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 make sure you stay in the loop.
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 MESSAGE
Buckle Up for a Big Rotary Year!
Wow—what a night! A huge thank you to everyone who joined us at Stellas Kitchen for our Changeover Dinner. The energy was fantastic, the company even better, and I was genuinely honoured to be inducted as your President for 2025/2026.
A big shout-out to John Peck for his outstanding leadership last year—he’s handed over the reins but thankfully not disappearing, staying on as Immediate Past President. (We’re keeping him on speed dial.)
This year, we’re going big. October marks our 90th Centenary Celebration, and in April 2026, we’ll fire up the engines again for the 16th Dandenong All Holden Car Show—this time aiming for the perfect autumn weather and a low-20s day!
I’m thrilled to be working alongside an energetic and passionate Board:
John Peck – Immediate Past President
Leanne Byron – President-Elect
Alan Collier – Executive Secretary
Joe Lellamo – Treasurer
Peter Faulkner – Community Service & New Generations Service
Ashton Ashokkuma – International Service
Babar Jamil – International Service
Terry Valentine – Community Service
I’m incredibly proud to lead a club that’s not just about meetings—it’s about mateship, impact, and fun. And, to make sure your club experience is the best it can be, I’ll be sending out a quick anonymous survey. It’s your chance to tell me what’s working and where we can improve. I’ll share the stats and together, we’ll shape the year ahead.
🔍 Click here to have your say
📅 Join us every Tuesday night at 7pm at the Dandenong Club. Great meals, great people, and always a few laughs. Bring a friend—they might just love it.
If you know someone who’s passionate about community, wants to connect, and wouldn’t mind changing the world a little while they’re at it—send them our way!
Saturday, 26th July Bunnings BBQ Fundraiser
📍 Bunnings Dandenong
We need volunteers for our Bunnings BBQ fundraiser - even a couple of hours makes a big difference!
Tuesday, 29th July Club Meeting – Club Planning Night
📍 Dandenong Club
This is your chance to bring ideas, energy, and vision to the table as we plan a year filled with service, fellowship, and impact.
Wednesday, 30th July Cornerstone Trivia Night
It would be great to have representation from Rotary at this event, making up at least one table.
Friday, 5th September Wheelchairs for Kids wheelathon
The club will also be providing a BBQ for this fundraising event; we'd appreciate as many members as possible assisting on the day.
NB: Where Club meetings are listed as TBC, please refer to the Events Calendar on our club website for the latest updates.
Rotary Club Planning Night
Tuesday, 29th July
Join us for our Rotary Club Planning Night, where we’ll come together to shape the direction of our club for the 2025–2026 Rotary year. This is your chance to bring ideas, energy, and vision to the table as we plan a year filled with service, fellowship, and impact.
On the night, we’ll focus on:
Setting our goals and vision for the year ahead
Identifying key projects and priorities
Committee planning and opportunities to get involved
Growing membership, youth engagement, and community impact
Whether you’re leading a portfolio or simply passionate about service, your voice matters. Let’s work together to set a strong and inspiring path for the year ahead.
Please RSVP by Friday, 25 July, for catering and room setup. Click here to RSVP
Let’s build a Rotary year we can all be proud of!
Celebrating New Leadership
We’re happy to share this wonderful feature from Berwick Star News highlighting our Club Changeover Dinner, held on Saturday, 19th July 2025 at Stella’s Kitchen. The evening marked the induction of our 2025–26 Club President, John Ternel, and celebrated the achievements of the past year.
The article captures the spirit of the night and the ongoing commitment of our club to service above self.
Spotlight On: Rotary Club of Casey’s Antique & Collectables Fair
The Rotary Club of Casey recently hosted its 18th annual Pakenham Antique & Collectables Fair at the Cardinia Cultural Centre, drawing in over 40 exhibitors and more than 1,000 curious collectors and visitors.
The event was a vibrant showcase of vintage treasures and antiques, with attendees enjoying everything from rare finds to affordable collectables.
A highlight of the day was the on-site valuation service, where guests could bring in items to be professionally appraised for a small fee.
All proceeds from the event supported the Stroke Foundation, underscoring the club’s strong commitment to both community engagement and meaningful causes.
It was a fantastic display of Rotary service in action—blending heritage, heart, and generosity.
