Editor's Note - A few technical and scheduling glitches this week - apologies for the delay in getting the bulletin distributed.
President's Quick Update -
Last Wednesday, District Governor Graeme Hope and his partner Sue visited the Rotary Club of Eaglehawk. They first attended morning tea, where they heard about the history of the book shop and Rita O’Brien’s very generous contribution to the store. During the visit, DG Graeme presented Rita with a “Shout Out” award from Past District Governor Peter Shepheard, recognising one of the club’s special projects or programs. DG Graeme and Sue also inspected the very special museum at the premises. Later in the day, they attended our club meeting, followed by a special Board meeting. DG Graeme delivered Rotary International President Olayinka Hakeem Babalola’s message and four areas to concentrate on going forward. (“Creating Lasting Impact”) All in all, it was a very enjoyable day for everyone and a terrific visit by the District Governor.
DG Graeme also joined John Pearce and Alison Bacon for an interview on Phoenix FM radio on Thursday morning, which was a fantastic opportunity to once again spread the word of Rotary. Well done, Alison, John & DG Graeme.
Reminders and updates
Next week’s meeting will be a planning night for the Australia Day celebrations. As advised, our caterers may be a little short-staffed, so it will be a more informal pizza night at the club rooms.
It’s great to see the Costello’s back in town from their overseas trip. Thank you to Mandy Costello and Marg Walkington for volunteering to do the Wednesday Book Store duty while Carmel is away.
Thanks to Lynne Cooper, who is rostered on Saturday with John Gurr or Gary Frank.
Thanks again to John Jones for filling the President’s role while I was away last week.
See you all next Wednesday, 16 September, for pizza and a chance to put your thinking caps on.
Our club's combined efforts with the Rotary Club of Bendigo South have us once again preparing for the Community Christmas Trailer Raffle. A raffle that has been popular in the Bendigo area for many years and is always a highlight when found in and around the shopping centres in the lead up to Christmas.
The gathering of the prizes is nearing completion, so here is a sneak peek of what will be in the trailer this year - plenty of gifts for all the family and there are even a couple yet to be added to the collection!
Ticket sales commence soon - keep an eye out for the brightly coloured trailer - and buy your tickets early to make sure you don't miss out.
Rotarians of both clubs will be allocated some books to sell to family and friends - just another way of maximising exposure for this our major Christmas fundraising effort. to ensure we get as many tickets sold as possible.
Graeme joined Rotary Camberwell in December 2003 through a personal introduction and was attracted by the success of their Art Show as an iconic annual community event, now in its 61st year.
He has served as Club President, Chair of the Art Show, Chair of the Hawthorn Makers Market, Assistant Governor for three years, District Chair, and Club Service. Graeme trained as a Chartered Accountant and worked for 35 years as a financial and investment adviser.
He is passionate about the power of The Rotary Foundation, is a member of the Paul Harris Society and a Major Donor.
Graeme and Sue have 3 children and eight grandchildren. He is also a Life Member of an Amateur Football Club.
Graeme and Sue visited the club's bookshop on Wednesday morning for morning tea and a tour of the facility. Suitably impressed with the contributions from the O'Brien family to our club, he was delighted to revisit the presentation of the immediate past District Governor, Peter Shepheard, presenting to Rita the ‘Shep’s Shoutout' Certificate - a recognition of the brilliant work of the bookshop.
Graeme and Sue finished the day with a visit to our club dinner, enjoying the company of our members and partners, along with a formal gathering with our board members to run through the highlights of recent achievements of our club, as presented by President Lindsay.
A few photos highlighting Graeme's visit to the club -
The City of Greater Bendigo have recently made some changes to what can be included in the Green Bins - handy to keep this in mind given the Environmental Focus of Rotary.
We are seeking your help to achieve our goal - we need donations of items suitable for inclusion in the ‘Mum & Bub’ bags (see details below) to meet our goal of filling 20 satchels to be donated to the Share the Dignity appeal for distribution this Christmas. Share the Dignity also put together other bags (perhaps an idea for another time), but for this Christmas we will be concentrating on providing just the ‘Mum & Bub’ bags.
Donations can be from you personally, your friends, your family, or maybe Rotarians from our neighbouring clubs may like to join forces with us to meet the quota we have set for this effort.
Details of the items specified for this bag are listed below, and your donations can be brought along to our clubrooms on a meeting night or by simply contacting our club at eaglehawkrotary@gmail.com to make more suitable arrangements for your donations to be collected.
(Please note - Eaglehawk Rotary are supplying the bags and the ribbons; the items to be included are what we are seeking to have donated)
Are you interested in learning more about the program - here is a link to the website - a great source of some extra information.
We are excited to announce that nominations are now open for the 2026 City of Greater Bendigo Youth Awards!
These awards celebrate the outstanding achievements and contributions of young people in our community, providing an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the incredible young individuals who are making a positive impact in our community. Whether they excel in creativity and innovation, community service, leadership, collaborating with others, sustainability, or making the community more inclusive, we want to hear their stories and celebrate their successes.
There are six award categories recognising a wide range of strengths and contributions:
Creativity and Innovation – For young people using creative thinking, entrepreneurship, or artistic practice to create positive change.
Contribution to the Community – For those who volunteer, support others, or work to improve the lives of those around them.
Excellence in Leadership – Recognising young people who inspire, lead by example, or bring others together to achieve shared goals.
Teamwork and Collaboration – For groups or partnerships working collectively to benefit the community.
Sustainability and Environment – For young people taking action to protect the environment or promote sustainability.
Inclusion and Equity – For those working to build a more accessible, inclusive, and equitable community.
Nominees must be aged 12 to 25 and live, work, or study in Greater Bendigo.
Nominations close Tuesday September 15, 2026.
You can nominate a young person for the City of Greater Bendigo Youth Awards by visiting the YO Bendigo website https://www.yobendigo.com.au/youth-awards. We encourage teachers, community leaders, mentors, friends, and family members to nominate deserving young people, and would greatly appreciate your support in spreading the word about the City of Greater Bendigo Youth Awards within your networks.
You can help us promote the awards by any of the following ways:
Engage on Social Media: Share, like, or comment on our Facebook and Instagram posts about the Youth Awards.
Distribute Materials: Share the attached flyer with others, or display the poster in a public area in your office.
Spread the Word: Include information about the City of Greater Bendigo Youth Awards in your organization’s newsletter.
Thank you for your ongoing commitment to our community and to fostering the development of our young people. If you have any questions or need further information, please don’t hesitate to reach out and contact the team at yobendigo@bendigo.vic.gov.au.
Tickets are now on sale for the Bendigo Maubisse Friendship Committee's 20th Anniversary Celebration, and we'd love you to join us as we celebrate two decades of friendship and partnership between Bendigo and Maubisse, Timor-Leste.
Since our initial announcement, planning has picked up pace, and we're delighted to confirm an outstanding program for the evening.
Our special guests include Kirsty Sword Gusmão and Her Excellency Ms Inês Maria de Almeida, Ambassador of Timor-Leste to Australia, with the evening hosted by Jonathan Ridnell. Guests will also enjoy live Timorese music, displays celebrating twenty years of BMFC's work, and the opportunity to reconnect with friends and supporters who have been part of the journey.
Friday 18 September 2026 6.00 pm – 9.00 pm The Bendigo Club
Tickets are $36.50 per person and include finger food throughout the evening. Drinks will be available for purchase at bar prices.
As this is a private event with seating limited to 180 guests, we encourage you to book early to avoid disappointment.
Please find the updated event flyer attached.
We hope you can join us as we celebrate this important milestone and look ahead to the next chapter of our partnership with Maubisse.
