Welcome to the December Christmas edition of IMAGINE your PASSION.
Looking back over theyear at the achievements Rotary has made, not only in our District but around the world makes me proud and humble being associated with so many amazing people.
Last Sunday I attended the Kids Fun Run with Puffing Billy at theGembrook Rail Station. Over 300 children ran against Puffing Billy. The Kids Fun Run is a chance for children 3 to 12 year s old to run along side Puffing Billy & help other kids.
Not only did the Club donate all surplus funds to the Monash Children’s Hospital Cancer Research Team many children initiated their own individual fundraiser. Together the children raised over $9,000. An amazing community event.
In this issue we have more articles highlighting just what a difference Rotary makes.
Events such as ‘Partnering supports people with Dementia and their Carers’, the WalletCard Project, Collecting Christmas Gifts Relocating Playground equipment and more.
Fundraising ? Be quick for the Annual Mince Pie Fundraiser and to support DG Ken’s Family project a major raffle goes on sale soon.
In conjunction with the District Conference in Canberra, at the Golf Day on Friday the 3rd the GOLF BALL DROP RAFFLE will be held. We aregetting Ken up on top of a Boom Lift to drop 1000 golf balls to the pin below. (Hedoesn'tknowityet) Again the generosity of Rotarians and their families to sponsor the prizes for this raffle amazes me. THANK YOU.
Merry Christmas andhave a safe and Happy New Year. Buy your raffle tickets on sale now. https://www.raffletix.com.au/?ref=gt4fz
GregAdams
RotaryClubofEmerald&District.
Welcome to the District Governor’s Newsletter
FLOODS: UPDATE: Not so good
After a number of requests from Club Presidents an email outlining options for helping has been circulated to all Presidents.
(Searchforrotorwinghelicopterserviceson FaceBookandviewthelatestvideoEditor)
PUBLIC IMAGE CLUB INCENTIVE PROGRAM: Outstanding
Fantastic response to this Public Image program
Congratulations to the Rotary Club of Maroondah for being the first Club to reach maximum points and there are a numberof other Clubs hot on their heels. Check out the live ladder on the District Website and keep your points up to date.
DISTRICT PRIMARY SCHOOL SPEECH CONTEST Great Speakers
FOUNDATION CHAT WITH PAST INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT AND FOUNDATION TRUSTEECHAIR IAN RISELEY AND ROTARY INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT NOMINEE STEPHANIE URCHICK
Wonderful chat with Rotary Royalty where we learnedmore about our “Charity of Choice” and got to know our 2024 25 R.I. President a little better. Great viewing. For those that missed it look to the District You YouTube on the District Website.
Always amazed atthe presentation and content of their selected topics. These primary school students are high on confidence and know no fear about standing up in front of about 80 Rotarians, family and friends. Congratulations to allconcerned. If your Club wasn’t involved this year, please plan for nextyear
PROJECTS, EVENTS AND MARKETS: Busy & Lots of Bargains, Food& Fun
I called in to the Whitehorse Cluster Farmers Market, the market run RC of Monbulk and another, run by RC Emerald & District.
Lots of Clubs are very active in the community. Have a look at your HIGHLIGHTS email and go along. Enjoy the experience, introduce yourself to other Rotarians and take the opportunity to pick up some ideas.
HIGH TEA atthe Rotary Club of Lilydale Fantastic
Many non Rotariansand Community Leaders attended ,and shared their views on the great work Rotary does in their area. Outstanding food to rival the Windsor Hotel. Well Done Lilydale
DG’s Club Visits
I have completed my DG Clubvisits and I would like to thank all Clubs for their hospitality, enthusiasm, dedication and hard work. A very big thank you for the fantastic supportI have received for theDG’s family project. My “Charity of Choice” the Rotary Foundation.
As this will be the last Newsletter for 2022 I would like to thank our editor and compiler Greg Adams for all his hard work in producing our outstanding District Newsletter.
Frida is a survivor of the 1994 RwandaGenocide against the Tutsis. She was only 14 years old when her entire family was killed and she was buried alive alongside 15 members of her family, only to be rescued by a Hutu young man who worked for her family.
Now married to Rob van der Zaag, the couple has 7 children between them. Frida graduated from Bowling Green State University Firelands Campus in the State of Ohio USA with a bachelor’s degree of Arts in Communication.
Speaking internationally and locally, Frida has shared her story of a miraculous survival, God’s grace, the power of forgiveness, inner healing and resilience in many countries thecountries of Africa, Europe, America andAustralia. Frida is also a frequent speaker at high schools, Universities, Churches, organisations and women groups.
