Tonight we had our first Roll-over Dinner to mark the incoming Rotary Year. It was different from previous years “Change-over” presentations when we introduced a new president & board members- this time the current board decided to continue each of their positions into 2021-22! Please check out our club’s board membership profiles.
President Dean Bartley Report:
This last year has been a different type of Rotary Year, impacted by Covid, and forcing changes to the ways that we do things. We however have continued with our support programs to schools across our catchment, and this year have taken on the sponsorship of the Pedal Prix team at the Heights school. We look forward to ongoing contact with this school. We have sponsored end of year awards across 4 senior schools. No exchange students at this stage until travel is opened up. NYSF for year 11 students was a localised hybrid arrangement as it will be for next year. Each of the awardees from the schools attended our club and made a presentation, it was great to hear from them.
Christmas hampers were provided by our club to the Salvation Army to assist those in need, and due to Covid 19, that was done differently to the way did it in the past.
Clean-up Australia – involved again. Rotary International has adopted the environment as the 7th avenue of service. The club is a member of Anstey Hill Support as are several of our members, and we include that as part of our service.
Bunnings BBQs are back on again, and we also helped with a couple of other BBQs as fund raisers, joining with 2 other clubs to cook sausages to celebrate the end of Ramadan at the Salisbury campus Uni SA.
We inducted 2 new members into the club this year and we hope to continue a long relationship with them. Our international president has challenged each of us to invite a new member along and expand our numbers to enable a greater contribution to the community.
As we move forward into our next Rotary year we look forward to continue with our existing programs and plan for more community involvement including working with local government on local issues. As we serve to change lives.
Thank You to all our special guests who attended tonight and we would like to acknowledge the presence of two local MPs, Dr Richard Harvey and Blair Boyer. The Keynote Speaker, Ardys Bartley (amazing wife of Dean) a Regional Manager with Schools Ministry Group (SMG), which manage pastoral care workers in 280 schools across the state, spoke about the role of these people in our schools.
Ardys showed parallels between the new Rotary 21-22 Theme – ‘Serve to change lives’ and the mission of the SMG – bringing purpose and hope to students, staff and school communities. They are celebrating 30 years of partnering with local churches, schools, like minded mission organisations.
SMG offers Education Services – online, livestream and face to face courses for Professional Development and lessons; Chaplaincy Services suite – value-based seminars, general practical chaplaincy, wellbeing services. Someone who is well learns better and engages better with the community around them; Disaster & Recovery Ministry – in times of natural disasters, such as floods, earthquakes, bushfires etc.; and Critical incident funding – to provide additional support to a school community during time of crisis.
The “BRAVE” Kimochi came in handy for Ardys during her presentation. She explained how they are used in The Wellbeing Classroom – to increase student engagement.
Thank You Ardys Bartley for sharing with us tonight and educating us about the SMG.