The Rotary Club of Northbridge gratefully acknowledges the generous sponsorship of Northbridge Plaza
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Member Birthdays
Peter Grinter
March 1
Eleanor Chevor
March 3
Peter McNair
March 13
John Turner
March 19
Spouse Birthdays
Fran Garrett
March 2
Katy Campisi
March 7
Anniversaries
Helen Gulson
March 8
Join Date
Malcolm Lye
March 6, 2001
21 years
Alan Hession
March 8, 2016
6 years
Helen Gulson
March 8, 2016
6 years
David Robertson
March 23, 2010
12 years
Sally O'Neill
March 25, 2003
19 years
Denise Woodward
March 27, 2018
4 years
Luke Keighery
March 27, 2018
4 years
Ros Virtue
March 28, 2006
16 years
Garth Carter
March 29, 2016
6 years
Club Meeting News - 15 March 2022
Welcome
President Jon welcomed members, returning guest Richard McDonald and guest speaker Seonaid Thomas from Taldumande.
Toast
Bob Edwards proposed a toast to the RC of Västerås, Sweden, in honour of a 16-year Swedish Rotary Exchange student, Vickie, who is now 50 years old with a family of her own. Bob and Don provided the parental guidance to Vickie over the year she was in Australia. Vickie was in Ukraine a day before the Russian offensive started but was picked up in Poland.
Subsequent to Tuesday’s meeting, Bob received a message from Vickie which reads:
“The situation in Ukraine is just horrible! Every second, a child in Ukraine becomes a refugee. Three million people have left Ukraine so far and it hasn’t yet been three weeks of war. Some refugees have arrived to Sweden and Västerås but we are planning for very large numbers. This is the worst situation since WW2. The Swedish migration authorities estimate 200,000 refugees will come to Sweden before summer, but the numbers could increase further and faster.
We have three employees from Ukraine on the farm and other friends that have managed to get some of their family and friends out from the war. It’s heartbreaking to hear and watch the live videos from their home villages and towns. We support with food, clothes, diapers etc and finding private homes as well as looking for jobs etc.
One of the Ukrainian families we know came to Sweden as refugees in 2015. They left Ukraine because their three sons all were suffering from severe haemophilia. We helped the family in the beginning and they stayed on our farm instead of having to stay at a crowded migration accommodation. Their sons have received the medical care they needed and speak Swedish fluently, and the parents have full time jobs. This family is now involved in helping their fellow countrymen with supplies of food, blankets and medical equipment to Poland for transport further into Ukraine. The father, Vasyl, will be back from his 3rd trip tomorrow, bringing people back to Sweden. Vasyl’s sons are 16, 15 and 10 years old today and are of great help with translations!
It would be fantastic if Northbridge Rotary Club is willing to support the Ukrainian people. Your contribution could be used for the next trips of supplies to Ukraine or to the refugees arriving in Västerås after having lost not only their loved ones but their homes, jobs and assets. The money given we hand out as gift cards to use when they buy food and other necessities.”
Announcements
Sally O’Neill reported on the results of the Bunnings BBQ. The BBQ raised just over $1300, which was great for a Sunday, and was a fantastic effort for all there. The Bucket Appeal accompanying the BBQ raised $1280.
The Board will decide where the Flood Appeal funds will be directed after the second fund raising on Sunday 20 March at the Plaza.
Peter Grinter reported the Voice of Youth was a great success and an example of a Hands On experience for our members.
President Jon told the meeting that the meeting to be held 26 April 2022 will see Chatswood/Roseville Rotary Club join us.
Helen Gulson, who unfortunately has shingles, reminded members that protection from shingles means a second inoculation, something of which many are unaware.
Guest Speaker - Seonaid Thomas - Update from Taldumande
Peter Antaw introduced Seonaid Thomas from Taldumande. She is in a marketing role.
Taldumande was established in 1976. It is a not-for-profit organisation supporting vulnerable and homeless children and young people, and their families across Greater Sydney. The young person is taken from crisis to re-engagement with the community. Education is seen as the key to a successful future.
Taldumande’s growth is demonstrated by their statistics. In 2014 they had on average 14 homeless young people; by 20/21 they were supporting 800 people across 47 properties. However, in the last 2 years, due to Covid, 365 individuals and 100 families were turned away and this will continue. Of the children in care, mental health is a significant health problem, increasing 3 times pre-Covid levels.
Their Programmes are as follows:
Community and Outreach
Young Offenders
Homeless Youth
Crisis Accommodation
Independent Accommodation
Community Housing
After Care Support
Within Crisis Accommodation there is also a Programme for girls aged 16-21 forced into marriage.
Funding is a big issue. The State Government funds some of the Programmes but Taldumande also relies on significant donations.
Peter thanked Seonaid for an interesting talk.
A little bit of humour ....
Dad joke - If you feel sweaty when filling the car up with fuel these days and get a headache after paying the bill - you've probably caught the....Car-owner virus!
If anyone has any jokes or funny stories, feel free to send them to me for the humour section of the Bulletin!
Saturday 7th May 2022 will mark the 35th year of Northbridge’s landmark annual night of Fireworks on Northbridge Oval, Sailors Bay Road, organised by the Rotary Club of Northbridge.
This year also marks the 30th year of partnership between the Rotary Club of Northbridge and Northbridge Plaza, which is again the major sponsor of this spectacular evening of entertainment.
