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INTERACT CLUB RAISES MONEY FOR STORY DOGS

Students in our sponsored Interact club at Wyndham Central College school have been active in supporting the Story Dogs program.

Recently, they ran a fundraiser at school. They sold dog biscuits and key fobs at the school to raise money to sponsor another Story Dog for one of the college's feeder schools, Manor Lakes Primary. The day was called 'A Splash of Orange' and anyone who wore something orange gave a gold coin donation.

The Story Dogs program is designed to assist young children to improve their literacy skills and their self-confidence by reading to the dog. The accepting, loving nature of dogs gives this program its magic and helps children relax, open up, try harder and have fun while reading to a friendly, calm dog.

Pictured in the photo are dog owners Esthee and Sue with their wonderful story dogs Daisy and Ellie.

Well done Interactors. A very special project.

DELIVERY OF BLANKETS FOR THE HOMELESS

The photo on the left shows Rotary partners Barbara, Glenyce, Ann and Micki putting the finishing touches to our project to make blankets for the homeless in our area. On the right-hand side is a picture of club President Rob Fava and Micki Hovey proudly handing over 300 blankets to Salvation Army corps major, Katherine Abram.

The Wyndham city Salvation Army provides a wonderful service to the disadvantaged in the community and are always keen to partner with other like-minded organisations like Rotary to share in local humanitarian projects. Katherine expressed her sincere gratitude to the club for helping people who normally sleep rough. She said the blankets would also be very useful for many workers from countries such as Vanuatu and East Timor who come to the area on a short-term basis, and without appropriate clothing, to provide essential work for the local vegetable farmers.

The project was borne out of an idea from Micki Hovey who noticed that many rolls of unwanted waterproof fabric were sitting in a warehouse and destined for the rubbish tip. She was able to obtain the rolls and send them to a clothing maker who was willing to support the project by cutting and sewing the material into the final product. While 300 blankets are now in the hands of the Salvation Army, another 200 are planned to be delivered to one of our other community-minded partners, RecLink, who also provide an essential service for those in need.

SUCCESSFUL YOUNG WOMENS MENTAL HEALTH NIGHT

Pictured above is renowned psychologist Maria Ruberto speaking at the 2nd young women's mental health seminar held at MacKillop College in Werribee. Maria delivered an excellent presentation to the audience which consisted of many female students and their parents. Maria's key message was that, if you are having negative thoughts about yourself or your current circumstances, don't hesitate to speak to a family member, friend or a professional consultant. Alternatively, you could adopt some techniques to deal with an uncomfortable situation.

We also heard from Alex Chidiac who accepted an invitation to speak at the last minute. Alex has had an insatiable love of soccer since she was a small girl. At the age of 24, she has played top level football in various countries including Spain, Japan and Mexico in addition to stints at various Australian clubs. She was a member of the Matilda's World Cup squad and is now a permanent member of the Melbourne Victory team.

Throughout her 10 years of top line football, Alex has had her highs and lows. She spoke with heartfelt honesty about some of her low points especially when she suffered a long-term injury or when she was overlooked to play. She talked about some of the mechanisms she used to deal with these times.

The mental health evening proved to be a wonderful night, full of positive suggestions to help the attendees to manage their own low points in life.

Click here to view some photos of the evening.

NEW SIGNAGE TO PROMOTE COMMUNITY BINGO

Our club is grateful to the local community for patronizing our weekly Bingo sessions. Any proceeds that the club generates from this popular game are dispersed to numerous non-profit community groups to support their worthy projects.

The club has installed new signage outside the venue to promote the event and to encourage others to come along to join in the fun.

Pictured above is our President Rob Fava proudly showing the new Bingo signs.

ROB TAKES OVER AS OUR NEW PRESIDENT

Sixty people recently attended a pleasant Sunday afternoon high tea function to celebrate the end of one Rotary year in our club and the dawn of another. The photo shows outgoing President Kim (right) officially handing over the chain of office to Rob Fava who will lead the club for the next 12 months.

In his final address, President Kim expressed his thanks to all members and their partners for their wonderful support of him during the year. He proudly identified some of the many projects that we completed or have continued with during 2023-24.

