented. Michael has 14 Clubs under his leadership from North Balwyn up to North Brighton.Ian spoke on our behalf promoting our club service projects and general well-being. It was terrific encouragement for us both to know that Rotary Hawthorn is a very much a healthy progressive club. This was justified when Michael announced that our “cluster” Clubs were the healthiest clubs in District 9800!Our membership, our service projects, our fellowship is looking good! This is due to all of you who help us in our day to day activities.
The idea behind regionalisation and having a Leader of a group of Clubs, is in the hope that clubs will respect, support and work together in making a difference and strengthening the future of Rotary.There was a sense of transparency, equity and support for each other. We also came out of this meeting with some great ideas and contacts to make things happen at Hawthorn.Watch this space!
My quote for the week: ‘If you want your children to listen, try talking softly to someone else.’ Ann Landers
NEXT MEETING
Members please note that we have updated our ClubRunner booking system and you may notice a change in registering and paying online with the new Stripe system. Please contact Terry Kitchen if you have any questions.
There will be no meeting on Easter Tuesday however, the following week will be a ‘bobby dazzler’!
29 April: Bring a Guest Day and ‘Believe it or Not!’
You are expected to bring a guestno excuses unless you have an excuse!
We are planning a ‘Believe it or Not!’ instead of a guest speaker. This meeting will have you on the edge of your seat, questioning the four presenters of a ‘tall story’ or a ‘truth or lie’ object!
Bunnings BBQ Opportunity for Rotary Hawthorn
Bunnings have offered us a $200 gift voucher if we can provide 3 volunteers to sizzle a sausage for 2 hours only at their Mother’s Day Family Night!I invited 7 members via email and have had no response.
Which is disappointing. So members, please take this opportunity to provide 2 hours only of your time on Thursday, 8 May from 6 – 8 pm.
Bunnings supply all the food and BBQ, and the $200 Gift Voucher will be gratefully appreciated.Will it be the same members who step up and provide their time or will it be a member who doesn’t do much in club service?
Contact Terry Kitchen urgently as she needs to advise Bunnings if Hawthorn can help.
PS: This is a great opportunity to showcase Rotary Hawthorn with pull up banners, printed resources and big smiles!
ROTARY SAFE FAMILIES – BUILDING A CULTURE OF FAMILY PEACE
We are delighted to be invited by one of our Patrons, Pat Merryweather-Arges,one of the organisers of the RI Convention in Calgary this year, to introduce Rotary SAFE Families as a global initiative. Dorothy has asked Ian Bentley who is attending the Convention with wife Jane, to present RSF in the HUB at Calgary. We are very appreciative of receiving international recognition and we thank Ian for accepting this invitation to present.
Our Bunnings BBQ will be held. Terry Kitchen is looking for volunteers to assist in creating yummy sausage sizzler smells that will lure the public to our stand.That means a great fundraising event whilst having fun together!
These Vaudeville sausage sizzlers are Doug McLean, Andrew Crockett, Terry Kitchen, and Denbigh Richards, from left to right.
IMPORTANT DATES
29 April: A meeting where we hope you will bring a guest. Grandchild, child, friend or foe! We shall be entertained with a “Believe It Or Not!”by 4 of our members. Table prizes will be a hit too.
6 May: Chris Banks, Manager Global Partnerships, Zoos International Conservation.
14 May:Lunch at the Auburn Hotel (see Vincent Chen/Dorothy Gilmour)
20 May:Simon J. Costa AO, Australian business executive, philanthropist, and humanitarian.
27 May: Zoom meeting with Dr Brad Tucker, Astrophysicist and Cosmologist from Canberra.
24 June: Please note Care bag packing session is currently scheduled
More Fun and Enjoyment
Our Changeover Dinner will be a ‘not to be missed’ event when we celebrate Ian Bentley as our President 2025-26 – Please diarise this date!
12 August - A visit to the Bionics Institute.
CLUB ANNOUNCEMENTS
Who Am I?
Email or message David Pisterman pisterman41@gmail.comwith your answer to this month’s Quiz. A prize is waiting for the winner at our lunch meeting 29 April.
Clue 1:Country Women’s Association is fortunate to have me!
Clue 2: I might have been related to a “Davie”!
Clue 3: My initials might be:PC or ?
Clue 4:(Surely this clue will get you to send your answer to David Pisterman):My surname rhymes with “dockett”!
WE NEED VOLUNTEERS - ARE YOU AVAILABLE?
Please note: Another care bag packing session is currently scheduled for 24 June 2025.
Meeting Photographers needed – We need to capture our meetings and events and this is a very important role in our Club to maintain a record for our history – Please speak to Dorothy if you can assist.
Photos of travels, funny pics, member stories – Members I know you will have pics and stories from your holidays – share them with us via Member Contributions. Email: Editor - Dorothy Gilmour
Did you know that if you needed help with a club project, or event, that you could post a notice in The Week Ahead and the Bulletin?
BIONICS INSTITUTE INVITATION
Do you remember Sam McLarty, Development Adviser - Bionics Institute who attended both presentations this year at Rotary Hawthorn?
Sam has invited any members or friends who might be interested in taking part in their Alzheimer’s Research program as below. READ MORE
OTHER ROTARY CLUB EVENTS
The Multi-District Impact Summit PowerPoint presentation is available to us and is designed to inform, inspire, and encourage participation in this unique event.
It provides all the essential details about registering to attend the Multi-District Impact Summit. www.rotaryimpactsummit.org
Did you know that if you needed help with a club project, or event, that you could post a notice in The Week Ahead and the Bulletin? 
