Christmas Bulletin 2024 (Dec 14, 2024)

Monthly Bulletin 2024-25

January Market

The January Geelong Waterfront Makers and Growers Market was well attended by both visitors and around 80 Vendors who featured an impressive mix of handmade goods, fresh produce, and artisanal products.

The weather on the day was a bit hot for some who must have been kept away by the draw of our regions spectacular beaches. Those visitors to the Geelong Waterfront Makers and Growers Market who braved the heat enjoyed a gentle bay side breeze and as always the spectacular waterfront location along with all it has to offer.

Welcome to our new member Ngoni Kwashi

Pictured is our President Don Shields welcoming Ngoni (Noni) Kwashi into membership of the club.

While he may be a new member, Ngoni is not new to our members and has been a regular visitor to our meetings after he was introduced as the Co Founder of Bantu Collective Inc. and coordinated the Bantu Festival in Geelong in October 2022. The Club happily became a sponsor of the event and also supported Ngoni’s drive to collect football boots for budding young athletes in his home country Zimbabwe

Ngoni has expressed his joy at becoming and new member and said “ I am ready to roll up my sleeves, share some laughs, and contribute to the amazing work Rotary does in our community and beyond.” He has already volunteered at Geelong Food Relief with us and we’ll hopefully see him serving at the Food Van at our Geelong Waterfront Growers and Makers Market very soon!

Call for Volunteers! Cadel Evans Race

We will be operating our Food Van during the Cadel Evans Race weekend 1^st & 2^nd of February, at Steam Packet Gardens. Expressions of interest from friends of the club to help operate the van should be sent with available times to President Don - email don@gibvic.com.au

Donation of Induction Range to Geelong Food Relief

In recognition of the induction range the club donated to Geelong Food Relief, members and family who attended the monthly volunteering, were surprised by a breakfast to thank the Club. The breakfast was delicious and cooked by Poppy and Archie Summons pictured with their proud dad and club member Tom. Also pictured are members doing their best to highlight the new range, in “Sale of the Century” style.

Catching up with a previous Rotary Exchange Student.

Recently, PDG Jane Cox caught up with a past Rotary Exchange student. Below is her recount of the occasion.

Recently I had great pleasure in catching up with one of our past Rotary Exchange students, Shizuka Ishigaki, known as Shizzy.

Shizzy was here for a short visit in Geelong staying with her past host family, former Club member Bob Barry and his wife Maxine.

Shizzy was hosted by our Club on 2006-2007 and is a beautiful young lady. She is currently working in the Mayor's office in Tokyo. It was so good to catch up and exchange our stories.

Rotary Overseas Relocated Playgrounds Update

The Rotary Overseas Relocated Playgrounds Project has had a very busy month.

Several playgrounds were recently extracted, including:

Talona Crescent, Corio
Janet Court, Newcomb
Waurn Ponds Tennis Club
Detroit Crescent, Corio

Assistance from other Rotary clubs was instrumental in extracting the following playgrounds:

Ceres Reserve (Highton Rotary)
Lancaster Reserve, Newcomb (Ocean Grove Rotary)
Rosslare Court (Wyndham Rotary)
Winter Reserve, Belmont (Belmont Rotary)

Additionally, the Breamlea swing was collected and will be paired with the Waurn Ponds Tennis Club, which had previously lacked a swing.

In January, two playgrounds will be extracted from Kardinia International College, along with three others from storage. These will be sent to the Chiang Mai campus in Thailand for reinstallation at local schools.

On Friday, a 40ft container will be delivered to Digga Group in Moriac, where it will be loaded with 12 playgrounds bound for Harare, Zimbabwe, in the coming weeks.

Enclosed are pictures of the Detroit Crescent playground in Corio, both before and during extraction, as well as in storage.

The Power of Giving

Our Club proudly donated $11,020 to the Rotary Foundation during the 2023-24 financial year as noted in the recently adopted financial report for the year. The donations were made to the Rotary International Polio and World Funds and the Global Grant Funding for the Goa WASH hygiene and sanitation project.

