Wendy you’ve recently been appointed the President of the Rotary Melbourne South – what does your role involve?

My role is work with our club members to identify projects that we know will have the biggest and most sustainable impact on the local, broader and global communities.  We depend on fund raising and grants to complete our projects.  Publicly we are mostly known for the famous Bunning’s Sausage Sizzles and the money from these events goes towards making a difference to so many lives.

You have some exciting news re an upcoming merger

 How proud we are at Rotary Port Melbourne and Rotary Melbourne South, as we have decided to merge into one bigger club, Rotary Port Phillip, as from 1st October.  You read it here first! A bigger club has more resources, skills and synergy to have a broader reach to serve communities. We will have the capacity to set up some e-clubs for businesses in the area and an e-club for Interactors heading off to tertiary studies.  

What are some of the projects the club is delivering?

 Here’s a snapshot: Kitchen Garden at the South Melbourne Towers public housing, involvement with the Pollinators Corridor from Port Melbourne to South bank, introducing Earlyact (primary schools), partnering with Interact (secondary students), distribution of bakery items from Noisette to various charities, sending two containers of medical equipment and medical supplies to a hospital in Moyo, Uganda, delivering care packages to those being admitted into the Mental Health Unit at the Alfred Hospital. We do have other projects on the go so come along and see if you would like to join us.

How does the Club decide on what projects to pursue?

The areas of focus are promoting peace, fighting disease, providing clean water, sanitation and hygiene, saving mothers and children, supporting education, growing local economies, and sustainability and the environment. In essence we assess a situation, decide on a project, make a plan, carry out the project and evaluate the project.  Rotary Park on Jacka Boulevard is a case in point; land that had limited use will be an area where families can barbecue together and play on the new playground equipment. Rotary saw a niche to support families, collaborated with the community, CoPP and other rotary clubs.  By December this year, you will see the finished product.

 There seems to be a lot of facets to Rotary like foundation and international – how does it all work?

Service Above Self:  Rotary International aims to bring together business people and professionals with the prospect of providing humanitarian assistance and to further peace throughout the world.  Rotary Foundation transforms monetary gifts into life changing projects both locally and internationally as it is the charitable arm. Clubs can apply for grants through Rotary Foundation.

The structure is in three different levels: clubs (Rotary Port Phillip being one), district and international.

To an outsider Rotary seems like an old-fashioned organisation – yet it has stood the test of time for over 100 years?

Rotary is a vibrant and successful institution which has proven itself over the past 100 years. There are 1.2 million Rotarians globally.  It has grown with the times as well as it once was the domain of working males but now is far more diverse and equal. I suppose Rotary isn’t particularly great at publicising itself.  After I joined, I was staggered when I discovered the extent of Rotary’s impact locally and globally. 

Competing for the charity $ must be tough in the current environment?

It is as is everything else in this current climate.  However, every disruption results in change and some of those changes can be beneficial.  Rotarians have been productive through organising events and activities for post lockdown, reaching out to our more vulnerable members of the community and continuing with our own knowledge bank.

How does one join rotary?

I joined Rotary because, I knew I wanted to be part of an organisation that would enable me to give back to the community.   You can come along to our meetings, perhaps volunteer and when you decide it’s right for you, then approach one of the members.  Our Club’s Membership contact is Ronald Adams – r.g.adams@bigpond.com

Credit - Warwick Lloyd