RDU magazine online

ROTARY AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Centenary project gives residents a verdant vista

At left: District 9780 Governor Cathy Roth, of the Rotary Club of Geelong Central, Vic., took part with the Rotary Club of Geelong West, Vic., and local school children in a Centenary of Rotary project to turn a wasteland into a park to observe 100 years of Rotary service.
At right: A good leader always leads by example and District 9780 Governor Cathy Roth showed her technique at tree-planting.

A rubbish tip is on the way to becoming a completely different community asset in Geelong, Vic.

The Rotary Club of Geelong West’s centenary project was a hive of activity recently when dozens of primary school children joined District Governor Cathy Roth to plant 100 trees at the site.

The trees are the first step toward transforming what was wasteland into Rotary Centennial Park, which will be enjoyed by residents of the area and the children of Fyans Park Primary School, whose involvement will help create a feeling of ownership. The youngsters were certainly enthusiastic on the day.

The Adopt A Park project, has been successfully guided by a committee headed by Geelong West Rotary Club Past President, Graeme Hawkins. His committee held meetings with local residents to gain their views on what should be done with the land and to keep them informed of developments.

The committee doorknocked nearly 1,200 houses in the area, including all 75 adjoining neighbours.
The project has been a joint venture with the City of Greater Geelong. It entailed two years of preliminary planning and preparatory work. – Daryl McLure.

WANTED KNOWN

Golfers can put out gone fishing sign too
The 28th Australian Golfing Fellowship of Rotary (AGFR) Championships will be held in Gladstone, Qld., from June 5 to 9, 2006. The championships, over 72 holes for members and 54 holes for associates, will be played on the Gladstone and Calliope courses.

It is anticipated that there will be two major raffles throughout the championships, prizes including a golf buggy and up to $A10,000 in home entertainment equipment. Proceeds of the event will go toward a scholarship for a Queensland greenkeeper to attend Ohio University in the U.S.A. to enhance skills.

Registration will commence on June 4. Play will follow on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday with Wednesday a free day for touring the region. Gladstone is a five-hour drive north of Brisbane and the region has green western ranges and clear waters of the southern Great Barrier Reef. Gladstone boasts one of the highest boat ownerships of any community in Australia. The city has won many awards, including Queensland’s Tidiest Town Award several times. Further details: Peter Corke on (07) 4976 3777 for the AGFR titles and for more on the region contact the Visitor Information Centre on (07) 4972 9000 or visit www.gladstone holidays.info

Mary Potter Trust active: The Mary Potter Trust Foundation was established in 2003 and provides grants to community groups in Australia that actively work toward addressing human rights and social justice needs of the disadvantaged.

Currently the Foundation supports refugee and asylum seekers, people at risk, people with physical and mental disabilities, indigenous people and long-term unemployed. The Sisters of the Little Company of Mary established the Foundation as an extension of its long history of providing assistance to people who are marginalised and struggling to maintain dignity.

For more than a century, the Sisters have provided relief and built up a respected reputation in Australia for the provision of high quality, values-based health and aged care. Projects include TRY Youth & Community Services (a five-day respite camp), a Cystic Fibrosis SA Literacy Project and a Wandana Community Centre Muslim community worker to build and improve on existing relationships between the Centre and Muslims, many of them refugees, in the local area. Further information: Telephone (02) 8567 0480 or visit www.marypotterfoundation.org.au

Rotary Antiques Fair on Gold Coast: June 10, 11 and 12, 2005 (Queen’s Birthday long weekend) are the dates for the Mid-Year Rotary Antiques Fair to be held at Albert Waterways Centre, Broadbeach, on Queensland’s Gold Coast. Antique dealers from around Australia attend. This fair also involves Rotaract and Interact members. Rotarians are invited to make themselves known to those on duty when they attend the Fair. Further information: Telephone (07) 5598 8188 or visit www.rotaryantiquesfair.com