SES BBQ at Bunnings Narre Warren
Strengthening Community Connections
Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the SES community barbecue at Bunnings Narre Warren, where I connected with the passionate and dedicated volunteers of the Narre Warren SES Unit. It was a great afternoon filled with community spirit, sizzling sausages, and meaningful conversations about emergency response in our region.
The State Emergency Service (SES) plays a vital role in our area, responding to emergencies such as storms, floods, road accidents, and more. The Narre Warren unit is made up of highly trained volunteers who are on call 24/7, helping to keep our community safe through storm response, search and rescue, and road crash rescue support.
It was also great to see Rotary Past President Narre Warren Glenn Reincastle drop in to show his support and catch up with fellow community leaders. Rotary and the SES share a strong commitment to service and community resilience, and that spirit was alive and well on the day.
I’m excited to share that SES Narre Warren will soon be presenting to our club, offering insights into their operations and the ways we can support their work. Even more exciting—they’ll be running a live display at our 16th Dandenong All Holden Car Show in April 2026!
Thank you to the SES team for all they do—and for the great snag!
Warm regards, John Ternel
President 2025/2026
Rotary Club of Greater Dandenong and Endeavour Hills
Upcoming Bunnings BBQ
Can You Lend a Hand This Weekend?
Our club BBQs aren’t just great fundraising opportunities — they’re also a chance to connect with fellow members and engage with our local community.
Our BBQ is this Saturday, 26th July, and we still need a few more volunteers to help on the day. Even a couple of hours of your time can make a real difference.
If you’re available to assist, please get in touch with Phil Thurgood as soon as possible on 0407 325 241
The club will also be providing a BBQ for this fundraising event; we'd appreciate as many members as possible assisting on the day.
The Interact club members have been planning both of these events throughout Term 2, designing flyers and coming up with innovative fundraising and fun activities.
CORNERSTONE:
Cornerstone Trivia Night: Wednesday, 30th July
It would be great to have representation from Rotary at this event, making up at least one table.
All members, partners, friends, and family are invited to the Trivia Night at Cornerstone Contact Centre, 25 James Street, Dandenong, on Wednesday, 30th July, for a night of laughter, community, and connection.
The event start time is 6:30pm
Cost: $25 per person, or a table of 8 is $200
We’ve received a request for volunteer support at the upcoming RYDA (Rotary Youth Driver Awareness) day on Tuesday, 5th August, at the Sandown Greyhound Complex. The participating school will be Killester College, and we’re looking for six volunteers to assist from 9:00am to 2:30pm.
If you haven’t been involved in RYDA before, it’s a truly rewarding Rotary initiative that equips young people with the tools and knowledge to stay safe on the roads. Having participated myself, I can confidently say it’s a life-saving program that makes a visible impact.
If you’re available to help, please get in touch with Alan Collier as soon as possible on 0418 355 607.
Does this inspire you and make you proud to be an Australian and a Rotarian and ‘make a difference?
We hope it does!
Our goals in District 9815 for the 2025/26 year are:
1. 30% clubs donate $1,000US
2. $50AUD/Member in the District
3. $1,000 US average from each club
Last year we raised $146,197.32, equivalent to $77.07 per Rotarian in the District.
What has been achieved since the program was initiated by Rotary International in 1988?
Polio was endemic in 125 countries, it is now only endemic in 2 countries, Pakistan and Afghanistan
An estimated 350,000 children were paralysed or died by contracting Polio in 1988, and in 2024 there were only 92 cases
Over 2.5 billion children have been immunised, and over 20 million people are able to walk now who otherwise would have been paralysed by Polio
Why is it important to continue the immunisation program?
Although Polio remains endemic only in Afghanistan and Pakistan, it’s crucial to continue working to keep other countries polio-free. If all eradication efforts stopped today, within 10 years, polio could paralyse as many as 200,000 children each year.
What can you do to help eradicate Polio?
Encourage your Club to donate to End Polio Now – the first 10 clubs who donate $1,000US will have their donation matched by the District, which in turn will be matched 2:1 by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. This means your Club’s $1,000US Donation will be $6,000US!
Raise awareness through your Club activities and funds in Polio Awareness Month. World Polio Day is on 24th October
In summing up, Rotary members have contributed more than $2.1 billion and countless volunteer hours to protect nearly 3 billion children in 122 countries from this paralysing disease. Rotary’s advocacy efforts have played a role in decisions by governments to contribute more than $10 billion to the effort.
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.
