Birthdays & Anniversaries
Member Birthdays:
  • Gavin Thoms
    March 23
  • Joe Raimondo
    April 19
Join Date:
  • Ted Haydon
    March 3, 2009
    15 years
Home Page News
Rotary Club of Keilor is sponsoring a Rotary Exchange student Irene Anderson Pett who is now in Germany.
 
             
Recent photos were taken at the Blazer Presentation for our outbound students:
 
      
Rotary Exchange students are recognised by their Rotary Youth Exchange blazer.  The colour of the blazer usually depends on which country or region the exchange student is from, Australia being Green.  One Rotary tradition is that students cover their blazers in pins and patches they have traded with other students or bought in places they have visited as evidence of their exchange.  It is popular for the students to bring a large collection of national- or regional-themed pins and trade them with students from other areas. This tradition is popular worldwide.
We had the pleasure of District 9800 Governor Ron Payne presenting the blazers to the students.
To add to the occasion, a special presentation from PDG Grant Hocking to Barry and Vanda Mullen recognising their significant contribution to The Rotary Foundation
Our Club wishes Irene great happiness for her Rotary Exchange in Germany with her host families
For more than 25 years, the Rotary Club of Keilor has undertaken an annual project to source the contents for, and pack, 100 Christmas Bags for distribution by Bolton Clarke community Nurses (previously the Royal District Nursing Service) in the lead up to Christmas.  We are supported in this project by a number of supporters whose assistance we greatly appreciate, especially the support with a Grant from Greater Western Water
 
 Our Club was again able to undertake the project in the lead up to Christmas 2024.  Each bag contained personal hygeine products including soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, shampoo, tissues, cotton buds, as well as food items, including baked beans, spaghetti, soup, biscuits, minced tarts and a Christmas Cake - together with some miscellaneous items, including a book, pen, a cleaning product, small can of wine, sunglasses, beanie and Christmas treats etc.  For Christmas 2024 we also had assistance from Rotary District D9800 Donations in Kind in the form of some donated products.
 
The Bags were packed by more than 25 members, family and friends at the Aberfeldie Bowls Club in what is a traditional evening working bee, concluding with pizzas and fellowship.
 
 
On the following morning, a fleet of Bolton Clarke cars arrived with the Nurses at the Bowls Club to receive the Bags, and pick them up for distribution over the following few days to the most elderly, isolated and lonely residents under their care in the Moonee Valley & Brimbank local government areas. 
 
The Nurses regularly tell us how the Bag "pick up" and their distribution to recipients is one of their favorite activities.  The thanks we receive from the Nurses and, more particularly the recipients, is reflected in a report, including recipient photos and stories, received from Bolton Clarke each year  It is this report, highlighting the delight and thanks of recipients, which enthuses our members to continue this annual project. 
 
        
     
 
    
The Rotary Club of Keilor financially supports the Swim 4 life Project, managed by
The Rotary Club of Sammui- Phangan our Club donated $3000 to fund a 12 week learn to swim program for 20 children between 8 - 12. The first cohort has just been completed with every child receiving a medallion and certificate.
Information recently received was that 40 students are about to start thesecond cohort. Unfortunately in the same update, a news item stated that  4 children decided to play and  cool off in a nearby stream, none of them survived.The World Health Organisation has proclaimed Thailand as the number one country in ASEAN for child deaths from drowing.
 
 
On Tuesday 26th September our Rotary Club Had a great guest speaker George Petrou who was talking about his art and his book
                           
The book tells George’s personal story – of his commitment to honouring the service of many of Australia’s
service personnel, of how this commitment helped him personally through the challenges of chemotherapy,
and how his work has touched thousands across Australia and overseas.
Over 70 portraits, 63 stories, 425 pages and numerous serendipitous moments, George explores the idea of
valour, of courage, bravery, and of sacrifice. Using images of the past and stories of today, he connects the
past with our present within a unique and powerful environment. This resulting creative act, an adaptive
response to the challenging environment of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This is a book supported by almost as many decorated connections as it hosts. We’re initially introduced
to the idea of sacrifice by our current Governor General, the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC and her
excellency Mrs Linda Hurley. General Sir Peter Cosgrove AK CVO MC also authors the foreword.
All profits from the sale of this book go directly to supporting veteran charities.
Extracts from The Art of Sacrifice Foreword:
What a fascinating book — full of images and words which capture the eye and give voice and further life
to the stories of some wonderful men and women. It is a book of keen insights, indeed reverence and love.
We learn within the first few pages of George Petrou’s journey as a migrant and then as an artist, whose
life-changing illness in 2010 inspired him — and then his many collaborators — to focus their wonderful
talents on this work, The Art of Sacrifice, as a tribute and expression of gratitude to so many men and
women whose service has uplifted and protected the nation we love.
Sometimes works of this nature can be somewhat dry or mawkish. Not so here! The Art of Sacrifice is vivid,
striking and attractive — it’s pithy descriptions are often juxtaposed with the faded photos and painted
portraits which leap off the page. You will be at once reluctant to turn from one story to the next but
impelled to do so by the reward of what you will find.
I am so glad I was asked to write this foreword: this is a magnificent book, a wonderful contribution to our
Australian urge to learn and commemorate and to understand that notion of ‘sacrifice’. I commend George
and his contributors for what you are all about to experience.
General Sir Peter Cosgrove AK CVO MC (Ret’d)
 
