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Rotary News Feed
Rotary members assist with Hurricane Helene relief efforts

Clubs donate supplies, raise funds, and volunteer

Rotary Foundation receives highest rating from Charity Navigator for 16th consecutive year

Rotary Foundation receives highest rating from Charity Navigator for 16th consecutive

Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, to host 2028 Rotary International Convention

Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, to host 2028 Rotary International ConventionRotary has announced that Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, will host its convention in 2028.The Rotary International Convention welcomes tens of thousands of

Camino walk raises funds and camaraderie for Florida club

Five members of the Rotary Club of Seminole Lake, Florida, hiked Spain’s Camino de Santiago raised about $7,000 to raise funds to help Ukrainian refugee mothers and children in the Tampa Bay area. It also brought the entire club closer together.

The polio shot heard round the world

A son recalls his father’s great medical achievement — and the moment he experienced that breakthrough firsthand  

Rotary helping you transition to work
Here is a link to the complete WorkLife booklet developed by Alex Rotary as a mentoring guide to anyone starting work for the first time. (Also not a bad read for anyone going back into the workforce who would like a bit of inspiration and advice. 
 
We've also found that local businesses use it as a friendly support for their employees to help discussions along on the importance of work, (and how to be happy at work while making the boss happy!!)
 
 

Welcome to the Rotary Club of Alexandra Headland

Club News

The Things We Do At Bunnings!

A certain club secretary braved the wind tunnel at Bunnings with an unusual use of the Club aprons (front and back) to protect himself against the howling gale at Bunnings Maroochydore.
Strange thing is, that this member is from a country that is not known for its particularly calm and warm weather. We guess Queensland acclimatisation is complete.laugh
 
 
 

Have you ever wondered why Rotarians help out at Bunnings?

For the fundraising obviously, but where does the money go? As Rotarians are all volunteers, the money goes towards helping the Club support other community groups in the area who are out there doing good in the community. Groups such as food kitchens, domestic violence support services, cancer research, mental health support services etc. So next time you feel like a sausage at Bunnings and Rotary are there, know that your purchase is going towards a good cause in the community. 
 
And here's the afternoon team...Megan, Phil, Graeme and John (John L was working feverishly in the background).
 
 

Festuri Multicultural Festival

Our dedicated team of Rotary volunteers were down at Cotton Tree Park on Saturday 21st September in support of the annual Festuri Multicultural Festival, a celebration of the music, dance, food and people from different cultures.
 
Festuri has been going for some 15 years now and is a great opportunity for Sunshine Coast residents and visitors to engage with and celebrate cultural diversity.  
 
It was a great day, many people came down to check out the different music and dance performances, cultural displays and sample the delicious food and drinks that were on offer.
 
Special thanks to all of our hard working volunteers!
 
 
 
 
Graeme, Peter and Wendy ready for some hungry customers! 
 

An incredible 650 cubic metres of near new school furniture is making its way to deserving schools in the Pacific Islands

Thanks to a chance conversation between Alex Rotary and our friends at Brightwater Primary School, we became aware of a major refit of several schools in Queensland.  This led to arranging a project that was to become a win-win situation for those in need in the Pacific Islands.
 
So the new furniture for the Queensland schools is being delivered over the school holidays, and the old furniture (still in great condition) needed to find a home. 
 
Step in Rotary Recycling group (RARE) based in Brisbane and "Someone who cares group" also in Brisbane. Both have extensive contacts with the Pacific Islands and gladly received the furniture and will dispatch to those in need. BIG thanks to Adam Maker at Ventia who arranged the transfers and drop off of these seven semi's of furniture and to John Paskin, Phil Saxby, (RARE) and Del Cole (Someone who cares)....and especially Brightwater School who started off the conversation that has led to a wonderful outcome. 
 
 
 
 

Secret Mens Business "It's a Bloke Thing"

We have lots of interesting guest speakers at Rotary and it was good to welcome back Ruth Logan from "Its a Bloke Thing" to talk to the club about the serious business of Prostate Cancer. Thank you Ruth for all the work you and your colleagues do around the country in making men aware of what steps they should be taking and opening up the conversation and education associated with this all too common cancer. 
 
 

Alex Rotary help out future drivers on our roads

Our hard working volunteers were out at Nambour Showgrounds supporting the Rotary Youth Driver Awareness Program this week. This is a program started many years ago where Rotarians could see the need to have some serious conversations and demonstrations with future young drivers. Road safety associations and schools also recognise the need, and Rotary is happy to facilitate the day where future drivers (in this case, students from Matthew Flinders College) had a day of road safety awareness talks and demonstrations that will stand them in good stead when they become fully fledged drivers on QLD roads.
 
