Swan Rotary – Meeting Highlights – June 2026

Hello All,

Thanks for your patience while I get through June, these 11 week School Terms are not a fun time for anyone involved.

I have done a bit of a combined Grapevine to cover the meetings that we held this Month, please see below. 

If you have any questions, please let me know. 

Thanks ,

David

Meeting – 8 June

Opened with an acknowledgement of Country and a Toast to Australia and her People.

June is Rotary Fellowship Month.

President's Reflections

As he approached the end of his term, President Graham reflected on his previous year as President of the then Rotary Club of Swan Valley, 19 years earlier. He recalled that year as particularly challenging, with the club losing its meeting venue and spending much of the year rotating between different locations. Managing differing views amongst members added to the difficulty and left him concerned that a second term might prove equally demanding.

Fortunately, the past year had been a very different experience. Graham thanked members, board directors and volunteers for their support, describing the year as both enjoyable and rewarding. He acknowledged the positive atmosphere within the Club and the strong team spirit that had made his role significantly easier.

End-of-Year Reflections

Members were congratulated on another successful Rotary year, with recognition given to those celebrating long periods of Rotary service.

There was a general sense that the Club had enjoyed a productive year, balancing service projects, fundraising activities and fellowship opportunities.

Secretaries Report

• If you are unable to attend a meeting, please lodge your apologies with David Uhe on the Sunday before Rotary. – Email  duhe@bigpond.net.au  or  0419 904 010

Treasurer’s Report - 

• The Board approved the budget for the 2026–27 Rotary year.

• The budget largely mirrors the previous year's financial plan, with minor adjustments based on recent experiences and priorities.

• Members were encouraged to review the budget and contribute ideas that may improve fundraising and project outcomes.

• Directors highlighted the importance of innovative thinking and welcomed suggestions for new fundraising initiatives, particularly in relation to market activities.

• The Club remains committed to ensuring fundraising revenue continues to support its community service projects and charitable activities.

Presidents Updates.

We have received resignation notifications from Naru and Angela, as they have moved out of the Midland Area.

A leave of absence for Manny and for Graham, and Rachel is off to Paris for her Birthday. 

Upcoming Fellowship Trip 

Out next fellowship getaway will be to Geraldton in  September.

Highlights of the itinerary include:

• Visits to local museums and historic churches.
• Exploration of heritage sites and war memorials throughout the region.
• Opportunities to view significant local landmarks and coastal attractions.
• A visit to historic Greenough and other nearby heritage precincts.
• Free time for members to explore local attractions and cafés.
• A Club quiz night, which will feature a new multiple-choice format aimed at encouraging broader participation.

A formalised itinerary will be circulated closer to the date.

Budget and Planning

• Board approved the budget for the coming Rotary year.
• Focus remains on ensuring fundraising income supports community projects.
• Members encouraged to contribute ideas and feedback.

Community Connection 

• We are building on our relationship with Indigo junction. 

• Also helping us with getting some good social media posts and getting our name out into the Midland Community. 

Markets and Fundraising

• Midland Markets will be postponed until August due to weather interruptions, working with the City of Swan to get it off the ground, but the contact at City of Swan has recently changed.
• The May Bassendean Markets were unfortunately cancelled due to weather.
• The trial of chicken burgers received positive feedback, and looking at potentially alternating the chicken and beef options on a month by month basis.
• There has been a request to provide soup in the Winter Months alongside traditional sausage sizzle. But still sorting out the logistics.

Liebherr BBQ

District News

• Rotary WA Celebration, in lieu of a Changeover as the DG has a two-year term, will be held on the 11 Jul

Sergeants Session

• Graham Found David Uhe’s ticket who found a Jack.

Fines

Graham – Fine for being able to relax soon after a successful year

Fred – Not mentioning the scones in his Geraldton Planning.

Sue – Gave the club members a Birthday gift as it is Swan Rotary’s birthday, which

Ian – became a courier for the Swan Rotary Secret Women’s club, delivering a plant to Maureen. 

David – For his birthday the previous day.

Graham – a departing fine ahead of his upcoming trip.

Swan Rotary Changeover – 12 June

On the 12^th of June we celebrated our Rotary Club with many members and friends of Swan Rotary in attendance. 

Please see attached some images from the evening, as well as the 2025-26 Annual Report.

We were lucky enough to be Joind by DG Veronica. 

and celebrated David Cumming and Bill Scanlan on their Paul Harris Fellow. 

Sue Lloyd was named as Swan Rotary Club person of the year.

And we were introduced to our Board for the 2026-27 Rotary Year!

Please see attached annual report for 2025-26!

Meeting – 22 June

First meeting for 2026-27 Swan Rotary President – Sue Lloyd.

Meeting opened with an Acknowledgement of Country and a Toast to Australia and her People.

Welcome to our visitors and friends of Rotary, and prospective member Nat. 

Apologies from Graham, Manny, Ninder and Aubrey.

The 22 June is World Rainforest Day, and the international Day of Being You – Designed to make people embrace who they are.

It is also the international Day of Giraffes, which is a favourite for Betty who has a collection of Giraffes.

Secretaries Report

• Nothing to report, but will be working with Sue to create the letterhead and program for the upcoming Rotary Year.

• If you are going to be absent, please lodge your apologies with David Uhe on the Sunday so that he can inform the venue.

