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From the President
The Rotary Club of Hampton turned 25 in October and I would like to acknowledge our charter members – Juliette, Geoff, Lindsay, Marie, Lou and Liz. We couldn’t get together in person for a birthday party but will celebrate this important milestone in early 2021.
Throughout the year our membership and social committee chaired by Annette organised events for club members to stay engaged, and importantly connected as we came to terms with much less face to face interaction. The Youth Committee organised the Lift the Lid initiative and it was great to see around 90% of the club participated during October.
Our inaugural Rotary Club of Hampton Melbourne Cup race was a huge success due to the excellent planning and staging by Rhonda and Annette and from the great enjoyment on the night looks like it will be here to stay!
Our Christmas market will be on 28 November - expecting better weather than we had for the restart in October and looking forward to the fun and excitement of Christmas shopping.
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Meetings Over the Past Month
In case you missed any of our recent meetings, here’s a snapshot:
October Guest Speaker – Gregory Ross, Chairman, Australian Rotary Health – “Research Saves Lives”
This past month, during Mental Health Month, we heard from Gregory Ross, the current Chairman of Australian Rotary Health, one of the largest independent funders of mental health research in Australia.
Greg Ross created the Lift the Lid on Mental Illness as its campaign brand and his address at this week’s meeting focused on how “Research Saves Lives”.
We heard about the start of Australian Rotary Health after the successful outcomes from the SID’s research, a study of 10,000 babies, that identified sleeping position as the main contributing factor to SID. Thereafter, in 2000, the Board decided that Mental Health was a big issue and then funded 85 research projects on mental illness over the years. Greg shared that ARH receive 300 grant submissions each year, from which they determine the 11-13 very best new research projects to fund. He also spoke about some of the outcomes of ARH research, such as the Mental Health First Aid programs in workplaces, suicide prevention programs, Cool Kids program, and also the Teen Mental Health First Aid course, which helps students help other students (with a responsible adult).
Greg’s presentation was a great overview of the fantastic research work done by Australian Rotary Health in the area of mental health illness. If you want more information about ARH, you can visit their website at: https://australianrotaryhealth.org.au
Cup Day Social Evening – Tuesday 3rd November
Thanks so much to the Social Committee for organizing a fun night of entertainment for us all. With the theme of the Melbourne Cup, members came out in their finery for the running of the RCOH Inaugural Cup, with race-caller Rhonda Pincott in fine form. Members can listen to Rhonda's call again or get a transcript from the club's website.
Club Photo Competition Winners
During October, as part of our Lift the Lid Walk for Mental Health, Club members also submitted photos each week on a variety of themes – Challenge, Lid, Australiana, Bayside, Spring. Here is a snapshot of the winning entries. Thank you to all the members who participated in this competition and special congratulations to the overall winner, Marie Arendsen, for her photo from Green Point overlooking the beach boxes and the city – an iconic Bayside view.
Members can view the final entries and winners in the member section of our website at:
https://hamptonrotary.org.au/home
Club 25th Birthday celebration
Club 25th Birthday Celebration on Tuesday 3rd November
At our Club get-together on Tuesday 3rd November, not only did we enjoy a “virtual” outing to the races, but we also celebrated the Club’s 25th Birthday.
Lance and Bev Blackley shared a presentation that profiled some of the people and projects that the Club had been involved in over the years. Here are some photos and a brief background to some of the past highlights:
Salvation Army Literacy project 2003
Hampton Rotary purchased books for distribution through the Salvation Army to disadvantaged children throughout the area.
Fashion Parade 2005
Hampton Rotary created a water saving project where we constructed an underground water tank at Hampton Primary School. The tank was formed of poly cells that were put together by the school children. To raise funds for the project, the Club organised and ran a Fashion parade with participation by the fashion shops through Hampton Street.
The water Tank Project was visited by the Rotary World President at the time and also won a world Rotary award for the sustainable project.
The Club ran the fashion Parade for a further 2 years in 2006 & 2007.
Fiji project 2011
Project trip to Northern Yasawa Islands in 2011 to rebuild a lunch Bora, deliver lap top computers to the local school, and reorganise and update the library. Bev Blackley taught in the school for a week.
The lunch Bora was destroyed by a hurricane and Hampton Rotary then rebuilt the structure with the help of the local islanders. The school serves 2 villages and the reconstruction allowed the parents to reunite under the structure at lunch times. The structure still stands today.
TLC Golf Day at Sandhurst Golf Club 2008
Golf and Gala Dinner fundraiser with guest speaker legend Peter Thompson. Fund distributed to TLC for Kids as well as other Rotary projects.
This was followed up in 2009 with Judge Betty King and then in 2010 at Southern Golf Club with AFL Players Association CEO Matt Finnis (Now St Kilda CEO).
Shelter Box
This project provided a relief box container to enable displaced families shelter and basic needs when disasters occur.
Club Projects Update
Donations of Men’s Toiletry Items to BayCISS
This was another fantastic project from the Community Committee. Hampton Rotary club member Geoff Tickner (helped by wife Prue) dropped off 62 men’s packs to BayCISS to distribute to needy men in our local community. Each pack included a range of basic toiletry items as well as some special treats. This project has been part of our Club’s commitment to help support members of our local community, especially at this very difficult time.
