Welcome to Issue 25 (2024-25) of our weekly bulletin. Find out about our upcoming events, who our guest speakers are, what we covered during the last meeting and more!
Can't make our meeting in person please join us via Zoom:
Well, when we get to this time of the year it means that we halfway through the Rotary year. It is time for the Co-Presidents to pause and reflect on what has been achieved in the first half of the year and then focus on what they want to achieve in the last six months as they head towards the finish post.
Ray and Adrian would like to wish all of the club members and their families a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. They look forward to seeing everybody (including partners) on the 8th January (7am for 7.30 start) at Lake Weeroona for our traditional new year breakfast by the lake.
Our first formal meeting back at Peppergreen Farm will be the 15th January.
Bulletin Editor Stan for Co-Presidents Ray and Adrian.
Seasons Greeting to all Rotarians and their families, may you have a happy and safe festive season.
How's Your Memory?
Our guest speaker this week was Olivia Tenace, a dementia support specialist with Dementia Australia.
Olivia explained that dementia is the term used to describe the symptoms of a large group of illnesses that cause a progressive decline in a person’s functioning. There are many known types of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease being the most common. Dementia can happen to anybody, though it is more common over the age of 65, and especially over the age of 85.
Over 420,000 have been diagnosed in Australia, and this number is expected to reach 800,000 by 2054. Dementia is an umbrella term used to cover Alzheimer’s, Lewy body dementia, Fronto Temporal (most common pre-65); all thought to be caused by a build up of harmful proteins in the brain. Vascular dementia is caused by stroke.
Olivia stressed that dementia is not a normal part of aging, and can severely affect thinking, speaking, memory, cause hallucinations, and have considerable effect on cognitive abilities. She advised us that there is a Dementia Australia office in Bendigo who can provide support to people who need treatment, where they can
receive counselling, personalised sessions by phone or online, practical information and advice including help to connect with My Aged Care or NDIS. Support for family members through education sessions, coping mechanisms, peer group help, and an extensive library are also available.
Olivia stated that 40% of the causes of dementia are changeable, and
that lifestyle choices matter. Also, a warning that a diagnosis of dementia
must be reported to VicRoads, where a driving test must be completed
successfully in order to keep your license. The punchline being that if
you do not report your dementia to VicRoads, your Insurance Company
no longer covers you in any accident.
An interesting and very informative address from Olivia, I’m sure we all
learned a lot. We thank her for giving us her time and imparting her
knowledge.
The following letter of thanks has been received from Say Htoo who we sponsored to attend this year’s RYLA program. We hope to have Say Htoo come to one of our meetings early in the new year so that we can all meet her and hear about her RYLA experience directly.
Stu Annan - Youth Director
Fenton Street Eaglehawk
Friday 13th December 2024
To: Bendigo Sandhurst Rotary
Dear Members,
Firstly, I would like to say thank you for your kindness and support in letting me participate in the Rotary Camp at Camp Get Away at Axedale. I really enjoyed meeting and working together with different people in a different place. It was interesting to hear and learn about their views. To work with them, it was the biggest challenge in my life here in Australia and the best experience I have gone through.
During one week at RYLA, everyone was very kind and helped me a lot. Everyone included me in every activity even though I was a stranger and learning my second language. It might be really hard to understand my second language but they always encouraged me.
RYLA was amazing and the best program I have participated in. Every activity and every section I participated in taught me a lot about how to be brave and how to work with many people in different and difficult situations. I discovered what my value and my vision was for my life.
I would like to say thank you Bendigo Sandhurst Members for supporting me and giving me this opportunity to challenge myself. I will always remember everything you have done,
This week, being the last week of the school year, was chosen by the children at Lightning Reef Primary School to say a huge thankyou to Coles for their weekly delivery of fruit. They created a remarkable painting accompanied by a card with lots of their names. The painting was framed and had a little plaque attached with words of thanks to the Coles team. The kids themselves weren’t unable to go up to Coles personally, so Rob and Stew made the presentation on their behalf to Brendon and Kaiden who work in the fruit and veg section.
Well done to the kids at Lightning Reef.
Stu Annan - Youth Director
Below - Rotarians Stu & Rob with Brendon and Kaiden from Cole fruit & veg section.
Guess Who, Ho Ho Ho???
Our very own Jolly Big Man in The Red Suit has been seen out and about in the community supporting Santa at this busy time of the year. Merry Christmas to Santa's No 1 helper.
SAVE THE DATE
The Annual Social Lawn Bowls evening with RC of Bendigo South is on again in 2025. The date is 25th Feb 2025. Please save the date, more information will follow closer to the date.
Camp Getaway Working - Cleaning Bee
The weekend of the 1 & 2 Feb 2025 is the date set for the Camp Getaway maintenance working bee. Coordinator Ken Maxfield will be contacting Clubs for numbers around mid-January. Please if you able to give some time over the two days put it in your calendar now.
This is an important District asset which needs to be regularly maintained.