Treasurers Report

• Nothing to report. 

Presidents Announcements

• Innerwheel changeover happening the 10^th of July.

• District Celebration in lieu of a changeover on the 11^th of July.

• Sue has sought permission from the management from the venue to bring in a Swan Rotary cupboard as a safer place for us to store our equipment – they have approved.

Community

• In contact with Indigo Junction regarding Shelterbags as a potential community project. 

• Following a conversation with the DG, is looking into a trust account for the club, and will report back to the Board in due course.

Markets

• June Bassendean Markets are looking unlikely to due to the weather forecast for that week.

BBQ Trailer

• Currently living in David Cumming’s garage while Rachel is away. It is a bit of a tight squeeze to park it. 

Upcoming Guest speakers and Events

• Kathy has 2 potential guest speakers

• Cheriley suggested a trip to Kenyana or Karrakin in the near future – there is currently an outbreak of avian flu which is doing a lot of damage to our native birds.

• Please thing of destinations for Vocational Visits – it can be any workplace.

• If you have any suggestions for guest speakers, out program is currently very empty – please help David C out by finding people and booking them in. 

Discussion – Clubrunner and My Rotary

How to use club runner to send emails to the members of the club, and a brief look into My Rotary, which has a number of modules on specific club roles, and other special Rotary Information – If you need any assistance please let me know and I will do my best to help you out

Chase the Joker 

Ian’s ticket was found and he located the Joker! – unfortunately there was only 2 weeks since the last joker was found so not the best luck this time round.

Fines

I did a fines session but didn’t record what I fined people for.

Meeting – 28 June

Meeting opened with an Acknowledgement of Country and a Toast to Australia and her People.

Welcome to our guests and friends of Rotary, and prospective member Nat. 

Apologies from Graham, Manny, Rachel, Ninder and Aubrey and Cheriley.

Today is international day of the Tropics, and Wednesday will be international Joke Day.

Secretaries Report

Nothing to report, but please lodge your apologies directly with David Uhe.

Treasurers Report

A giant chocolate coin has been presented in thanks to Betty for all of her hard work with the accounts.

President's Announcements

• A reminder to put your phone on silent at the beginning of the meeting.
• Innerwheel Changeover – A number of Swan Rotary members will be in attendance.
• District Celebration – A number of Swan Rotary members will also be attending this.
• Sergeants Role, will be done by weekly appointment, if you do not wish to be sergeant please speak to Sue ASAP.
• We have heard from our Rotary Community Group Leader, who is looking to get the ball rolling again. But is wanting Swan Rotary to appoint someone to Liase with him and other members of the Rotary Community group. – Special thanks to Fred for taking this on.
• Board meetings will be held on the 3^rd Monday of each month this Rotary Year. – the next being the 20^th of July.

Board Decisions

• Approved a $500 contribution towards William's participation in an international championship event.
• William will be invited to report back to the Club after returning from the trip.

Liebherr

• Hot soup to be introduced as a winter offering – Starting this week!
• Additional equipment and supplies purchased.
• Volunteer roster and trailer arrangements confirmed.
• Betty will attend to assist and make sure it all runs smoothly.

Shelterbags

• Fred had sourced a Shelterbag and brought it along to this weeks meeting. 

• Shelterbags for the Homeless is a charity that aims to provide shelter and warmth to the homeless people of Australia by distributing Shelterbags. These bags are designed to withstand harsh weather conditions and .
• He will be in communication with Indigo Junction regarding this project.

Guest Speaker – 12 Buckets

Members were privileged to hear from a representative of 12 Buckets, a community organisation dedicated to supporting vulnerable and disadvantaged young people through mentoring, practical assistance and positive relationships.

Larisa shared her personal journey working in the community services sector, including roles in homelessness and youth support, and spoke passionately about the importance of providing young people with trusted adults who can offer encouragement, guidance and opportunities.

Founded in 2010, 12 Buckets began with a simple vision – helping children facing challenging circumstances by connecting them with caring mentors and creating opportunities for them to thrive. What started as a small initiative supporting a handful of primary school students has grown into a significant community organisation working across multiple schools and supporting hundreds of young people each week.

A key message of the presentation was that young people are not "broken" and do not need to be "fixed". Instead, they need supportive relationships, a sense of belonging and opportunities to build confidence and develop their potential. Through school-based programs, mentoring, practical support and community engagement, 12 Buckets works to remove barriers that may prevent young people from participating fully in education and community life.

The organisation assists families with a range of practical needs including school uniforms, swimming lessons, excursions, technology and other educational expenses. These supports ensure that financial hardship does not prevent a young person from participating in important learning and social opportunities.

The work of 12 Buckets is guided by four core principles:

• Belonging – creating safe and supportive environments.
• Mastery – building confidence through learning new skills and experiences.
• Generosity – encouraging young people to contribute positively to others.
• Independence – helping develop the skills and confidence needed for future success.

Members were particularly moved by the stories demonstrating how positive adult role models can change the trajectory of a young person's life. The presentation highlighted the power of community connections, encouragement and opportunity in helping young people reach their full potential.

Chase the Joker

Larisa found Bill’s ticket, Bill found the 7^th of Clubs.

Fines

A number of fines were issued but not recorded – Apologies.

Next Meeting – 6 July

Our first meeting of the new Rotary Year – RI Presidents Message – Create Lasting Impact.