RCC Bulletin March 10th 2021 (Mar 12, 2021)

President Murray's Musings-10 Mar 2021

What an amazing Wednesday that was! After roaring around Tasmania on my motorbike for 5 days, I sailed back on the ferry Tuesday night, rode home at 6:30am for a quick shower and shave, then went straight into preparing for the Club Meeting. That done, it was off to Balwyn Park for a photo op with the other Eastside Cluster Presidents and Councillor Di Gillies featuring our Centenary of Rotary park bench and plaque (an R100 project). Then a Cluster Monthly meeting and straight to Conochie Hall - phew!

There was a real buzz in the room: David T, Bernie and Tania were attending their first meeting as full members; we had Yvonne Wills and Rob O'Reilly attending again; member's partners Margret Baker, Bev Allen and Mandy Campbell; and our Guest Speaker Steve Roach supported by Myeloma Australia's Brian Rosengarten and Peter O'Brien (President and Treasurer respectively). Steve was obviously a popular drawcard as we had a near full attendance. Thanks to Peter Allen for setting up some pretty impressive AV.

Guest Speaker Steve Roach (CEO of Myeloma Australia) gave a captivating talk encompassing his own personal history (playing on Leigh Matthews was never going to advance his footy career!), the formation of what was to become Myeloma Australia by past Camberwell Rotarian Bob Moran and co-founder Brian Rosengarten, Steve's involvement since 2004 and his achievements so far, and more recently the development of the Rotary Outreach Myeloma Project (ROMP). Steve spoke eloquently and from the heart, and stressed the similarity in approach of the two organisations: focussing on getting things done in a practical, hands-on fashion, and helping people "on the ground". Truly an amazing collaboration between Camberwell Rotary and Myeloma Australia, and all credit to the committee chaired by Don Jago, supported by Peter Allen (who is on the MA Board), Adrian Campbell, Teresa Molella, Alan Lorenzini and Peter O'Brien.

It was then my pleasure to recognise Steve Roach as a Paul Harris Fellow, and present him with his certificate, medallion and lapel pin. Previously hidden from view, his wife Claire and children Sean, Courtney and Michaela joined in congratulating him and celebrating this important recognition, and Steve was suitably humbled. It was then my turn to surprise Peter Allen with his 4th Sapphire Paul Harris Fellow lapel pin, in recognition of all he has done and continues to do for The Rotary Foundation, our Club, Myeloma Australia and ROMP. Congratulations to both Steve and Peter, very well deserved.

By the time you read this, the International Women's Day Breakfast has been held, and what a success it was. Over 80 guests enjoyed a beautiful breakfast at the Amora Hotel, and guided by our MC Di Gillies enjoyed a fascinating series of top-line speakers who addressed issues including diversity and equality, the problems and positives coming from the pandemic, the opportunities for women, and the need for continual support, mentoring and team building during the lockdowns. A truly stimulating and uplifting series of presentations. Congratulations to the organising committee, especially our Fabienne and Kerry Anne. If you missed it, don't miss next year's!

On the technical side: if you have downloaded the ClubRunner app, you will already have an updated Directory in your hand, with our new members phone, email and address details - nifty eh? And it would appear the problems with paying for the weekly meetings on-line has been solved: but remember, if you are registering and paying for a guest as well, you must register yourself and SAVE; you then register your guest and SAVE; then you pay by clicking the PAY ONLINE button (check the $ amount).

That's it from me, have a great week in Rotary.

International Women's day at the Amora Hotel, Richmond

After last year's massive event at Crown, the post Covid 2021 Rotary International Women's Day event was in a smaller but intimate setting at the Amora Hotel, Richmond. Titled "Bold New World", the IWD event featuring some fascinating speakers and stories of inspiration. Well done to Kerry Kornhauser and her amazing team, including our Kerry Anne, Murray and Fabienne. Enjoy the photos below!

