Welcome to the Alexandra Headland Rotary Club

Are you an local community minded person who wants to make positive changes in your neighbourhood and the world? Our club members are dedicated people who share a passion for community service and friendship. Becoming a Rotarian connects you with a diverse group who share your drive to give back.

2020 Surf Show and Shine

2021 Surf Show and Shine gets a plug from Wendy and David on Sunshine Coast News

Click HERE for the whole story

Stay tuned, no date has been set yet by Alex Rotary, but thinking early November?...any suggestions from Kombi Clubs?

2020 Surf Show and Shine an amazing success

Well what a day! Great weather, big crowds, and an amazing Kombi, Surfboard, Art and Music show, all from the Sunshine Coast Community showing that it really does care for others who are "doing it tough".

The day started bright and early with the SES helping to block off the event site for the Kombi's who arrived early, some travelling all the way from as far as Hervey Bay and Gold Coast.

The Rotary Arches Kindly donated and put up by Geoff Hopkins and his team at Mooloolaba Rotary

Then the artists were on the scene with some spectacular sculptures and paintings and a mini excavator (really!) on hand to place the sculptures in position. Then it was the turn of the vintage surfboards to put up their stands and show off these masterpieces of the surfing schools.

The truly amazing "art precinct" organised by Owen Cavanagh's team of remarkable Sunshine Coast Artists

Meanwhile further down the site Graeme's and Michelle's team were assembling the stage for the musicians, and Sabine and the Rotoractors were busy putting up the large gazebo's shade for the expected crowd, they were closely followed by the vendors of all things surf wear and of course the ubiquitous coffee vendor and "must have" jam factory donuts. We were delighted to welcome the IFYS coffee van this year, in healthy competition with Richard Lane's coffee cafe. Richard has been a supported for many years, while the IFYS coffee van is a new initiative to train up the youth as baristas and giving them customer service skills to help them find work. Once the vendors were in position Craig and Declan set to work with the social distancing plan and soon the vendors area was open for business.

Rotary wishes to acknowledge the great support from Jody Perry and the North Shore Board Riders who were fantastic partners to us in making this event happen

After Graeme and his helpers from Siena College had placed the Kombis in position it was time for Paul, John and Errol's team to drop off the tables, chairs and bins from our friends at Mooloolaba School. Now it was starting to look like an event site - and with a little more room than we had thought thanks to the fantastic work by our "site Architect" Steve

Then it was time to open the gates, and the crowds were soon filtering through past our mates from Passport Rotary and underneath the Mooloolaba Rotary Arch into the event site where the Alex team led by Skye and Sean were manning "Rotary Central." Soon the queues were backing up and the newly found skills of Wendy's team in QR codes and EFT POS (didn't even know what that was a few weeks ago) were being put to the test.

The next few hours were a bit of a a blur with Wallis seemingly everywhere keeping the public happy and safe. Where did he find the time to do those interviews with SeaFM who were broadcasting from the event site.

Tony found time to take a few snaps, and Carmel took over Rotary Central in the afternoon, with our wonderful volunteers.

As the event unfolded it was great to see the conversations taking place between the crowds and helpers and artists and what an interest after lunch around the art Auction hosted by that ball of energy Owen Cavanagh. The scene had been set by the purchase of a work from Julie Chizzoni earlier for $500, and expectations were high for the mural that had been created by Owen and Rod Pickle at the show.

In fact the work was only completed a few minutes before auctioneer Tony called up the bidding. The mural was eventually sold for a bargain price of $1,000 which Owen generously contributed to the beneficiaries of the show.

Owen with the mural that was created at the Surf Show and Shine

Then it was time for the Kombi of the Year and Peoples choice winners to be announced. MC Wallis introduced Councillor Natoli who made the presentations for "Peoples Choice" and "Kombi of the year" and two rather emotional, excitable Kombi owners accepted Myles Newton hand made trophies to show off to their Kombi mates.

The trophies...unique momento's of a great day. Thank you Myles and Steve.

Our main sponsor and great community supporter Dean Stuart, Ashleigh Smith, Councillor Natoli, Nerrine Hooper with their trophies.

Here is Nerrine's story about Apple (APL 74) ..and this is what Apple looked like in 2006

“Apple’s Story”...... Apple was someone’s rubbish but my treasure. We found her under a tree in Redcliffe, knocked on the door and offered $600. Well when that little wreck arrived home I was so excited! I took my 4-year old’s hand and toddled down the driveway and said “We need to find a name for her”. Well wIth a big grin on her face she chuckled “SHE LOOKS LIKE A BIG RED APPLE!”. Apple! What a perfect name, found under a tree too. Since then she’s been totally restored right back to bare metal and gone a shade of green. And now there’s lots of love, lots of adventures and many more still to come following @reenys_kombi

and here is Ashleigh's story. This little beauty is called "Gem" (DC 61) and Ashleigh has had her for 6 months.

