4 October (Sat) District 9800 International Service Workshop Oct 4th 9.30am at Djerring Flemington Hub (Free)
14 October Ride 2 Work BBQ RSVP to Kevin for the roster
22 October - Kebede Wolde-Giorgis will speak on the partnership between Rotary, the BBBC and International Needs Australia (INA) in Ethiopia. (See Bendigo South RC club invitation below)
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)
27 - 31 May 2027 - Rotary Barham Weekend, Barham Caravan Park. See Kevin Reade for more details.
Welcome to Issue 13 (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 13
7-Oct
14-Oct
21-Oct
28-Oct
Speaker
Hollie Ritchens -Anglicare
BlueLight Sailing Challenge Participants
Ride to Work Day
Valerie Truant
President Palliative Care Auxiliary
(More details next week)
Meeting Location
Peppergreen Farm
Old townhall precinct
Peppergreen Farm
Peppergreen Farm
Chair
Linda Barrow
Rob Rosaia
Computer
Cathie Miller
Allie Lyall
Set-Up 6.45am & pack up
Kathryn Mackenzie
Kevin Reade
Welcome, raffle & roaming microphone
John Harkin
Stan Hendy
PRESIDENT REPORT for 9 September 2026
President’s Report
An excellent roll-up to JL King on Wednesday for our Industry visit. Clearly a first-class food processing facility, extremely well run, and a great asset to Bendigo’s business community. Thanks to Jim for organising the tour and for his excellent choice of the Eastside café for the following breakfast.
Environment Director Phil Britton was very pleased with the support he and his committee received last Sunday for the working bee to tidy-up around the large stretch of endemic native shrubs we planted as part of National Tree Days in 2025 and 2026. Eleven enthusiastic pairs of hands made the work easy and achieved a great result. Big thanks to Phil and all helpers.
A bit further from home, two young adventurers (Logan and Caleb) from BlueLight, spent Saturday, Sunday, Monday on the tall ship Enterprize sailing around Port Phillip bay. Despite some early sea-sickness, they had a great experience. Not one regret about missing the GF (who cared anyway). Hopefully they will be able to join our meeting this coming Wednesday to tell us all about their heroic deeds on the high seas.
Foundation Dinner. During October, Rotary’s major focus across the world is ongoing effort to eradicate polio. Here in Bendigo, the major event will be the Foundation Dinner, hosted by the Rotary Club of Bendigo on 27th October. (see the flyer below). If you are free that night, please consider going along to enjoy the night and assist the polio eradication effort.
Our meeting next Wednesday is shaping up to be a bit special. Potentially a surprise event awaits. Don’t miss it.
Members enjoyed a very comprehensive tour and commentary of JL King provided by Steve, the firm's Quality Manager. JL King is a family owned business which has been serving Bendigo and beyond since 1913. The Company has established an excellent reputation through its deep knowledge of the Australian food market and a rigorous commitment to standards. It currently supplies 60 tons of fresh produce to businesses and community facilities. This amount will increase to 120 tons as Christmas draws closer. Fresh produce is sourced from the Victoria Market and growers and then sliced and diced or cooked. The Simply Tasty lines include salads and pastas and are sold across Australia including the IGA supermarkets in Bendigo.
With 140 employees JL King is a major employment provider. The enterprise requires a wide range of skills including Food Science, Chefs, Drivers, Sales and various roles in Warehouse Management. Production is a twenty-four hour, seven days a week operation with skeleton staff working during evening and night shifts. Members were impressed with the cleanliness of the facility and its smooth running. As Gerard House commented "the only rats in here are Rotarians." The company has a civic and environmental commitment. Regular donations are made to Foodshare and a local farmer is able to source the organic waste free of charge.
The Company has embraced the latest technology and food science research. This enables the issuing of a guaranteed food lifespan of at least 14 and up to 25 days. The factory has two areas, one for food preparation and the other for cooking. The factory design was a joint effort between the owners, senior staff and external consultants and includes the use of rainwater and the recycling of heat from the cooking area. Rigorous safety and health audits are carried out over three days each year. As an illustration of this rigour Steve explained that there is an expectation that packaged food can be traced back to the provider. Audits have been partly shaped by the horse meat scandal of 2013.
Steve outlined the strategic planning embarked on by JL King. This involves an analysis of opposition products and market research about current tastes and priorities. The company is well advanced in the research of products which will be released at the end of 2027. There are also plans to tender for business with Coles. It's safe to say that members admired the enterprise and are grateful for the wonderful opportunities it offers Bendigo. We are very impressed with the willingness of the Company to share its story with community groups. There is evidence of a strong civic responsibility. We especially thank Steve for the very informative tour of the premises.
Jim Rolfe
Arrived at the impressive JL King premises and waiting for our tour guide Steve.
Very inspiring to hear how this Bendigo business has developed and grown over the years.
Many security cameras in situ to constantly monitor
All rugged up to inspect the different cool/cold spaces and watch the processes needed to produce and deliver food safely
Environmental update on Comet Hill Reserve working bee
A successful working bee to tidy up Comet Hill Reserve adjacent to Lightning Reef Primary School
Georgia making sure that no weeds will compete
Job done. A great morning. What a difference we made in a relatively short time. Thank you all.
Thank you Glenda
Madeleine and Adrian met with Glenda Bryson to thank her for her generous administrative support of our club so that Madeleine and Evelyn are now able to manage a good system, together with the finance committee and our internal auditor. Thank you Glenda.
Reflecting on 20 Years of Friendship: Bendigo & Maubisse
For many years, Bendigo Sandhurst Rotary has been a proud admirer and supporter of the Bendigo Maubisse Friendship Inc., which recently celebrated 20 years of friendship and partnership between the Bendigo and Maubisse communities in Timor-Leste.
Many RCOBS members will remember the early days of fundraising, travelling to Maubisse and rolling up their sleeves to help on building projects. Those experiences created friendships and connections that have continued long after the projects were completed. And still today handknitted goods are sent to communities in Timor- Leste.
Several current RCOBS members recently attended the 20th anniversary celebration at the Bendigo Club, joining around 120 guests to reflect on two decades of shared experiences, community spirit and lasting connections.
It was a particularly special evening to hear Dr Kirsty Sword-Gusmão AO, founder of Alola Australia, and Her Excellency Inês Maria de Almeida, Ambassador of Timor-Leste to Australia, speak so warmly about the friendship between our two countries. The evening also featured Timorese-Australian musician Paulo Almeida and Friends, along with historical displays celebrating the partnership.
Congratulations to Bendigo Maubisse Friendship Inc. on 20 wonderful years. Bendigo Sandhurst Rotary is delighted to have played a small part in this enduring story of friendship, cooperation and community connection.
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/
Bendigo South RC welcomes Rotarians to attend this presentation (see upcoming activities)
Foundation Dinner on 27 October at the Bendigo Club
