27th October 2026 - Foundation Dinner at the Bendigo Club. (See flyer below for details)
27 Oct - 1 Nov 2026 Rotary South Pacific Conference
14 & 15 Nov Swap Meet RSVP to Kevin for the roster
19 November - Echuca Shop Local Night (see information below)
20 November - FoodShare golf day
6 December - Bendigo Sandhurst RC Christmas Lunch at 12.30pm
16-18 April 2027 - Multi-District Conference in Warrnambool
27 - 31 May 2027 - Rotary Barham Weekend, Barham Caravan Park. See Kevin Reade for more details.
Welcome to Issue 16 (2026-27) of our weekly bulletin. Find out about our upcoming events, our guest speakers, what we covered during the last meeting and more!
Can't make our meeting in person please join us via Zoom:
Opportunities to volunteer -for non-Rotarian friends and volunteers:
* Upcoming BBQs - Contact Kevin - 0428 996 619
Week 4
28-Oct
4-Nov
11-Nov
18-Nov
Speaker
No meeting – Bendigo Cup Day
Graeme Hope
DG visit
Rebecca Hermans
Coliban Community Engagement Team
TBC
Meeting Location
Peppergreen Farm
Peppergreen Farm
Peppergreen Farm
Chair
Stan Hendy
Chris Purton
Linda Barrow
Computer
Cathie Miller
Doug Lougoon
Allie Lyall
Set-Up 6.45am & pack up
Rob Rosaia
Adrian Schoo
Brian Hodge
Welcome, raffle & roaming microphone
Georgia Wiegard
Georgia Wiegard
Georgia Wiegard
PRESIDENT REPORT for 21 October 2026
President’s Report
At our meeting last Wednesday we were privileged to have Valerie Truant speak to us. Valerie is President of the Bendigo Palliative Care Auxiliary. Nothing happens per chance, and high-quality palliative care is no exception. The work done by this small group of volunteers goes largely unheralded but its positive impact on palliative care patients and their families is enormous. We extend a huge thanks to Valerie for her presentation and for the work undertaken by the Auxiliary.
Youth Director, Phil Britton mentioned at our meeting last week that 16 local Bendigo students had been accepted into the National Youth Science Forum (NYSF) program this year. Our Club, along with the other local Bendigo Rotary Clubs, each contributed $1,500 to help with costs which are quite considerable for the families of these students. On Wed evening, Phil and Youth Directors from the other Bendigo Rotary clubs put on an information session for the 16 students and their respective parents, at the Science and Technology Centre. It was quite a large gathering of highly motivated students and their parents, who now have a much better understanding of what awaits them through the NYSF program, and equally a much better understanding of how Rotary works with, and supports, youth within the community.
The Rotary Club of Bendigo South hosted 4 of our members at their club meeting on Thursday evening. Myself, Kevin D, Ted and Liz were there to hear from Kebede Woldegiorges. Kebede is with the Bole Bible Baptist Church (BBBC). He spoke about the work that BBBC is doing in Ethiopia under the WASH program which is providing access to water and sanitation to schools, health centres and families in some of the poorest parts of the country. Rotary Club of Bendigo South contributes to the program through the Rotary Club of Box Hill. Over the last 3 years, RC of Box Hill has put $130k toward the program, complemented by DFAT which contributed $170k via the International Needs Australia organisation. Kebede’s presentation was inspirational. A huge amount is being achieved, but the need is enormous – only 13% of Ethiopian people have reliable access to clean water, and only 9% have access effective, safe sanitation.
It was a great pleasure for me to go with Ray and Toni on Friday, to deliver an old but reliable Camry boot load of knitting wool and doll/toy stuffing to Janet Thomson. Janet has for a long time, created knitted dolls and other toys as part of the knitting project. Honorary member Patti Cotton has been instrumental to our association with Janet. Whist there, I presented a Certificate of Appreciation to Janet on behalf of the Club. Well done and thank you Janet. Also thanks to Colleen for designing and providing the Certificate.
A reminder about upcoming events:
The Foundation Dinner is this coming Tuesday. I’m sure bookings can still be made via Wayne Smith ( Rotary Club of Bendigo).
No meeting next week – Bendigo Cup holiday. Special guest at our meeting the following week will be District Governor, Graeme Hope.
Swap meet is coming up 14/15 Nov. This is a big fundraiser for the Club. Please support Kevin and the team if you will be here and are able to help that weekend.
Senior’s Tip of the Week: If you want a bit of extra cooling in the car on these hot days, just leave the sky-window open when you go through the auto car wash. It works a treat.
Valerie Truant, President of the Palliative Care Auxiliary
Valerie explained that Hospital Palliative care began in the Bendigo Hospital only 37 years ago with 4 people in home care. The Palliative Care Auxiliary began in 1990 to provide care, and raise funds to augment the facilities. They began with 15 people, now 14, who raise money through all manner of public and private avenues to assist the patients in the 10 bed Hospice within the Bendigo Hospital. The hospice provides end of life care, emotional and physical support, and offers family respite capabilities.
Their fundraising efforts are quite amazing, especially as they receive no Government assistance. Stalls at the hospital selling baked goods, clothing and books, raffles, movie night fundraisers, a golf day, and the biggest Doll and Teddy show in Victoria which draws exhibitors and visitors from all over Australia. Valerie thanked RCOBS for our support, and also mentioned that Beck Legal are donating $250 from every new or updated will in a drive to raise $50K towards the constant needs of the Hospice.
The Auxiliary’s recent efforts have provided air tanks, special bedding, 2 cuddle beds, a blanket warmer cabinet, 10 electric chairs, as well as site beautification with gardening supplies, pictures for the walls and bed lamps to give the surrounds a home feel.
Valerie’s address provided many of us with a greater understanding of the work that good people do in the background, and we thank her very much for her time and efforts.
Valerie on the right, Madeleine and Toni on the left of her.
Rotary Youth Corner
This week Lynne Cooper and I (Adrian) met the multicultural cohort of TAFE students to inform them about the RYLA program together with Georgia Smith (past RYLA leader) and students Michael and Paul (past participants) who mentioned what the program meant to them. A big thank you to teachers Emily Anderson and Mawson Skidmore, and Than Aye (CoGB's EAL Further Studies Student and Intercultural Ambassador).
Also, this week some of the Youth Directors of our local Rotary Club ran the NYSF program at the Discovery Centre together with staff members Jess, Matt and Alissa.
(Thank you Lynne for some of the photos)
From left to right: Emily, Than, Michael, Paul, Lynne, Georgia and Adrian
Stew, Phil, Michael, Helen and Lynne with Discovery Centre staff on the right
The joint knitting program
Another baling effort together with Bendigo South to get the knitted goods to DIK for transport to Timor Leste (photos courtesy of Bendigo South RC)
A great effort in Derby with font farm memories of Liz. Thank you All
2026 Rotary South Pacific Conference
27 October-1 November 2026 to be held at Melbourne Convention Centre. Key themes of the Conference are:
Join others this October as we get active and raise funds for Rotary’s number one global project.
Everyone in the community can take part and help make history by supporting the effort to eradicate polio worldwide. Register yourself to walk solo or form a team with your family, friends and club members and seek sponsorship for every step taken. https://www.rotarywalkwithus.org/
Foundation Dinner on 27 October at the Bendigo Club
