Dear Everyone,
As I spoke about at last Tuesday’s meeting, Assistant Governor Brian Hodgson will be launching our Cluster’s Youth Wellbeing Project this coming Tuesday, and we will be welcoming a number of visitors, most notably District Governor Alma and her husband Greg King.
Discussions about the project began last year and District funds were applied for and granted. But it occurred to me that, apart from the Youth Committee, our members would have little understanding of what the programme entails. This is an extract from the flyer that was sent to our local secondary schools:
“This is a joint project of Yarra Ranges Cardinia A Rotary Cluster which consists of the Rotary Clubs of Belgrave, Emerald and Monbulk.
The project will focus on providing support for the wellbeing and mental health of young people in the cluster area and includes distribution of information aimed at reducing risk of youth suicide via organisations like RUOK, and provision of counselling via a youth drop-in centre or mental health hub. The project will address concerns for the additional pressures faced by teenagers and their families through the interruptions and restrictions caused by the Covid outbreak.
We are encouraging secondary schools in the Cluster area (Upwey, Emerald and Monbulk Secondary Colleges, Mountain District Christian School and Mater Christi College) to accept our offer of an afternoon training program conducted by SALT (Sport and Life Training). SALT is a not-for-profit mental health and wellbeing organisation that delivers high quality education sessions into sporting clubs, workplaces and schools…
The SALT Wellbeing & Mental Health program is aimed at young people aged 15+. This course gives participants an understanding of identifying, and responding to, anxiety and depression and provides them with positive mental health habits for life. It educates participants in how to have real conversations and aims to reduce the stigma that remains around mental health issues. Participants are encouraged to ask perceptive questions of their friends, and to be open and honest about how they are coping. Students will be required to use a smart phone to access SALT’s live quiz which enables SALT to collect real time anonymous feedback from participants.”
To help fund the project, a music concert is planned with the musicians being students from the schools involved with the project, and their parents and friends, Rotarians too, making up the audience. Other musicians may also be performing. Wayne McKenzie from the Belgrave RC is overseeing this aspect of the project.
We shall all learn more at Tuesday night’s meeting.
The Trash2Treasure Market, conceived by IPP Catherine last year, is expanding with the addition of the very successful Sausage Sizzle last Saturday. As a result, the Market Committee is going to be seeking more help from members to fill rosters. Members won’t be asked to assist every month, but even the busiest of members should be able to give two to three hours of their time every second or third month to the Market. A draft organisational Market Plan has been drawn up very kindly by Kris and Roy, and once fine-tuned, will be presented to the members at the next Club Assembly on the 27th of April (tbc). As I’m sure you all realise, the Market has great potential for us in terms of us getting better known in Emerald and surrounds, recruiting new members over time, and bringing in much-needed money for both the Operations and Fundraising Accounts. The Market is a whole of Club enterprise in the same way that the All-American and the KFRWT are. The addition of the Sausage Sizzle added an extra vibe, and we were very fortunate that Woolworths donated 11 loaves of bread, and fortunately the cans of soft drink were on special. Salwan Shahine, our guest speaker, also mentioned how “Woolies” had been very supportive of Interact Clubs’ Fundraisers with generous donations.
As mentioned at the meeting, DGE Daryl Moran’s book “Empire’s Noble Son” will be available to purchase on the 20
th of April for $25.00 cash. Daryl will then donate 50% from each sale to the Club. If you are interested, the book also has a website
www.darylmoran.com It will be very appropriate to learn the story of the WW1 Australian pilot prior to Anzac Day.
Thank you’s this week to:
To everyone who did their shifts so cheerfully on Saturday at the Market, a wonderful team effort. I would especially like to single out:
- Poppy Elfick the chief onion chopper-uper on the day and go-for for the Sausage Sizzle
- Tina for providing and preparing the initial supply of onions
- Roy and Ian Wakefield for doing at least an 8-hour shift
- Catherine for doing untold hours on Saturday and the days before
- Gloria for her fundraising effort for Rotarians Against Malaria - RAM
- Ian A. for his technical expertise on Tuesday night and Roy for agreeing to test our sound system which was problematic
- Our guest speaker Salwan Shahine for his good-humoured forbearance in the face of the technical difficulties
**This Tuesday night on the 13th of April will be the launch of our Cluster’s Youth Wellbeing Project – see above. Bev and a colleague from SALT, representatives from the schools and the Belgrave and Monbulk Rotarians will also be attending - an important meeting not to be missed!
**Next week: on the 20th of April, our guest speaker is none other than DGE Dr. Daryl Moran talking about his book “Empire’s Noble Son” about an Australian WW1 pilot.
**The following week: on the 27th of April, it is Club Assembly again.
So much to look forward to!!
Come and join us at The Paradise for a great night!
Stay safe and stay Rotary Even Prouder.
Yours in Rotary,
Vicki.