The Rotary Club of Keilor working with two local schools
  • Providing Scholarships for year 11-12 students at Keilor Downs College for the past three years, ensuring students who may not have had an opportunity to complete HSC without a scholarship can continue their schooling and possibly continue on to tertiary studies.
  • Providing an opportunity for two students from the Catholic Regional College North Keilor to attend a two day Rotary Model United Nations Assembly (MUNA)
Rotary - Model United Nations Assembly
Each year, Rotary Clubs around the world host an international youth program for senior school students which simulates the workings of the United Nations Assembly.
The event, known as MUNA - Model United Nations Assembly aims to build good will and understanding
challenging students to research the history, politics, economics, people, international alignment and policies in current world affairs from the viewpoint of an assigned country. Teams participate in debates which reproduce genuine UN debates - often with a fine flow of rhetoric, points of order, motions of dissent and bloc walkouts!
This year, College Captains, Reshaiah Ratnayake and Christian Pino have been selected to represent CRCNK and the Rotary Club of Keilor for what will be an online event held over the weekend of 5-6 December.
 
Adopting the role of China's UN Ambassadors, our students have an unenviable task ahead, debating on the COVID-19 crisis and China's role in it. They are up for the challenge and ready to take on a number of prestigious local and international schools.
Please join me in wishing Reshiah and Christian all the very best as they enter the formidable world of International Politics in an experience that will prepare them for some of the real life challenges that lay ahead
 
 
 
 
 
Club News
Rotary Club of Keilor is sponsoring a Rotary Exchange student Irene Anderson Pett who is now in Germany.
 
             
Recent photos were taken at the Blazer Presentation for our outbound students:
 
      
Rotary Exchange students are recognised by their Rotary Youth Exchange blazer.  The colour of the blazer usually depends on which country or region the exchange student is from, Australia being Green.  One Rotary tradition is that students cover their blazers in pins and patches they have traded with other students or bought in places they have visited as evidence of their exchange.  It is popular for the students to bring a large collection of national- or regional-themed pins and trade them with students from other areas. This tradition is popular worldwide.
We had the pleasure of District 9800 Governor Ron Payne presenting the blazers to the students.
To add to the occasion, a special presentation from PDG Grant Hocking to Barry and Vanda Mullen recognising their significant contribution to The Rotary Foundation
Our Club wishes Irene great happiness for her Rotary Exchange in Germany with her host families
The Rotary Club of Keilor financially supports the Swim 4 life Project, managed by
The Rotary Club of Sammui- Phangan our Club donated $3000 to fund a 12 week learn to swim program for 20 children between 8 - 12. The first cohort has just been completed with every child receiving a medallion and certificate.
Information recently received was that 40 students are about to start thesecond cohort. Unfortunately in the same update, a news item stated that  4 children decided to play and  cool off in a nearby stream, none of them survived.The World Health Organisation has proclaimed Thailand as the number one country in ASEAN for child deaths from drowing.
 
 
On Tuesday 26th September our Rotary Club Had a great guest speaker George Petrou who was talking about his art and his book
                           
The book tells George’s personal story – of his commitment to honouring the service of many of Australia’s
service personnel, of how this commitment helped him personally through the challenges of chemotherapy,
and how his work has touched thousands across Australia and overseas.
Over 70 portraits, 63 stories, 425 pages and numerous serendipitous moments, George explores the idea of
valour, of courage, bravery, and of sacrifice. Using images of the past and stories of today, he connects the
past with our present within a unique and powerful environment. This resulting creative act, an adaptive
response to the challenging environment of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This is a book supported by almost as many decorated connections as it hosts. We’re initially introduced
to the idea of sacrifice by our current Governor General, the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC and her
excellency Mrs Linda Hurley. General Sir Peter Cosgrove AK CVO MC also authors the foreword.
All profits from the sale of this book go directly to supporting veteran charities.
Extracts from The Art of Sacrifice Foreword:
What a fascinating book — full of images and words which capture the eye and give voice and further life
to the stories of some wonderful men and women. It is a book of keen insights, indeed reverence and love.
We learn within the first few pages of George Petrou’s journey as a migrant and then as an artist, whose
life-changing illness in 2010 inspired him — and then his many collaborators — to focus their wonderful
talents on this work, The Art of Sacrifice, as a tribute and expression of gratitude to so many men and
women whose service has uplifted and protected the nation we love.
Sometimes works of this nature can be somewhat dry or mawkish. Not so here! The Art of Sacrifice is vivid,
striking and attractive — it’s pithy descriptions are often juxtaposed with the faded photos and painted
portraits which leap off the page. You will be at once reluctant to turn from one story to the next but
impelled to do so by the reward of what you will find.
I am so glad I was asked to write this foreword: this is a magnificent book, a wonderful contribution to our
Australian urge to learn and commemorate and to understand that notion of ‘sacrifice’. I commend George
and his contributors for what you are all about to experience.
General Sir Peter Cosgrove AK CVO MC (Ret’d)
 
60th Birthday of the Rotary Club of Keilor.
A luncheon was held on Sunday 28th August 2022, at Houdini Restaurant, Diggers Rest.
 
Past District Governor Colin Gibbons and wife Chris were in attendance, as were many past members of the Club.  The past members included Dr Leon Lewi, Fred Dosser, Marie Louise Francken, Russell Atkins and Peter Weda.
 
Paul Harris awards were given to John Dean for his amazing work constructing the 'Bus Shelter' at Holloway House in East Keilor.  Mary Engert received one also for assisting a fellow Rotarian friend, during his 'cancer journey' and Maree Whiting for her assistance during the illness of two of our club Rotarians
 
The Jackass Award was given to Beverley Thoms.
 
An enjoyable afternoon was had by all in attendance.