Community Service
We support local charities in our community focusing on grass roots organizations. Some of these charities include Heart and Soul, Our Street Family Matters, Back Packs for Kids, Kick Start for Kids, Foodbank and Rumbling Tummies.
Our most well-known annual event is the Cold Plunge raising funds for the homeless in our local community. Recipients of proceeds donated include Mary’s Kitchen, Hutt Street Centre, Catherine House and Magdelene Centre.
Christmas is a fabulous time where the club is involved with a range of activities. One of these is the Christmas float which is dusted off for the Glenelg Christmas pageant andbmakes sure that Father Christmas arrives safely. Other activities include a Christmas gift drive, gathering Christmas gifts for disadvantaged children, fundraising drives for Christmas sacks and Christmas food hampers helping to add a little Christmas cheer to those less fortunate than us.
Members also assist as drivers for Meals on Wheels, delivering meals to the elderly in the Glenelg area.
Environment
This new focus, is part of our community service team. Alison Rogers has raised focus of environment within our club which has been positively embraced. This started with the “Straws no More” campaign and looking to making Jetty Road Glenelg plastic straw free. This is quickly gained momentum as we hit the Jetty Road precinct with our paper straws. The project was completed and was so successful that we received the District 9520 award for Best Environmental project.
International
Here the club supports overseas charities. One of the projects that the club has supported is the Hands On Project. The club purchased and assembled hands which were sent overseas. Other projects include Bednet Buddies where a fun fundraiser was organised raising money to purchase Bednets for children protecting them against mosquitoes and malaria, Days for Girls, a working bee assembling birthing kits and Shoes that Grow.
Youth
We see the youth of today as our leaders of tomorrow and actively support a range of youth programmes. These include, RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Programme). This is a seven-day leadership programme for 18 – 25 year old young adults. An amazing programme, focusing on personal development, leadership topics such as conflict resolution, public speaking and mental health. RYPEN is a three-day leadership and development programme for 14 – 17 year old children. There is the National Youth Science Experience, supporting youth on the One and All sailing programme and members host international students through the Rotary Youth Exchange programme.
We are in the process of setting up an Interact programme in one of the local secondary schools. Interact is a service club for youth ages 12 to 18 who want to connect with other young people and have fun while serving their community and learning about the world. Interact clubs organize two projects a year, one that helps their school or community and one that promotes international understanding. Members of sponsor Rotary clubs mentor Interactors as they carry out the projects and develop leadership skills.
