Welcome to this week's edition of the Gateway Bulletin!
We're here to keep you informed with the latest updates, events, and stories from our Rotary community. Whether it's new initiatives, upcoming meetings, or ways to get involved, we'll keep you informed and up-to-date.
Don’t forget — our Facebook page is a great way to follow what’s happening in real time. If you haven’t connected with us yet, click here to follow us.
PRESIDENT'S UPDATE
👋 President’s Update
What a record turnout we had at this year’s Holden Show! The weather couldn’t have been better—clear skies, sunshine, and an outstanding field of over 120 cars judged, with 87 trophies awarded. 🏆
The event was extremely well organised and ran seamlessly from start to finish. A sincere thank you to our dedicated club members—John, Peter, Hans, Ashton, Babar, Richard, and Honorary Member Martin—for their hard work and commitment.
A big thank you to Rotary Belgrave (Gus, Rebecca, Hedy) and Rotary Casey (Barry, Gail) for their fantastic support. With volunteer numbers a little tight, our Friends of Rotary—Selina, Jackson, Catherine, David, Isobel, Joshua, Jayden, Jordan, Ritesh, Katikoya, Rayyan, Eric, Matt, Paul, Judy, Mark, Linda, James, Stephen, John, Krystal, Henry, and Rob—stepped in and made a real difference.
The day ran like clockwork, with entrants arriving from 6:15 am and the event wrapping up smoothly at 2:00 pm. We’ve received a significant amount of positive feedback across social media, which is a great reflection of the effort put in by everyone involved.
Entertainment was a highlight, with the AC2ZZ band delivering a mix of Top 40 hits and classic rock favourites that kept the crowd engaged. We also welcomed some special guests—Elmo, Peppa Pig, George Pig, and a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, Raphael—who brought plenty of smiles and photo opportunities. Sparkles, the face painter, created wonderful designs that delighted the children.
At Tuesday night's meeting, Peter provided an update on the conference, noting it was well organised by Monique. The band WingIt had everyone on the dance floor, making it a night to remember, while the dress-ups added an extra layer of fun and entertainment—ensuring everyone had a great evening.
We concluded the meeting with the presentation of a Paul Harris Fellow (PHF) – 6 Star Ruby recognition to PDG Colin Byron. Congratulations on achieving this remarkable milestone.
The vocational visit to Disaster Aid Australia this Monday (30 March) is now at capacity. We look forward to hearing how it goes, with an update from Leanne to be shared in next week’s newsletter.
Car Show Prize Winners
🏆 BEST AT SHOW 🏆
🏆 RUNNERS-UP 🏆
Club Meeting
Club Updates & Initiatives
🎤✨ Rotary’s Got Talent – Save the Date! Mark your calendars for Saturday, 2 May 2026, as Jonathan Usher takes to the stage live at the Lyndale Secondary College Theatre for a fantastic night of entertainment.
This exciting event will showcase incredible performances, plenty of laughs, and a vibrant community atmosphere—all while raising funds for the Monash Children’s Hospital Cancer Centre Apheresis Therapy Program, supporting critical treatment for young patients.
📄 See the flyer and manual registration form in this newsletter for full details.
🤹♂️ Don’t miss what promises to be a brilliant evening of talent, fun, and fundraising for an important cause.
Refer to the rear section of this bulletin for the manual application forms📄 that can be printed, or scan the QR code 📱 to complete your application online.
🧩 Rotary Challenge
Last Week’s Question
Which country issued the world’s first Rotary postage stamp, and in what year was it released?
👉 Answer: Cuba in 1930, to commemorate the Rotary International Convention held in Havana.
This Week’s Rotary Puzzle
Which Rotary program focuses on promoting peace through international study, professional development, and global collaboration?
(Answer revealed next week!)