1961 Dual Cab Kombi. Originally owned by Stan and Thelma Atkinson, owners of the Gembrook General Store in Victoria. “Gem” was used solely to deliver groceries to the surrounding area.

After several hours of great fun and fundraising, a certain scribe was so happy that it all came together and a wonderful team effort by the club and its amazing helpers.

Here is a classic "End of the day" shot.

Sun going down and a Kombi full of character. Iconic.

Rainbow House ladies come to visit

Rainbow House ladies come to say thanks

We were honoured to have Alison and Maron from Rainbow house join us for breakfast on Friday. It was also great to hear some more stories about where the donations go, and a very moving presentation and school song from the kids in Zambia. The photos of the Chianda kids wearing Mathew Flinders and Anglican college shirts was a great reminder of the fantastic work the volunteers here in Australia do to keep the school running.

kids play area project

Local Rotarians have continued their fantastic work on the Rotary Care garden and over the past few weeks have been improving the IFYS child care facilities in Maroochydore. Some pictures below, and a big thank you from Vicky Meyer and her team for the smiles that we have been able to add o the mums and kids who now have a completely refurbished play area.

So well done everyone involved from Alex and Mooloolaba Rotary and really fantastic to hand over the facility just in time from Christmas.

"Fantastic work, what a difference. It was lovely to hear from Renee and Sheree, who coordinates the program, the reactions from the children to the cubby upgrades, can’t wait for them to see these latest enhancements!

Thank you so much for all your support."

Vicky Meyer

Executive Manager

Community Services IFYS

Alex WorkLife Program reaches Tasmania!

Renee puts in a plug for WorkLife for kids

Recently a certain scribe received this lovely text from an amazing woman in Tasmania who works with the youth in Hobart, mostly females who are struggling with accommodation and getting and keeping work. So our amazing Renee suggested that the WorkLife program may be something that they could use, and engage a local Rotary club to help.

We have clubs in NSW and Victoria who have taken up the program as part of their vocational planning, as well as interest after the RDU article from as far away as Alaska!

Here's Louise's text..

"Hi, I have recently been chatting with Renee from IYFS on the sunshine coast and she has talked about this amazing program. I am just wondering if there is any capacity to run this in our two youth shelters in Hobart? Its such a fantastic initiative! You can contact me on XXXXXXXX. Kind regards, Louise"

So your club secretary has followed up and been in touch with the District Governor in Hobart and we'll see what develops...and just a reminder that the links to the WorkLife resources are available HERE.

White buttocks, Cholera, Ebola

Pandemic Warrior talks to full house at the club

Dr John Parker was our guest speaker at the Fridays breakfast meeting, and he didn't disappoint. For a humanitarian doctor who has spent his career fighting pandemics in Afghanistan, Sudan, Iraq, Uganda, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria with Red Cross and MSF.

For a self confessed adrenaline junkie he appears to be remarkably normal. But looks are deceiving.

John spoke most entertainingly and movingly about the horrors and comedy of being a doctor on the front line dealing with deadly diseases at very close quarters. But his message was not disease but trauma.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD has been the scourge of John's life. He battled with the things he saw overseas, and that led to a troubled life. John was remarkably frank about how his career and desire to fight pandemics had impacted on himself and his relationships. John has put his recollections in is book " From Choler to Ebola".

As Tim Costello (CEO of World Vision) says "My experiences pale compared to John's .....and he has put it all in his book which is not for the faint-hearted."

An amazing man with an amazing story.

Big thanks to Mike for bringing Dr. John Parker to the meeting. Everyone enjoyed listening to this most inspiring humanitarian doctor, now living in Buderim.

Our Programs and Causes

At Rotary we want to have fun while "making a difference" to our communities, locally and internationally.

However, we're a "can do" organisation..and if you have a cause or program that you want some help with, why not get in touch and we'll see what we can do?

The events that we run and support allow the club to raise money to support some of the many good causes in the community. All of Rotary donations and fund raising go to the community. All Rotarians are volunteers and give freely of their time. Club expenses are kept to a minimum, and the main Rotary Foundation is one of the top 5 Charities in the world in terms of its effectiveness, with the administration costs far, far, lower than many better known charities.

Surf Show and Shine - Celebrating the Coast while helping the outback. We always need volunteers to help run this annual community event.

SunnyCoast Solstice Swim - Supporting our Young Veterans and other Rotarian community causes. It's getting bigger every year.

