28 August - 6 September 2026: Rotary Eltham Art Show
14 November 2026: Rotary Eltham Festival
PRESIDENT'S BULLETIN REPORT
Last Thursday’s Youth Night was one of the highlights of the Rotary year, with more than 70 members, partners and guests in attendance. The evening was not only an opportunity to celebrate the achievements, aspirations and experiences of the young people supported by the Rotary Club of Eltham over the past twelve months, but also a wonderful showcase of our Club to the wider community. With parents, grandparents, siblings and friends present, the meeting demonstrated Rotary in action and highlighted the meaningful impact our Club continues to have through its investment in youth development, leadership and educational opportunities.
The evening featured an inspiring and diverse range of presentations from young people whose journeys have been assisted by the Club. April Ozimek, Holly Gersch and Kaeleigh McLaughlin, recipients of the RCE Vocational Major (VM) Award, spoke confidently about their educational pathways, career aspirations and the important role the awards have played in supporting their transition from secondary school into tertiary studies and employment. Their presentations reinforced the value of practical support at a critical stage in young people’s lives and demonstrated how Rotary’s encouragement can help build confidence and opportunity.
Alexa Paterson provided a fascinating insight into her recent Youth Exchange experience in Amakusa, Japan, sharing stories of cultural immersion, personal growth and the friendships formed through the program. Her presentation highlighted the life-changing nature of Youth Exchange and the way it broadens young people’s perspectives and understanding of the world. We also heard from Xander Greenhalgh, who will depart for Japan later this year as part of the Youth Exchange program.
Ava Prendergast and Edie Feehan, members of the LGFA Féile U15 Girls Gaelic Football team, spoke proudly about their upcoming trip to Ireland in June, where they will represent Australasia in the International Youth Championship. Their presentation reflected not only their dedication to sport, but also the teamwork, commitment and international connections that youth sport can foster. The Rotary Club of Eltham is pleased to have provided financial assistance towards their participation in this significant international event.
Rosemary Vescio then updated the Club on the activities and achievements of the Montmorency Secondary College Interact Club. Her presentation demonstrated the enthusiasm and commitment of the students involved in community service and leadership, while also highlighting the strong partnership between Interact and Rotary. It was encouraging to hear of the projects being undertaken and the positive impact these young leaders are already making within their school and broader community.
The final presentation of the evening came from Zali Lawrence, who spoke about her experiences at this year’s National Youth Science Forum at the Australian National University in Canberra. Zali shared the opportunities she had to engage with leading researchers, participate in hands-on scientific activities and connect with like-minded students from across Australia. Her reflections highlighted the inspirational nature of the program and the importance of encouraging young people to pursue pathways in science, technology and innovation.
A sincere thank you goes to Brett for an outstanding job coordinating and chairing such a successful and engaging evening. Thank you also to PP Judy for proposing the toast and for her significant organisational work in the lead-up to the meeting, and to PP Alison for managing the reception desk and warmly welcoming the many guests who attended.
Canned Food Drive. The 2026 RCE Canned Food Drive takes place this Saturday. Kelvin Spiller has distributed two flyers to members who have volunteered to assist — one requesting households to leave out canned food donations and another thanking residents for their support. If you have not yet volunteered and would still like to assist, please contact Kelvin. The food collected will again support several important local organisations, including healthAbility, LinC Eltham and Diamond Valley Foodshare in Greensborough, helping provide much-needed assistance to individuals and families experiencing hardship within our community.
Coming Up at Rotary. Looking ahead, this Thursday’s meeting will feature our newest member, Sally Young, presenting her “Rotarian Behind The Badge” (RBTB). These presentations are always a valuable opportunity to learn more about the personal and professional journeys of our fellow Rotarians and to strengthen fellowship within the Club. Next week we will again be visiting the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research for a vocational visit, which promises to be both informative and engaging. Following the visit, members will gather for dinner at Naughtons Hotel from approximately 6.00 pm. Please remember that dinner bookings and payment must be completed through TryBooking by 5.00 pm next Monday, 18 May.
Have a great week, and I look forward to seeing you on Thursday as we get to know Sally Young a little better.
Regards,
President Dale
Photos of the Week
Planting and mulch spreading at Andrew Pocket Park.
You are responsible for finding a replacement if you are unable to do your rostered duty and to notify Victoria Clague - victoriaclague@gmail.com
Sunday 3 May
Sunday 17 May
Sunday 24 May
Sunday 31 May
Kelpie King (TC)
Alison Cooper
Andrew Cooper
Frank Lynch
Howard Turner (TC)
Denese Billings
Irene Cant
Graham Culy
Dale Atkins (TC)
Andrew Bakos
Marlene Coomer
Kelvin Spiller
Clayton Hedger (TC)
David Laws
Deborah Thomson
Peter Thomson
The current version of the full BBQ Roster can be viewed here. Please ensure you check it, so that you are aware of any future commitments.
