banner
Please note this week is an EVENING MEETING at Gilbert's Cafe Wednesday Evening
BOOKING ESSENTIAL - No later than Noon Tuesday
For full event and location details and REGISTRATION HERE
Details below
The meeting will NOT BE available on Zoom
Edition 284
Monday, 26th October 2026

 

Last Wednesday morning’s talk by Cassidy Connor, from Headspace, talk was very informative and uplifting knowing that there is a place for all people, especially teenagers, to go and get help with mental worries.
This Wednesday is an evening meeting- 6:30pm- 9:30pm. The speaker is Jen Willis. A 54 year old mother and educator from Melbourne who returned to complete the final 848m of Everest after reaching 8000m in 2023 while living with Multiple Sclerosis. In 2026, Jen returned to Mount Everest to complete what she started—to become the first Australian with MS to reach the summit. This promises to be a very special meeting and a unique opportunity. Please consider inviting friends and family. (Booking essential - HERE)
Happy RCBMC 1st anniversary to Gabriela Ammendola Santi for Thursday.
CREATE LASTING IMPACT
 
 
 
 
Club President, 2026-27,
Neville Kruss
 
Editor's Note - Registration for Event
If you ever find that you haven't registered, or declined, for an event and you thought you had, please refer to the help instructions on the process HERE It is most probable that you have neglected a step in the confirmation. You will receive an email immediately following ONLY IF you have been successful. If you don't get an email, please re-check.
Ian Ballantine
BOARD MINUTES
 
A reminder to members that Board Minutes are available for viewing from the Club's website. Note that you must be logged in as a Member in order to gain access.
Access to all documents including Board Minutes can gained here.
The last published Board Minutes were the meeting of Monday 7 September 2026 - HERE. 
Ian Ballantine
 
Roster for the next 2 weeks
Note Market start time is 6.15am
Click on See all Rosters at right for future weeks. Members click here to see your own roster.
Meetings
Meeting October 28 2026
Chairperson Ferguson, Paul
Meeting Door Host Daniel, Rajan
at Gilbert's Cafe this week details HERE
Meeting November 4 2026
Chairperson Perry, Grant
Meeting Door Host Arshakyan, Arto
     
Market 1st November 2026
Market Leader Green, Larry
Assistant Egan, Kevin
Assistant Lucas, Margaret
Market 8th November 2026
Market Leader Perry, Grant
Assistant Lynch, Tim
Assistant Carruthers, Kellie
Assistant Toyas, Margaret
 
This week's very special speaker
EVENING Meeting at Gilbert's
Speaker Jennifer Wills

In 2026, Jen returned to Mount Everest to complete what she started—to become the first Australian with MS to reach the summit
This is an absolute must for members and friends.

Details and Registration HERE

Please check the upcoming events on the Club website here
REGISTRATION FOR MEETINGS HELP HERE
Please forward any events you want promoted to the Editor.
For all Club events refer Club Calendar HERE
 
The Club's Annual General Meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 18 at Gilbert's Cafe
Details HERE
The Rotary Club of Springvale City invites you to a Garden Soirèe celebrating the official launch of Recycled Sound Reimagined Hearing Aid Bank Project
Details HERE
  
Christmas cakes and puddings:
Expression of interest
The Community Service Committee is ordering Christmas cakes and puddings to give to local groups, and members can order some too.
 
All details HERE
Member Gabriela Amendola Santi's special event
DECEMBER 1
More details to follow - HERE
 
CLUB END OF YEAR FELLOWSHIP EVENT
Club end of year Christmas function at SYC
DECEMBER 12
Details to follow HERE
Check out last year's event HERE
 
Click on image above for latest issue
 
Link to photos from 2026 Conference here
Link to photos from District Changeover July 2025 here
Link to photos from 2025 Conference here
Link to photos from 2024 Conference here
Market report for Sunday 25/10/2026.
Leader: Helen Nodrum
BMC: Terry Kane, Ron Brownlees, 
Moorabbin: Margaret Maher
Holland Foundation: cancelled for today
Visitors: Charles R
Cars in the Queue: Nil
Overnight Parkers: Nil
Pedestrian Count: Nil
Market Report: RAIN, RAIN AND MORE RAIN
Some intrepid stallholders arrived to enjoy the ambience of our market. However on the day trading was slow due to the inclement weather.
 
Note there is a separate story about the defib at the Market here.
 
 
Visit to RDA October 2026
A number of members visited the Riding for the Disabled facility in Moorabbin on October 24th, 2026.
 
President Neville Kruss, Grant Perry, Karin Soster and Gary, Jo Impey and Ian Ballantine braved the weather to join Kate, from RDA Moorabbin who had generously given up her time to meet with us.
The weather had meant that normal Saturday activities had been cancelled. However, we still had the chance to have a look around and, of course, meet Remi.
 
