Our next meeting will be on Wednesday 8 March 2023 at the Graphic Arts Club
President's Message
Welcome to this Newsletter of the Rotary Club of Botany Randwick Inc.
Our club has been serving the local and international community since 1948. It is part of Rotary International - a worldwide organisation of more than 1.2 million business, professional and community leaders whose members provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. As signified by the motto "Service above Self", Rotary's main objective is service - in the community, in the workplace, and throughout the world.
Rotary promotes the ideal of service through fellowship. Attending our meetings allows members to enjoy the fellowship of other club members, enrich their professional and personal knowledge, and meet other business leaders in their community.
As a Club we are fortunate in have a steady source of income from our collection bins at Sydney Airport, allowing us to support a wide range of local and international projects. We are particularly focused on the Rotary projects, Australian Rotary Health, Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS) and Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children (ROMAC) as well as The Rotary Foundation.
All are very welcome to any of our meetings in 2023.
The Guest Speaker at our meeting on 8 March 2023 will be Dr Keith Suter AM.
Dr Suter is an experienced, professional and awarded presenter renowned for explaining complex global and business issues in a way his audiences can digest and understand. He is in demand as an MC and conference facilitator. Keith’s tailored keynotes, workshops, facilitated sessions are entertaining, highly compelling and always captivating. He frequently appears on radio and television discussing politics and international affairs. He has been for many years the Foreign Affairs Editor on Australia's Channel 7’s Sunrise program.
He has been appointed to many prestigious roles throughout his career, including Chairperson of the International Humanitarian Law Committee of Australian Red Cross (NSW), Chairperson of the International Commission of Jurists (NSW), Director of Studies at the International Law Association (Australian Branch) and Managing Director of the Global Directions think tank.
Keith was the President of the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies (1991-1998) at the University of Sydney and was a Consultant on Social Policy with the Wesley Mission for 17 years. In addition, he served as a consultant for a number of other organisations, with a focus on local and international issues.
Our last meeting
The Guest Speaker at our meeting on 22 February 2023 was Ngaire Segal, daughter-in-law of our late member, Alan Segal. Ngaire was accompanied by Daniel, a Past President of the Botany Rotary Club, who spoke of Alan's passion for Rotary and the project that they came along to speak about.
Ngaire is a singer-songwriter and active member of the Australian music industry for 17 years and 4-time ARIA Nominee.
She spoke about her proposal to establish a creative arts academy in Papua New Guinea, the first of its kind. An institution for aspiring, up-and-coming creatives to further develop their craft and career. This will be facilitated with an ongoing exchange of knowledge between the students and industry professionals from Australia and the Pacific Region.
Proudly Partnered with Sydney Airports Corporation
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.
It is with deep regret that we advise of the passing of our member Past President Ray Atkin.
Ray is remembered as a successful and respected business and family man whose career spanned the automotive, property and investment industries and, for the past 30 years, art dealership and galleries. He joined the Rotary Club of Kings Cross in 1997, before transferring to Botany-Randwick in 2022, during which he served as President for multiple terms and as Director for many more. Ray embraced Rotary's ideals and values, especially the commitment to service. As was his nature, he was always prepared to provide help where needed and never shied from life's challenges.
We send our deepest condolences to Maria and the family. Vale Ray Aitken, a true gentleman.
Sadly, the time has come to say farewell to Aya, our Global Scholar from Japan, who has been with us for the past year.
Aya has been studying a Master of Laws at the University of NSW under the Rotary Foundation's Global Scholar Program.
She had a very successful year of studies, receiving the degree of Master of Laws (specialisation in Human Rights Law and Policy) with Excellence (WAM 80+). She was also awarded Dean's List for "outstanding achievement in course, a fantastic achievement - congratulations Aya!
Somehow Aya found time away from her studies to become very active in our Club's activities. She attended most of our fortnightly meetings, as well as District Conference and Rotary Foundation Dinners. She fully involved herself in our Club activities, looking after our guest speaker program. Outside of Rotary and her studies, she also volunteered for a number of NGO's in Sydney.
