As I write this report on Sunday morning, I am reminded that today is International Day of Peace throughout the world - a time to reflect on how we can create more understanding, compassion, and cooperation in our communities and beyond. Peace is at the heart of Rotary’s mission. Through initiatives such as conflict resolution training, youth exchange programs, humanitarian projects, and the work of our Rotary Peace Fellows, we are helping to build the foundations for lasting peace - locally and globally. Together, we can create hope and build peace.

What a great presentation Jacquie Best gave at last week’s meeting when she shared the release of the 2026 Rotary Calendar. Our Club Partnership with Monarto Safari Park and the new Monarto Safari Resort are featured with magnificent monthly photos of animals and the new accommodation facility. Calendars will be spread far and wide as we each sell them and promote the Services of Rotary in our region. Special thanks to all those who have worked on this project over the last few months under the guidance of Jacquie. I would like to specifically acknowledge the efforts of photographer Penny Heighes, for without her efforts and extraordinary photos, the calendar would be rather blank. Thanks Jacquie and Penny and all members of the Calendar Committee

The Board met on Tuesday night and considered the proposals of each of the committees. 

• Club Service updated us on the record keeping of WWCC and the need to make new members aware that a WWCC is needed before members can participate in some Club Projects
• Community Committee will purchase 10 more Shelter Bags in the next round of sourcing and present them to AC Care
• International Committee has submitted a District Grant Application to assist with the funding of our Birthing Kit Foundation Australia Assembly days in Jan 2026
• RALY/Youth Committee have sponsored 2 students for the Health of the River experience and we will hear from them on Tuesday 4th November
• The Music Bursary interviews have been completed - The winner will be presented at the High School Concert on Thursday 25th September
• Vocational Committee continues to investigate partnerships with local businesses for a range of short and longer term Rotary Projects

Monday morning John Scarvelis and I welcomed the Health of the River participants to Murray Bridge. We also welcomed Mary-Anne Hannay (RC Campbelltown), this year’s registrar for the Health of the River programme. From Murray Bridge, the bus traveled to Karoonda to collect another student and then it was onto Calperum. Thanks to Simon Sickerdick, as bus driver and Sandy Dalton, as part of the catering team, for taking the week to help out with this year’s programme.

On Wednesday morning I attended the Dementia Action Week  information session at the Murray Bridge Library. Armed with information provided by Vocational Director, Stephen Walker and Lyn Sickerdick, I was able to share with the community members attending and all the Service organisations present, our Rotary Project Music For Dementia. The session was well attended with over 30 participants and I have been able to provide Stephen’s team with some follow-up ideas. We were also introduced to the BrainTrack App, powered by Dementia Australia. This free, award-winning app helps you monitor your brain health through travel-themed games. Check it out.

This week’s Rotarians sharing  What inspired you to join Rotary are IPP Jenny Alexander-Walters and VP Jenny Phillips. Read their amazing Rotary journeys and let me know your thoughts on the concept of including this information on our website in the future.

Tuesday’s meeting features IPP Martin Rowe from the Rotary Club of Blackwood. Bring your partners, bring a friend to hear of Rotary’s Call to Action regarding our Say NO to Domestic Violence - remember to wear your purple Rotary Says NO to Domestic and Family Violence shirts to the meeting as support for the 11th October Walk For Respect March in Adelaide. Remember to bring items for the Emergency Care Packages for survivors of Domestic Violence to the meetings 

Looking forward to another great week, remembering ‘Decisions help us to START and Discipline helps us to FINISH’

Roxanne 

Health of the River Forum 2025

Two of our Murray Bridge Rotarians Simon & Sandy support the Health of the River Forum at Calperum Station last week from Monday 15^th September to Friday 19^th September, 

This was a great experience for both of us witnessing the attending Students learn new skills in a fantastic outdoor environment.

Students started off reasonably quiet being unfamiliar with each other attending the program, they quickly got to know each other & realised they were all their to develop a skill new to them.

By the week ending all the students displayed the respect, and care everyone had developed towards all other students and Rotarians attending.