Note: If the BBQ is cancelled, please advise Bakers Delight and Tip Top Butchers as soon as possible. If Bakers Delight cannot be reached by phone, please contact Ann Lynch and she will pass on the message.
BBQ Report - 26 April (Posted by Kevin Hadingham)
Blue skies made for a busy day for families in the park and riding the railway; but their appetite for sausages seemed a little less than expected, and faded away around 2pm. Nevertheless, our team of Jasleen, John R, Ian and Kevin H enticed a total of $990.55* into the club's coffers. (* subject to verification by the Bendigo Bank coin counter!) Big thanks to John for towing and his gourmet cooking; to Jasleen for her smiling service to the customers (and Jasleen's hubby for stepping-in to help with the set-up) and to Ian for stepping-in during a very busy ANZAC weekend to fill the late vacancy in our team.
A very pleasant day of fellowship, community service, and a great team fundraising result. John and Ian's photos provide the evidence!
Save the Date
2026 Rotary Eltham Festival
The Eltham Festival will be held on
Saturday, 14th November 2026.
All available members, and partners where possible, will be required to assist at the event.
Please advise Ron Manison if you will not be available to assist at any times during the day.
Thursday, 30 April – Sex, Genes & Chromosomes - Professor Jenny Graves AC
We climb a tall tree this week!! Our special Guest is an Australian geneticist; Distinguished Professor Jenny Graves AC. Jenny is positioned within the LaTrobe University Institute for Molecular Science.
Jenny was born in Adelaide. She gained her BSc in 1964 and MSc in 1967 at the University of Adelaide. Subsequently, 1971, Jenny received a PhD at The University of California for her work on the control of DNA synthesis. In the same year Jenny retuned to Australia to lecture in Genetics at LaTrobe University, becoming a Professor.
Jenny has published frequently on the Mammalian genome following detailed study of the genetic diversity of Australian animals. This research led her to the controversial prediction that the human Y chromosome is disappearing!! Her research work extended as Head of the Genomics Research Unit at ANU before again returning to LaTrobe University in 2011.
Jenny has received many Awards- the most distinguished being The L’Oreal - UNESCO Laureate in 2006; the prestigious MacFarlane Burnet Medal for Research excellence; Order Of Australia in 2010, the Prime Ministers Prize for Science - “pioneering investigations of the genetics of sex” in 2017, and a Companion of the Order of Australia in 2022. Jenny has also written a libretto “State of the Art Science of our Origins”, presented as an oratorio in 2023 and sung by the voices of The Heidelberg Choral Society.
We will be educated, entertained and very possibly;…surprised by the possibilities ahead caused by the ever reducing Y chromosome!!.. Tell your friends.
President Dale will put us at ease. Club Secretary, Victoria Clague, a former star student of Professor Graves, will Chair. PP Mike will propose the Toast. Let Gary know if you have a “Point of Interest” to share.
I am looking for your support with a major fundraiser for the club - the Art Show Raffle.
This year we are looking to continue the successful format of the raffle at the Art Show. As with previous years, we are organising a wheelbarrow or something similar and filling it with a range of goods ranging from household, alcohol (beer and wine), garden equipment and art supplies. Depending on donations received will determine funds raised for the club for local projects as determined by the Art Show committee.
My request is for members and partners to donate to this project to raise funds. Although the Art Show is not on until August, I am now collecting suitable NEW unused items to be included in the prizes for the raffle.
As we have the long weekend for Easter approaching and it is possibly a time of decluttering or downsizing I ask if you could look at any items that would be suitable to be donated and passed on to me.
Also if anyone has a contact for other larger items for the other prizes in the raffle to be donated that would be really appreciated.
Last Art Show we raised an amazing approximately $7000 just from the raffle at the Art Show. As you can see it is an important project for our club.
God of nations at Thy feet In the bonds of love we meet, Hear our voices, we entreat, God defend our Free Land. Guard Pacific's triple star, From the shafts of strife and war, Make her praises heard afar, God defend New Zealand
Men of every creed and race Gather here before Thy face, Asking Thee to bless this place, God defend our Free Land. From dissension, envy, hate, And corruption guard our State, Make our country good and great, God defend New Zealand.
Just like last week, another good round in which to play your Joker. Congratulations to our two Tipsters, Sainters (8 – wins) and Redback Spider (7 – wins) who played their Jokers, both with good outcomes,……….. but not as good as another two Tipsters, Kelvis and Ellerslie, who unbelievably both picked Port Adelaide to win, and scored the first Perfect Round for this year's Comp.
The rest of us were all let down by the Cats!!!! However, nowhere near the “let downs” experienced by West Coast (100 point drubbing by the Saints), Essendon (77 point shellacking by the Magpies) and the Western Bulldogs (66 point losers to the Swans). However, without any question the biggest “let down” of all had to be the A.F.L……….. with their “Farcical” (ARC) in game Review Centre, and general “standard of umpiring” for the entire Round.
