Greetings! I hope I am still your President after today’s Zoom Meeting?
If I am, you will be reading this. Next week is International Women’s Day and we hope that you will make this a celebratory lunch meeting and invite a guest to meet one of the most inspirational, amazing women – Abiola Akinbiyi. Her story is one of struggle, resilience, compassion and bravery. Abiola and her Changepreneurs’ organisation have a working relationship with our Rotary SAFE Families. I have met many of her mentees who have had their lives turned around and have gained trust, confidence in themselves and ability to present themselves with professional dignity. We are counting on you all to make this a well-attended lunch with your guests, that will make you proud to be a member of Rotary Hawthorn.
My Quote for the Week: “Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you are a mile away from them and you have their shoes.” — Jack Handey
NEXT WEEK'S SPEAKER
Abiola Akinbiyi is an award-winning healthcare professional, entrepreneur, Speaker, and community leader. She has over 20 years of experience working in the health sector and with different Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities and not-for-profit organisations in Australia.
PACKING DAY: We need volunteers to pack our Care Bags for The Alfred Hospital, Box Hill’s Upton House and St Vincents Hospital Mental Health Units.
DATE: Tuesday 25th March October,10.00 am – 12.00 pm app.
PLACE : B & H Warehouse - 6 Industrial Ave, Notting Hill.
Please confirm availability with Katrina Flinn.
Rotary SAFE Families – Building a Culture of Peace global Mega Meeting Registration
Our Director of International Service - Mark Pinoli and Director of Community Service – Kevin Rose want to remind all members to circulate the invitation to this huge Mega Meeting online and to remember to register yourselves. Let’s show the world that Rotary Hawthorn proudly speaks out against family violence to anyone, anywhere, anytime. We have 700 Registrations so far.
This Mega-Meeting will bring together top Rotary International Leaders, District Governors, Rotary International Representatives to the United Nations, Club Presidents, Rotarians, Friends of Rotary, Social Workers, Global Peace Ambassadors, Humanitarians, SAFE Families Advocates, Peace Builders from around the world.
Register directly here or via the QR code on the Invitation: https://forms.gle/TBxBwTrAZtEEhJH49 You will receive the Zoom link a couple of days before the meeting Friday, 7 March at 11.00 AM
IMPORTANT DATES:
Special notice: Please reply to our Lunch Invitations and register by Sunday night. I don’t think all members understand that they need to accept or decline every Invitation for our weekly meetings. We need a response either way please. Just open the invitation and push a button: Accept or Decline!
4 March: International Women’s Day – Abiola Akinbiyi, CEO Changepreneurs
7 March: Rotary SAFE Families – Mega Meeting
11 March: No meeting – Social lunch for members and partners – Auburn Hotel – 12.30 pm
18 March: Katrina Flinn, World of Difference Social Impact Tour of Cambodia
25 March – Evie Flynn (Returned from France) Dr Gula Bezhan OAM, CEO Afghan Women’s Organisation (Zoom)
1 April - Awarding our Annual Service to Senior’s Award with CEO Senior’s Rights Vic. & COTA – Ben Rogers as Guest Speaker
8 April – Members/friends visit to Lisson Grove Hawthorn – Morning tea and tour
15 April -Special guest presenter, Michael Headberry at our ANZAC theme meeting
10 May - Bunnings BBQ Fundraiser
More fun and enjoyment:
Our Changeover Dinner will be a “not to miss” event when we celebrate Ian Bentley as our President 2025-26.
A visit to the Bionics Institute in August.
Our much anticipated adventures at Beechworth/Milawa 18-20 November (20 people already registered).
Get the most from your membership and attend our meetings, special events and invite friends to our wonderful Rotary Hawthorn. We have much to be proud of and some new projects this year, especially in the International and Youth areas of Hawthorn. We need every one of you to be able to “Make a Difference”.
CLUB ANNOUNCEMENTS
Who Am I? Email or message David Pisterman (pisterman41@gmail.com ) with your answer to this month’s Quiz. A prize is waiting for the winner at our lunch meeting 18 March.
Clue 1: My hearing has definitely improved!
Clue 2: My wife is also a Rotarian!
MEMBER CONTRIBUTIONS
An Update from Dennis Shore in Turkey
Tomorrow (Friday) will see the formal commencement of the 2025 Presidential Peace Conference in Istanbul, Türkiye, with the theme of “Healing in a Divided World”. The conference is a sell-out with 1000 attendees from 85 countries supporting the key element of the mission of Rotary International and the Rotary Foundation to “advance world understanding, goodwill and peace”.
Meeting photographer/s needed – Very simple, very easy and fun – all you need to do is use your phone to take some photos before lunch and later of the speaker at the podium or be creative – and line the speaker up with some members. We need photos for our historical reminders.
Photos of travels, funny pics, member stories – Please members. I know you will have pics and stories from your Christmas holidays – share them with us via Member Contributions. Email: Bulletin Editor Dorothy Gilmour- gilmour.dorothy@gmail.com
Bunnings BBQ Assistants - Please put 10th May into your calendars for the club's Bunnings BBQ fundraiser. Be ready to let Terry know your availability when she makes the request.
(Please note: If you would like some help with a Club project or event, you can post a notice in The Week Ahead and the Bulletin)
MEMBER ANNIVERSARIES
Happy Birthday to:
Ian Macfarlane -
March 31
Gordon Cheyne -
March 11
Membership Anniversaries – Congratulations
Big Mac- David McNamara - 4 years 11 months -23 Mar 2020
Tomorrow (Friday) will see the formal commencement of the 2025 Presidential Peace Conference in Istanbul, Türkiye, with the theme of “Healing in a Divided World”. The conference is a sell-out with 1000 attendees from 85 countries supporting the key element of the mission of Rotary International and the Rotary Foundation to “advance world understanding, goodwill and peace”. 