Together, Northbridge Plaza and The Rotary Club of Northbridge have hosted monthly bookstalls, food drives, bucket appeals, Christmas raffles, the Tree of Joy at Christmas as well as the annual community fireworks. These events are critical in allowing Rotary to support a diverse range of causes locally and beyond.
In recent times, community attendance at the event has grown to over 4,000 and funds raised for local charities have been close to $50,000.
Gates will open at 4 PM and the FIREWORKS display will start at approximately 7 PM.
Entry: Families with an adult: $40 Adults: $15 Children: $5
Credit card facilities will be available at the entry gate on Sailors Bay Road, at the food area and at the entertainment/rides area.
This year there are exciting new refreshment options being provided by a number of food vans as well as rides and other entertainment for the children. These include the traditional Rural Fire Service display, live music by local schools, face painting donated by Forsyth Real Estate, a raffle with multiple prizes and more.
Families and friends from the length and breadth of Sydney are invited to join us on the day to support those who are in need. We guarantee you will have a ball! Bring a rug and buy a pizza, paella, satay, hot chips, coffee or gelato from our food vans then relax and soak up the community atmosphere.
For more information, please contact Peter Russell (Publicity Director) on 0417427586 or email secretary@northbridgerotary.org
Thank you to all shoppers who donated to the Northbridge Rotary Club a bucket appeal on the weekend of 5/6 February, at Northbridge Shopping Plaza, raising funds for those in Tonga who have lost their homes, possessions and in some case family members to the recent volcano and tsunami.
Special thanks to 2 school boys Will Hyde & his friend Alex (pictured) who helped with our appeal. Both Wil and Alex have spent time in Tonga as part of a post school volunteer program, but unfortunately were pulled back early due to COVID, hence their interest. They have been in contact with the school principal in Tonga to let them know what is being done here to support them.
The 2021 annual Christmas ‘Tree of Joy’ appeal, organised by the Northbridge Rotary Club, was a tremendous success - given the restricting circumstances we all faced - the Northbridge Community once again generously showed their support in donating around 300 Toys & Gifts to disadvantaged children & distributed through the Starlight Children’s Foundation of Naremburn & Narang Muru - an Indigenous Community for Youth in the Fairfield area.
We know these toys & gifts brought happiness & joy to hundreds of children at Christmas & this inspires the Northbridge Rotary Club to continue this annual appeal with the support of the Northbridge Plaza & the Community.
Thanks to Northbridge Plaza management, the Northbridge Rotary Club bookstall continues at Northbridge Plaza on the third Sunday of every month from 9am to 5pm.
Our next bookstall is on Sunday 20th March 2022
The Club is selling a range of adult fiction at $4 each plus childrens’ books at $2 each; all in mint condition and sales continue grow each month.
Books can be purchased with cash or via credit card. As always, all of the money raised from these sales goes to a range of worthy causes.
In addition to our monthly book stall there will be a bucket at the stall on 20th March to collect money for the victims of the recent NSW and Qld floods.
In 2021 the Northbridge Rotary Club donated $3,000 to the Nusa Tenggara Association (NTA), an Australian-based NGO which has been assisting poor farming communities in parts of eastern Indonesia. The money was allocated to women from 6 different weaving groups with the opportunity to earn a better income by producing diverse products with hand woven cloth on the eastern Indonesian island of Flores, one of more than 550 Islands of the Nusa Tenggara Province.
Flores is one of the poorest provinces in Indonesia, with an average income of less than a fifth of the national average. Twenty-seven percent of the population earns less than a dollar per day, malnutrition and stunted growth there are common and primary school enrolment remains low in this Covid-affected area.
The NTA, through its peak partner NTA Indonesia, is supported by over 250 people in Australia and other countries and is governed by an elected Board. It draws on small networks of people committed to working voluntarily on fund-raising, monitoring, liaising with project participants and sharing technical expertise. It is accredited by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and is a member of the Australian Council for International Development. This ensures it has systems and measures in place which meet Australian standards, including in the areas of fraud control, accountability to donors and child protection
Members of the Flores Island community sewing group pose with their new heavy-duty machines.
Luke Keighery
Director International Service
Rotary Club of Northbridge
The NTA has operated in eastern Indonesia for 30 years and its deep knowledge of local circumstances means project risk is low and outcomes are maximised. It uses a community self-help approach with a high level of participation by the beneficiaries on the planning, implementing and evaluation level; supplying training and tools to increase their income through traditional weaving - applying a tie dye and weaving technique called ‘Tenun Ikat’ - which can add substantially to a family’s income.
Most women in the Sikka regency of Flores are familiar with this extraordinary handicraft, producing textiles to wear on a daily basis, special occasions and for traditional gift-exchanges such as a weddings and funerals. In order to sell these textiles successfully, they either need access to the market outside their local community or have to produce something different to what is already on the market.
According to Stephanie Heighes – the NTA Operations Manager, the Rotary Club of Northbridge’s $3000 donation was used to provide 3-day-training classes for 14 women in product diversification (using their own hand-woven cloth) and 5 heavy duty sewing machines for participating weaving groups, enabling them to apply the learnt techniques and increase their income.
“Covid-19 made it impossible for the Australian Team to join the biannual monitoring visit as it had for the previous 30 years,” said Stephanie.
“We hope some members of the Rotary Club of Northbridge will be able to join us during one of our field visits in the near future, when international travel is possible again. This will enable you to hear and see the direct impact of this generous donation.”
