Anita Bejerano - Medal of the Order of Australia (AOM)

Rotary Camberwell is proud to announce its member Anita Bejerano received a Medal of Order of Australia in January 2025. Anita has been a member since 1994 and currently serves on the Fellowship Committee. Our warmest congratulations Anita. Below are the official details:
 
Anita Bejerano - Medal of the Order of Australia (AOM) Fabienne Nichola 2025-01-27 13:00:00Z 0

St Vinnies Christmas Toy Donation

 
Big Ted was successfully transported and joined his many friends at St Vincent de Paul. Rotary Camberwell members donated the toys shown above for children who would otherwise not have received gifts at Christmas time. Thank you for your generosity. Below is a thank you note from Joe Hastie of St Vincent de Paul.
"Many thanks to the good people of Camberwell Rotary. St Vincent de Paul can give great joy to many children in need who can only dream of receiving Christmas toys like these.
God Love you all. Thanks."
Joe Hastie
 
The President of Rotary Camberwell, George de Souza wishes to thank all the members of the club for their time and effort in making 2024 another successful year supporting our community. Wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas and best wishes for the year ahead.
St Vinnies Christmas Toy Donation Fabienne Nichola 2024-12-20 13:00:00Z 0

Rotary Consortium Timor WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) Project - November 2024 update
 

The Timor Rotary Consortium (TRC) is a multi-club project for remote schools and communities in Timor Leste. A total of three Volunteers from RI District 9800 visited Baguia Sub-district, Viqueque and Soibada Districts in Timor Leste from 2 to 9 November, 2024, as part of the current Global Grant.   
The focus of the Team was to:
  • ‘Hands on work’ to build a 3 cubicle Toilet Block for a Primary school in Loiholihoo.
  • Inspect Toilet blocks and Water Tanks that have been provided to the schools and communities in the Baguia region.
  • Meeting with Timor Varde, a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP sponsored NGO) with whom we signed a MoU in 2023.
Financial management and acquittals with Ms Leopoldina our Project Coordinator in Timor Leste.
The following Volunteers travelled from Melbourne:
Dominic Peverett – non-Rotarian
Justine Paragreen – Past Rotarian
Vijay Susarla – RC Caroline Springs (Team Leader)
 
We arrived in Dili on Saturday 2 November 2024 at about 4 pm when a tropical storm set in.  We had a meeting with Judite Martinez and Mario (both Past Presidents of Rotary Dili) in the evening and discussed recent developments regarding Water and Sanitation in Timor Leste and thanked them for their support of the Timor Rotary Consortium since its inception and of our Global Grant over many years. Unfortunately, Dr Vahideh, who is President of Rotary Dili, couldn't join us that evening due to her absence on international travel.
In mid-2023 we had purchased a total of ten 5,500 litre Water Tanks from East Timor Roofing company based in Baucau, and these had been delivered to different schools and communities locally. The Water Tank stands for these were constructed by locals and were ready for use, except for the Tanks delivered to an Orphanage in Baguia and the Batata community in Viqueque District. Whilst in Dili we purchased polypipe and plumbing items from Vinod Patel Hardware on Monday, before setting off to Bacau and Baguia by about 11 am. 
 
We visited a Toilet block built recently by RC Sydney Cove as part of Timor Rotary Consortium at Laveteri Primary School and Samalari Primary School and checked the condition of the Toilet and Water Tanks, before arriving in Baguia about 6.00 pm. 
 
Next day we journeyed for 3 hours in our hired 4-wheel drive vehicle to Loiholihoo Primary School, along with Ms Leopoldina to spend 2 days working ‘hands-on' building a three-cubicle Toilet.
 
This three-cubicle Toilet Block was sponsored by Yvonne Wills (member of RC Camberwell) and an associated Water Tank was donated by the RC Monash Glen Waverley as part of their contribution to the Global Grant.
Rotary Consortium Timor WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) Project - November 2024 update  2024-12-02 13:00:00Z 0

ROMP - the Rotary Outreach Myeloma Program

 
for families living with Myeloma in regional and remote communities
 
Led by Camberwell Rotary, ROMP - the Rotary Outreach Myeloma Program - began in 2021 to celebrate the Centenary of Rotary in Australia. The award-wining annual program supports the work of Myeloma Australia, the only Myeloma specific charity in Australia.
 
Through engagement with many Rotary Clubs and their communities throughout regional Australia, we aim to make a positive difference to the lives of people in their communities who are living with Myeloma.
 
ROMP recognises and celebrates the pivotal role of registered nurses treating myeloma patients in regional cancer treatment centres and annually provides post graduate scholarships in cancer treatment for registered nursing applicants. Through nurse education, Myeloma (and all cancer) treatments are enhanced and life outcomes improved. 
 