President Rob thanked Kim for leading the club so well. He vowed to continue the fine work that has been achieved over the past few years and he hopes members will join him on that journey.

In addition to members and their partners, the function was attended by some dignitaries including 3 councillors from the Wyndham City Council, various Presidents from neighbouring clubs and the District Governor Nominee Graeme Hope.

Click here to view some photos of the afternoon.

KNITTING FOR THE NEW BORN

For the past 4 years, Werribee Rotary has been grateful for the dedication and commitment of various members of our club and community for knitting baby beanies and blankets that are donated to the Werribee Mercy Hospital maternity ward. To date, we have delivered approximately 5,000 items to our local hospital. Werribee is one of the fastest growing regions in Australia with hundreds of young families moving into the area each year.

Pictured above is one of the many patrons at our Monday Night Bingo who lovingly knit the warm woolly items for the new-born babies. The quality of their work is outstanding.

If you are willing to apply your own knitting skills, we would be happy for you to join in the fun. Click here to download the knitting instructions.

If you live in the Werribee area, we would be happy to collect your completed beanies or blankets. If you live outside Werribee, please send an email to secretary@werribeerotary.org.au to determine the best method of delivery.

STORY DOGS BENEFITTING KIDS IN OUR COMMUNITY

'Daisy' the delightful dog attended a recent Interact meeting at Wyndham Central College. Daisy is one of the Story Dogs that our club is sponsoring and she visits the Riverbend Primary School to assist Grade 2 students with their reading.

The concept of the Story Dogs program is to assist young children to improve their literacy skills and their self-confidence by reading to the dog. The accepting, loving nature of dogs gives this program its magic and helps children relax, open up, try harder and have fun while reading to a friendly, calm dog.

The Interact students (pictured above) loved the concept and are now raising funds to sponsor a dog too.

OUR 2024 GOLF DAY BIGGER AND BETTER THAN EVER

Our club has conducted another very successful golf day which has realised a net taking of $25,000.

It was an early start for the players as they arrived at dawn and were treated to a bacon and egg breakfast before hitting off at 8:15 in overcast conditions. But it wasn't long before the clouds dissipated and we enjoyed clear skies and a moderate temperature of 25C.

After the game, all players and volunteers sat down for a pleasant lunch. Many prizes were awarded thanks to the generosity of our sponsors. The winners of the event were the team from SLK Engineering who are a long-term sponsor and supporter of the day.

For the second year in a row, all proceeds have been donated to the medical research facility at the Werribee Campus of Victoria University.

Click here to view photos of the day.

PROFESSOR VASSO AWARDED A PAUL HARRIS FELLOW

Pictured above is Professor Vasso Apostolopoulos being awarded one of Rotary's highest honours, a Paul Harris Fellow. She received the award from President Kim Deneys.

For the past two years, the proceeds from the club's annual golf day, which amounts to $50,000, has been directed to the medical research facility at Victoria University. Vasso is the head of this facility. Her team is doing tremendous work in developing vaccines for various forms of cancer and other diseases.

Vasso was born and educated in the western suburbs of Melbourne. She studied at the Universities of Melbourne and Oxford. In the 1990's, she was the first to develop a method of immunotherapy to stimulate the immune system, which is used today by hundreds of labs around the world. Twenty years ago, she conducted human trials of vaccine formulations for breast and ovarian cancer. One of those trials now has long-term follow-up data showing that, 25 years later, those injected with the cancer remain cancer free.

Vasso has also applied immunotherapies to other diseases including multiple sclerosis, diabetes, drug addiction and alzheimer’s disease.

In return for our funding to her research laboratory, Vasso gladly attends our club meetings on a regular basis as a guest speaker. She talks about health-related matters and always attracts a big audience.

Congratulations Vasso.

COMMUNITY GRANTS AWARDS NIGHT

Werribee Rotary held its inaugural Community Grants Awards night recently. This function was designed to present funds to the successful applicants of the club's first community grants program. Chief organiser and club member Robert Fava presented cheques totalling $15,000 to six worthy not-for-profit community groups who are doing wonderful things to support their members. A total of 20 applications were received.

