Rotary Club members gathered at Berwick’s Nossal High School on Thursday 26 January for a Rotary Central Event to ‘reflect, respect and celebrate’ the occasion of Australia Day.
Organised by the Rotary Club of Southbank, the event featured an Indigenous theme related to “The Voice” and platformed speakers, who reinforced the need to work with the Indigenous population to further develop and strengthen the Australian democracy.
That included Kaurareg Aboriginal and Kalkalgal, Erubamle Torres Strait Islander man Thomas Mayo, who is the National Indigenous Officer of the MUA.
Mr Mayo is the national Indigenous Office of the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) and a leading advocate and signatory of the Uluru Statement from the Heart.
Professor Patrick McGorry – Professor of Youth Mental Health, Centre for Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne and landscape architect, environmental educator and Gardening Australia presenter Costa Georgiadis were other guest speakers, along with several Rotarians , who offered their voices to the audience, providing valuable information on the activities of Rotary locally and internationally.
Rotary Foundation Australia chair Maurie Stack outlined the work planned for the organisation in 2023, while past president of the Rotary Club of Berwick Tim Moore explained the purpose and opportunities that the regionalisation project, which he chairs, offered for the future of Rotary.
District governor of Rotary District 9800 Amanda Wendt spoke about the work being done by clubs to assist communities in need, including victims of the recent floods, chair of WomenCAN Mikaela Strafrace provided an overview of the work of Rotary International and Rotary Passport Club Melbourne president Aviv Palti outlined the work being done in Cambodia to educate, empower and inspire local students to create future leaders.
Entertainment was provided during the event by the renowned soprano Alison Jones, who opened the event with the National Anthem and closed proceedings appropriately with a stirring rendition of I still call Australia home.
After the formal proceedings, the attendees were treated to an excellent barbecue provided by four members of the Rotary Club of Berwick.