Why give to the Rotary Foundation?

90.8% of funds received go straight to service projects in the seven areas of focus that guide the allocation of Rotary Foundation grants:

Peace and conflict prevention: Rotary supports initiatives that help transform conflict in communities and around the world.
Disease prevention and treatment: Rotary supports activities that reduce the causes and effects of disease.
Water, sanitation, and hygiene: Rotary supports activities that provide access to safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene.
Maternal and child health: Rotary supports maternal and child health.
Basic education and literacy: Rotary supports basic education and literacy.
Economic and community development: Rotary supports investments in people and communities to alleviate poverty.
Environment: Rotary supports environmental initiatives

Ways you can also Give

Donate
Recurring Giving (Monthly/Quarterly/Yearly)
Planned Giving (through Estates or Financial Plans)
Memorial or Tribute

The Rotary Foundation provides a range of recognition of donors.

Further information

For more information about Rotary Foundation projects and how you can donate, please contact Cath Powell who is the Director for Foundation for the Rotary via the contact us page of our website.

Donation of Fridge to Outpost Inc.

Donation of Fridge

The club donated $1,384 to Outpost Inc. for the purchase of a fridge freezer which you can see being delivered in the photo below.

The Outpost Inc: Feeding those in need since 1990.

The Outpost was established in February 1990 and is the ONLY non-referral after hours service feeding those in need 7 nights a week in the Greater city of Geelong area.

The Outpost abides by a “no questions asked: policy and serves food to a diverse range of local people including young families and children. Some people are sleeping in cars and doorways, while others aren’t homeless yet are doing it tough.

Not everyone visiting the Outpost is a rough sleeper as noted on their website:

“There’s a no referrals to access The Outpost – people can just turn up. Whoever presents for a meal, we serve.”

The Outpost provides more than serving a healthy hot meal – it is a safe meeting place within a welcoming no- judgemental environment.”

Opening Hours

The Outpost operates 7 nights a week for 365 days a year, providing meals during these times:

Lunch: Wednesday & Friday 10:30 am – 1:30pm

Dinner: 7 nights per week 7:00 pm – 9:00pm.

Services provided

Food and beverages: Hot healthy cooked meals, some of which are provided by Geelong Food Relief which sponsored by Club through direct donations and members volunteering on the 4^th Tuesday of each month. Meals can be eaten in or taken away and fresh fruit, vegetables and bread are also provided when available.

Necessities: such as new and recycled clothing and shoes, blankets and sleeping bags, personal hygiene products and other donated items such as books to read.

For more information about the services provided by Outpost please visit their website here.

Collaborative Effort Brings New Toilet Block to Schools in Goa

A new toilet block is under construction in Goa, India, thanks to a collaborative effort. Geelong Central Rotary’s funds, matched by two other Rotary clubs, our district, and a global grant, are making this project possible for multiple schools in Goa.

Rotarian Nester Sequeira from the Goa Club is overseeing the build, ensuring the successful completion of this important facility for the local community.

Guest Speaker from Creative Geelong

We welcomed board member Luisa La Fornara from Creative Geelong which is a not-for-profit Djilang/Geelong based membership arts organisation, founded in 2015,

Luisa explained the main focus of the organisation is working with and supporting creatives to get started and/or grow their business. Creatives are musicians, visual and performing artists, writers, poets, designers e.g. fashion/graphic/ interior designers, crafts makers, photographers, filmmakers, digital or creative tech developers, podcasters and digital content creators.

Creative Geelong Inc. does this by providing accessible spaces and tenancies in Geelong’s city centre as well as programs and events, such as those shown below, for emerging artists.

My Creative Practice Program for Members

Topics includes:

setting up your practice
why am I creating
brand & design
the importance of digital
building authentic connections
legal, insurance & tax requirements
managing money
identifying market channels

New Market Days in the Centrepoint Arcade.

Open to both Creative Geelong members (discounted cost) and non-members the monthly Market Day will showcase local artisan products, second hand goods, clothing, books, records, produce, artistic works and art materials to buy, sell, swap.