During 2013, Frida shared her story in the Chapel at Wheaton College in Chicago, IL. This also includes the UN Headquarters in NewYork during the 2016 Annual Commemoration of the Rwanda Genocide against the Tutsis where Frida shared her story. And 2019, Frida shared her Memorial de la SHOAH in Paris, Melbourne Jewish Holocaust Centre and many more. Frida is also the author of “Frida, Chosen to Die, Destined to Live” and IN THE SCHOOL OF RESILIENCE.
In 2017, as part of our Community Services program the Rotary Club of Box Hill Central (RCBHC) decided to offer a free breakfast seminar on currentissues facing NFP Charitable organisations presented by a Commissioner from the Australian Charities & NFP Commission (ACNC). The breakfast was sponsored by the Blackburn South Community Bank (BSCB), Bendigo Bank. At the breakfast we discussed our desire to make a greater impact with our Grants program and this resonated with BSCB who were looking at exactly the same idea for their grants program.
The outcome was theformation of a Community Grant Program, overseen by a joint governance committee, which has been running for six years with matching contributions generating $180,000.
RCBHC and BSCBB sought proposals from a small number of targeted community not for profit (NFP) organisations in the Whitehorse and surrounding communities for meaningful projects which may be undertaken over a 1 to 3 year time frame.
Projects supported needed to be practical, community based initiatives supporting and facilitating development of programs that focus on new and emerging social issues affecting vulnerable, “at risk” and those
living in disadvantaged circumstances in our local region. Project outcomes were expected to demonstrate measurable improvement on the lives and health and wellbeing of the beneficiaries.
One of the organisations to receive funding is Umbrella Dementia Café (UDC). UDC has a vision to improve and advance the social health and wellbeing of individuals, couples and families living at home with dementia and believes individuals living with dementia can be better supported with access to localised, purpose driven social hubs called ‘dementia cafés’. UDC has established and sustained five community dementia cafes in Blackburn, Box Hill South, Blackburn North, Rosebud and Sorrento. They also have three ‘co design’ cafés emerging in Beechworth, Kyabram and Diamond Creek under the leadershipof UDC.
UDC’s purpose is to create inclusive, localised, welcoming dementia-friendly social environments for people living with dementia and their care partner to safely meetother people in their own community that are experiencing similar challenges. Together with volunteer teams, the café groups offer support, share knowledge and enable learning from one another about how to live a full life while living with dementia.
Through this social care model, UDC’s long term goal is to enable people to live at home longer, delaying the need for full time residential care and to create a culture where
participants have a place to turn for help in challenging times.
Their first communitygrant in 2019 was named the Port Bell Community Grant after two RCBHC club Rotarian families who lived with dementia. The Port Bell Community Grant allowed UDC to implement a dedicated dementia café coordinator at their Box Hill South dementia café, called Café of Connections.
However, when the COVID lockdowns were implemented in early2020, with agreement from the Community Grants Committee the Port Bell Grantwas converted into project that delivered criticaland nutritious food (supplied by the Moving Feastcharity) to isolated families experiencing dementia across the Whitehorse region. Through this grant, support was provided to 26 couples and 10 elderly volunteers every week, over a 10 week period.
When asked about the impact of the multi year grants on the Umbrella Dementia Café CEO Kirsty Porter provided this response.
For those who are in the caring role, UDC offers an evidence based carers support program, called “Care & Share”, which is facilitated during thecafé by a trained volunteer with lived experience. Care & Share allows carers to privately share practical caring ideas while supporting each other emotionally. Held for 45 minutes in an adjoining room, the session aims to build confidence and resilience, increase awareness about dementia, share local knowledge of café service andprovide overall peer to peer support while caring for someone with dementia.
“Thisgrantnotonlyallowedustostay betterconnectedtoourcouplesliving withdementia,butthroughthis consistentweeklycontactwereduced theirimpactofsocialisolationand reducedmountingfearsurroundingthe initialpandemiclockdown.Most importantly,thisgrantdeployedour technicallysavvyvolunteerstobetter supportourmembersgetonlinewhile theyweredeliveringfoodpackages. Thiswasanoutcomewedidn’texpect weneededinearly2020,butbecause ofthisforesight,wemovedtofacilitate over175onlinezoomcafésovera2 yearperiodwhichkeptourcouples connectedtoeachotherovertheentire 300daysofCOVIDlockdowns. Consequently,whenwereturnedtothe caféattheendof2020and2021,we broughtourcafégroupsbacktogether quickerbecauseofoureffective communicationandonline connections.Wedidn’tloseasingle volunteerand,outofthe25families, only2wentintoagedcare. Themostrecognisable communitygrantwehave receivedfromRotaryClubof BoxHillCentralandBlackburn SouthCommunityBank (BendigoBank)wasalsoborn fromCOVID 19lockdowns whenwesuccumbtothe dramaticandimmediate impactofreducedincome. WeapproachedtheRotary presidentatthetimewithan ideatocreateourown commercialandonline
dementiafriendlyproducts,andtrial themwithforourownmembersliving withdementia.Fromthisproject,we recognisedahugegapinthe marketplacefordementiafriendly productsthatwereageappropriate, meaningful,userfriendlyand recognisable.