As a result of the playing of Jokers and achieving of Perfect Rounds, we had quite a bit of movement in our Table. Sainters jumped up the ladder 15 places to 6th, and Redback Spider jumped up 12 places to 5th. Congratulations go to Kelvis (Mr AI) and Ellerslie (why did he not pick Carlton), who both managed to tip Perfect Rounds. Kelvis jumped up 3 places into a very dangerous 3rd, seeing as he has not played his Joker, and Ellerslie jumped up 8 places into 8th. The weekly winner this week is Elerslie, who picked a winning margin of 25 points, actual winning margin 66 points. However, PhoneBooth must have no respect for the Bulldogs, because he selected the most outrageous winning margin by the Swans of 152 points!!!! Not too many weeks when you pick 8 – wins you go down the ladder, but that happened to Clever Dick, Bulldog Monty, Purple Rules, Skeeters, Prowling Tiger, Sharpest, Kelpiekelpie15, Big Blue, Cockatoo Girl and PhoneBooth. Mind you Catzwoman picked 6 wins and dropped 10 places to 17th.
Our Comp leader is still Saint Chris with 57 points, followed by Bulldog Monty 55 points in 2nd place, and Kelvis 51 points in 3rd place.
If you are unable to attend to your duty allocation, it is your responsibility to find a replacement and advise Alan McCleary, Dale Atkins and the Team Captain of the replacement.
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Member Birthdays
Brett Linsell
May 17
Ian Thomas
May 18
Michael Englefield
May 19
Jules Aussems
May 20
Anniversaries
Ian Thomas
Gloria Thomas
May 15
Join Date
Alan Anderson
May 1, 1999
27 years
John O'Callaghan
May 4, 2006
20 years
Brett Linsell
May 13, 2010
16 years
Howard Turner
May 21, 2015
11 years
Ron Manison
May 24, 2012
14 years
Club Sponsor
To direct Container Deposit Scheme funds to RCE, please scan the following code at the deposit point.
Join us every Tuesday at 9.45 am for a get together over coffee at Pierross, Eltham Terrace, Dudley Street, Eltham.
Everyone is welcome. Non-members are encouraged to attend.
Note that, if Pierross is closed, you will usually find us at Miss Pryor on Pryor Street, Eltham.
Please support the sponsors
of the
2025 Rotary Eltham Festival
(Click on a logo to access their website)
2025 - 2026 Board
President
Dale Atkins
Public Image
Caroline Knaggs
President Elect
Ted Rayment
Environment & Sustainability
Graham Culy
Secretary
Victoria Clague
Rotary Foundation
Alison Cooper
Treasurer
Michael Martin
Membership
Marlene Coomer
Immediate Past President
Alison Cooper
Club Administration
Ted Rayment
Community Service
Kelvin Spiller
Club Program
Gary Williams
Youth Service
Jill Ramsay
2026 Rotary Eltham Festival
Ann Lynch
International Service
Clayton Hedger
2026 Rotary Eltham Art Show
Michael Englefield
PAST PRESIDENTS
The Rotary Club Of Eltham, Chartered 19th April 1973, District 9790
Geoff Dreverman 73-74: Neville Emerson 74-75: Bruce Holland 75-76: Bob McLellan 76-77: Doug Blaikie 77-78:
Les Clarke 78-79: Keith Kelley 79-80: John Smibert 80-81: Paul Gardner 81-82: Chris Parenthoine 82-83: Arthur Trainor 83-84:
Merv Günter 84-85: John Maltha 85-86: Graeme Beyer 86-87: Mike Ramsay 87-88: Terry Boocock 88-89: Ken Ferguson 89-90:
Bill Penna 90-91: John Jacobson 91-92: Jim Nairn 92-93: Nigel Bell 93-94: David Bowen 94-95: Ian Thomas 95-96:
Vic Vela 96-97: Gabor Tamas 97-98: Gordon Birch 98-99: Gary Reid 99-00: Mike Irwin 00-01: John Lewis 01-02: Brian Weyman 02- 03:
Graeme Hardiman 03-04: Alan Anderson 04-05: Chris Chapple 05-06: Max Lee 06-07: Ross McDonald 07-08: David Flint 08-09:
Tony Wason 09-10: Michael Englefield 10-11: Rob Kilcullen 11-12: Mike Wetzler 12-13: Ken Paynter 13-14: Con Proussalis 14-15:
David McFarlane 15-16: Kevin Hadingham 16-17: Judy Sharp 17-18: Jill Ramsay 18-19: John Skinner 19-20: Frank Lynch 20-21:
Sally Squires 21-22: Rob Kilcullen/Mike Englefield 22-23: Ian Toohill 23-24: Alison Cooper 24-25
2026 Rotary Eltham Festival
Heidelberg Golf Club