Membership and Funding

There are currently 85 members comprising individuals, some from disadvantaged backgrounds, organisations and tenants who pay an annual fee of $110 to Creative Geelong Inc. which does not receive any government or other funding and is seeking funding assistance.

More information

Further information about the markets and other initiatives of Creative Geelong is available on its website here www.creativegeelong.com.au

Volunteer with us!

The Rotary Club of Geelong Central welcomes Club members and community members and friends to join our next scheduled volunteering events!

Geelong Food Relief –4^th Tuesday of each month

Geelong Growers and Makers Market - 1st Sunday of each month

Merry Christmas from the Rotary Club of Geelong Central

As we approach the holiday season, we want to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you—our dedicated Rotary friends, volunteers, and loyal bulletin subscribers. This year has been filled with inspiring efforts, meaningful connections, and the spirit of service, and none of it would have been possible without your support.

Your time, energy, and commitment to our shared goals have made a lasting impact on our community and beyond. Together, we have helped create a world that is kinder, stronger, and more compassionate. For that, we are truly thankful.

May this Christmas bring you peace, joy, and moments of reflection as we look forward to the new year ahead. We are excited for the opportunities that lie ahead in 2025 and are grateful to continue this journey alongside such incredible people.

Wishing you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year filled with warmth, happiness, and continued success.

With warmest regards,

The Rotary Club of Geelong Central

From the Bulletin Editor

As we wrap up 2025, we want to extend our sincere thanks to all the Rotary members who contributed their stories to our bulletins throughout the year. Your shared experiences, insights, and updates have helped bring our community closer together and highlighted the incredible work we’re doing. We truly appreciate your time and dedication in making each issue meaningful and engaging. Here's to continuing our shared journey in the year ahead!

Thank you for your contributions!

Club Assembly & Strategic Plan Update
Quest Apartments Geelong Central
Jan 21, 2025 7:30 am – 8:30 am

Geelong Food Relief
Geelong Food Relief
Jan 28, 2025 7:30 am - 8:30 am

Board Meeting
Zoom
Feb 03, 2025 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Club Meeting - 35 Anniversary Book
Quest Apartments Geelong Central
Feb 04, 2025 7:30 am – 8:30 am

Geelong Makers and Growers Market
Steampacket Gardens
Feb 09, 2025 10:00 am – 3:00 pm

Club Assembly
Quest Apartments Geelong Central
Feb 11, 2025 7:30 am - 8:30 am

Guest Speaker - Moinul Islam
Quest Apartments Geelong Central
Feb 18, 2025 7:30 am – 8:30 am

Geelong Food Relief
Geelong Food Relief
Feb 25, 2025 7:30 am - 8:30 am

Geelong Waterfront Makers and Growers Market
Steampacket Gardens
Mar 02, 2025 10:00 am - 3:00 pm

Board Meeting
Zoom
Mar 03, 2025 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Club Meeting - Water & Sanitation
Quest Apartments Geelong Central
Mar 04, 2025 7:30 am – 7:30 am

Club Assembly
Quest Apartments Geelong Central
Mar 11, 2025 7:30 am - 8:30 am

Guest Speaker - TBA
Quest Apartments Geelong Central
Mar 18, 2025 7:30 am – 8:30 am

Geelong Food Relief
Geelong Food Relief
Mar 25, 2025 7:30 am - 8:30 am

Club Meeting - Environment
Quest Apartments Geelong Central
Apr 01, 2025 7:30 am – 8:30 am

Geelong Waterfront Makers and Growers Market
Steampacket Gardens
Apr 06, 2025 10:00 am - 3:00 pm

Board Meeting
Zoom
Apr 07, 2025 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Club Assembly
Quest Apartments Geelong Central
Apr 08, 2025 7:30 am - 8:30 am

View entire list

Feb 11, 2025 7:30 AM

Cath Powell

Foundation Update

Feb 18, 2025 7:30 AM

Moinul Islam

Rotary Cleft Palate Program

View entire list

Jed Castle
(If you have any comments or questions, please contact the editor)

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