Author: Kathy

Tonight’s guest speaker is Bill Bates – Founder and President of Operation Unity SA.

Bill’s Career includes: 3 years in the First Armoured Regiment – Royal Australian Army;  29 Years in South Australia Police; and 8 years in the Private sector.

Operation Unity is a group of volunteers who are ADF Veterans, family members and like minded members of the community that are trying to assist current ADF members, Veterans, First Responders and their families to move forward in positive way towards tomorrow: without the red tape. The group has a particular focus on physical and mental health and well-being promoting social inclusion.

Since its humble beginnings Operation Unity has a core endeavour of conducting Presentation Ceremonies for Certificates of Appreciation to service men, women and posthumously (presented to relatives)- from WWII to Afghanistan. So far they have given 38 recipients, over 40 certificates.

It currently has about 15 team members, who are not all capable of all undertakings but have connections and regularly collaborate with other organisations to fulfil their mission. Operation Unity covers a wide range of projects, from helping a veteran with their home life to organising/ supporting fundraisers, such as Al Mathana Task Group.

Above Rob is presenting Bill with an Emergency Medical Information Book (EMIB) as a guest speaker “Thank You” gift. This lead to our board organising a donation of a case of EMIBs to Operation Unity SA, to be distributed to the people they support. We hope it will be a great aid to the veterans and their families.

If you like to learn more about Operation Unity SA, Please follow the link below to their Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100066389004853

Tonight we inducted a new member to our club: Madison Roehrs

Madison is a robotic engineering student who started her rotary journey through RYLA, the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards. She is passionate about helping others and expanding her world view. She looks forward to all the future opportunities rotary has to offer.

Welcome to the club!

Tonight we had Constance Jones from The African Women’s Federation of SA (AWFOSA).

Constance moved from the UK with her family where she lived for 25+ years, after migrating from Sierra Leone. She worked as a senior Human Resources Adviser in a large local government in England and lectured at Worcester University in Derbyshire, after completing her MSc in Payroll Management.

Upon arriving in South Australia, Constance connected with the local Sierra Leone community. Her commitment to empowering women and communities, saw her take up positions as the first female community leader of the Sierra Leonean Community of SA and pioneered the Sierra Leone Women’s Association of SA. These volunteer roles allowed Constance to venture into what she is passionate about and what truly represents her as a person- Strengthening Communities, Creating an inclusive, Multicultural Society and Empowering Individuals. Currently the Manger for the African Women’s Federation of SA, which represents the interests of African women and their families in SA.

Constance is a Role Model, Community Leader, and Mentor, an amazing example of a volunteer who takes “service above self”- a Rotarian characteristic and aspiration.

The African Women’s Federation of SA (AWFOSA) is a community-based organisation which aims at empowering African women by equipping them with skills and knowledge that they need in order to be active participants and contributors, in their local and wider Australian Community as far as in, socio- economic, cultural and political aspects. The organisation, also provides core settlement services to ensures these women and their families successfully integrate into the Australian society.

The AIM of AWFOSA:

To encourage and provide a forum for African women’s views to influence policy in government and to ensure the accessibility to mainstream services, appropriate services, representation on decision making bodies and participation in all aspects of Australian society for African women and youth.

If you like to learn more about Constance and the incredible work she does- please check out the below links:

facebook.com/awfosa

www.awfosa.com