📅 Upcoming Events
🌍 Sunday, 29 March 2026 – Multicultural Inclusion Day (10:00 am)
🏭 Monday, 30 March 2026 – Vocational Visit to Disaster Aid Australia (Now at capacity)
🚫 Tuesday, 31 March 2026 – No meeting (due to DAA vocational visit)
🔗 Tuesday, 7 April 2026 – Joint meeting with Rowville-Lysterfield
❤️ Thursday, 23 April 2026 – Polio Fundraiser Night (Rotary Club of Springvale City)
🍽️ Thursday, 30 April 2026 – Cornerstone Meal Service
🤹♂️ Saturday, 2 May 2026 – Rotary’s Got Talent (Lyndale Secondary College Theatre)
🌍 Tuesday, 5 May 2026 – Selba & Afri-Aus Care
💃 Saturday, 16 May 2026 – Dinner Dance (Theme TBC)
📅 Upcoming Meeting
This week’s Tuesday night meeting has been replaced by the Monday, 30 March, vocational visit to Disaster Aid Australia, which is now fully booked. Please get in touch with Leanne for any enquiries.
Where Club meetings are listed as TBC, please refer to the Events Calendar on our club website for the latest updates.
ATTENDANCE
We’d love to see you at our meetings! Please use ClubRunner to let us know if you’ll be attending, and feel free to include any guests — especially for special events or partners’ nights.
To help us plan with the Dandenong Club, please update your attendance by 5 pmon Monday. This ensures we can confirm numbers and make the most of our time together.
You are warmly invited to attend the Opening Ceremony of the Multicultural Inclusion Day, at Mulgrave Community Centre taking place on Sunday, 29 March at 10:00 AM.
The Opening Ceremony will be attended by our special guests, including Ms. Eden Foster, State MP for Mulgrave, Cr. Stuart James , Mayor, City of Monash and D9815 Governor, Rtn. Peter Behm, who will officially open the event.
Please feel free to share this invitation with members of your club who may wish to attend.
Following the ceremony, the celebration will continue with vibrant community cultural performances representing the diversity of our community (PFA flyer attachments). The event will also feature a Makers Market supporting local small businesses.
This day is a wonderful opportunity to come together, celebrate multiculturalism, strengthen community connections, and support local talent and businesses. Your presence would greatly contribute to the spirit and success of the Rotary event.
Event Details:
Date: Sunday 29th March 2026 Multicultural Inclusion Day - Opening Ceremony: 10:00AM (please arrive by 9:45 AM)
Venue: Mulgrave Community Centre, 355 Wellington Road, Mulgrave VIC 3170
We sincerely hope you can join us for this special community celebration.
📘 Stay Connected! 👉 Follow Rotary District 9815 on Facebook for updates on community projects, events, and ways to get involved.
Click Like & Follow now!
Rotary clubs provide clean water in more ways than one
On World Water Day, 22 March, we reflect on the many ways Rotary members are helping to provide clean water, sanitation, and improved hygiene year-round. In this roundup, we look at one of the first global grants awarded by Rotaract members in Ghana, which installed 80 microflush toilets, drilled two boreholes, and built 10 urinals for eight schools in the Ashanti region. Other projects include rainwater collection and purification for Indigenous communities in Mexico, sand dams for farmers in Kenya, and a water purification plant for a hospital in the Dominican Republic. Learn more about these projects.
Attendance and Participation: Regularly attend club meetings and participate actively in club activities and projects.
Service Projects: Engage in community service projects, both locally and internationally, aimed at addressing humanitarian needs, promoting goodwill, and fostering peace.
Fundraising: Contribute to fundraising efforts that support Rotary's service projects and charitable activities.
Vocational Expertise: Share their professional skills and expertise to benefit others within the club and in service projects.
Ethical Standards: Adhere to high ethical standards in their personal and professional lives, reflecting Rotary's commitment to integrity and ethical behavior.
Networking and Fellowship: Build relationships and network with other Rotarians and community leaders, fostering goodwill and understanding.
Membership Growth: Support efforts to grow Rotary's membership and extend invitations to prospective members who embody Rotary's ideals.
Rotary Foundation: Contribute financially to the Rotary Foundation, which funds international scholarships, humanitarian projects, and other charitable efforts.
Public Image: Promote Rotary's mission and achievements within the community and advocate for Rotary's values and initiatives.
Leadership: Serve in leadership roles within the club or district, providing guidance and direction to advance Rotary's goals.
Overall, Rotarians are dedicated to making a positive impact in their communities and the world at large through service, fellowship, and ethical leadership.
All members are invited to contribute to our newsletter.
If you have an interesting article or some great pictures, please share them with us by Thursday so we can include them in Friday's edition.
Send all articles and notifications to our Editor, David Langworthy, at david@bevmarks.com.au.