More words and pics click on Read More
An album of all pics HERE
Read more...
Engaging multicultural migrants in Rotary
Taken from RDU HERE

By inviting multicultural communities to experience Rotary’s purpose, impact and sense of belonging, clubs can build trust, develop diverse leaders and unlock sustainable membership growth.

Words Renga Rajan. Immediate Past District Governor. District 9675.

As Australia and New Zealand become increasingly multicultural, Rotary has a unique opportunity to strengthen its membership and community impact by engaging migrant communities more effectively.

Indian, Nepalese, Filipino, Vietnamese and other multicultural communities share many of Rotary’s values, including service, leadership, education and community support. The key is not simply inviting people to join Rotary but creating meaningful opportunities for them to experience Rotary’s purpose and impact.

Read more...
Club Meeting Oct 21 2026 Lift the Lid
Kellie Carruthers chaired today's club meeting at Gilberts.  Kellie welcomed our two guest speakers, Cassidy Connor and Katrina from Headspace, and club member partner, Gary Ramage.  Today's club meeting was marked as a special day to recognise the Australia Rotary Health program "Lift the Lid" on mental health - with October designated as Mental Health Month.  All members were asked to wear a hat - and we saw some absolute beauties in all styles and colours and it was the men with the most colourful!.   See who won prizes at the end of this report.  
 
(Note from Club Treasurer - the sum of $80 has been forwarded to Australian Rotary Health to reflect donations from members on the day. - Ian Ballantine)
Read more...
Holland Ball 2026
A number of Club members, along with partners and friends attended the annual Holland Foundation Ball at the Sandringham Yacht Club last Friday evening.
We had Gary and Karin, Linda and Peter, Nicky and Chris, and Jo Impey. Helen and I were accompanied once again by our good friends Mark Lipzker and Wendy Clark. So, that was 11 in total - an entire table.
For stories about the Holland Foundation, click HERE.
It was great that our Club was well represented and we had the opportunity to support this organisation which does such great work in the Glen Eira area. Grant (Holland) very kindly gave a shout out to our Club during his address.
 
 
 
 
Click on Read More for more pics
Read more...
Our Rainbow House: Changing futures in Zambia
Taken from RDU HERE

An exemplar for President Yinka’s push to Create Lasting Impact, a Queensland-funded school in an impoverished Zambian district showcases the importance of building projects that stand the test of time.

Words Sarah Atkins. Immediate Past President. No Borders Rotaract.

Standing in a well-pressed high school uniform in the bright Zambian sun, a teenage student named Harrison speaks of his future plans.

“I’ve already started working on how I can impact the community.

“We’re about to launch a global impact network group… the young ones, able to speak up with their views on global issues, will be a really good thing.”

Read more...
Turning passion into participation
Taken from RDU HERE

Rotaract DownUnder is breaking down geographical barriers to service, creating a flexible online community where members across Australia and Oceania can connect, collaborate and make a difference.

Words Sarah Atkins. Immediate Past President. No Borders Rotaract.

What if distance didn’t have to stand between someone and the opportunity to make a difference?

That question inspired the creation of the Rotaract e-Club DownUnder – or Rotaract DownUnder for short – which chartered in April 2026 with a vision for a more accessible model of Rotaract across Australia and Oceania.

Read more...
Club Meeting Oct 14 2026 Glen Eira Historical Soc
Peter O'Brien chaired today's club meeting at Gilberts.   Guests included member partner, Gary Ramage, and our guest speaker, Anne Kilpatrick from the Glen Eira Historical Society.
 
CLUB ANNOUNCEMENTS
  • Breakfast orders at Gilberts - a gentle reminder to all club members.  When registering to attend a club meeting on the club website and placing an order for breakfast - please be aware Gilberts will make up the order as requested and will require payment regardless of whether the member attends or not.   
  • Happy Birthday wishes to Larry Green.
  • Rosters for next week's club meeting and market attendance were announced.
Read more...
Polio eradication explained
Taken from the RI website HERE

Learn how polio spreads, why eradication matters, and how Rotary and its partners are working to end this debilitating disease worldwide.

by Etelka Lehoczky
You’ve likely heard a lot about polio in recent weeks. Rotary members talk about it all year, but never more than in the month leading up to World Polio Day on 24 October. It’s one of the most important days of the year for Rotary — a time to reaffirm our nearly four-decade commitment to eliminating this disease from the world.
Polio eradication may seem complicated, but it’s actually fairly straightforward. If you’ve ever wondered about the science of the disease, the history of Rotary’s fight against it, or the progress of the global eradication effort, find the answers to those questions and more below.
What is polio, and why is it such a threat?
Poliomyelitis, also known as polio, is a highly infectious disease that mainly affects nerves in the spinal cord and brain stem. Most people infected with the virus don’t show any symptoms, but a small number become paralyzed. Polio primarily targets children under age five.
Read more...
Rotary South Pacific’s membership strategy
Taken from RDU HERE

Words PDG David Barton. Membership Director. Rotary South Pacific.

