Co - President's Notes Tom Atkinson & Murray McKay
The Applecross Rotary team of Aaron (thanks for the photo), Margaret, Murray and Adele anticipating the start of District Assembly
On Saturday morning, a group of us went to the District Assembly where we had the chance to hear some enthusiastic speakers and discuss the different opportunities that other clubs in our District are embracing.
Among the matters raised were that our incoming International President is Mário César Martins de Camargo (or just Mario) from Brazil. His theme for 2025/26 will be Unite for Good.
After the initial introductions, Veronica Lawrence our District Governor Elect for 2025/26 suggested that her understanding of Rotarians is that we are “people of action that make things happen”. Her goals are to increase our impact, expend our reach, enhance participation and increase our ability to adapt.
We were reminded about the need to follow Child Protection rules which, in simple terms, are what would we expect to happen if our child were involved? To this end, each club must have a Child Protection officer that is not involved in the management of any of our Youth Programmes.
The Assembly also told attendees about:
- the different programmes run by the District;
- various governance issues;
- how the Rotary Foundation relies on receiving funds from clubs and members so that it can redistribute the funds as grants to Districts based on the amounts received from the Districts and various global grants;
- the costs associated with being a member of Rotary;
- the District Changeover event will be on 14 June 2025 with details to be published soon; and
- next year’s Conference will be held between 13-15 March 2026 in Northam
Perhaps the most important part of Assemblies and other Rotary gatherings is the opportunity to find ways to collaborate with other clubs and hear how they are dealing with opportunities to make things happen that come their way.
Raffles Strata President Clive Palmer hosted guest speaker Donna Gordin, from Perth Strata Co.
I love solving problems: Donna Gordin
Donna Gordin, owner of Perth Strata Co. was our guest speaker recently. Donna is a country girl at heart, born and raised in Esperance, followed by a stint in Kalgoorlie before moving to the city. Donna worked in various mining and hospitality industry roles before entering real estate in 1993. Sensing a business opportunity that might grow, she established Perth Strata Co. two years ago.
Her big heart sees her giving back to community whenever she can. Previously as Chair of Camp Kulin Charities Inc and Vice-Chair for Bridging the Gap, and Relay for Life, she continues to volunteer with the Brentwood Village Town Team. She lives in Brentwood, and her business is located on Moolyeen Rd in Mt Pleasant. I reckon she’d enjoy becoming an Applecross Rotarian, starting her business day with us at breakfast every Tuesday! Maybe we can get her along in July to tell us more about Camp Kulin https://rotaryosbornepark.org.au/stories/camp-kulin
Anyway, growing up, Donna's parents ran a small business where hard work and your word was all you had. With her positive attitude and strong desire to help people, Donna feels has carried these values to her own real estate business, which she established in 2005, and for the last two years with Perth Strata Co.
For many Australians considering moving to a unit, townhouse or apartment block, the term ‘strata management’ is a term they’ve likely encountered. But what exactly does it entail, and why is it important for property owners and residents?
Basically with a Strata title, you own your unit, and share the real estate with the other unit owners. The Strata Company manages the common property and works with an elected Council of Owners within the State Government Strata laws.
There are benefits: shared costs of facilities like a pool, gardens, security, maintenance of the common property, a community barbecue, and some have a gym, all covered by a quarterly fee, paid in advance.
If you are looking for a suitable unit where you can live independently, you need to check the financials, determine if the company has a healthy reserve, and an active 10 year maintenance plan which is reviewed every 5 years. Find out if there are “visiting hours”, restrictions on pets, and look for ‘red flags’ matters like a sense of community, and the age of the building.
Donna recommended visiting the ‘village’ without an agent, and asking local residents how they like the place, and what are some of the activities they, or others, enjoy participating in. And talk to the Strata Manager!
Yes, it’s Josh Patrick, who recently got his driver’s licence! The same Josh Patrick who recently showed our members and guests his passion for recognising the best in young people and never missing an opportunity to advocate for young carers. This is what he said when accepting this award:
I deeply value the platform that Lions YOTY provides. The amplification of minority youth voices has long been a passion of mine, and this program offers young people a stage to share their truths—unabridged and uncensored. The Lions Youth of the Year Program fosters leadership, advocacy, and public speaking skills in young people, creating an opportunity for meaningful engagement that will shape future changemakers. The good that comes from this program extends beyond the competition—it is in the connections formed, the perspectives shared, and the young voices empowered.
Every year in June the Rotary Clubs of Melville and Applecross get together to put on an Art Show at the Westfield Booragoon Shopping Centre. The aim of the show is to:
"To encourage Artists and afford them the opportunity to exhibit their works to the public."
Its nearing that time of the year again.
The combined Applecross / Melville Rotary Clubs will be hosting the annual Art Show from 8th to 15th June. The event is held in the display area of the Westfield Garden City Shopping Centre in front of Woolworths.
This event provides a wonderful platform to promote our local artists.
We normally have around 450 paintings on display and in so doing promote about 150 artists.
The setting up, the manning of the display – and finally the dismantling, consumes considerable time and effort. Consequently your support would be appreciated and it’s the old saying “….many hands……”.
Applecross Rotary's responsibility is for the setting up, the manning of the display and finally dismantling on the Sunday afternoon. Also manning the display on the Monday ,Wednesday, Friday and the Sunday morning, with Melville Rotary responsible for the alternate days.
A blank roster will be circulated at the end of the month. Roster stints include a range of options ie: morning / afternoon and evening in 3 hour time slots. This way the roster caters for everyone.
The purpose of this note is to ask you to diarise a day /days and then once the roster is out you can indicate what times best suit.
In closing – as this is our 50th year so can you give some thought as to how best we can advertise this achievement.
In the heart of Uganda lies a beacon of hope and opportunity for orphaned and underprivileged children—the Wakiso Dance kids Foundation. This organization was founded on a mission to harness the talents of young people, allowing them to earn a living, access essential services like education, accommodation, and healthcare, and find personal fulfillment through music, dance, and drama.