 
 

Membership News

We are delighted to welcome a new 'Honorary Member' to our Rotary Club - Helen Butler, General Manager of Alexandra Headland Surf Lifesaving Club.  Helen and her team do a fantastic job supporting the local community and are passionate about partnering with community organisations such as ours.
 
Welcome Helen and Thank You for your continuing support of our Club.
 
 
We also officially welcomed Megan Jenkins to our Club as a 'Friend of Rotary'.  Megan was introduced to our Club in June and first volunteered to assist with the Alex Solstice Swim.  Since then Megan has joined us as a volunteer at the Nambour Garden Expo, RYDA, Bunnings BBQ's and Festuri.  Megan is also a volunteer with the Alexandra Headland Surf Life Saving Club.
 
 
 

Three Esteemed Educators Visit Alexandra Headland Rotary Club

 
"Thank You" to club member Les Ross, who recently brought visitors along to our breakfast meeting during membership month.  We were delighted to welcome Maryanne Walsh, Lyn Cheetham and Sharon Collins, three exceptional women who are widely experienced and wise educators and between them have extensive experience in teaching, mentoring and leading schools throughout Queensland and overseas.  A fine example of our members bringing visitors along to our weekly meeting who may be interested in joining our club.
 
 

Alex Solstice Swim Sponsors and Supporters Thank You Breakfast

We were delighted to have some of the swim sponsors and supporters join us for breakfast at the Alex SLSC recently and hear from IFYS Inclusive Kids Paul Morton about how the funds raised from the swim are being used. Here's some pics, including Paul Morton presenting Club President Geoff East with a recognition award for our fundraising efforts.
 
 
Some of the great community supporters..
The wonderful Naomi..
Mayce and Rip Curl were just fantastic

Alex Rotary BBQ Breakfast Kicks Off the Sunshine Coast Walk to Defeat MND

Our wonderful Rotary volunteers were out bright and early on Sunday 14th July with our BBQ trailer at Parkyn Parade in Mooloolaba to support the Motor Neurone Disease Association of QLD Walk to Defeat MND.  Delighted to say that the morning was a great success with more than 230 people participating in the walk. Our club donated all the profits from the BBQ and also gave a cash donation to this very worthy cause.

Membership corner

August is membership month. So now is your chance to spread the word, and encourage an acquaintance to "make a difference" to the community. 

Getting to know each other better - Over the coming months the Membership team will work with members to gather short stories on WHY each member joined Rotary and these stories will be included in our monthly newsletters. 

What is your WHY for joining Rotary?

Let’s get the message out to everybody that joining a service organization like a Rotary Club can offer many benefits:

  1. Community Involvement: It provides an opportunity to give back to the community and make a positive impact through various service projects and initiatives. Rotarians provide community service to both local and international communities. This is perhaps the best reason for becoming a Rotarian: the chance to do something for somebody else and to sense the self-fulfilment that comes in the process and return of that satisfaction to one's own life. It is richly rewarding.

  2. Networking: Rotary Clubs often consist of professionals and business leaders, offering a platform for networking and expanding one's social and professional circles. Becoming a Rotary member connects you with a diverse group of individuals who share your drive to give back. Through regular meetings and events, you discuss your community's needs and develop creative ways to meet them.

  3. Personal Growth: Involvement in service organizations can help individuals develop leadership skills, improve communication abilities, and gain valuable experience in organizing and managing projects.

  4. Global Reach: Rotary Clubs have an international presence, allowing members to participate in global initiatives and contribute to humanitarian efforts around the world.

  5. Friendship and Fellowship: Being part of a service organization fosters friendships and a sense of camaraderie among members who share a common goal of serving others.

Overall, joining a service organization like a Rotary Club can be a fulfilling and enriching experience for individuals looking to make a difference in their community and beyond.

 

Neighbourhood Watch / Buderim matching donation 

President Geoff received this in his mail. The club has responded with a matching donation of $2,000. 

"Thanks for contacting us regarding our need to replace our commercial rangehood. We need to replace our rangehood in our commercial kitchen ASAP to comply with council regulations address OHS and ensure our One Roof project continues to provide support for some of the most vulnerable people in our community.

Thanks to supporters like Buderim Rotary, Mooloolaba Lions, and Community members we have raised $8,240 so far and require a further $14,260 to reach our goal. Maroochy Neighbourhood Centre Inc. is a registered charity with the ACNC and holds Deductible Gift Recipient Status with the Australian Tax Office.

Since its inception, the One Roof project has achieved incredible milestones, including providing free meals to 37,749 individuals and families, supporting and advocating for 102 chronically homeless people to obtain permanent and temporary housing options, and providing free wound care to 2,443 individuals receiving free wound care from our community nurses as well as referrals to professional healthcare professionals for our unhoused community and over 800 free haircuts by professional hairdressers have been provided to the community.

