Annual Report 2006-07
Rotary is a worldwide organisation of business and professional leaders that provides humanitarian service, encourages high ethical standards in all vocations, and helps build goodwill and peace in the world. Approximately 1.2 million Rotarians belong to more than 32,000 clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas.
The main objective of Rotary is service — in the community, in the workplace, and throughout the world. Rotarians develop community service projects that address many of today's most critical issues, such as children at risk, poverty and hunger, the environment, illiteracy, and violence. They also support programs for youth, educational opportunities and international exchanges for students, teachers, and other professionals, and vocational and career development.
 | It is one of my last duties to produce a report. It looks like a reasonable year in the history of the Rotary Club of Bacchus Marsh. I thought, how do I start this document? I referred back to my changeover night and found a copy of what I said on the night. It went like this: “I want to thank the 05/06 team and especially Russell. Russell jumped into the breach and took a second term as President when we needed one. Certainly “Service above Self”. |
Thank you to every one here that came to help celebrate my change over night. “My changeover night”, I am already taking ownership. Now I am not much on protocol but I know how to be polite when I need to be, so if I step on a few toes along the way it is because I don’t dance that well, not that I don’t care. 2006/07 and what a good year this is going to be. We are going to get to work with our new cluster and nearby clubs. |  |
We will get to create projects with the other service clubs in town. Working together for the greater whole. This kind of unity can only help our community. We will, of course, support our regular youth projects, because of the good it spreads and the joy we get from watching young people blossom. We are always involved somewhere overseas and we are always involved in the environment and that isn’t going to change. We can’t forget our Art Show.”
Well, in looking at that, I can see most of those small goals were achieved.
Community / Environment committee led by Chairman Byron Guthrie
 | This committee installed six picnic benches alongside the Lerderderg River in the vicinity of the swimming hole in Darley. Each bench is able to accommodate six adults. A number of red flowering gums were planted as replacements along Federation Avenue. It is intended that future replacements will be seed stock rather than grafted stock, taking the risk that all may not produce red flowers. Seed stock are from trees which produced red flowers and are $7.00 each, whereas grafted stock, at last purchase, were $35.00 each. |
Errol spent many hours pruning red flowering gums. We built steps down the steep river bank on the north side of the Gisborne Road bridge, thus making safer access to the river, particularly so after rain. Rotary club successfully submitted a Small Equipment Grants application which enabled us to purchase a $2,700 mower to be used along the river bank. |  |
There was a tree planting session at the Bacchus Marsh Secondary College - Darley Campus. A small gesture on our part with a follow-up watering, but it started to build ties with the school. Those ties enabled the Principal, Robyn Hunter, to approach us for a student art display at our art show.
 | Rotary jumped in and helped the Senior Citizens Club with their fundraising efforts for a newer van. With a few phone calls we reduced the price by $1500 from the dealer. Member Jamie Hine donated his time and material to brand the bus. We then donated $1500. And by getting involved we brought the Lions Club on board. Along with the Lions Club came the Lionesses as well. Community groups working together. |
This then lead onto a combined fundraising event with the seniors. We catered a lunch for the MG Car Club at the Senior Citizen’s clubrooms, preparing soups and sandwiches. Cakes were provided by many of our members’ spouses. I had a lot of time to chat with Mary Alexander, the President, and attempted to bring them closer to the ‘skaters’ next door. Mary then took a small step in providing power to the ‘skaters’ for lighting one night. This was really major considering the history between the two groups. Only possible because of doors being opened by our Rotary Club. |  |
 | Our club also obtained several obsolete computers from the Moorabool Shire Council and donated these computers to members of the Elderly Citizens Club to enable them to conduct genealogy research and use the internet to maintain contact with distant friends and family. John Lucas attended the club several times to assist with members becoming familiar with the processes. Mark Mayne of WestConnect donated free Internet access for the members. |
I think I have lost track of the number of barbecues we did through the year but they were mainly for the Skate Park and the Bacchus Marsh Traders. There was also the morning breakfast barbecue with the Lions for the Moorabool Shire Council and their Australian Citizenship ceremonies. |  |
 | We sponsored the Seniors Lunch at St. Anne’s Winery with a donation of $1250 and encouraged the Ballan Club to chip in with us. Our thanks to David Hookey and his crew at Ballan. We sponsored a travelling zoo to visit to the Grant Wing, supported the skaters at their wine and cheese night. |
Geoff Slee coordinated our participation in the Clean up Australia Day. We cleaned up and disposed of our old steel container. Thanks Errol and Simon, Rotary collected $500 for it.
