ROTARY CLUB OF DINGLEY VILLAGE			Last updated 28/2/2010
Rotary is essentially a grass roots organization, with most of its service efforts being carried out at the club level. Fundraising during the year is allocated to many worthwhile projects and this year money raised at the Dingley Market has been used to purchase wheelchairs for children in third world countries.  In addition we have adopted a village in Papua New Guinea and supplied them with Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets to combat against malarial infection. These nets have the advantage of protecting people sleeping under them and simultaneously killing mosquitoes that contact the net. Malaria is a fact of life for the average person in PNG and sees more than 1.2 million people affected in that country each year. By adopting a village in PNG we know that we will improve the life of every person that is given the opportunity to sleep under a treated net. The Rotary Club of Dingley Village · We are involved with our local Primary and Secondary schools · We support the local Community Advice Bureau · We have working bees at Abbeyfield House in Dingley Village · We support local sporting and community groups · We raise funds for local and international projects · We visit local elderly residents · We involve local youth in Rotary Youth programs · We are currently in the final stages of planning to construct a war memorial in Dingley Village which will be the focus of Anzac Day commemorations in Dingley Village · We meet weekly at 6.30pm at the Dingley International Hotel · We welcome visitors to our meetings
Recent Events
Change Over This year our change over was a fun filled Italian themed evening with Italian music, food, wine and decorations. Our new President Alistair Law took over the Presidency for 2009/10. Alistair and his wife Terri have been Dingley Village residents for some years and Alistair has held several positions in the club culminating with him being elected President for this Rotary year. Alistair is very enthusiastic in everything he does in Rotary and we look forward to this leadership and the year ahead with Alistair at the helm.		Past President Dudley Podbury handing over to incoming President Alistair Law
Change Over Member Photo		Club members at change over from left to right – Kevan Thomas, Malcolm Elliott, Heather Winch, John Glenn, Dudley Podbury, Vic Smith, Bruce Whitaker, Sue Hilton, Steve Brough, Mark Sutton, Norm Hurrey and Ian Graham.
Visit from Gemma of The School of St Jude Our club was pleased to host a visit in May from Gemma Sisia, the founder of The School of St Jude in Tanzania. Several clubs from our district and beyond were represented as well as supporters of the school around Melbourne who had all made the journey to hear an update from Gemma about what is happening at the school. Gemma told how the school student numbers have risen to more that 1,200 students and despite the world economic downturn, she still hopes to find sponsors for the 150 new students next year as well as for the infrastructure to be able to accommodate the new students. We wish her well		Gemma Sisia and the members of The Rotary Club of Dingley Village
Christmas Breakup The first half of the Rotary year was fare welled with the Xmas breakup being held at President Heather’s and Steve’s home. This weather was barmy and we all enjoyed lots of good food and fellowship in the evening air.
Women in Rotary Did you know that we are celebrating 21 years of women in Rotary? Rotary has nearly 188,000 female Rotarians whose diverse talents create active and friendly clubs. Women have served in leadership positions as Club Presidents, District Governors and Directors of the Rotary International Board and participate in all areas of service, bringing their own unique skills and abilities to make Rotary an amazing and productive organization both in our local community and internationally. So it is with much happiness that we have recently inducted our newest member Pam Huber to the Rotary Club of Dingley Village. Pam is a retired Accountant and has lived in Dingley Village for the past thirty-seven years. Below is a photo of Pam with her husband Wally and Club President Alistair Law taken on the night that Pam joined the Rotary Club of Dingley Village.
Another New Member Our club was delighted to have Taffy Rukodzi join our club as our newest member. Our photo shows Taffy and his delightful wife Desire together with club President, Alistair Law. On the night of his induction, we were entertained byTaffy as he gave us an informative talk about his early childhood in Zimbabwe and his aspirations for their future in Australia.
Wheelchairs for Kids We are also grateful to the wives/partners of our members who add so much to the success of Rotary in our organization. Veronica Podbury, wife of Past-President Dudley has been a driving force in raising funds for the purchase of 145 wheelchairs for impoverished, disabled children in developing countries. Wheelchairs for Kids is a Rotary sponsored project involving a volunteer workforce manufacturing solid and strong wheelchairs designed to be suitable for use in remote rural areas, where buildings, roads and paths are generally not designed with the disabled community in mind. In developing countries where health care and other social services are poor or non-existent, raising a child with a disability presents a significant burden to the whole family. Without a wheelchair, a child can be housebound and a burden for the carer, usually the mother. In many cases a child intellectually capable of attending mainstream school is denied the opportunity because of the absence of a wheelchair. The gift of a wheelchair gives twice. It not only presents the child with freedom, but also frees the mother to work and contribute to the family’s income. One of these wheelchairs costs $100.00 to build and through the efforts of Veronica and her group of dedicated helpers, the Rotary Club of Dingley Village has helped 145 children become more independent. Veronica and her team have recently been making an amazing range of jewellery and together with their magic sponges and serviettes will be sold at the Dingley Market. Your purchase of an item from her stall will directly help fund a Rotary project for a child in a developing country.
‘The Rotunda’ celebrating 150 years of Dingle Village.	Dingley Village Historical Society – Rotunda Our clubs contribution of $500 to the building of a Rotunda in commemoration of the 150 year anniversary of the establishment of Dingley Village has recently come into fruition. The Rotunda has recently been completed and is located in the foreground to the Harold Box hall in Marcus Road Dingley Village.
	Working for a Polio-Free World Rotary has been instrumental in vaccinating over two billion children with the Sabin vaccine. We have reduced the number of polio cases by over 99 percent and have reduced the number of endemic countries from 125 to 4. Rotary is proud of these accomplishments. However we cannot slacken our efforts now, because as long as there is wild poliovirus anywhere, the disease can easily spread again. The Rotary Club of Dingley Village will continue to raise money to make our world polio-free. If you see our stand at the Market or in the shopping centre, remember that for a gold coin donation, a child in a developing country will be vaccinated and spared from ever contracting this dreadful disease.