The Rotary Club of Murray Bridge gathers at the Bridgeport Hotel 2 Bridge St, Murray Bridge on Tuesday evenings Fellowship from 6.00pm with Dinner starting at 6.15pm. Apologies or guests to be notified to Jacquie Best by 12pm Monday 0409 377 343
Congratulations to Rob Walters, Lyn Sickerdick and committee for organising yet again another successful Film Night. The venue was good - we are so lucky to have a cinema in Murray Bridge - the food was good - lots of prizes to be won in the raffle - the company was good and a film, although on a very sobering subject, that kept your interest from start to finish. Lee Miller was an amazing woman.The rest of the week has been a flurry of emails trying to arrange a RORPS (repurposing playgrounds) meeting and the next G7 face to face meeting. I will be attending both meetings.Emails have been sent out with an invitation to the Changeover Dinner attached.Please make sure you have booked by the closing date of June 12, 2025. This date will come up really quickly.I have started to look at what our Club has achieved over this Rotary year. We have inducted 8 new members amongst many other things - Its a long list.Thinking about our new members reminded me about this quote:“Every Rotary Club needs new members. They bring fresh ideas, new interests, increased energy and provide for future leadership. Each new member increases Rotary’s capacity for service and ensures the future of our organisation.”
MDIS 2025
This weekend, several members of the Rotary Club of Murray Bridge had the priviledge of attending the first Multi District Impact Summit. District 9510 (our District) joined with D9800 (central Melbourne / Vic) at the Morphettville Racecouse where we were inspired by the many speakers on a vast array of topics. In addition we were able to join breakout groups to further explore some of the topics on offer.
As a practical example of Rotarians in action, members were able to join hands-on projects where we assembled birthing kits, nurture kits and pack 100kg of lentils into smaller packs for the not for profit group “Puddle Jumpers”.
In addition there was amazing entertainment. We were joined by Eleanor Blythman who performed the national anthem, Jessica Dean who with Eleanor sang a number of operatic and popular songs. For me, the musical highlight was the grand finale, where the song “One Day More” from Les Miserables was performed. Our District Governor from D9800, Michael Lapina opened the singing (Michael is a baritone with Opera Victoria) and was progressively joined by his son Alex, two operatic sopranos, a contralto, bass and tenor with the latter singers emerging from within the audience.
This was a logistical nightmare, performed without rehersal on limited equipment but we pulled it off.
Next year the venue is Horsham in the beatiful Wimmera area. If you missed this year, make sure you attend next year.
A Journey from Progress to Oppression
On Monday 5th May, 6 Rotarians from our club attended the Rotary Club of Gawler where President Jenny Alexander-Walters was invited to outline our club activities with the audience while we shared a meal.
Guest speaker, Erfanullah Abidi, a member of Adelaide Light Rotary, shared his powerful story and inspiring work Educating Women Underground in Afghanistan – a mission of courage, education, and hope. A passionate defender of Afghan women’s rights, Erfanulla has been instrumental in establishing schools for Afghan girls through the Empowerment Network 132 in response to the Taliban’s ban on female education. He outlined his shared concerns about human rights and the ongoing violations in Afghanistan, particularly those affecting women.
Establishing Afghan Girls’ Underground Schools provides essential education for girls beyond Year 6 and has seen the writing of new school curriculum to meet the needs of the females in the classes and also the opportunity for Doctors, Lawyers and other professionals to provide information, support and advocacy to the thousands of women who are keen to have knowledge and therefore empowerment to make a difference in their country while respecting their culture.
Erfanullah is an Ambassador of the Refugee Council of Australia and his efforts have earned him numerous awards including the Paul Harris Fellowship from Rotary International.
Erfanullah will be in Murray Bridge as part of Refugee Week in June to share his journey from Afghanistan to Adelaide. (waiting on confirmation of this from Migrant Resource centre staff – but Erfanullah indicated this was in his itinery for the next month)
Coomandook Area School
The Rotary Club of Murray Bridge Environmental Youth Program has been developing partnerships with Rural Schools in the Murray Mallee area. One of these is the Coomandook Area School whose Principal, Matt Brown joined us to discuss opportunities available and not available to Rural Schools. Matt had worked in the NT Finke/Apatula School, then moved into Alice Springs to teach at Yipirinya School before moving to Tasmania. Matt has also worked as an organiser for the Australian Education Union. Now he also has an acting position supporting Principals within the Murray Bridge1 Portfolio. His passion for public education was infectious with focus on the value of citizenship in the education process. Every learning opportunity was important. Costs and funding were significantly different to city schools. John Scarvelis
Object of Rotary
The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster:
FIRST: The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service;
SECOND: High ethical standards in business and professions; the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations; and the dignifying of each Rotarian’s occupation as an opportunity to serve society;
THIRD: The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian’s personal, business, and community life;
FOURTH: The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.
On Monday 5th May, 6 Rotarians from our club attended the Rotary Club of Gawler where President Jenny Alexander-Walters was invited to outline our club activities with the audience while we shared a meal.
