President Jim, is in recovery mode from illness (no, not too much food and wine!) and so has no business to report in this Bulletin. he is on a well earned break. He tells me he is 90% there and no doubt we will see him back at the helm shortly .
Tuesday 27 January Ukraine Today and our Water project with Rotary Club of Berdychiv Speakers ..Chrestyna Kmetj, and Teresa Lachowicz Chair..Judy Coultas 3 minute…Nina DeSilva
Cashiers Alan Costello - Sue Voss Fellowship Di Costello Furniture Angus MacEwan Sargeant Phil Key Heads & Tails Trish Stamp
Tuesday 3 February Dress for Success …Leonie Bailey CEO, Dress for Success , Victoria Chair..Phil Key tbc 3 min…Yvonne Simpson…dress for dancing.
Cashiers Rhonda Vincent- Linda Morris Fellowship Janet Richards Furniture David Rew Sargeant Phil Key Heads & Tails Trish Stamp
Tuesday 10 February Cape Barren Island indigenous health clinic…Alana Street, Friend of Mt Eliza Rotary, Chair…Bernie Edwards 3 min ..Jo Baker, Friend of Mt Eliza Rotary
Cashiers George-Ann - Jim Young Fellowship Cathryn Leonard Furniture Jim Voss Sargeant Phil Key Heads & Tails Trish Stamp
Tuesday 17 February Heroes of World Wars 1 and 11…George Petro Chair…Rob Cracknell tbc 3 min ..Mary Hunt. TBC
Cashiers Maurie Selth- Rowan Miller Fellowship Clare Pearce Heads & Tails Keith Den Hartog Sargeant Phil Key
Heads & Tails Trish Stamp
Tuesday 24 February Club Assembly Chair Jim Voss
Cashiers Carolyn Wallace- Annette Ferrier Fellowship Jan Berg Furniture John Welsh Sargeant Phil Key Heads & Tails Trish Stamp
The Annual Rotary Run Australia Day BBQ and fun day.
MONDAY, JANUARY 26 Village Green
9am - 12.30pm
Official Procedings 10.00am
Free BBQ, Live entertainment, kid's activities, Reptile show, animal Farm and local CFA Truck There is a raffle of course with $100 vouchers donated by Ritchies IGA.
We thank them for their contiuous generosity to our events and Community Service
CHECK THE ROSTER
2. Bunnings BBQ Mornington
7th February
CHECK THE ROSTER
3. WOMEN'S INTERNATIONAL DAY BREAKFAST
7.00am, Wednesday 4 March at the Mornington Racecourse.
This year’s global IWD theme focuses on "Give To Gain," encouraging generosity, mentoring and giving resources to advance women. It calls for tangible actions beyond symbolic gestures, tackling inequality through practical support, leadership and advocacy for fairness in justice systems and all spheres of life,
Each year, our speakers share compelling personal stories, professional insights and messages that resonate long after the morning concludes. This year is no different.
We are especially pleased to be featuring two outstanding speakers this year:
Keynote Speaker: Sally Capp AO
Guest Speaker: Dr Patricia Tyrrell, former Head of Plastic Surgery at Peninsula Health, a role she held for over 20 years
Guests will enjoy a delicious breakfast, inspiring presentations and the opportunity to connect with colleagues, friends and community leaders in a relaxed and welcoming setting.
Jan 20. Shakespeare- Fabulous or Fake : Andrea McCall
Andrea delivered an entertaining talk arguing that Shakespeare, although gifted, could not have written the 26 plays attributed to him. Her main arguements were;
Shakespeare left school at 14 and did not study after that.
did not travel outside of England
was a member of the Kingsman theatre troupe made up of many highly educated and travelled ruling class
Andrea proposed that the Kingsman (an acting company set up by Elizabeth I's Lord Chamberlain to entertain the masses under the Queen's orders) were actuallyset up as a cover for a group of nobility that were spies for the crown, modern day influencers who were told to lift the image of Elizabeth I, but using theatre to earn money to impove their wealth. Shakespeare and his mates were gifted in the theatre and joined the troupe. Andrea felt Shakespeare was probably the front man who used the writing skills of Thomas Marlow, Ben Johnson and others in the troupe to write the plays and then put them on in the Rose Theatre built by pwerful and wealthy men associated with nthe Crown. The three main powerbrokers were the Lord Chamberlain (Henry Carey for the Queen), the Earl of Oxford (the money man) and and Wallsingham the spymaster. Will Shakespeare drew on all these people, including the Lord Chamberlain's mistress to write the plays. His persona also fits the popularist theory, the 5th child of a poor glove maker, John Glover, born in a poor industrial Town, Stratford-on-Avon who makes good. This definitely suits the Tourist industry! Anyway, Andrea's presentation put forward a solid argument backed up with good evidence and she is not alone in this belief. Stay tuned to further developments and Thank you Andrea.
Andrea with Chair Trish following the presentation of her glass.
3 Minute Speaker: Keith Den Hartog: His European trip
Keith regaled us with the highlights of his tour around Germany, Lichtenstein, France, Switzerland, Belgium and Norway. He was obviously impressed with the historical architecture of the buildings in these countries and the wines of France. His photos of the castles and buildings were most spectacular.
The annual New Year's Breakfast was well attended by members & Friends. This year we were blessed with excellent weather. Linda, Rhonda and Katherine put together an excellent spread of food and drinks although we were stymied by the lack of electricity to produce hot tea and coffee. Rowan's BBQ was put through its paces on its first Fellowship event rather than a Farmers Market and passed with flying colours. Thank you to the cooks, the cleaneruppers, and the organisers.
This was sent out recently by ARH and might be of interest to new members.
As we step into 2026, I want to begin with two words that matter most: thank you.
Because of you - our donors, our walkers, our volunteers, our clubs, our researchers, and our army of supporters - countless Australians are living with more hope, better care, and stronger mental health outcomes. Your generosity has funded world-class research, supported emerging scientists, and helped break the silence around mental illness in families, schools, and communities across Australia.
I’m honoured to introduce myself as the new CEO of Australian Rotary Health, and to walk alongside you into this next chapter.
What inspires me most about ARH is not just what we fund - but why. We invest in evidence, early intervention, and prevention. We support research that reaches people before crisis hits. And we do this with a deep belief that mental health is everyone’s business.
In 2026, we are sharpening our focus on children, young people, and families - because the early years shape everything that follows. With your continued support, we will fund research that improves real lives, strengthens communities, and delivers measurable impact.
This year is not just about what ARH will do.
It’s about what we will do together.
Thank you for being part of this movement. I can’t wait to discover what more might be possible, together.
Yvonne Keane AM
Chief Executive Officer
Australian Rotary Health
Donate to us!
Because of your generosity, research can become hope - turning evidence into real-world change for young Australians.
Lift the Lid!
Arrange a Lift the Lid Walk in your local community and be part of something that truly changes lives.
Bookings are available via Humanitix:
Andrea with Chair Trish following the presentation of her glass.
