Community Service Report 2020-21

 

 

This year was off to a rocky start during the COVID-19 pandemic, but through adversity our committee saw opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives for the better through Community support and engagement; our first project being the delivery of 120 ‘Essentials Boxes’ to families most in need. This saw not only our committee but the whole club coming together from inception to putting these boxes together through to delivery. Our responses from families were endearing and of heart felt gratitude for our Clubs considerable efforts.

 

During our meetings in August, we had the pleasure of 6 year old Harper Forsythe attend to speak on behalf of her efforts in raising money for Telethon. She makes and sells hair scrunchies in her own time to raise money and donate towards Telethon, well done Harper as you have shown us that volunteers not only come in all shapes and sizes – (but ages!). Another guest speaker was from Greyhound Adoptions WA, operating in the Perth region. A not-for-profit organisation designed to rescue and re-home previous racing greyhounds.

 

Guest speaker Faryar Gorjy (Director), Ben Gorjy (General Manager) and Rosabel Kuek (Senior Portfolio Manager), developers from the Yaran Property group visited our club to speak about their apartment developments in Rockingham area to support people in achieving home ownership and the support afforded through NDIS to care for elderly people to achieve independence longer in their own home.

We look forward to hearing about new development proposals in the near future for the Rockingham region.

 

LIFT THE LID night during Mental illness awareness Month of October saw us participating with a crazy array of Hats during our Monday night meeting of fellowship and mental health awareness, along with a $2,000 donation to go towards a very worthy cause. Our Sunday Market was also involved with a Crazy Hat competition with quite a few peculiar hat designs from volunteers, stallholders, and members of the general public.

There was no slowing down at the end of the year, during November our committee organised to be the host food vendor for the Living Waters Lutheran College in support of their annual Christmas Carols event on the 4th of December. Our team of dedicated volunteers manned the Rotary BBQ serving hundreds of school children, their parents, friends, and teachers.

LWLC P&F along with their school Principal Mr. Francois Pienaar were incredibly grateful for our efforts on the evening.

 

After a well-deserved break over Christmas and New Year period our committee met again in February to discuss the devastating WA bush fires that ravished and destroyed homes and properties of our Northern counterparts; Although a heart-breaking tragedy, this saw the better side all Western Australians who had no hesitation in donating money, items, food and showing much support for these families in need. Our club through the Community Committee unanimously decided on donating $15,000 towards RAWCS fire appeal to go towards aid support.

 

Our annual Grants Night occurred on Monday night on the 29th March and saw representatives from the below clubs and associations attend the RSL in a wonderful night of fellowship and award ceremonies. This year our Community Committee sorted through applications and were able to vote on mostly all; If not part, of each application request received, based on merit.

 

This year totalling $30,000 going back into our local community in support these amazing clubs and organisations:

Rotary Club of Baldivis $2,000

Hillman Hornets Cricket Club $2,000

10th Light Horse Troop $4,000

Port Kennedy Primary P&C $500

Rockingham Football Club $4,000

City of Rockingham RSL $5,000

Rockingham Swimming Club $2,000

Warnbro Sound Scout’s $5,000

RockyOra Softball Club $2,000

Cruising Yacht Club of WA $1,500

T&P Disabled Veterans WA $2,000

 

Our networking with local organisations has led us to have interesting guest speakers at our club throughout the year, and two of those have chosen to remain intricately connected with us, including the 10th light horse and Greyhound rescue who are now both regular visitors to our Sunday Market and provide a major draw card for members of the general public to come and see their live exhibits.

 

April saw an open floor closed Forum night to discuss issues and to see what members wanted our club to provide in the future. Of the 34 topics raised, 17 of those had Community Services items to action. Due to the level of involvement these items have been prioritised and are being reviewed on a monthly basis to have these ideas looked at and actioned in the near future or passed onto the next Committee.

One of the ideas brought up at the Forum was to re-implement our Essential Boxes program, mainly due to government subsidiaries which are about to cease from COVID. The idea was moved and passed through the Committee to provide an extra 200 boxes for families in need to be distributed until the end of the fiscal year.

 

After the devastating fires north of Perth recently a tropical cyclone has also passed through creating a path of destruction affecting hundreds of families, our committee decided that a large portion of our remaining budget would be best used to help provide some support and relief to these families.

 

May saw our committee come together to discuss Forum items for us to pursue into the future with ideas for major grants including supporting Rockingham/Peel Hospital with provision for Hi/Lo beds, Soul Soup/Crew with upgrades to current facilities and provision for Lifeline councilor training, all of which supporting the local community and allowing for our Club branding and exposure.

Hands on topics were also addressed with follow up actions for continued tree planting days and to potentially facilitate upgrades to the Mental Health ward in Rockingham hospital consisting of painting and refurbishments. Future goals of hands-on projects will form part of next year’s Committee goal setting.

 

Our last meeting for this year saw our committee reviewing the projects we have supported and took note of lessons learnt to help make better decisions and plans for future events, also to help make planning easier and more informed for the next incoming Committee towards new goals for our Club.

 

Our committee members: Sara Abbott, Linley Lambert, Kim (Bushy) McDonald, Trevor Ridley, and Rory Wishart, who have received numerous emails and letters of correspondence this financial year asking for assistance and financial support. Our committee methodically go over these requests each month and decide how to best support any successful requests.

 

And finally, here is the complete list of these organisations and community groups, our Club has helped and donated to during 2020-21 fiscal year:

Scouts WA (Rockingham) $1,000

Food Bank WA $500

Harper Forsyth $200

Greyhounds Rescue $500

Salvation Army Café $800

Angel Flight Australia $1,000

Rockingham Beach ESD $50

HANDICAMP $1,000

LIFT THE LID $2,000

LWLC Specialist Netball $200

Rotary Health $2,000

Royal Flying Doctor $2,000

Star Of The Sea P&F $799

St Vinnies $1,500

Food Bank $1,000

Salvation Army $1,500

The CREW $1,500

Anglicare $1,500

Australian Red Cross $1,500

Super Tee Charity $2,000

Coastal Care $1,000

RAWCS Fire Appeal $15,000

Tiff for Ronald McDonald $200

Brave Hearts foundation $2,000

ARH Indigenous Scholar $625

Rotary Club of Baldivis $2,000

Hillman Hornets Cricket $2,000

10th Light Horse Troop $4,000

Port Kennedy Sch. P&C $500

Rockingham Football $4,000

City of Rockingham RSL $5,000

Rockingham Swimming $2,000

Warnbro Scout Group $5,000

RockyOra Softball Club $2,000

The Cruising Yacht Club $1,500

T&P Disabled VWA $2,000

The Mermaids $1,000

The Outrigger Canoe $1,000

ANZAC Day Wreath $100

Lynne M-Health Walk $2,000

Cyclone Nth WA Appeal $4,400