Guests: Rowena Barbosa, Briony Casburn, Caroline Conway, Di Duke, Graham Ey, Sue Middleton, Linda Sellars, Angela Wong, Rob's helpers Eukumbeth and Joanne and cameo appearances from his daughter Roseanne with her 2 children
Attendance: 21 members 10 guests
Picnicking
On a perfect summer evening, in the best of Park settings, we settled into chatting, eating and gently imbibing. Our best roll up for the first meeting of a year that the editor can recall. Fellowship flowed.
From the editor's point of view there were four other highlights:
Jerry being there and looking good
The non appearance of the promised petanque set
The Prez opening and closing the meeting at 8.05pm
The editor not taking a photo to enhance/diminish a perfect evening.
A bewdiful start to the year.
Rogues' Gallery
Way back on 19 December this motley crew cooked for the Christmas celebrations at The Lodge with proceeds to ROMAC
And of more recent vintage...........this is what happens when the club's removalist/demolition squad of Simon, Paul and John P cut loose
Rotary International News
Rotary projects around the globe
February 2026 By Brad Webber
United States
For more than a decade, Iowa Rotarians have conjured up a frightful tradition for people seeking a Halloween scare. The undertaking started in 2012, when the Rotary Club of Eldora leased an abandoned city-owned hospital and turned it into a haunted fundraiser attracting visitors from across the state and new interest in the club. When the hospital was sold in 2023, the Rotarians created a new spooky attraction, an outdoor haunted trail. Costumed actors, including high school thespians, line the half-mile wooded path. “Honestly, the area is creepy enough without any props or decorations,” says Marc Anderson, club president. Proceeds are donated back into the community, primarily to the high school boosters. The club’s dozen members all pitch in to handle crowd control and ticket sales. “Most importantly,” Anderson says, “one Rotarian has to pick up pizzas to feed our actors at the end of each evening.”
Jamaica
Called Jamaica’s storm of the century, Hurricane Melissa swept across the island in October, devastating southwestern coastal communities. “Trees and power lines had fallen, roofs had been blown away, and some buildings had collapsed,” says Dominica Pradère, a past president of the Rotary Club of Montego Bay, one of the worst-hit areas. Two members’ homes were severely damaged, and all were left without electricity or running water for weeks. “Once we were able to communicate, we began to explore ways to assist people whose situations were far worse than our own,” Pradère says. Club members provided relief packages to several communities, working in partnership with the Rotary clubs of Kingston and Ocho Rios, and ShelterBox and Food For The Poor. “Fortunately,” Pradère says, “we have a network of Rotary friends and other organizations around the world who want to assist as we help communities and institutions to get back to normal.”
Hungary
A charity wine auction by the Rotary Club of Budapest-Margitsziget in November sold off over 100 bottles. Local wineries and three other clubs — Berlin-Gendarmenmarkt, Milano Sud-Ovest, and Paris-Quai d’Orsay — donated signature wines from their countries. The fundraiser’s attendance nearly doubled from 2024 and helped raise about $17,000 for the Fellegajtó Nyitogatók Foundation, which is constructing a residential home for children with disabilities. “We are delighted by the outcome, which far surpassed our expectations,” says Ferenc Szénási, the club president. “It is a great joy to see how the strength of community can bring real change.”
Mauritius
On the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius, Rotarians are helping the country shift from an agricultural economy dominated by sugar to one centered on technology, banking, and tourism. The Rotary Club of Haute Rive joined the Ministry of Education to coordinate a job and education fair to connect job seekers with employers in hospitality, financial services, information technology, manufacturing, education, retail, and other industries. “For many, it was a first-time experience of being seen, heard, and valued in a professional setting,” says Deeksha Bundhoo, a member of the club, which has since established a mentorship program. Government officials lauded the outreach. “The fair represents a bridge between the aspirations of our youth and the evolving needs of our industries,” says Mahend Gungapersad, the country’s minister of education and human resource, who attended the fair with other senior officials and members of Parliament.
Vietnam
The Rotary Club of Saigon International participated in two global grant projects with District 3740 in Korea that have corrected congenital heart disease for 100 Vietnamese children since 2023. The $125,000 Heart-to-Heart project helps low-income families bridge the gap between what the government covers and what they’re able to pay out of pocket. “We chose pediatric heart surgery because, with a relatively small contribution of $1,500 from us, we can quite literally save a child’s life,” says Hoa Nguyen, president-elect of the club. Rotary contributions are matched by the VinaCapital Foundation and the Vietnamese government. The impact on livelihoods is significant, Nguyen notes, as caregivers are able to return to the workforce after their child’s recovery.