The winners were:

Young Achievers Foundation
Tarneit Titans Netball Club
Werribee River Association
Womenspire
The Laverton Festival
1st Point Cook Scout Group

The groups were represented at the dinner by at least one member of their organisation. Each of them spoke about the aims of the group and what the funds would be used for. They all expressed their sincere gratitude to our club for making these funds available during a time when financial support is becoming increasingly difficult to access.

Also in attendance were four Councillors from the Wyndham City Council and our Rotary District's Governor-Elect Michael Lapina and Governor-Nominee Peter Shepheard.

All attendees were glowing in their praise of the club for making it such an enjoyable night and for taking positive action to help local community groups. Following the success of the program, it is expected to be made available again between July and October this year.

COLLECTING CHRISTMAS TOYS FOR THE KIDS

Pictured above are Maddy Farnaby, Emergency Relief Co-ordinator at Wyndham Uniting and Graeme Roper, Past President of Werribee Rotary.

The new and used toys shown in the picture are just some of the first batch of gifts donated by our club to the Uniting Christmas Appeal for families of children who will find things tough over the Christmas period. More toys will be handed over as the festive season draws closer. Maddy was delighted with the delivery and expressed her sincere gratitude for our contribution.

Our club will also be donating funds to Wyndham Uniting to enable them to supply Christmas hampers for needy families in the municipality. This will be the second time we will be helping to make things a little more joyous for those who will struggle to provide for their loved ones.

SMILEY SCOPE AIMS TO BRING SMILES TO KIDS DURING MEDICAL PROCEDURES

Our Rotary club heard about a new high-tech device that Werribee Mercy hospital was keen to acquire to help children overcome their fears during procedures that may initiate some pain - for example, administering an injection. The device, which has been used with great success at other hospitals such as the Royal Children's in Melbourne, is called a Smiley Scope. It is a pair of virtual reality goggles that the child wears during the procedure and enables them to get absorbed in a visual story to take their mind off the medical process.

The club's Board had no hesitation in offering to pay for the purchase of one device. Pictured above is President Ian Hovey presenting the new "toy" to hospital staff. Also included in the photo are President Elect Kim Deneys and Past President Graham Roper.

The hospital's paediatric administrator, Simone Danaher, was excited to be able to introduce such innovative technology to the paediatric ward. She expressed her sincere gratitude to our club for the donation.

The following picture shows a young patient testing out the Smiley Scope. She loved it.

BREAKFAST CLUB HELPS HUNGRY KIDS

Sadly, many children at local school Wyndham Park Primary arrive in the morning without having had anything to eat. For many years, members of Werribee Rotary and friends of the club have been supporting the school by visiting every morning to provide the students with some nourishment before they attend classes. Known as the Breakfast Club, the menu consists mainly of toast and fruit and the kids love it.

The school is also very grateful for the service we provide. Before the breakfasts were available, the young children would lose concentration in class and exhibit anti-social behaviour. Now they are much more attentive and engaged which makes the teachers' job a more productive one.

SUPPORT FOR ORPHANAGE SCHOOL IN PHILIPPINES

The Bahay Ni San Jose Orphanage is in Papaya, Luzon, Philippines and run by 4 Dominican Sisters of St Joseph. There are 52 children (18 girls, 34 boys) up to the age of 12 years who are abandoned, unwanted, from troubled homes or with mild physical, mental or hearing disabilities.

The Sisters have had a new school built at the orphanage, entirely with donations of money, materials, labour and pro bono professional support. This 2 story, 8 classroom school building was opened in May 2022.

Werribee Rotary Club, in partnership with Cabanatuan City Rotary Club in The Philippines, undertook the Orphanage School Classroom Equipment Project which involved the purchase and installation of essential classroom furniture and equipment at a cost of A$15,000. Werribee RC donated $10,000 towards the cost and Rotary District 9800 supplied a grant of $5,000. The Cabanatuan City RC provided financial oversight together with technical support in installing the 10 computers, 2 printers and software.

In the new school, these children will now have enhanced learning opportunities from kindergarten to Grade 6. The Sisters have employed additional teachers for the new classrooms and fully-equipped computer room.

Their new learning situation is far superior to what they had before. The aim of the orphanage sisters and the teachers is to provide these children with enhanced education opportunities and learning experiences to increase future opportunities in their lives.