The club was recognised at last month’s District Changeover for achieving the highest number of new members in February 22, an unexpected surprise. Our new trophy has ‘Olympic’ connotations!!! Very impressive.
Our last meeting, 13 July was more intimate, with about 10 members attending. It was a terrible night with heavy rain and we were competing with State of Origin, so given these two events, I think we had a great attendance. Peter gave a very informal informative talk on climbing Mt Kilimanjaro in 2018, the preparation needed for a long trek, the varying terrain walking from rainforest to rainforest with snow desert and snow and ice caps at the summit, the gruelling last leg, the support team of guides who needed to assist those taking the adventure.
A number of our members have been busy attending regular Tri-Club meetings while we consider our image and changes to the Tri-Club set-up.
Our Club will be celebrating 75 years of service this year, we are most proud of this achievement, and will be celebrating that event in August.
One of the new initiatives, introduced by District is reduced membership fees for Young Leaders with a 50% reduction in membership dues, please consider if you know any young person who may be looking at “giving back” to their community or looking to be mentored for the professional life to consider coming to their local Rotary Club.
Our next meeting on 27 July we welcome David Hirsch, current president of the Rotary Club of Sydney, who will speak on the Peace initiatives of Rotary and his Club in particular.
2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month at the Graphic Arts Club,
182 Coward Street,
Mascot.
6pm for pre-meeting drinks and chat. The meeting, with dinner, starts at 6:30pm and normally concludes by 8:30pm.
Long standing Rotarian and member of our Club, Andrew Daniels, passed away on 10 June 2022. Andrew is the father of fellow member, Mark Daniels.
Andrew was born on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus in 1944. Andrew and his family left Cyprus by ship in 1950 and arrived in Sydney 6 weeks later at the beginning of 1951. Living in Kingsford and later Maroubra, he attended Daceyville Public School, South Sydney Junior and Maroubra Bay High Schools, completing his Leaving Certificate in 1963.
School life was difficult at first, with having no English and, in the 1950's, being from a foreign culture, it was difficult to fit in. With an inner toughness and resilience, Andrew was a quick learner. This stoicism is something he kept all his life. With a fascination for history and technical subjects, he began his pursuit of knowledge, a trait that would continue for the rest of his life. Andrew excelled at sport, and with his size and speed played rugby league all through high school, playing full back from first year to second row in his final year. He also played cricket, rugby and soccer, but rugby league was his first love. It was the toughness of sport that encapsulated his disposition. In his final years of school, he made Sydney and NSW representative sides, was a school prefect and made fierce friendships that he held and cherished throughout his life.
Our thoughts go out to the people of Japan, and in particular to members of the Rotary Club of Nara and our joint-sponsored Rotary Foundation Global Scholar, Aya Murakami, following the sad event that took place in their city during the week.
Aya is now half way through her Master in Laws studies at the University of NSW, sponsored by Rotary and with a focus on peace and conflict resolution,. It has been a real pleasure to have her in attendance at many of our meetings over recent months.
Abe served as Prime Minister of Japan and President of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2012 to 2020. He was the most influential Japanese politician of his generation and the longest-serving Prime Minister in Japanese history.
Our Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese said "Mr Abe was a giant in the world state, a leader in the G&, the G20 and the United Nations. His legacy was one of global impact and a profound and positive one for Australia."
In the words of former Australian Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, Japan has "lost its most important modern leader, Akie her dear husband and Australia a great friend. Struck down by an assassin, Abe's powerful positive impact on his country and our region will endure".
Wonderful to see the Club recognised in the Annual District 9675 Awards at the recent District Changeover, held at the Strathfield Golf Club.
The very well attended function, attended by members of Rotary Clubs across southern Sydney down to the Illawarra and Southern Highlands, marked the handover over District Governor responsibilities from Jeremy Wright AM to Janice Hall. It was a great opportunity for Rotarians to come together and celebrate the wins we have had over the last 12 months as a District and look forward to the year to come.
A number of awards were presented, with Botany Randwick recognised for its membership growth over the past six months.
Our last meeting
Following the Welcome to Country by our Honorary Member Aunty Barb, members and guests observed a minute's silence to reflect on the life and contribution of longstanding Rotarian and member Andrew Daniels. See the News Item below for the story of Andrew's incredible life.
The Consul-General for Timor Leste, Luciano Valentim da Conceicao, was our very special guest speaker at our meeting on 22 June. Luciano told us about the book he is hoping to publish, based on his own personal experience and struggle for survival throughout the resistance era in Timor Leste.
Luciano's book will serve as reflection on the realities and consequences of war, as well as the emotional and psychological scars he carries within himself. It will also provide a brief perspective on the history of his beloved Timor Leste.
Luciano told us that the genocide that occurred in Timor Leste is considered the worst in terms of numbers, Statistics and proportionality against all the other genocides in WW2, Cambodia, Rwanda, Yugoslavia, with over 200,000 of the population of 600,000 being massacred, including his own parents.
Luciano plans to have the script complete by next February and then printed in July-September next year. He is currently sourcing potential funding through printing and publishing contacts.
Rotary Information
Rotary Youth Leadership Awards - RYLA is a life-changing program, providing an incredible opportunity to develop young adults as leaders alongside 75 other participants. This will be a week of their life that they will never forget.
What is RYLA?
RYLA is an amazing leadership program for young adults aged between 19 and 25. The 7-day program typically has 75 participants and focuses on leadership, personal development, teamwork and community awareness. RYLA features presentations from many experts who generously donate their time and experience to further the development of young leaders. The program combines workshops and presentations to fully explore the fundamentals of effective leadership.
All RYLA participants are generously sponsored to attend by a local Rotary club. It is truly a life-changing experience. The program is an opportunity to understand themselves and others, and understand what it means to be a leader. Attendees will form amazing connections with fellow participants, and the impact on their life will go well-beyond the 7 days they spend together.
Who can attend RYLA?
Anyone who wishes to develop themselves as a leader can attend RYLA! The program is for people aged around 19 to 25, as this is a great time after High School to understand themselves more and what they want out of life. Rotary Clubs are seeking anyone that wishes to make an impact on the community and are committed to ongoing learning.
Every RYLArian is generously sponsored in full by a local Rotary club. Each application must be approved by a sponsoring Rotary club, which will require an interview by the club. All successful applicants must present to their sponsoring Rotary Club after the program to provide feedback about their experience and also show their appreciation for this incredible opportunity.
The next opportunity in District 9675 will be 3 - 9 January 2023 at Stanwell Tops, with nominations closing 30 November.
The Four-Way Test The Four-Way Test is a non-partisan and non-sectarian ethical guide for Rotarians to use for their personal and professional relationships.
Of the things we think, say or do:
Is it the TRUTH?
Is it FAIR to all concerned?
Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
To contact the Club, please email info@botanyrandwickrotary.org.au
Our thoughts go out to the people of Japan, and in particular to members of the Rotary Club of Nara and our joint-sponsored Rotary Foundation Global Scholar, Aya Murakami, following the sad event that took place in their city during the week. 
Wonderful to see the Club recognised in the Annual District 9675 Awards at the recent District Changeover, held at the Strathfield Golf Club.
