Current Activity
The Vocational Service team has organised a number of excursions for our club members to visit over the past months. These visits give our members the opportunity to gain a practical insight into a variety of different vocations.
We have had a tour of Monash Synchrotron to gain some understanding of nuclear science and technology. Our members also toured the Donations In Kind warehouse where a team of Rotary volunteers sort and pack donated medical items, school supplies, clothing etc. into shipping containers to be donated to developing countries. Recently we volunteered at the Humble Mission where we helped to feed those in need. The Vocational team have also arranged some interesting guest speakers including a physic and we are having a social night where the guest speaker will talk to us about learning Bridge. We are always keen to hear from anyone with an interesting vocation that they’d like to provide information to us on.
Highlights 2022-2023
Chair: PP PHF Russ Nielsen (July till September), Susi Wilson (September onwards)
Team: PP PHF Ian Ash, Hita Mistry, PP PHF John Ritchie
On the 20th of September 2022 we visited the new SES facility in Emerald. 4 SES members gave us a tour through the building and showed us the vehicles and equipment, including those the Club has fundraised for in the past. It was certainly an interesting visit and gave us an inside in all the important jobs the SES does in our area.
On the 28th of March 2023 the Pride of Workmanship Award event was held for the first time after 2018. The ceremony was held at the Puffing Billy Lakeside Centre with additional support from the Eastern Dandenong Ranges Business and Tourism Association led by Lynne Trensky. Thirteen local businesses had nominated a staff member, who has demonstrated outstanding performance and who got the Pride of Workmanship Award. A framed certificate and a glass trophy with engrave name was handed to the recipients of the Award. The event was attended by around 90 people and the feedback from attendees indicated it was an overwhelming success. Ian Ash did an amazing job in organizing the event. Peter Abbott as CEO of Puffing Billy was a very well selected Guest speaker. Kelly organised a raffle on the night and a silent auction contributed to a bit of fun and extra income for the Club.
Susi, Ian (who spend weeks and weeks organising this event) and Hita - great teamwork for a fantastic evening.
The Rotary MacLeod Murphy Memorial scholarship, which supports local students, who are starting a tertiary education in a medical field had five applicants this year. All students presented worthy applications and thanks to donations from four medical related businesses (Emerald Medical centre, Avonsleigh Vet, Emerald Village Pharmacy and Hills Psychology) we were able to present all five applicants with a $1000 scholarship. To avoid the Macleod Murphy fund drying out too quickly, the Club decided to pay ½ of the scholarships from the Fundraising account and the scholarship was renamed into Rotary Macleod Murphy Scholarship.
On the 9th of May 2023 the scholarship recipients came to the Rotary meeting and got a certificate designed by Kris Ash and the Club had the possibility of meeting the five students.
Tahlia Rossitto, Shea Jones, Vanessa Dewar, Lillian Mackay and Ruby Mulloy-Koning were the five local students receiving the scholarship in 2023.