ThroughthisRotarysupported ‘sustainabilitygrant’,wenowhaveown ondementiafriendlyUDCproducts onlinewhichwesellAustraliawide. Theseproductsnowprovideuswith additionfundingandhasopenedthe doortomoreinnovativeproducts,and mostimportantly,wecanreachmore peoplewithdementiaAustraliawide. Thissustainabilitygrantdemonstrated ourpotentialtowardsagreater, broaderandmoreinnovativefinancial environmentinyearstocome.
Ourvolunteersarethetrueheroesof UmbrellaDementiaCafes.In2022 alone,our35volunteershavealready donatedover3000hoursin2022 acrossallfivecafes.Now,withthehelp ofRotaryagainin2022 2023,weare
enthusiasticallydevelopingadementia caféspecificVolunteerTrainingand SupportPilotProgramforthe volunteerswhogivesomuchof themselveseveryweek.Weanticipate thesuccessofthistrainingprogram willsteerustowardsupportingother dementiacafesinAustraliabythe secondhalfof2023.
Itisobviousthattheimpactthejoint committeeofRotaryClubofBoxHill CentralandBlackburnSouth CommunityBank(BendigoBank)has hadonUDChasbeenfarreaching.”
From the above response it is also obvious that the Rotary Club of Box Hill Central, in partnership with Blackburn Community Bank Bendigo Bank, is achieving its goals of strategically supporting worthy not for profit community service providers to improve the lives of vulnerable people and their carers in the city of Whitehorseand surrounding municipalities.
On World mental Health Day, 10 October, Eastern Health launched the "Rotary CentenaryEmergencyDepartmentMental HealthConsumerInformationCard" (known as the ‘Wallet Card’).
This is an updated, hard copy resource for people accessing theEmergency Department when experiencing amental health crisis.
In celebration of Rotary's centenary in Australia, all Rotary Clubs in Whitehorse joined together and partnered with Bendigo Bank Blackburn South Community Bank Branch to support the “Wallet Card Project” at Eastern Health.
"This project will assist people in crisis who attend Eastern HealthEmergency Departments during a mental health episode who may be disorientated, vulnerable and often feeling they have nowhere to go," says Associate Professor Judy Hope, a Medical Practitioner and Consultant Psychiatrist at Eastern Health.
For those people, navigating the mental health system can bechallenging, with some having very limited access to internet or a smartphone, and many lacking financial independence and adequate social support.
As a consequence, after they leave the Emergency Department, some people may not access the community services available that provide support and healing.
As Assoc. Prof Hope explains, "our Wallet Card Project is designed to help people experiencing mentalhealth crisis to understand what services are available to them, not just when they come to the Emergency Department, but more importantly, once they've left."
In our three Emergency Departments across the east of Melbourne, being Angliss, Box Hill, and Maroondah Hospital, we see over 7,000 people with mental health issues each year.
In themidstof a personal crisis, of a mental health crisis, it can bereally hard to think and to problem solve, and to figure out what to do next.
What is a 'Wallet Card'?
The idea of the WalletCard is that once people leave us, thatthey have a tangible resource they can store in their wallet, to find where they need to be. They don't walk out of the Emergency Department feeling alone.
"We'd really like to thank our local community for supporting us in this project, and in many other projects that we deliver at Eastern Health.
"Thank YOU for helping to improve the health of our community, meet social needs, and make sure that we have a strong healthy community.” says Assoc. Prof Hope
All Whitehorse Rotary Clubs are proud to support Eastern Health in this important community mental health project. The Rotary Clubs involved are Box Hill, Burwood, Box Hill Central, Nunawading, Mont Albert and Surrey Hills, Forest Hill, Mitcham, the New Gen Rotary Club, and the Rotaract Club of Whitehorse.
‘I would like to commend the Rotary and Rotaract Clubs of Whitehorse for providing both physical and financial support for this vital mental health project. At a time when Melbourne has experienced prolonged periods of lockdown and the normal patterns and rhythms of life have been greatly disrupted, issues related to mental health come to prominence. The Wallet Card Project provides a very practical and simple way of providing assistance to those in need and gives a splendid example of Rotary clubs serving to change lives.’
Christmas can be stressful at the bestof times but with the added pressure of the cost of living, present donation drives like that from the Rotary Club of Lilydale will go a long way tomaking the festive season a happy time for morepeople.
After such success last year, Gerry and Anne Van Horrick decided to organise the Wishing Tree donation drive again to support two local organisations inAnchor and the Yarra Ranges Proactive Policing Unit.
“We had over 800 presents worth over $16,000 and we had about $2,000 in gift vouchers,” Ms Van Horrick said.
