Copy of Bulletin, November 10 (Apr 06, 2026)

GREETINGS ROTARIANS AND FRIENDS

Congratulations to all who helped with the recent Bunnings BBQ which raised substantial funds for our club.

Thanks also to Rotarians and Friends who are maintaining the mature trees that were planted in the Greenway behind The Bays Hospital. If you have any time to help with watering, pruning, weeding or other maintenance tasks, please contact Julia. Future generations will give thanks for the shade and beauty provided by our Rotary Club.

MORNINGTON SECONDARY COLLEGE NEWS - PRINCIPAL LINDA STANTON RETIRES

In the latest school newsletter, Linda's career and leadership was celebrated and acknowledged. Linda led many changes over the years and was able to successfully steer the school through the very difficult Covid times.

Assistant Principal, Denise Leggett is also retiring and we extend our warmest wishes and deepest gratitude for their years of dedicated service.

Their leadership, kindness, and unwavering support have made a lasting impact not only within the school but also in the wider community.

We are especially thankful for the encouragement and support they have shown to our Rotary Club. Their belief in our work and their willingness to champion our efforts have meant so much to us.

They will be greatly missed, both professionally and personally. We wish them all the very best in this next chapter—may it be filled with relaxation and new adventures.

The Ranch, after five years is being closed and its residents are going to need to find a new place urgently to rebuild their lives.

The Mornington Community Support Centre is raising funds. Help us to support them, and the many others on the Peninsula experiencing homelessness, to find safe and stable accomodation by contributing to their Emergency Transition Fund by April 15.

This fund will provide urgently:

- moving and storage costs

- short term accomodation

- foster care for their pets

- living expenses

- basic furniture and whitegoods

- household essentials and food.

Ross is organising working bees to help assemble some storage sheds at the Ranch 2.0, so please contact him if you are able to assist, or if you can offer some time to help with outdoor painting, maintenance etc.

ROTARY CONFERENCE MARCH 2026

Club members Chris and Vivien Reynolds attended the District Conference in Hobart in March and will give. report at an upcoming club meeting.

The conference highlighted youth mental health initiatives, environmental sustainability, and international aid.

The program included engaging keynote addresses, showcases of various Rotary projects and discussions that highlighted the impact of Rotary’s work both locally and internationally. One of the highlights Dr Jessica Harman AM, who spoke on behalf of the Rotary International President, Francesco Arezzo, on the theme “Unite for Good”.

District Conference

At last week's club meeting, Dr Bryan Sun from Benton's Skin Cancer Centre highlighted the need to regularly check for changes on our skin, particularly to be aware of any new marks that were not previously noticed, as we have all had many years of sun exposure.

We also we presented a Certificate of Appreciation to a generous local benefactor for his donations to the Club

Frankston/Mornington Peninsula District

An online meeting was held online recently and Ross reported on a big focus on the youth programs - RYLA, and RYPEN ( for 14-17 yo) which is scheduled to recommence this year.

The Music Enrichment Program run by Sorrento RC will take place on May 8 and we are sponsoring 60 students and supervisors to attend a special children's recital by The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra at Hamer Hall. This was a very successful excursion last year and one that students and staff greatly enjoyed.

Mt.Martha is approaching $100k raised from its Container Deposit Scheme - 750k containers !

Mt.Martha is organising a forum with Mayor and CEO on June 15 re Community Capital Projects and all are welcome to attend.

The Ranch Documentary will be screened again to the public on Tues 28 April at the Rosebud Cinema - tickets available through Humanitix.

RYDA

Young people continue to be overrepresented in road deaths and serious injuries.

The RYDA program is a whole-school approach that supports schools in teaching the specialty subject of road safety. It includes a one-day practical workshop supported by online and classroom learning.

The RYDA workshop features six sessions of highly engaging practical demonstrations, real-life narratives, videos, quizzes, and interactive role-play. Students typically attend the workshop at a dedicated external venue.

RYDA’s online teachers’ portal, loaded with classroom and homework activities, supports the workshop and gives educators everything they need to continue learning throughout the school year. Students can also access an online revision course through our Learning Management System.

Created for senior high schools, RYDA supports youth development in several areas, including social resilience and anticipating and managing risk. It also gives students a unique opportunity to set road safety goals and build strategies alongside the friends they will most likely be riding with as drivers or passengers.

More about this program will be presented soon.