President John opened the meeting, and welcomed our guests......Patty and Deb are exploring membership. Last Tuesday and Wednesday, RC Campbelltown and we cooked up a sausage storm of over 3000 snags for the Variety Club event for disabled children at the zoo. Only 3 packets of sausages were left and we were down to crusts! Thank you to all our volunteers.

He had two choices: accept his new life and hide away.......or embrace the challenge and rise above it.

In June 2022 Phil's whole world was turned upside down while attending a networking meeting when he felt ill, later collapsed and was delivered to the RAH where he was diagnosed as having a stroke. But it took 3 hours in the jammed pack emergency department before he could be seen by a doctor. 20 hours later he was discharged; 3 days later he suffered a second stroke which left him vision impaired and with a range of other medical issues. 12 months of intense rehab followed.

 

In December 2023 he was a mental mess and went away to WA to isolate and reflect. Out of this came a determination to help others rather than vegetate, using his condition as an excuse.  He volunteers at the Flinders Hospital Stroke Unit mentoring victims, a number much worse than him. He also joined the Speakers' Tribe to improve his public speaking performance and to network. Phil emphasised the importance of the dream as a driving force - take action - take tiny steps before running - visualise the dream every day.

 

Before the stroke he operated a coaching service for people to better understand themselves and their motivations. Too many lose their ambition and drive. Phil is starting to rebuild, and intends to utilise his mentoring skills to assist those interested in fixing their weight issues. Should be in high demand after Easter!

 

Phil was thanked by acclamation.

Stephen Baker oulined meeting options into the future which included La Scala, a return to Living Choice, or a catered venue - predicated on members' preference for meetings over a meal, with a guest speaker and with liquid refreshments.

Stephen deservedly snared the filthy lucre and Ross Burton the highly valued chockies.

The meeting closed at 7.53pm.....on a roll JP!

     

 

 

 

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1. Major Watters is the former Chair of the Australian National Council on Drugs, President of Drug Free Australia and Vice President of the United Nations International Narcotics Control Board. Major Watters saved countless lives of people who were addicted to drugs.

2. What is offered by the Major Brian Watters YPI Scholarship in Oceania?

1. Financial assistance for YPI training, up to $500 as follows:

•  the first $100 being awarded at commencement of training as a YPI;
• $100 awarded upon successful completion of the training; $300 awarded upon completion of practical policies and practice to help prevent addiction to nominated community groups/ individuals.

2. Training – a 4-hour online session on the nature of addiction and current strategies being used to prevent and/or help people deal with their addiction.
3. Mentoring to encourage the development the YPI’s own strategies for drug prevention in their communities.
4. Assistance with travel to Vienna to be part of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) at the United Nations headquarters – held in mid-March each year, to join other like-minded young people who influence world governments in drug prevention.
5. An expectation to report back to the Rotary Club who supported the candidate.

3. What is the application process?

• Individuals between the ages of 16-29 can be nominated by Rotary Clubs, Educational Institutions.
• A registration of interest should be received by 30 May and include:

1. Resume with at least 2 referees including those involved in a Rotary Club or other community body.
2. A minimum 500-word statement/essay/video entitled – ‘Why and How we could stay Drug Free’
3. Email application to admin@drugfree.org.au

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10 April 2025

 

As a past president of my club and district Rotary Foundation chair, I have seen and participated in many successful Rotary projects. A recent water sanitation project has shown me that, even after nearly 30 years, there are still new ways to take action with Rotary.

The project focused on improving lives in Panama’s Darién province, home to several indigenous communities. Accessible only by canoe and small boat, the region is cut off from many of the resources that keep Panamanians healthy and safe, from roads and electricity to clean water and advanced medical care. As families rely on untreated river water for bathing and drinking, deadly illnesses endanger learning, lives, and livelihoods.

With the support of a global grant, a partner club in Roswell, Georgia, USA, and the non-governmental organization Solea Water, my club embarked on an initiative to strengthen Darién communities via access to clean water.

Rotary’s Action Plan lays out Rotary’s priorities for increasing impact, expanding reach, enhancing engagement, and increasing our ability to adapt. The plan has helped me reflect on the water project’s initial wins and identify key takeaways to enhance future efforts.

The Darién region is more than 300 kilometers (about 185 miles) away from my Panama City club, and without road or utility access, we had to get creative to meet community needs. At the suggestion of our partner club in Roswell, we formed a new relationship with Solea Water, which specializes in water access. Because Solea Water already had connections and expertise in the Darién region, they helped us identify innovative solutions. By building solar panels, for example, we worked together to find a way to operate water treatment machinery in an area without access to an electrical grid.

The project’s success also hinged on empowering local leaders, who received specialized training to oversee the installation and maintenance of a solar-powered water treatment facility. These leaders helped to build trust and bridge language barriers between Rotarians in Panama City, and locals in Darién. And now, with local expertise in place to conduct vital maintenance and repairs, Darién communities will have lasting and consistent clean water access.

By expanding its reach into the Darién region, the Panama Nordeste Rotary Club has made a profound positive lasting change. To date, the initiative has provided hundreds of families with safe, clean water.

The benefits extend far beyond physical health. Children go to school because they don’t have stomach issues anymore. Teachers say, “It’s amazing I can see my students, when before my classroom was often empty.”

And while students are participating more fully in school, adults have found they have increased time and energy to work and support their families. The community can continue to farm and do other things because they don’t have to go to the river and strain their bodies to get water. 

Darién residents have grown to trust and see Rotary and Solea Water as true partners in improving their communities. They have begun to speak up about other sanitation needs, from latrines to additional maintenance training. My club hopes to continue partnering with organizations like Solea Water to support communities in the region.

Looking ahead, I am confident we can take on more large-scale projects. It pays off to get a little uncomfortable. While we were initially concerned about the level of commitment of a global grant and a project this size, what we’ve found is that it has really excited and engaged members.

I believe this is particularly true for newer, younger members –  and for any member looking to balance Rotary’s incredible social connections with opportunities for large-scale, meaningful impact.  

We need to make Rotary exciting and relevant. Bigger, bolder projects like these not only address critical needs but also inspire a new wave of Rotarians dedicated to making a difference.

Coffee Chat at Impressa, Unley Shopping Centre