“We’re tackling Myeloma one nurse at a time”
 
ROMP is funded by its own discrete trust – “Camberwell Rotary Outreach”. Tax deductible sponsorships and community donations are invited to sustain the ongoing success of the ROMP initiative. 
 
For more information please visit the ROMP website at www.rompteam.net
ROMP - the Rotary Outreach Myeloma Program Murray Anderson 2024-11-29 13:00:00Z 0

The School of St Jude - Tanzania

In October 2024, Rotary Camberwell proudly sponsored a ‘Tertiary School Scholarship’ to Beyond St Jude, which will provide 100% of a student’s expenses for a full year such as the cost of tuition, exams fees, accommodation, learning resources and living expenses.
The picture above is of the 2024 Beyond St Jude’s graduating class. 
 
‘At 22 years old Gemma Sisia travelled to Uganda to volunteer as a teacher, where she taught girls science and sewing. This experience led to a fervent belief that a free, high-quality education should be the right of all children in the world and that education is the strongest weapon in the fight against poverty, corruption and political instability.’ (Extract from https://www.schoolofstjude.org)
 
Following Gemma’s return to her native Australia, her fundraising campaign would start her investment in the education of East Africa’s poorest children. Along with the gift of a small plot of land in Arusha, Tanzania, Gemma began to build The School of St Jude which opened in 2002. The school has grown exponentially and today has nearly 2,000 students and 300 Tanzanian staff across 3 campuses.
 
The School of St Jude - Tanzania Fabienne Nichola 2024-11-26 13:00:00Z 0

Box Hill Institute Centenary
 

On Wednesday 4 September 2024, the Box Hill Institute (BHI) celebrated its Centenary. Due to our long-standing relationship underpinned by providing multiple Bert Stevens Apprentice Awards over decades, Rotary Camberwell Michael Blood and Fabienne Nichola, were amongst over 350 guests which included past students, staff and government representatives. 
Distinguished BHI speakers covered many milestones of the past 100 years following the modest beginning as a Technical School for girls and women in 1924.
The recurring theme was the remarkable impact BHI provided and continues to provide young students a pathway to successful and diverse careers, in an environment where trade-based apprentices and related further studies, was very limited.
Rotary Camberwell is proud to have supported BHI students with multiple Bert Stevens Apprentice Award over many years.
 
Box Hill Institute Centenary  Fabienne Nichola 2024-09-05 14:00:00Z 0

Rotary Camberwell supports 'Off Your Back' Winter Coat Drive

At short notice on 21 August, 2024 Rotary Camberwell members were asked to donate a pre-loved coat to support the work of the ‘Off Your Back’ winter coat drive to distribute to homeless Victorians. After a long spell of chilly weather, it was gratifying to have the generous response of over 45 coats to help keep a homeless person warm. Our thanks to Andy Chappell for coordinating. https://offyourback.com.au/
Rotary Camberwell supports 'Off Your Back' Winter Coat Drive Fabienne Nichola 2024-08-26 14:00:00Z 0

ROMP Goes to Warrnambool

From L to R: Peter Allen (Rotary Camberwell), Bob McMullin (Rotary Club of Warrnambool Central), Chris Rantall (Guest speaker), John Hutson ( Rotary Club of Warrnambool Central & event organiser) and Adrian Campbell (Rotary Camberwell)
 
The City of Warrnambool celebrated the 150th running of the Grand Annual Steeplechase this week, and the pre meet lunch organised by the Warrnambool Central Rotary Club was attended by 130 guests from all over the State. The charity partner of the event was Myeloma Australia, and our Club members Peter Allen and Adrian Campbell joined the lunch - representing the Club's award winning Rotary Outreach Myeloma Program (ROMP). We are pleased to report about $9,000 was raised for the Myeloma Foundation on the day through very generous donations and raffles - special thanks to local Rotary organisers John Hutson and Bob McMillan (who lives with myeloma).
 
The Warrnambool community are remarkable ambassadors & fundraisers for those living with Myeloma - with this lunch event together with the city's recent 38mate Walk in February, they have now raised close to $20,000 for the cause - which is the best result of any town or city in Australia. Well done Warrnambool.
 
The Camberwell Club's multi District ROMP initiative has sown seeds in Rotary Clubs all over the State, to support those living with blood cancers in regional Victoria and to improve health outcomes for those dealing with cancer. A cause worth fighting for in all our regional communities.
ROMP Goes to Warrnambool Murray Anderson 2022-05-03 14:00:00Z 0
Australia Day in the Park 2022 Murray Anderson 2022-01-14 13:00:00Z 0
Fun of the Fair - Yarra Bank Playground Family Fun Day Murray Anderson 2021-10-20 13:00:00Z 0