Co - President's Notes Tom Atkinson & Murray McKay
Dear Rotarians and Friends,
Your Co-Presidents are pleased to provide an update on our Global Grants applications through the Rotary Foundation. The follow up to our initial work in Kenya, where Applecross Rotary combined with stakeholders from around the world to build a special needs unit at a local school, is to now complete the unique fit out for this section of the school. This project is key to growing the attendance of special needs students, bringing dignity and engagement to the students and their families. This project has reached its latest milestone and is progressing well against targets, expertly managed by our partner Rotary groups on the ground in Kenya.
Our work has also commenced in collaboration with the Telethon Speech and Hearing Institute to support children in the Wheatbelt to achieve better health outcomes. Our project group has been formed (and is seeking any further interested members) and has started forming initial documentation and agreements with relevant parties, including our friends in Washington, Penn, USA who are acting as the International sponsor or this proposed grant.
We owe an apology to our wonderful caterers from our change over event at Shirley Strickland Reserve, Incognito Catering (who were mistakenly mis-named in a previous Advocate) They always do a wonderful job for us and I'm sure all would agree they would be a welcome addition to any event you may be planning.
Wonderful to see so many members continually engaged in community service through Rotary, Please continue to share your stories and experiences so we can spread the word!
My last term here at Scotch, here in Perth and here in Australia just began. I'm looking forward to an adventurous and exiting two months, where all weekends be filled with new and fantastic experiences.
As of Tuesday, the Term started with an outstanding Rugby match between our first team and the Aranmore Rugby school. It was the third encounter this Winter, which is a great benefit for the boys as they are undefeated first team in the PSA, to play against a very good team. It helps the squad to get even better and find their weaknesses and strengths, so they can finish the season strong. It was great to follow the game with my mates and follow up with the team. In the end Scotch lost the game but learned a lot for their final last three games. The first Team has proven their quality this Saturday against Wesley with a 81:0 Victory.
While they were playing, the RYE Committee, Graeme Fardon and myself were welcoming the new Exchange students from all over the world united here in WA. It is such a great feeling to finally have Exchange students back here. After a short welcome and get to known, each of us formally introduced ourselves. Afterwards we went into groups with our Placement officers, where all the necessary Information got introduced to the newbies. I was able to give them Tipps and Tricks for the way throughout their year.
After this phase I gave a presentation about the trip to Sydney and the North-West Safari. It was great to introduce those amazing trips to them and give a couple of tips for their exchange. We got introduced and played a round of bowls, in my opinion the second most famous game here in Australia. We got to know each other really well and I can’t wait to see them again.
Following I got a lift to Optus from former District Governor Wayne Milnes and his Clubs new Exchange student, Simon from Belgium. I met up with my mates Noah and Dhilan to watch the Derby between the Fremantle Dockers and the West Coast Eagles. I’m so grateful that I got the chance to go to one of the two best fixtures of the year. I’m not going to write something about the game as I only can write something wrong. 😛 BUT there is one thing I can say about the game. I like to wear the colour purple but my heart is blue and yellow.
To distract you really fast so nobody is mad at me I’m going to write about the awful weather we had during the week in Germany and Perth. One of my realizations during the last days was that the weather in Australia's winter is quite similar to the German Summer and now understand why Aussies like their Summer so much.
On Sunday I got to be the Sports Photographer for the Applecross Hawks year 11/12 Footy Team, as my host brother Hunter is a player of my host dad Keiths team, I got asked to use my skills to take some pictures of the second win of the season for them. Especially of the great players and the First Aid and Runner, my host mum Margot. It was an outstanding Aussi cultural experience which I’ll never forget.
It’s just as well the Northwest Safari, especially the two days at Coral Bay, was towards the end of Valentin’s time as our inbound student on Rotary Youth Exchange, because the way he described it, every other “amazing” experience this past 10 months would have been placed a distant second at best.
Each year the inbound RYE cohort is offered the opportunity of participating in a 19 day bus tour of the Northwest of WA. There were 35 students from all over Australia this year, including 24 from WA. They came from 23 countries.
Among the highlights were ’the amazing flora and fauna in Karijini Gorge” which included kangaroos, emus, dingoes and lizards; interacting with Aboriginal students at a Karijini boarding school; the visual impact of the redness of rocks and the soil of the landsca"millions of flies" who tried their best to get in everyone's ears, eyes, nose and mouth.
