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Meeting Forum
Grantham Beeston, Treasurer, fired the opening salvo continuing “the treasurer has to maintain the Club’s finances for two streams – the Operations of the Club being the first. The second stream being monies received from the Market available for Grants, that is, Projects external to RC Balwyn” .
Members’ yearly subscriptions covered the costs of running the Club.
The RCB is able to make large grants to the Community and also to projects far away from our shores. ``For this we acknowledge the large contribution from the Market, its Directors and Management,'' he said..
As to our Grants, we anticipate a net income from the Market of $500,000 this coming year. Of this, $140,000 is passed on to the City of Boroondara Community Grants Fund for distribution to worthy causes within the Shire. In this regard, it must be emphasised that RCB has members on the Shire’s Grants Fund.
Previous Boards have committed to $40,000 to our Educational Foundation over four years. The remaining $320,000 is available for the different Avenues of Service as the Board approves.
Grantham concluded: “Directors will be advised of the proposed allocation shortly.
Gavin Wayland, Education Foundation, gave us an overview of the Trust which provides funds for scholarships, bursaries and prizes.
Awards are made to Australian citizens or permanent residents to promote their education either in Australia or at an overseas institution. An award may be to an individual or to a group.
The Trust has the flexibility to receive funds either from our own RCB Sunday Market, or from other individuals or charitable institutions, or Government agencies. As such, the donations are tax deductible.
Our most prominent examples are the tertiary scholarships already awarded to Indigenous or Torres Strait Islanders.
Gavin said that “new projects such as Kindergarten Education, Trade Training, or Handicapped Children’s Programmes can be incorporated in the future.
Trevor Penry, Membership Development said “we are a strong club with 90 members, the 4th largest in our District 9800, but we cannot rest on our laurels. We need to continue to induct new members.
``Once, there were proud, dominant Rotary Clubs in our area, but who, having neglected recruitment, are now down to 20 members. This won’t happen on my watch Trevor assured us. ``Gary Le Get, Gavin Wayland and I will develop a strong Membership Development Program this year,” he added.
``If we market Rotary appropriately and honestly, we shall attract both older retired members as well as younger potential members. We could think about a Central Balwyn Rotary Breakfast Club based upon Whitehorse Road Traders.
“When Pres Bill hands over to PE Ken, it is my goal to have more than 110 members in RC Balwyn,'' he said.
Mark Caldwell, Vocational Services:
Boroondara Literary Awards are a joint activity of RC Balwyn, Leader Newspapers and the City of Boroondara. There are two main categories, Young Writers and Open Short Story. There are sections for poetry and prose for secondary school students, in years 7-9 and 10-11. Entries are judged by successful professionals who are widely recognised for their work in literature.
The Four Way Speaking Contest is for students in schools in the City of Boroondara. Speakers must relate their subject to the Rotary 4 Way Test. Finals are held at RC Balwyn on a regular Tuesday night. This year, the event was cancelled due to sparse interest on the part of state schools. The event is now subject to review as to its viability.
Rotary Indigenous Australian Tertiary Scholarship was introduced in 2005, Rotary’s centenary year. This valuable scholarship is worth $20,000 per annum for four years. With financial support from the Victorian Department of Education, the scholarship is now offered annually. This Programme is under the stewardship of Peter Blundell and Bob Batrouney.
Police Mentoring Program provides police leaders with a development opportunity to gain a better understanding of the different organisational cultures within the State. Our Mentor this year is Andrew Mitchell.
My Vocation – Something New! During the year, Members will be invited to speak on changes taking place in their Vocations. Our first speaker will be Michael Dobson who will speak on his experiences as an air traffic controller in Oman.
Peter Frueh, International Service spoke on the objectives for this year.
Complete one Matching Grant Project with RC Balwyn as initiator.
In aid of Rotary Foundation, increase Centurian Club Membership
Nominate an Ambassadorial or World Peace Scholar .
Move RC Balwyn’s funding to Rotary Liaison Officer in East Timor to a more equitable basis.
Devise and maintain a record of current International Projects, by means of a specially designed spread sheet
MORE REPORTS NEXT ISSUE!
Owen Tassicker.
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