A Busy Start to The Year

A Season of Action: Celebrating Our Rotary Year So Far!

Welcome to the Rotary Club of Palm Beach WA's online home! Whether you are a long-standing member, a curious visitor, or a passionate community member looking to make a difference, we are thrilled to have you here.

As we reflect on the start of this new Rotary year, we are incredibly proud of the momentum our club has already built. The Rotary motto, "Service Above Self," is not just a phrase we repeat at our meetings; it is the guiding principle behind every project, fundraiser, and gathering we organise.

Even though we are only a short way into the current Rotary calendar, our dedicated members have hit the ground running, turning great ideas into tangible community action.

Making a Tangible Impact in Our Community

This year, our primary focus has been on rolling up our sleeves and addressing the immediate needs of our local environment and community. Drawing from our recent July bulletins, it’s clear that our members have been exceptionally generous with their time, skills, and resources. Here is a quick overview of what we have been working on:

  • Supporting the Homeless: We recently committed $2,400 to purchase 200 "Safer Lyfe" thermal sleeping suits. These innovative, waterproof suits will provide vital warmth, dignity, and safety for rough sleepers in the Rockingham area. We are also incredibly inspired by member initiatives like Tammi Nepia's non-profit coffee van, which she is currently renovating to help upskill disadvantaged and homeless mothers.
  • Youth & Education: We believe in empowering the next generation. We recently doubled our Rockingham Senior High School Dux awards to $500 to better support students facing financial hardship. We also funded travel insurance so a local school NRL team could safely compete interstate, and sponsored a local student for the RYPEN (Rotary Youth Program of Enrichment) leadership camp. Furthermore, we are teaming up with neighbouring clubs to sponsor an Indigenous medical/health service student through Australian Rotary Health.
  • Environmental Conservation: Our commitment to the local environment continues to soar. Ongoing monitoring of our artificial nesting hollows—spearheaded by resident expert Rick Dawson—recently led to the exciting discovery of three vulnerable forest red-tailed black cockatoo nestlings. This proves that our long-term conservation infrastructure is working beautifully to support local wildlife!
  • Community Fundraising: Hard work pays off! Through the sheer grit of our volunteers erecting and dismantling promotional signs and corflutes for the City of Rockingham, we are on track to raise approximately $17,000 for our charity initiatives.

 

Fellowship and Growing Our Rotary Family

Rotary isn’t just about the work we do; it’s also about the lifelong friendships we build along the way. We kicked off this Rotary year with a massive Changeover Dinner attended by more than 60 members, partners, and friends—our largest attendance in many years! It was a wonderful evening where we honoured the hard work of members like Frank Moelands and Tarryn Fitzpatrick.

This year also marks a historic milestone for our club: we are proudly operating with an all-female executive board, led by President Donna McDonald in her third stint in the president's chair.

We are also delighted to announce that our Rotary family is growing, and we warmly welcome our newest members and guests. As we grow, we also reflect on those who helped build our foundation, and we recently said a heartfelt farewell to Nola Smith, a cherished pioneer of our extended Rotary family whose impact on the local community will not be forgotten.

Looking Ahead: The Magic Continues

While we are incredibly proud of what we have accomplished in this short time, we are even more excited about what lies ahead. As we look to the coming months, we are gearing up for a packed calendar of events:

  • Mind The Walk (Nov 1): Join us for historical walking tours and an interpretive tour by Aboriginal elder Steven Jacobs, with proceeds going to support neurodivergent women.
  • Rockingham Beach Cup & Rotary Community Festival (Nov 14-15): The City of Rockingham has approved our iconic event grant, and our committee is hard at work preparing for another spectacular weekend!
  • Liquid Gold Dinner (Oct 23): Hosted by the Swan to Surf Rotary Community Group at the Royal Perth Golf Club, this glamorous event will raise vital funds for polio eradication.

 

We cannot achieve these ambitious goals alone. If you are a visitor reading this and you feel a spark of inspiration, we warmly invite you to join us! Come attend one of our upcoming Wednesday meetings at the Hotel Clipper, meet our members, and discover how you can use your unique talents to create lasting change in our community and across the globe.

Thank you to all our members, sponsors, and community partners for an outstanding start to the Rotary year. Let’s keep this incredible momentum going!