The group also had a cultural exchange experience with Aboriginal leaders at Monkey Mia, which included trying to learn circular breathing to master playing the didgeridoo, and using the clap sticks making music to enhance dancing. One of the leaders cooked fish on the fire and also offered all of them a taste of camel stew. Now that would have been a cultural experience - the flip side of which might be eating horse meat stew in France. (Warning: on the menu it’s called Chevaline!)
The best place by far was Coral Bay, where they spent 2 days. Apart from the fact there were no flies, this also included dolphins escorting their boat, and the opportunity to swim with whale sharks and turtles, but not with the tiger shark that swam under their boat.
Valentin seems confident his parents will make the long journey to Australia next year so he can show them around, and Coral Bay is certain to be on the itinerary.
If you missed the presentation, you can here it here:
PROMOTION OF OUR SPONSORSHIP ON THE MCCC SOCIAL MEDIA
We are thrilled to welcome Applecross Rotary as a proud sponsor of the MCCC Business Awards, supported by the City of Melville!
The MCCC Business Awards celebrate the outstanding achievements and contributions of businesses in our vibrant community. This year, Applecross Rotary will sponsor the Sustainability & Climate Action Award, highlighting their commitment to protecting the environment.
Applecross Rotary, part of Rotary International's global network of over 46,000 clubs and 1.4 million members, is dedicated to making a lasting impact in our community. Their initiatives include promoting peace, fighting disease, providing clean water and sanitation, supporting education, and protecting the environment.
Locally, Applecross Rotary has been a cornerstone of our community for over 50 years, with events like the Jacaranda Festival celebrating its 24th year!
Join us in celebrating the remarkable achievements of our local businesses. Together, we are fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and sustainability.
Together, we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change - across the globe, in our communities and in ourselves. Let's be intentional in implementing Rotary's Action Plan within our own spheres of influence.
To help in doing so, RI Regional Office have compiled this Resource Guide for our reference.
These resources include ‘how-to’ guides, links to RI resources, along with guidelines on who to work with at Rotary when dealing with various issues. They have attempted to organise these resources in a way that you will find quick and intuitive. Please save this PDF on your computer so that you always have ready access to it.
What matters at 'All Saints College': The Studio School
Belinda Provis has been the principal of All Saints’ College for over ten years and prior to this was principal of Seymour College in Adelaide for almost a decade. Keen to empower and give agency to young people, Belinda is committed to providing a responsive, progressive and values-driven education in which all students feel visible and optimistic about the future.
While they were playing, the RYE Committee, Graeme Fardon and myself were welcoming the new Exchange students from all over the world united here in WA. It is such a great feeling to finally have Exchange students back here. After a short welcome and get to known, each of us formally introduced ourselves. Afterwards we went into groups with our Placement officers, where all the necessary Information got introduced to the newbies. I was able to give them Tipps and Tricks for the way throughout their year.
After this phase I gave a presentation about the trip to Sydney and the North-West Safari. It was great to introduce those amazing trips to them and give a couple of tips for their exchange. We got introduced and played a round of bowls, in my opinion the second most famous game here in Australia. We got to know each other really well and I can’t wait to see them again.
Following I got a lift to Optus from former District Governor Wayne Milnes and his Clubs new Exchange student, Simon from Belgium. I met up with my mates Noah and Dhilan to watch the Derby between the Fremantle Dockers and the West Coast Eagles. I’m so grateful that I got the chance to go to one of the two best fixtures of the year. I’m not going to write something about the game as I only can write something wrong. 😛 BUT there is one thing I can say about the game. I like to wear the colour purple but my heart is blue and yellow.
Among the highlights were ’the amazing flora and fauna in Karijini Gorge” which included kangaroos, emus, dingoes and lizards; interacting with Aboriginal students at a Karijini boarding school; the visual impact of the redness of rocks and the soil of the landsca"millions of flies" who tried their best to get in everyone's ears, eyes, nose and mouth. 
The best place by far was Coral Bay, where they spent 2 days. Apart from the fact there were no flies, this also included dolphins escorting their boat, and the opportunity to swim with whale sharks and turtles, but not with the tiger shark that swam under their boat. 
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