Using funds raised from the generosity of patrons to our regular events, such as the monthly Bayside Farmers’ Market, we’ve been able to purchase these toiletry items. We would also like to thank Hampton Discount Chemist, Simon Kenny Pharmacy and the Holland Foundation for their support of this project as well. Such great community spirit in action!
A big thank you also to both Rhonda Pincott and Geoff Tickner for sourcing the various items and packing them ready for distribution to BayCISS.
Hampton Rotary Club raises $3,300 during October Mental Health Month for Youth Mental Health Research
This project was an initiative of the Youth Committee to fundraise for youth mental health research and support Australia Rotary Health’s Lift the Lid Walk for Mental Illness.
With your help, during October, Hampton Rotary Club raised over $3,300. Members of our Club “virtually” came together with families and friends and stepped out around Hampton and Bayside to join the Lift The Lid Walk. We smashed our steps target and walked more than 3 million steps to raise awareness and funds for youth mental health research.
Thank you to each and every one of our walkers…..and BIG thank you to everyone who donated to this cause. With your support, more young people will be helped to improve their mental health.
If you want to find out more about the Lift the Lid Walk and the research projects being undertaken by Australian Rotary Health, you can visit their website here:
https://www.liftthelidwalk.com.au
Bayside Farmers’ Market
Bayside Farmers’ Market – Re-launched on Saturday October 24th
The big story of the recent month has been the re-launch of our Bayside Farmers’ Market, after a number of month’s in lockdown. Thanks so much to the Market Committee, led by Maria Sierra, for all their hard work in the lead-up to the re-launch. It was a mammoth effort as the team navigated a variety of challenges to ensure a COVID-safe market.
When the day finally came, we were confronted with some of the worst weather we had ever seen for market day…but this didn’t stop our team of volunteers, stallholders or our market patrons from making the most of the day. It was a huge success and so thank you to everyone who braved the rain and cold weather and came out to support the market. The kids also had the time of their lives…and entertained us with their antics in the puddles. What a day…and what a great market community – thank you so much!
Our November market will be on Saturday 28th November 8am-1pm at Trey Bit Reserve. We look forward to seeing you there!
For more details, you can also check out our market website: www.BaysideFarmersMarket.com.au
Next Farmers’ Market – Saturday 28th November 8am-1pm
The November market, on Saturday 28th November, will be our Christmas market, with a very special visitor coming to visit us at about 10.30am. We will also be selling Rotary Christmas cakes & puddings so this is a fantastic opportunity to get in early with some Christmas items ready for the big day.
For more details about the market, you can also check out our website: www.BaysideFarmersMarket.com.au
Upcoming Club Meeting Schedule
Club Meetings Now Online – ZOOM-in to get the latest updates
Here is the dedicated link to join ANY of the Hampton Rotary Zoom Meetings (it will be the same for each meeting):
The meetings commence a 7:00PM and to join the meeting, click this link from 6:50PM
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88310576978?pwd=VG41aG83RlJiMW1yQ2d5N3ZjOU5rdz09
You can also refer to our website for further updates on the upcoming meeting program:
https://hamptonrotary.org.au/meetings
Club Meeting – Tuesday 10th Nov – Guest Speaker – Bairnsdale Rotary Club’s Peter Sindrey
Peter Sindrey is from the Rotary Club of Bairnsdale, Past President of Rotary Club of Lakes Entrance, and Acting Chair, East Gippsland Rotary Fire Aid (EGRFA).
Earlier this year Hampton Rotary donated funds raised from our Bayside Farmers Market to the fire relief efforts in the Gippsland area. Peter will share updates on how much in total was raised, where it was spent and how much there is still to do as well as what difficulties they encountered and how these were overcome.
Board Meeting – Tuesday 17th November
This is a Board Meeting only and Board Members only are to attend.
Club Social Evening – Tuesday 24th November - Trivia Night
This evening, hosted by the Club’s Social Committee, will be another fun night where members can test their general knowledge of all things trivial.
Club Meeting – Tuesday 1st December – General Club Meeting and Updates
This meeting will be an open forum to discuss a range of projects and priorities moving forward.
Club Meeting – Tuesday 8th December – Guest Speaker - Matt Tilley, Foodbank – Chief Communications Officer
Matt Tilley, from Foodbank Victoria, will share details of the history of Foodbank, what they do now, especially the recent responses to the bushfire and the pandemic. Matt comes with a wealth of knowledge having worked with, Directing and Chairing many different charities for decades. Since joining Foodbank this year before the restrictions slowed visits down, he met many of their charity partners, soup kitchens and neighbourhood houses and even some families, direct recipients of their food relief. With these experiences under his belt, not to mention a former career in radio, Matt is a great spokesperson to share many stories about Foodbank.
Other Rotary Events
Brighton North Rotary’s Happy as Larry Lunch – Thursday 19th November 1-2pm
 This is a humorous virtual lunch event which is an important fundraiser for the Brighton North Rotary Club with the beneficiary project being their Youth Suicide Awareness Program. Tickets are $20 per head. More details and tickets are available at the link below:
https://events.humanitix.com/imd-larrys-lunch
District Rotary News
Chats with the District Governor
 Please look out for the emails advising of the fortnightly chats with Alma Reynolds, the District Governor. These chats take place every second Tuesday at 10.30am and alternatively, every second Sunday at 5.00pm. Zoom links are in the emails.
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