This year Mr Van Horrick said the age bracket for gifts has been raised to help provide for more teenagers, up to the age of 18, across the local area.
Yarra Ranges Crime Prevention Officer, Leading Senior Constable LindaHancock said because the Proactive Policing Unit supports a cohort of young people atlocal high schools, it would be lovely to include them in this year’s donations.
“There’s a lot of kids in mainstream schools that don’t get something like this…we’ve got that next level of where they are engaged with mainstream schools but they’re those
silent ones who are doing it tough,” she said. “The teenage cohort is very difficult to buy for and anyone who’s had a teenager will know that but some of these teenagers even if they got a Targetvoucher or Kmart voucheror JB Hi Fi voucher, something so they can go and getwhat they need.”
As one of the recipients lastyear, Anchor’s Partnership and Development Lead Lauren Gordon said the Lilydale office was incredibly grateful to be a part of the Wishing Tree once again.
“We are so proud of the way our own community is once again responding directly to the families and children we support this Christmas,” she said.
“Lilydale Rotary is setting a fine example of what an enormous difference community spirit can make. Contributions both large and small make whatis quite often a stressful and triggering time for so many, an enjoyable occasion for many of the communities most vulnerable.”
Leading S/C Hancocksaid between four schools across Mooroolbark, Lilydale and the Upper Yarra she would think there would be at least 200 studentswho could benefit from a gift at Christmas.
“We’re just like Anchor, we have a cohort of
people that we know we deal with and we think they need to be thrown into themix because they’re usually people that don’t want to be identified.
“You go into a house and there’s no heating on and there’s three teenagers. It’s pretty sad. And you know the heating is not on because it’s unpaid but no one’s talking about it and they don’t ask for help.”
Ms Van Horrick said it wasn’t until last year’s Christmas period thatshe began to understand the need in the Lilydale area.
“We never really knew a lot about this untilwe started doing this justhow much need there is in the community,” she said.
“People close their doors at night. They are warm, they’ve got the TV on, lights on, but there’s a lot of people not like that but we don’t know about those people until you start talking to [Anchor or the Proactive Policing Unit].”
The partnerships nowformed with Lilydale Rotary, Anchor and Yarra Ranges Police are only expected to strengthen beyond this project.
“I’m really glad it’s another project we cando with Rotary. We’ve done a few others but it’s another one where Rotary is branching out to be inclusive of as many people as possible,” leading S/C Hancocksaid.
“We hadn’t done much with community policing before but with a more local focus, we’re glad we reached out to Linda because she knows of the people who are falling through the cracks,” Mr Van Horrick said.
From just 14 businesses who participated last
year, it has now expanded to 22 in and around Lilydale.
Where to donate:
Fully Promoted, Factory 4/115 Canterbury Rd, Kilsyth Fully Promoted, Unit 1/105 111 Ricketts Rd, Mount Waverley
Gami’s 51 59 Anderson St, Lilydale
Eastwood Golf Club, 332 Liverpool Rd, Kilsyth South Children’s House of Early Learning, 47 Chandler Rd, Boronia
Children’s House of Early Learning, 32 Monbulk Rd, Mount Evelyn
Stockdale and Leggo, 281 Main St, Lilydale
Mingarra Retirement Village, 2 Chevalier Dr, Croydon
Lakeview Kindergarten and Childcare, 24 Lakeview Dr, Lilydale
Swinburne Children’s Centre, 435 437 Maroondah Hwy, Lilydale
Eastern Regional Library Building L5 Box Hill Institute Lilydale Lakeside Campus Jarlo Drive, Lilydale Chirnside Park Community Hub, 33 Kimberley Dr, Chirnside Park VIC 3116
Yarra Junction Community Hub, 2463 Warburton Highway, Yarra Junction.
CIRE Head Office, Level 1 7/9 John St, Lilydale
Genesis Health and Fitness, 446 Maroondah Hwy, Lilydale
Harrow and Harvest, 42 44 Castella St, Lilydale Interact, Lilydale Heights College, 17 19 Nelson Rd, Lilydale
The Running Company 242 Main St, Lilydale MiCare Beatrix Village, 843 Mt Dandenong Rd, Montrose
Evelyn Ridge Retirement Village, 120 Clegg Rd, Mount Evelyn Physica Yarra Valley, 237 Maroondah Hwy, Chirnside Park
Maz’s Hair and Beauty, 6 Snowball Ave, Mount Evelyn
Manchester Rd Dental Surgery, 27 Manchester Rd, Mooroolbark
“Times are a lot different this year, lots of people are struggling,”
“It’s probably more important this year than what it was lastyear,” Ms Van Horrick added. Donations are being collected until 2 December, with some businesses collecting children’s toys and books, while others are focusing on the older teens to ensure everyone can receive a gift.