We all wish Aya the very best for her future - you will be missed, and we are sure you will do very well!
Baby Melenaite was born with a large teratoma, a mass of tissue and blood vessels, on her lower back.
Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children (ROMAC) arranged for her and her mum Michelle to fly to Canberra, where the 2.5kg tumour was removed. Unfortunately, some remnants remained and she was transferred to the Sydney Children's Hospital at Randwick for further treatment. They have been living at Ronald McDonald House and members of our Club have been supporting them during their stay.
On 2 March Melenaite underwent 5 hours of surgery. Firstly an operation by Urologist Dr Sarah Guitronich to address the kidney issue. Then followed a 4 hour operation by Neurologist Dr Saeed Kohan to excise the remaining teratoma. Melenaite is now resting comfortably in a ward at Sydney Children's Hospital.
At this time, both doctors are very pleased with the outcome of the operations. It is likely that they will remain at the hospital for another week, with our members continuing their support.
The Rotary Club of Botany Randwick has been a long-term supporter of Ronald McDonald House at the Sydney Children's Hospital at Randwick. The House provides accommodation and support for the families of children from regional areas undergoing treatment at the Hospital. This is a mutually supportive arrangement as we are often able to have children from the Pacific Islands being treated under the Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children (ROMAC) program also stay at the House.
One element of our support is sponsorship of one of the family accommodation rooms. Last year:
47 families called our room home
Average stay was 6.5 days
The longest stay was a family whose child was being treated for cardiac issues and stayed for 50 days. They usually live 1,385 kms away from Sydney in South Australia, where the necessary cardiac facilities were not available.
The most common diagnoses of patients using this room include oncology, gastrointestinal and neurological.
As a part of our International Service, the Rotary Club of Botany Randwick has been a longtime supporter of the Sustainable Villages Project, which is a Rotary Australia World Community Service project in the remote Oecusse enclave of Timor Leste. Our funding has supported improved water supply to a number of villages as well as the Green Games.
The idea for the games came up in 2006 when Luis Armando, Director of GREENTL and Judy Charnaud, a Sydney Rotarian, were having a general conversation re young people in Oecusse having too much spare time on their hands and not seeing a bright future for themselves, many finished school, could not afford to go onto further education and had little opportunity of employment, leading to disenfranchised and easily angered young people. Luis suggested organising a sporting competition to give them something to do.
When the Rotary world arrives in Australia for the 2023 Rotary International Convention, between 27-31 May, our vibrant country will be in the spotlight. This is a rare chance to be an ambassador for Rotary in Australia and for the warm, welcoming host city of Melbourne, so register today!
The convention promises to be an inspirational event, with distinguished speakers, energizing breakout sessions, and abundant opportunities to brainstorm ideas for ‘Doing Good in the World’ with Rotary and Rotaract members from around the globe.
Join us in Melbourne to Imagine What’s Next as we form and strengthen connections and learn from one another.
Register now and encourage your friends to do the same.
As the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine approached, Rotary magazine’s Wen Huang went on a personal trip to Europe, where he witnesses the resilience of the Ukrainian people and the wide reach of Rotary’s global network. Huang crossed the border from Poland to Ukraine and has reported back on Rotary's contribution to alleviating the pain and distress of the people of Ukraine.
Dr Suter is an experienced, professional and awarded presenter renowned for explaining complex global and business issues in a way his audiences can digest and understand. He is in demand as an MC and conference facilitator. Keith’s tailored keynotes, workshops, facilitated sessions are entertaining, highly compelling and always captivating. He frequently appears on radio and television discussing politics and international affairs. He has been for many years the Foreign Affairs Editor on Australia's Channel 7’s Sunrise program.
Sadly, the time has come to say farewell to Aya, our Global Scholar from Japan, who has been with us for the past year.
Baby Melenaite was born with a large teratoma, a mass of tissue and blood vessels, on her lower back. 
When the Rotary world arrives in Australia for the 2023 Rotary International Convention, between 27-31 May, our vibrant country will be in the spotlight. This is a rare chance to be an ambassador for Rotary in Australia and for the warm, welcoming host city of Melbourne, so register today!