The membership team at Rotary South Pacific has developed a strategy for membership growth and retention based on moving away from working in silos and working towards stronger collaboration between districts, Membership Champions, Rotary Community Leaders, all Rotary South Pacific portfolios and Rotary International staff.

Read more...
World Polio Day: Finishing the fight
Taken from RDU HERE
24 October marks World Polio Day, a time to celebrate one of humanity’s greatest public health achievements while recommitting ourselves to a task not yet complete: the global eradication of polio.
Words: Anne Matthews. D9560 Passport Rotary Club, Qld
For Rotarians around the world, the fight against polio is more than a campaign. It is a promise. Since 1988, Rotary has been at the forefront of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), working alongside governments, international agencies, health workers and communities to protect children from a disease that once paralysed hundreds of thousands every year.
Read more...
Registering for an Event
This article is intended to help members register themselves and/or a guest to a Club event. Note, you are also expected to register your intention NOT to attend.
If an event is inviting members to register there will be a button with the word: "Members" below "Online Registration". refer image at left.
Note that you need to be already logged in as a member.
As venues need to be advised of numbers PRIOR to the event, please register by noon on the day prior unless otherwise stated. 
If you are not a member, this page will not be of any help. It may still be possible to register for an event as a non member if the event is open to the public.
 
Please refer to this Help article in full.
 
 
Read more...
Subscribe to Calendar
From the Calendar page here you can subscribe to the Club's event calendar.
This will result in the Club's calendar being added to your existing calendar subscriptions, thus ensuring that as an event is added (or modified) to the Club's calendar, it will appear on your phone, tablet etc.
Calendars supported are Outlook, Google and Apple.
Take the link, Subscribe to Calendar, from the Calendar Page.
Read more...
Latest Photo Albums
RDA Visit Oct 26
Rio Carnival Ball 2026
Interplast Sept 2026
Gilbert's Evening August 26 2026
RYDA 2026
Gilbert's Fellowship July 29 2026
Bentleigh Market 2025
Club Changeover June 2026
BMC at Conference March 2026
RYDA August 2025
Cilantro Dinner August 2025 SES
Pasta Pizza and Poetry Night August 2025
Club Changeover June 2025
Lautoka May 2025
George Petrou March 5 2025
Bentleigh Market 2024 December
Bentleigh Market 2024 November
RICON 2024 Singapore
Club Changeover 2024
Mentor match evening Mar 2023
BMC at Conference 2023
International Assembly 2023
Bentleigh Market 2022 October
Curry Night Aug 28 2022
Inner Wheel Changeover July 2022
RYLA June 28 2022
District 9810 Changeover June 25 2022
Club Changeover June 2022
Note from the Editor re Images and Events
A point regarding the submission of images for the Bulletin and Website: Members are reminded that images have to meet a minimum size requirement, as has been specified for some time in the section at the bottom of this Bulletin. 820 pixels is the minimum size required with larger being better as this allows for cropping. The submission of images via MMS is NOT preferred as they are too small and of inferior quality. Email or Whatsapp is far superior.
Would any member like to take responsibility for the updating of the Club's Event Calendar? I have created a page of instructions here so it is very easy to take over.
Thank you, Ian Ballantine
 
Evening Meeting ....Jennifer Willis
Oct. 28, 2026
6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Rotary South Pacific Conference
Oct. 30, 2026 9:00 a.m. –
Nov. 01, 2026 5:00 p.m.
Breakfast Meeting - Market Matters
Nov. 04, 2026
7:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
Springvale RC Garden Soirèe
Nov. 07, 2026
10:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
View entire list
I remind members that you are responsible for the information contained in the Club's database. This includes, birthdays, phone numbers, addresses etc etc. Even your own photo. You maintain this via this link.
Additionally, member's birthdays and anniversaries will no longer be listed in the Club Bulletin. This is to protect the privacy of members. This information is still available to members here.
Ian Ballantine
A reminder to members to keep checking the calendar of upcoming events for evening and perhaps, one day, daytime events.
Thank you for being a subscriber to our Weekly Club Bulletin. I try to have it published each week by Monday afternoon.
If you would like to have something included please contact me at editor@rotarybmc.org.au and attach, as separate files, the words and any images (jpg files are fine, minimum width 820 pixels). Please DO NOT send information as pdf files.
Ian Ballantine, Editor.

This Bulletin is sent to:
  • all current members (both active and honorary) of our Club.
  • subscribers. If you are a subscriber and wish to unsubscribe, please take the Unsubscibe link at the bottom of this email.
  • If you have found this Bulletin via the website and are not a subscriber but would like to be, please subscribe below.
Subscribe to Bulletin
Subscribe to our eBulletin and stay up to date on the latest news and events.