New Generations led by Chairman David Stewart
 | The committee’s goal for the year was to maintain the status quo. National and international initiatives,viz, Rotaract, Interact, RYDA, Youth Suicide Awareness, National Youth Science Program, were considered inappropriate at this time. |  |
Our involvement with RYPEN, RYLA, MUNA, and the Siemens Science School occurred in 2006-07 continued together with special emphasis on the Let’s Read Program. Special thanks to committee members John Lucas, Geoff Camm, Gab Csillag, for their involvement, and to Rotarians Errol Healy and Peter Kay (and his wife Glenys), for assistance with the transport of students to the RYPEN Camp.
We are grateful to Moorabool Shire Council, with special appreciation to Cr Peter Russell, for financial assistance for our “Let’s Read” program and a very generous sponsorship for 2006-07; and the subsequent two years, from Peter Clarke and Company, The Bacchus Marsh Medical Centre, and the Elms Family Medical Centre. Their assistance has been invaluable. Rotarian Ian Wardell has been very active in fund raising through the collection of scrap metal.
The Rotarian image has been prominent in Bacchus Marsh, especially with the Let’s Read Program, and the two Secondary School’s participation in the three major Rotary programs - RYPEN, RYLA and MUNA.
Rewards are difficult to quantify. However, Chairman, David Stewart hopes that the long-term benefits of the Let’s Read Program will far outlive our initial contributions; that literacy in our community is enhanced and that the program will not be necessary in the future, as mums reading to their babies becomes as instinctive and widespread as all other aspects of child-rearing.
I would encourage ongoing committees to consider other proposals for youth involvement, as the current activities become automatic. Other possible activities exist. Some are listed above. Some are waiting to be formulated, perhaps by a member of the Rotary Club of Bacchus Marsh.
Geoff Camm was there at the start of the Getting Dirty Program, and I hope we will involve ourselves further. The kids who have gone through the program are showing marked improvement in their approach to school. Further sessions are now in progress.
The Pony Club benefited from our continued support.
Our club continues to support the School Scholarship Award Program. It wasn’t just the $50 we gave each student but it is the certificate stating high achievement in fairness and hard work which seems to be important to the kids.
Major Events
 | Tom O’Toole - The fundraising force in our club did it again with this dinner. We took advantage of the crowd to promote Rotary in general and the good work done around the world. Silent auctions and the mandatory raffle raised great funds for the projects we support. I, for one, was impressed by the work that was put into it, and I thank the workers. I also thank the club members who got off their hands and got heaps of people from the general community to attend. Money from other people’s pockets! It wasn’t a cheap night but those that were there all said it was a great night and we need more of them. |
A Touch of Tuscany Another great event was the “Touch of Tuscany” at the Bacchus Hill Winery. Once again we had people from the community there to support us with their pockets and again I kept hearing of how much of a great time was had and we should do more of this. It yielded a new $3,000 Hospital bed for our local hospital. Thank you Alan Morton and Wendy Stubbs. |  |
Art Show led by Chairman Neil McDonald
This year the 37th Annual Rotary Art Show sold $35,125 worth of paintings. The raffle sold $2,500 (less expenses) and the door made $5,419 including opening night.
In the lead up to the art show, the Committee decided to build and paint 20 new 6’x4’ Art Show stands. With generous help from some community sponsors these were built at a cost of around $3,000.
The art show ran to the recipe which has evolved in recent years. The People’s Choice Award proved to be very popular once more and marketing information collected from the voting slips will again be useful in targeting our advertising. At the request of Bacchus Marsh Secondary College we also held an exhibition of students art in the foyer. This exhibition created genuine interest and will most likely be repeated next year.
