The Berwick Rotary Club is excited to be out the community once again, and many plans are being laid for 2022.
Berwick Rotary Club public image director Jane Moore said weekly meetings have returned at The Beaconsfield Club, with a real “buzz in the room”.
“Everyone has suffered from Covid-19 and that feeling of uncertainty, but we’re very excited to get out and do the work that we do,” she said.
Benevolent Society Christmas appeal donation crates have been placed in the community to make Christmas brighter for the less fortunate.
Donations of non-perishable food items, toys and books are being collected from eight local schools and two supermarket sites.
The donations will then be delivered to Casey North Community Information Support Service (CNCISS), where they will be sorted into Christmas hampers for distribution to those in need within the local community.
On November 30, Rotary members collected two car loads of assorted wooden toys from the Berwick Woodcutters and delivered them to CNCISS to be distributed to children in time for Christmas.
Mrs Moore said there were many events to look forward to after a brief Christmas hiatus.
“For people that feel that need to give back to community, there’s heaps of opportunities,” she said.
“It’s fun and so rewarding and we don’t push membership, it’s more about getting engaged in what we’re doing.”
Planning is underway for next year’s activities including the delivery of student awards across local schools, the annual Berwick Cemetery cleanup, working bees at Grasmere Creek Wetland, a memorial in honour of the late Mick Morland OAM, the installation of a Peace Pole at Haileybury, manning a barbecue for the Level Crossing Authority, running of presentation balls on behalf of Berwick College and participation in Clean Up Australia Day.
The Rotary Foundation will be supported through the Centurion Club, with many Berwick members registered to attend the annual District Conference in Traralgon in February.
On an international level, members will travel to the Rotary headquarters in Chicago next year to train incoming officers and vote on behalf of the District on Rotary legislation, as well as attending the International Convention in Houston.
Mrs Moore said Rotary was available to everyone – from the local community, to the world.
“We are well connected, enjoying each others company not only at meetings, but when we work together, over a virtual coffee on Saturday mornings and at our upcoming Christmas social,” she said.
“Covid-19 hasn’t held us back.”
For more information, visit rotaryberwick.org