Coffee Chat at Impressa, Unley Shopping Centre
10.30 am on the first Friday of the month is good for a chat with Rotary friends and a caffeine fix - Next one Friday 6 February 2026
Upcoming Meetings
Tuesday 10 February 2026, Living Choice Natures Providore
5.00 for Defibrillator demonstration: meeting at 6.30pm
Event: Club Consultations
Welcoming team: Janet Rice and Marie Rothe
Tuesday 17 February 2026 Living Choice Natures Providore
Guest Speaker: Kerri Ann WillshireRotarians Against Malaria
Welcoming team: Janet Rice and Marie Rothe
Wednesday 25 February 2026 6.30 for 7.00pm Unley Bowling Club (next to Unley Oval)
Fun Event - Annual Bowls Match with Mitcham Rotary
Cost $15 to cover bowls and pizza supper
Apologies and Meeting Enquiries to: Secretary Greg McLeod on 0417 811 838 or email to secretary@unleyrotary.org.au
Venue Set-up Enquiries to: Bulletin Editor Stephen Baker on 0403 687 015
Saturday Thrift Shop Roster
Early Shift: 10.00am to 1.00pm Late Shift: 1.00pm to 4.00pm
Early: David Middleton & Nathan White | Late: Vera Holt & Rhonda Hoare
Week 4: 28 February 2026
Early: Stephen Baker & Judi Corcoran | Late: Jason Booth & Vera-Ann Stacy
Week 5:
Early: Bob Mullins & Wendy Andrews | Late: Virginia Cossid & Paul Duke
Rotarians, who are unable to attend as rostered, please arrange a swap or as a very last resort contact: Vivienne Wood 0408 819 630; e-mail: vwood@ozemail.com.au
Mitre 10 and Bunnings Barbeques
The Mitre 10 BBQs are the first and third Saturdays of each month. Morning shift 8.30am - 12 noon; afternoon shift 12.00 - 3.30pm, then clean-up.....next scheduled is 7 February 2026
ALL the Bunnings Mile End Barbeque shifts are from 8am to 5pm
For more than a decade, Iowa Rotarians have conjured up a frightful tradition for people seeking a Halloween scare. The undertaking started in 2012, when the Rotary Club of Eldora leased an abandoned city-owned hospital and turned it into a haunted fundraiser attracting visitors from across the state and new interest in the club. When the hospital was sold in 2023, the Rotarians created a new spooky attraction, an outdoor haunted trail. Costumed actors, including high school thespians, line the half-mile wooded path. “Honestly, the area is creepy enough without any props or decorations,” says Marc Anderson, club president. Proceeds are donated back into the community, primarily to the high school boosters. The club’s dozen members all pitch in to handle crowd control and ticket sales. “Most importantly,” Anderson says, “one Rotarian has to pick up pizzas to feed our actors at the end of each evening.”
Called Jamaica’s storm of the century, Hurricane Melissa swept across the island in October, devastating southwestern coastal communities. “Trees and power lines had fallen, roofs had been blown away, and some buildings had collapsed,” says Dominica Pradère, a past president of the Rotary Club of Montego Bay, one of the worst-hit areas. Two members’ homes were severely damaged, and all were left without electricity or running water for weeks. “Once we were able to communicate, we began to explore ways to assist people whose situations were far worse than our own,” Pradère says. Club members provided relief packages to several communities, working in partnership with the Rotary clubs of Kingston and Ocho Rios, and 
A charity wine auction by the Rotary Club of Budapest-Margitsziget in November sold off over 100 bottles. Local wineries and three other clubs — Berlin-Gendarmenmarkt, Milano Sud-Ovest, and Paris-Quai d’Orsay — donated signature wines from their countries. The fundraiser’s attendance nearly doubled from 2024 and helped raise about $17,000 for the Fellegajtó Nyitogatók Foundation, which is constructing a residential home for children with disabilities. “We are delighted by the outcome, which far surpassed our expectations,” says Ferenc Szénási, the club president. “It is a great joy to see how the strength of community can bring real change.”
On the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius, Rotarians are helping the country shift from an agricultural economy dominated by sugar to one centered on technology, banking, and tourism. The Rotary Club of Haute Rive joined the Ministry of Education to coordinate a job and education fair to connect job seekers with employers in hospitality, financial services, information technology, manufacturing, education, retail, and other industries. “For many, it was a first-time experience of being seen, heard, and valued in a professional setting,” says Deeksha Bundhoo, a member of the club, which has since established a mentorship program. Government officials lauded the outreach. “The fair represents a bridge between the aspirations of our youth and the evolving needs of our industries,” says Mahend Gungapersad, the country’s minister of education and human resource, who attended the fair with other senior officials and members of Parliament.
The Rotary Club of Saigon International participated in two global grant projects with District 3740 in Korea that have corrected congenital heart disease for 100 Vietnamese children since 2023. The $125,000 Heart-to-Heart project helps low-income families bridge the gap between what the government covers and what they’re able to pay out of pocket. “We chose pediatric heart surgery because, with a relatively small contribution of $1,500 from us, we can quite literally save a child’s life,” says Hoa Nguyen, president-elect of the club. Rotary contributions are matched by the 
