I attended the District Presidents meeting at Beaconsfield Club on the 23rd of February 2026. The meeting went for 3 hours and included a fairly full agenda. One agenda item of particular interest was the proposed Cinema Advertising which will be starting in the near future. The other item of interest was the Men’s Health initiative.
The Round Garden program effort is moving forward with inground drainage nearly completed.
A thankyou to the efforts of our ‘Friend of Rotary’ David Wilkinson for his assistance with the Round Garden program.
Golf day raffle ticket sales are going well. Please make sure you help by putting your name on the
roster. Also please continue making contact with potential sponsors and collect donated items as
soon as possible.
My final report for the week is that our club has donated to the Bushfire Relief Victoria following a request from district for assistance with the recent bushfires in Victoria.
Alan Bishop
President
REMINDERS FROM THE SECRETARY:
Supplies from Rotary Down Under
I will place an order for polos on Monday 2 March.
Please advise Roger whether you are interested in long sleeved polos at $45.00 or the United style most of us favour at $39.00.
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY:
International Women's Day is celebrated on 8th March, commemorating women's fight for equality and liberation along with the women's rights movement.
IWD gives focus to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women.
NEXT WEEK'S PROGRAM - Sixty Seconds of Fame:
Remember the 3 Minuters that members presented about themselves.
Well, next week is a variation on the theme, but your input will be very brief, touching on these topics -
My earliest memory
Where I grew up and attended school
Reflections of school - What I despised or What I loved
My greatest success (academic, cultural, sporting feat etc
My favourite movie, book, song
Please give a little thought to this program and join the fun.
International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day 2026 will be observed on Sunday, March 8, under the theme
“Rights, Justice, Action for ALL Women and Girls”. IWD celebrations and events
across the world continue to recognise women’s achievements while calling for stronger
action on gender equality. IWD brings together governments, organisations, and
communities to highlight progress and address ongoing challenges faced by women and
girls. IWD 2026 calls for action to dismantle the structural barriers that prevent access to
equal justice.
These include discriminatory laws, weak
legal protections and harmful practices and social norms that erode the rights of
women and girls.
In Australia, IWD celebrations will be held
under the banner “Balance the Scales”, highlighting the urgent need to ensure fair, inclusive and accessible justice for every woman and girl. Despite decades of progress, barriers to justice remain deeply entrenched. One in three women worldwide will experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime – yet most will never seek formal help or justice.
Alongside the UN theme, global campaigns are also promoting “Give to Gain” which encourages investment in women through funding, mentorship, education and leadership opportunities. The message highlights that empowering women leads to wider
economic and social benefits.
Give To Gain emphasizes the power of reciprocity and support. When people, organizations, and communities give generously, opportunities and support for women increase. Giving is not a subtraction, it's intentional multiplication. When women thrive, we all rise. Whether through donations, knowledge, resources, infrastructure, visibility, advocacy, education, training, mentoring, or time, contributing to women's advancement helps create a more supportive and
interconnected world.
As individuals, giving support means calling out stereotypes, challenging discrimination,
questioning bias, celebrating women's success, and more. Sharing our knowledge and
encouragement with others is also key. We can all give our support to gain advancement for
women and girls.
Help celebrate IWD to ensure that we can all do better to ensure all women and girls can live
safe and productive lives free from violence and injustice. More information can be found at
the following websites:
https://unwomen.org.au/un-women-australia-announces-2026-international-womens-day-
theme-balance-the-scales/
https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/announcement/2026/01/international-womens-
day-2026-rights-justice-action-for-all-women-and-girls
https://www.internationalwomensday.com/2026Theme
Diane Wilkinson
International / Foundation Chair
RJCA update.
On Thursday 26 Feb both Roger and Robin attended Albert St and South Street
Primary schools respectively. Roger presented to 8 students who are already
committed to the program. Lots of great plans in the pipeline. Robin presented to
Grade 6 group of 30+ students. Seeing the images of last year’s graduation
ceremony was a big hit.
Many students were interested, but need to assess their own level of commitment
before signing on. Staff at both schools are very supportive. Roger is presenting to
Willow Grove Primary School on Monday March 2nd .