Rotary Team members: we all had a title but as a team we worked together to ensure everyone was safe, comfortable, “not hungry” and enjoyed learning & building new skills.   

Ian Coat – Program Coordinator/ Lead

Maryanne Hannay – Registrar/ Support

Simon Sickerdick – Bus driver/ Support

Sandy Dalton – Food coordinator/ Support

14 attending students in total:

5 students from Urrbrae Agricultural College sponsored by the Rotary Clubs of Coromandel Valley, Mitcham & Unley.

1 student St Aloysius College sponsored by the Rotary Club of Salisbury.

2 students from Charles Campbell sponsored by the Rotary Club of Campbeltown.

2 students from Mannum Community College sponsored by the Rotary Club of Murray Bridge.

2 students from Karoonda Area School sponsored by the Rotary Club of Mobilong.

1 student from Goolwa Secondary College sponsored by the Rotary Club of Victor Harbor. 

1 student from St Francis of Assisi College Renmark sponsored by the Rotary Club of Renmark.

Objectives:

The objective of the Health Of The River (HOTR) Youth Forum is to provide students who are keen on ecology and the environment, 

an immersive experience in ecological science, with a focus on the wetland environment and the River Murray.

The educational component was delivered by the Australian Landscape Trust (ALT) Educator Dan and Ecologist Kieran. 

It was a packed program often starting with bird survey at 6:30am and closing with discussion session after 8pm. 

The participants were fully engaged throughout the entire program, asking probing and insightful questions. 

The group bonded tightly and were respectful, collegiate, and collaborative. 

All students completed feedback forms were overwhelmingly positive about their experience. 

The how and why of experimental design:

Why we use the transect and survey sampling methods for plant and landscape surveying.

How to make decisions to design an experiment which collects sample data which correctly represents an ecosystem.

This is achieved through understanding key basic scientific sampling principles. 

The students learnt how to record and use randomisation and sampling scale, which tasks the students to complete sample data collection efforts and discuss and interpret their results. 

This also educates students how to collect data and use these sampling techniques. 

What inspired you to join Rotary?
And how has it changed your life?

Behind every Rotarian is a unique story of purpose, passion, and personal growth. For some, it was the desire to make a tangible difference in their local community. For others, it was the chance to connect with like-minded people and be part of something larger than themselves.

1.  How did I make first contact with Rotary?

I was living in Kingston South East and was approached by a member of the Rotary Club of Naracoorte who wanted to start a Rotary Club in the town.  I was a Charter Member at a time when women were just being asked to join Rotary. I enjoyed the weekly meetings and discussions on what Rotary did. Unfortunately my health started to deteriorate and I had to resign.  Sadly the Club has since folded due to lack of interest.

2.         How did you first contact the Rotary Club of Murray Bridge?

Shortly after moving to Murray Bridge, my partner Rob, was approached by two Rotarians Jerry Wilson and Gary Frazer.  I indicated that I was very interested in rejoining Rotary.

3.         Why do you stay a member? 

I love Rotary and firmly believe in what Rotary is all about.  It fits in with what I was taught as a child by my parents and the Catholic convent boarding school I attended from age 7.  And I get to meet some wonderful people and have fun.

4.         What are you passionate about, both broadly and within the Club?

I want to make the world a better place, make a difference not to make myself look good but for what I can do to make people’s lives better.  I try to do this in my teaching, my private life and my Rotarian life.

5.         How do you engage with the Club and Rotary Activities?

I try to help in the Club wherever I can and if my health allows me to. I have served on the International Committee, Club Service  and Board. I am now on the RALY Committee. I have held the positions of assistant photographer - not very good at that, Bulletin Editor, Secretary for 7 years, President Elect, President and now Immediate Past President. I have hosted two Long Term Youth Exchange students, been Counsellor to one LTYES and Mentor to two Short Term Exchange students (one Australian and one New Zealand). I am still in touch with all of these students and visit Pauline from Belgium and Ina from Austria when I travel to Europe. I am involved in the Rotary Club High School Music Bursary and in purchasing bags of emergency groceries for DVINA.  My big love is going with Jenny P and buying Christmas presents for the children attending our Christmas Party and reading the poem the Night Before Christmas to the children, also with Jenny P.