To continue this great work, we are in desperate need of a new canopy exhaust hood for our commercial kitchen. A new one is $22,592.27 and with no government funding, we can't replace it as the One Roof project relies solely on the generosity of the community.

Mark Ellis

Community Development Co-ordinator
Maroochy Neighbourhood Centre Inc

Trailer upgrade

Great work by Craig, Geoff and royal gigolo Dave in cleaning up the club BBQ Trailer for use by Blaze Aid. As you can see it's getting a LOT of use by Charmaine and her amazing team of volunteers. 
 
 

Special Olympics donation 

The club was very pleased to respond to a request from Special Olympics to help out with their sports uniform purchases. Thanks to members fundraising efforts the club was able to cover the $600 costs and goes with our best wishes.
 
Special Olympics Australia is part of a global inclusion movement using sport around the world to end discrimination against and empower people with intellectual disabilities. Our volunteers create accessible sports training, coaching and competition opportunities which are offered week-in and week-out in local communities throughout Australia.
 
Despite what many people think, we’re not the Paralympics. 
 
The Paralympics is for elite athletes, mainly with physical disability. Special Olympics is for people with intellectual disability.
 
At Special Olympics Australia everyone with an intellectual disability is welcome. Some participants join to have fun, make friends and enjoy the warmth of a welcoming community, while others are focussed on winning and receiving medals.
 
On the Sunshine Coast there are approx 30 volunteers providing opportunities for 130 registered athletes to participate in weekly training in athletics, basketball, bocce, golf, football/soccer, swimming and ten pin bowling. 
 

Mock Interviews

Great to see the club continuing our support of the staff and students at Maroochydore State High with providing support and coaching to their students.
 

RCAH support for NYSF 

Graeme and Wendy have interviewed Sarah, a Year 11 student at Mountain Creek SHS as a prospective recipient of RCAH's 50% sponsorship of the cost of attending NYSF in January 2025. The cost to the club will be $1500 and believe Sarah to be a most worthy recipient of our sponsorship.
 
"She is certainly a high achiever in her science subjects - Maths, Chemistry and Biology - and displayed a strong passion for these subjects and is very much looking for a career in science and sees NYSF as a way of seeing what is available. In fact she has already been looking at this by attending university open days which is quite rare for a YR 11 student and is excited for NYSF to add to this information."
 

Bunnings

What? Bunnings on a Friday? 
 
Well done everyone involved, a steady flow of customers and a handy income for the club. Now, who has an idea on what community cause we can help?
 
On further news we have another Bunnings date for Friday 16th August.

Got an idea for a Club Project.....Peter B has!

One of the things Alex Rotary promotes is for members to bring their ideas to "make a difference" to the community...here is a curated idea from Peter B...what d'ya think?

The GOOD FOLK OF ALEX is a program proposed by Peter Burton, a long standing resident of Alexandra Headland and a member of Alex Rotary Club.  Peter is proposing that residents and businesses of Alexandra Headland come together for social, economic and recreational opportunities with the idea of being stronger together and growing a healthy community culture.

Umoja anniversary photo and donation 

Recently the club made a donation to the Ummoja project in Kenya. We received a lovely email from Cathy Booth, letting us know that they are celebrating their 13 years of "making a difference" 

As we celebrated the 13th birthday on July 30th, of our orphanage project in Kenya, we were filled with immense pride and gratitude. This journey has not been an easy path, and has been marked by determination, relentless commitment, and immense frustrations, but mostly the joy of knowing the difference we have made to our children's lives.  

Together, we have created a legacy of compassion and change, proving that with determination and unity, we can achieve what seemed the impossible.

Rainbow House speaker request 

Not forgetting that you also helped out with Rainbow House, and we are hoping that Alison Ray will be on the coast in the next short while and be able to come and speak to the club. 

Letter of support - Alex Community Association

Alex Rotary Club supports ACA  "Christmas in Alex" celebrations.  On Sunday 15th December, we'll be looking for volunteers to help with set up, crowd control and with the BBQ. 
 

Activities coming up in August -  Brightwater Primary School Guest Speaker 

This month we'll be hearing from Steve about the progress with  "The Brightwater Project" as its known. A practical help to kids at the school who Steve leads in refurbishing bikes, that has been a great success and is now helping not only the kids with "hands on" experience but others by donating refurbished bikes. 
Alex Rotary WorkLife Coaching Program 
 
Our great helpers
Here's some of the folks who help us with community fundraising, and who we help in the community.....
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Rotary / USC Community Fund
 
 
 
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Make a difference - Donate 
 
Rotary is run by volunteers and Rotary is always in the top 5 most effective charities in the world.
 
You can be sure that your dollars go to where they are needed. 
Helping save lives in Uganda. See YouTube video