By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
A 21-YEAR-OLD has set the wheels in motion to establish a rotary group specifically for teenagers and young adults in the City of Casey.
With her grandparents being stalwarts of the Rotary Club of Narre Warren, it was probably a foregone conclusion that Kirra Pickering would look to establish a ‘rotaract’ club in Casey, which caters for 18 to 30-year-olds only.
On Sunday 6 April, a barbecue will be held at the Wilson Botanical Gardens in Berwick from noon to 3pm, for people interested in the Casey Rotaract proposal to meet other like-minded individuals and discuss the viability of the club.
Kirra, who is already a member of the Peninsiula Rotaract Club, said there was great scope in Casey for a similar youth group, especially with the prevalence of universities and TAFEs in the south-east region.
“Rotaract is a youth voluntary organisation, motivating each other as young individuals and through participating and building a social group,” she said.
“From having a group of young people doing it, it’s a different perspective. We have different priorities for what we want for our future.”
Kirra has drawn on the support of her grandparents Lyn and Ian and other Narre Warren and Casey Rotarians as she prepares to start up the Casey Rotaract Club.
She said these people believe that “youth are the future of Rotary.”
Some of the key priorities for the Casey Rotaract group will include the sustainability of the environment, keeping public areas tidy, first aid, food handling, international projects and finding a neighbouring sister club overseas.
“We are going to start it as a provisional club, not officially a club, just group of people getting together and discussing what things they want to achieve,” Kirra said.
“We need over 10 people minimum before we can get chartered.”
With close to 15 people having already shown their interest in attending April’s meeting, enough for a chartered club, Kirra is confident a Casey Rotaract group is a viable prospect.
Anyone interested in attending the Casey Rotaract barbecue needs to contact Kirra on 0409 530 783, or at peninsularotaractclub@gmail.com