ROMP Centenary project updates and PH Fellow award Steve Roach

It was wonderful for Steve Roach, our guest speaker and CEO of Myeloma Australia, to be recognized with a Paul Harris Fellow (see images above & below). Along with his head office team and band of committed oncology nurses, the team are an amazing support to the 18,000 people around Australia that have been diagnosed with Myeloma, which is an incurable blood cancer. It was even more special to see our own Peter Allen being awarded another Sapphire PH award for his ongoing chair of the RCC ROMP Committee working with Myeloma Australia (see story below for more details).

ROMP at the RCC Meeting this week 10^th March, 2021

What a great opportunity it was for the ROMP Committee to meet this week at our normal Weds dinner night!!

Although we have been meeting via zoom every week for the last 12 months during the pandemic, we had never met everyone in the same room in person!!! What with Peter O'Brien from Myeloma Aust also in the team, it was a reunion of sorts, and an opportunity to share our stories and achievements over the last year with this Rotary Club of Camberwell centenary-endorsed project.

It was wonderful for Steve Roach our guest speaker and CEO of Myeloma Aust to be recognised with a Paul Harris Fellow (see images above & below). Along with his head office team and band of committed oncology nurses, the team are an amazing support to the 18,000 people around Australia that have been diagnosed with Myeloma - an incurable blood cancer.

One of the challenges for Multiple Myeloma is that it is a relatively uncommon cancer, and therefore has a low community awareness.

The ROMP Committee at Camberwell is continuing our strong and long standing association with Myeloma Aust to help build that awareness and community engagement, via involving regional Rotary Clubs to join the movement in supporting Myeloma patients with this outreach project.

Over the last year, we have been very active & have spoken to hundreds of Rotarians across regional Victoria. This was done via our committee doing guest speaking gigs at their Rotary Club weekly meetings, and also at their District Leadership forums right around the State - this has driven greater awareness and has enhanced more support to help Myeloma patients and their families in their local communities.

Myeloma Support groups for patients and families (provided both via video conferencing, and in person) are now in place across the 9 State jurisdictions of regional Victoria. These support groups are run by the Myeloma nurses - whilst that is a wonderful outcome, our work is far from finished, in many respects it has really just started.

We believe there is potential to take this Rotary initiative nationwide, because arguably there is more need in the larger States like NSW and QLD where bigger distances are a factor for communities affected by Myeloma

We intend to organize face to face visits to participating Victorian regional Rotary Clubs next over coming months in order to reinforce & celebrate their ROMP project involvement, and also to enjoy Rotary fellowship with our country colleagues.

Watch this space coming up soon in May this year - the National Myeloma Month - where we are working with Myeloma Australia to launch a community awareness marketing theme Australia wide. The National Myeloma Month will also include a special Rotary component which is exciting - and will be another opportunity to build community engagement.

Well done team!!!

Morning tea with the DG this Saturday 13th

Camberwell Sunday Market roster

Hello Team Camberwell,

Please help us with supporting this important source of RCC club income! We need 2 - 4 people per week, working either the full 6.5 hour or half shift each week. Get your availabilities in to Jo-Anne Tamlyn. Volunteers still needed for Easter.

Pollinators' month - update from ESRAG

Rotary Overseas Recycled Playgrounds

RORP - a funny acronym, but one which represents a new exciting service project for Camberwell Rotary.

RORP stands for Rotary Overseas Recycled Playgrounds, and the theory is this: councils, schools and other institutions replace playgrounds on a regular basis, and the old ones are sent to landfill - a terrible waste and bad for the environment. While many of the playgrounds are old and towards the end of their life, they would be welcomed by underprivileged overseas communities. The RORP project involves one or more Rotary Clubs working together with the council or school, mapping, photographing and numbering all the components before they are disassembled. The disassembled components are then transferred to the Donations in Kind warehouse to be containerised and shipped overseas.

A win for the institution (they don't have to pay for landfill/tip fees), a win for the recipient community, and a big win for the environment.

It's a Community Service project and John Walmsley is our primary contact. Volunteers from the club will always be needed when a playground is to be harvested, so when you get the call, please say yes!