6.         How do you relax?

I make greeting cards, love reading and playing word games.

7.         What has been your most exhilarating Rotary experience?

I have experienced so many wonderful moments. I love presenting the Music Bursary. I was honoured to be appointed President and, can I say, happy to pass the Presidency on to Roxanne. I love being part of the Rotary Club of Murray Bridge and the wider Rotary Family

8.         What does volunteering mean to you?

Giving to others and seeing the difference my giving has made to another or others. No matter my part might be small and sometimes one receives no thanks.  Receiving thanks is a small part, it is the giving that is important.  My convent upbringing taught me that.
 

1. How did you make first contact with our club? 

 I was aware of the Rotary Club of Murray Bridge from 1984, when my husband joined the Rotary Club of Tailem Bend.  I had many connections and interactions with the RC Murray Bridge. 

2. Why do you stay a member? 

I enjoy the company of our Club Members and the opportunity to take part in many different community activities to raise funds to help people in need.

3. What are you passionate about, both broadly and within the club? 

The opportunity to serve our local and wider community.  Helping young people “grow” through programs Rotary may provide. There’s always more to do and many programs are immersed in too much “red tape”, which inhibits one’s enthusiasm to actually be involved.

4. How do you engage with the club? 

I’ve been a Rotarian for nearly 25 years, 9 years with the Rotary Club of Tailem Bend and 15 years with the Rotary Club of Murray Bridge.  I’ve served on many different committees and as a member of the Board.  I was the first female President of the Rotary Club of Murray Bridge and feel honoured to have been asked to take on that role. I am currently the Club’s Program Officer and serving as Vice-President on the Board.

5. How do you relax? 

Singing, knitting, reading, listening to music, conversing with friends, playing scrabble, taking an interest in the world around me. Corresponding with friends interstate and in Ireland, England, New Zealand and the USA. I have enjoyed 23 years of involvement with the Tailem Bend Music Hall

6. What has been your most exhilarating Rotary experience? 

There are MANY!! Rotary has been good to me and provided so many opportunities

1. Being involved in the Short Term Youth Exchange (STYE and then RANZSE) program with New Zealand from 2006 to 2019.   
   1. Serving as Australian National Coordinator of the RANZSE program from 2011 – 2014, working with other Rotarians from Vic, NSW and Qld and New Zealand.
      1. Maintaining contact with a large number of RANZSE students (and their parents) from Australia and New Zealand.
      2. Serving as Rotary Centenary President of the RC Tailem Bend (2004-2005) and the first female President of that Club.
      3. Serving as the first female President of the Rotary Club of Murray Bridge (2016-2017)
      4. Hosting Long Term Exchange Students from USA, India, Japan, Brazil, Denmark
      5. Hosting members of Group Study Exchange Teams from Ireland, Alaska, British Columbia and the USA.
      6. Serving as Chairperson for the Committee undertaking our Club hosting the AGFR (Australian Golfing Fellowship of Rotarians) National Golf Week in 2018.  This was a project that was 2 years in the planning and raised funds for Australian Rotary Health (Lift the Lid on Mental Illness).  There were many facets to hosting the week-long Tournament (for golfers and non-playing partners) and it was an outstanding success.

2. What does volunteering mean to you? 

   1. The opportunity to serve our local and broader communities and help people in need, but also to make people aware of the rewards of “working without payment”.   
   2. Raising awareness to people, young and old of the many issues within our local and broader communities, including environmental issues.
   3. Leading by example.

CALENDAR WINNERS 

16^th September

 

Value	No.	Winner	Location	Sold By
$100	18	Helen Pergallini	Murray Bridge	Mobilong Rotary
$50	132	C. Kalogeropoulos	Jervois	Mobilong Rotary