The members of the Art Show Committee gave the necessary commitment to running the show as they always do. Support from the membership of the club was abundant also.
 | The Chairman, Neil MacDonald, expressed the commitment given to the show by partners of Rotarians, Margaret Wardell, Margaret Closter, Glenys Kay, Maxine Lawford, Roberta Morton, Sylvia Hookey and Dianne McDonald. They all deserve our applause. The support to the art show through sponsors is also growing both in financial and “in kind.” This is very encouraging to The Art Show Committee as it means the Bacchus Marsh Rotary Art Show has an excellent reputation as a community event. |
Some of the Beneficiaries
We had an informative night with the Asylum Seekers Association along with a special dinner of multi-cultural cuisine prepared by the refugees. $200 was donated with a promise of a barbecue at Maddingley Park for them. I am still waiting for that to happen.
Operation Cleft impressed us with their good work. The pictures and the stories touched us deeply so we contributed $1000 to their cause.
The Tibetan Project gained a donation after a very informative dinner.
We donated funds from the sales of our Christmas cakes to The Neighbourhood House and the printing of the programs for Carols without Candlelight . The club was there at the Maddingley Park gates for Cup Day in the Park and also the David Calleja Car Show.
ConferenceThe club was well represented at the conference but since it was my first conference I can only encourage others to attend at Shepparton next year. The club supported Russell Gilbert in his participation of the “Ride to Conference” and his raising of $10,000. The attendees had a very special night out with a Turkish dinner with the Melton and Melton Valley clubs. The service was great and the food was some of the best Australia had to offer. Elin said, “It was the best meal I have ever had”. |  |
International Student Exchange
 | Elin - Shortly after Changeover we had to come to a decision about whether or not we would take an exchange student. As a Club we felt the pressure of the District, and as President and a Rotarian I was prepared to take this opportunity. The Club was divided on this issue. Aren’t we glad we did? We did have some challenges with hosting but it became insignificant when compared to the enrichment provided by Elin and her family’s visit. |
Elin Lajord Oppegaard arrived later than most of the incoming group, but she quickly made up for lost time. Elin quickly endeared herself to our family, and the larger Bacchus Marsh Rotary Club. She has been helpful, and assisted at many barbecues, working bees, and other Rotary functions. Elin has been a great ambassador for her home country of Norway. We have enjoyed her homeland presentation, and were very privileged to meet her parents and younger brother when they toured Australia in April. Her father personally thanked me for the way we took care of Elin. |  |
 | She became part of the community, active in school sports, Dawn Service on Anzac day, as a NYAPC musical production crew, enjoying parties and other normal Australian teen-age activities including two debutante Balls. |
Elin took part in the Portsea Camp and the Safari through Central and Eastern Australia, went to the Canberra Conference and thanks to host families, has been able to visit many other parts of our country. This was a great exchange experience for the club, the community and the Bacchus Marsh College who have been flying the Norwegian flag. Elin returns to Norway in mid-July. |  |
Membership as at 30th June 2007
| Lindsay | Arnold | Ian | Morris |
| Beverley | Barnes | Alan | Morton |
| Scott | Benton | Denis | Murphy |
| Geoff | Camm | Hardy | Pradhan |
| Gab | Csillag | John | Righetti |
| Russell | Dodemaide | Ken | Sheehan |
| Brian | Gaffney | Peter | Shilton |
| Russell | Gilbert | Geoff | Slee |
| Tim | Grosvenor | David | Stewart |
| Byron | Guthrie | Wendy | Stubbs |
| Errol | Healy | Jock | Taylor |
| Jamie | Hine | Digby | Thackeray |
| Pieter | Honig | Jillian | Thomas |
| Simon | Hookey | Ian | Wardell |
| Peter | Kay | Noelene | Watson |
| Robert | Knight | Joce | Williams |
| Peter | Lawford | Paul | Wittick |
| Bob | Levy | John | Wittick |
| John | Lucas | Geoff | Young |
| Neil | McDonald |
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| Honorary Member | Frank | Ruffo | |
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