Weekly Bulletin (Oct. 19, 2026)

MORNING MEETING WEDNESDAY at Gilbert's Cafe

We are now meeting at Gilbert's Cafe 7am

282 Centre Road, Bentleigh, 3204

Details here

The Meeting will NOT be available via Zoom this week

Edition 283

Monday, 19th October 2026

On Thursday, as stand in International Chair, Linda O’Brien put a proposal to the Board via email that our Club donate $870 be made available for member Helen Parker to purchase an EZI-IO Trainer*, which is an item of medical equipment to be taken as part of her luggage to Samoa in late November when she joins the Interplast trip. (should she get it at a lesser amount she will use the excess monies to buy additional needles to the main drill). The Board unanimously supported the motion.
Last Wednesday morning after the meeting the Awards Committee called for an extraordinary Board meeting. Karin Soster proposed that Neville Kruss be appointed President Elect. Larry Green seconded the proposal and the Board voted in favour.
I would like to thank the Board for this great honour and I am humbled by it.

Last Wednesday morning our guest speaker was Anne Kilpatrick and her speech was titled "Treasures of Bentleigh’s History". Anne highlighted the stories behind a number of local heritage properties in the area.
This month is Lift The Lid- ARH Mental health Month. This Wednesday morning Cassidy Connor, community awareness officer for Elsternwick/ Bentleigh, from Headspace will be our guest speaker. It is a day to wear an exciting hat and spread awareness of the 1 in 5 Australians suffering a mental health disorder. REMEMBER TO WEAR A HAT
Happy birthday to Margaret Toyas for Sunday 25th.
CREATE LASTING IMPACT.

Club President, 2026-27,
Neville Kruss

*EZI-IO Trainer - an advanced training tool designed to provide comprehensive instruction and hands-on experience for medical professionals in the use of intraosseous (IO) devices. This kit is tailored to facilitate educators in imparting the necessary skills for IO access, a critical procedure in emergency and critical care settings.

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 21 2026

Chairperson Oakley, Kirsten

Meeting Door Host Egan, Kevin
at Gilbert's Cafe this week details HERE

Meeting October 28 2026

Chairperson Ferguson, Paul

Meeting Door Host Daniel, Rajan

Market 25th October 2026

Market Leader O'Shea, Greg

Assistant Nodrum, Helen

Assistant Brownlees, Ron

Assistant Ammendola Santi, Gabriela

Market 1st November 2026

Market Leader Green, Larry

Assistant Egan, Kevin

Assistant Lucas, Margaret

This week's speaker / event

MORNING Meeting at Gilbert's

Breakfast -Lift The Lid -ARH Mental Health Month

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
Sat 24th October we are planning another visit to Riding for the Disabled in Moorabbin Details and Registration HERE Stories about the Club and RDA 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
	SAVE THE DATE Club end of year Christmas function at SYC DECEMBER 12 Details to follow 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 18/10/2026.

Leader: Ian Ballantine
BMC: Karin Soster and Terry Kane
Moorabbin: Gerard D and Jenny
Holland Foundation: Caitlin and David
Other Helpers: Nil
Visitors: Charles Rener and Jimmy from Holland (spoke at the ball)
Cars in the Queue: 2
Overnight Parkers: 1
Pedestrian Count: 1026
Market Report: Absolutely perfect morning. Light northerly breeze.
Good market, great weather No issues to speak of . One Nation turned up for a couple of hours or so. Everyone rostered turned up-always a relief. Thanks to Terry and Karin for their great help and great company!
Tables have grown to 32 it seems!

Note there is a separate story about the defib at the Market here.

Holland Ball 2026

Posted by Ian Ballantine on Oct 16, 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

Our Rainbow House: Changing futures in Zambia

Posted by Ian Ballantine on Oct 18, 2026

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.”

Turning passion into participation

Posted by Ian Ballantine on Oct 18, 2026

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.

Club Meeting Oct 14 2026 Glen Eira Historical Soc

Posted by Karin Soster on Oct 14, 2026

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.

Polio eradication explained

Posted by Ian Ballantine on Oct 11, 2026

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.

Rotary South Pacific’s membership strategy

Posted by Ian Ballantine

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.

World Polio Day: Finishing the fight

Posted by Ian Ballantine on Oct 11, 2026

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.

Club Meeting Oct 9 2026 Chelt Sec College

Posted by Karin Soster on Oct 07, 2026

Jules Gaddie was our chairperson for this week's club meeting at Gilberts. He opened up with a famous quote from Mahatma Gandhi - "If you want to find yourself, you should lose yourself in the service of others". .

Guests included guest speakers, Peter Allen - Vice Principal of Cheltenham S.C., and student, Daniel, and club member partner, Gary Ramage.

Share a Dream Ball October 3, 2026

Posted by Ian Ballantine on Oct 04, 2026

Once again member Terry Kane as President of the Share a Dream Philippine community organisation, ran her Rio Carnivale Ball on Sat, October 3, 2026 at Melrose Receptions.
In addition to Terry, in attendance were members Linda and Peter O'Brien and Helen Parker and Ian Ballantine.

Congratulations Terry on another successful event.

Rotary received a lot of exposure during the evening with many mentions of our own Club and others in the Philippines. Congratulations Terry on your wonderful work for the people of the Philippines.

There are a few pics following and an album of more HERE.

World Polio Day October 24

Posted by Ian Ballantine on Oct 03, 2026

Every year, the Rotary community mobilizes for World Polio Day to raise awareness about global efforts to end polio for good. If we stay committed, we can make polio the second human disease ever to be eradicated.

World Polio Day (24 October) was established by Rotary International to commemorate the birth of Jonas Salk, who led the first team to develop a vaccine against poliomyelitis. Use of this inactivated poliovirus vaccine and subsequent widespread use of the oral poliovirus vaccine developed by Albert Sabin led to establishment of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in 1988. Since then, GPEI has reduced polio worldwide by 99 percent.

World Polio Day is an annual observance when members of Rotary International, along with public health advocates and individuals committed to a polio-free world, convene to commemorate their accomplishments in the global campaign against polio. This day also provides a platform for deliberation on the requisite measures to permanently eliminate polio from the face of the Earth.

Registering for an Event

Posted by Ian Ballantine on Aug 30, 2024

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.

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.

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

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.

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MORNING MEETING WEDNESDAY at Gilbert's Cafe

We are now meeting at Gilbert's Cafe 7am

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

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.

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.

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

Note from the Editor re Images and Events

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