Worklife Program - Rotarians are generally business people who are passionate about giving back. So its only natural that when they see businesses complain that the young are not "work ready", and they see overloaded school curriculums, and stressed out kids going into the workforce that they want to help. So Alex Rotary has been delivering and promoting a program to help first time workers transition to work, in a practical and positive way. Already we've been to high schools on the Sunshine Coast , Rotaract at USC and IFYS community worker work start programs.

Golf Day - Last year we hosted a charity golf day to raise funds for Sunshine Coast helicopter rescue - an initiative started by Rotary here on the Sunshine Coast.

Christmas at Alex - Every year we host a BBQ at Christmas at Alex, to raise funds for our local battlers at Christmas.

Christmas Hampers - Last year we gave 400 hampers to the Carers of Children to give a helping hand over Christmas

Mooloolaba Triathalon - we're delighted to help the organisers host this event that attracts thousands to the coast

Mooloolaba Ironman - For many years Rotarians have managed the gear tent for this great event

Clean Up Australia Day - every year we organise a BBQ for our volunteers who help clean up the coastline around beautiful Alexandra Headland

Alex Rotary - Trivia Quiz champions

Here's our group celebrating their win, with our exchange student Amy, who is basking in the reflected glory of the winners.

Alex Rotary are the current ROMAC trivia champions, having successfully won the trophy from hundreds (really) of Rotarians at a Fund Raising event hosted by Caloundra Rotary every year to raise funds for this fantastic medical charity.

This is the second year that we've won this highly regarded trophy. This year we had to win without three of last years brain boxes, Graeme, Doug and Dave W, but they were ably replaced by Verna, Professor Bob, and President Mike.

ROMAC is an organisation of Rotarians and supporters from the medical profession, who give freely of their time and expertise to help the Pacific Island community.

You've probably seen some of the examples of facial reconstruction, and limb correction that these great volunteers do. The recent separation of the Siamese twins is the type of extensive surgery that the Rotarians who make up the ROMAC team do around the area. Tony recently showed a ROMAC project where a young boy from the surrounding islands was able to stand on his own two feet for the first time after radical surgery to align his feet. Well done ROMAC, truly making a difference to people's lives.

We're delighted to support ROMAC and a big thank you to Bryan Mason and his helpers for organising an event, which this year raised $20,000 to support those volunteer medico's with the great work they do around our region.

USC/Rotary Annual Community Clubs Fund Dinner
May 12, 2021
6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Maroochydore Rotary - AGFR National Golf Week
May 16, 2021 – May 21, 2021
Rotary International Convention
Jun 12, 2021 – Jun 16, 2021
Alex Rotary "Solstice" Swim
Jun 27, 2021
6:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Monthly Meeting Roster

Chairperson

WOODROW, David

Rotary Minute

STORKEY, Mike

Sergeant

Saunders, Valerie

Room set up

RICHARDSON, Errol

Maitre'd

Scott, Paul

Meet and greet

RICHARDSON, Errol

Club Links

Club Facebook Page

SunnyCoast Solstice swim

Surf Show and Shine Facebook

District Website

Rotary International

Why don't ants get sick?

Because they have antibodies!

Good reads

Two things will change your life. "People you meet and books you read".

Here are some recommended reading by a certain scribe;

Rotary has spent millions eradicating Polio. Here is a novel about a gym teacher in USA in 1944 and a how a polio pandemic affects him. Brilliant bestselling novel. Nemesis by Phillip Roth

Henry Kissinger once said that there is a "thin veneer of civilisation"...was he right?. Read "Human Kind" by Rutger Bregman. It will surprise you.

What makes us who we are? Read the stories in New York Times bestseller "The road to character" by Richard Brookes. You might recognise yourself.

Rotary is run by volunteers and Rotary is always in the top 5 most effective charities in the world.

You can be sure that your dollars go to where they are needed.

Want to develop and give better talks? Its all HERE

Club Honorary Members

Fiona Simpson MP for Maroochydore

Fiona is our hardworking local Member for Maroochydore who has a track record of delivering for the Sunshine Coast region and a reputation for passionately advocating for her local community. After the 2017 State Election, Fiona was appointed as the Shadow Minister for Employment and Small Business, Training and Skills Development in the Deb Frecklington and Tim Mander LNP Team.

Fiona grew up on the Sunshine Coast and went to local schools. She understands the pressures faced by local families and business owners and wants people to have the same opportunity to live, work and raise their families here while cherishing our region’s natural beauty.

Fiona has a long history with Rotary, as a Youth Exchange Student, and always being a great supporter of her electorate's Rotary Clubs and other voluntary organisations.

Ashley Robinson OAM, is our most recent Honorary member, and has been involved in numerous community support activities, locally, regionally and internationally. The Alex Rotary Club meets at the Alex Surf Club where Ashley is the General Manager and oversees the many Surf Club activities that add to the health and well being of our Sunshine Coast community.