Rotary Club of West Lakes

03/11/2026

Melbourne Cup celebrations tonight – Rotary Style🎉We enjoyed a relaxed social evening at the Semaphore Carousel celebrating the annual horse racing event with club members and guests. Delicious pizza, a Melbourne Cup sweep, fun carousel rides and fundraising made for an enjoyable evening of fellowship, laughter and friendship – Rotary in Action.

27/10/2026

How can Rotary help protect Australia’s precious environment? Tonight, Ian Coat, member of the Rotary Club of Magill Sunrise and Chair of Calperum and the Environment (CATE), shared one inspiring example. Ian told us the interesting story of Calperum Station, a former grazing property covering an incredible 2430 square kilometres, now managed by the Australian Landscape Trust. Calperum focuses on three key areas: Ecology, Education and Engagement, supporting environmental research, Indigenous opportunities, skills training and ecotourism.

Rotary is playing an important role in supporting improvements at Calperum, including solar power, water management, accessibility and facilities. Skilled volunteers are also needed - roofers, tilers, landscapers and others with practical skills can make a real difference.

Thank you, Ian, for an informative presentation highlighting how Rotary can help protect our environment for future generations.

24/10/2026

Today is World End Polio Day, and the Rotary Club of West Lakes marked this important occasion with a special End Polio Now BBQ at Bunnings Woodville, with all profits going towards Rotary's global fight to eradicate polio.

Rotary's worldwide campaign began in 1985, inspired by Australian Rotarian Sir Clem Renouf. Since then, remarkable progress has been made towards a polio-free world. There is no cure for polio, but it can be prevented through vaccination. Thanks to the Gates Foundation, every dollar donated through Rotary is matched 2:1, tripling its impact.

A big thank you to Ros for organising today's BBQ, our hardworking volunteers and everyone who supported this important cause. Together, we can help end polio for good!

20/10/2026

It was a pleasure to welcome District Governor, Tim Mee, to our club this evening. Tim shared updates on Rotary District 9510, including future plans and the importance of supporting youth programs and building strong connections with local schools.

A highlight of the evening was our club’s $2000 donation to the RAWCS Nepal Project, continuing our commitment to making a difference beyond our local community. Thank you, Tim, for visiting and sharing your vision for Rotary.

13/10/2026

Tonight, the RCWL welcomed Pastor Ben Cardone from Port Church and the LeFevre Peninsula community as our guest speaker.

Ben shared his inspiring personal journey, from growing up in a single-parent family of Italian heritage to becoming a podiatrist and eventually following his calling to serve the local community. Having experienced firsthand the kindness and support of a community during his childhood, Ben is passionate about ensuring that everyone feels valued, welcomed and connected.

One of the wonderful initiatives he spoke about was the Wednesday night community dinners at the church on Carnarvon Terrace, where 80-100 people enjoy a free meal each week. Operating for over 10 years, these dinners provide so much more than food – they offer friendship, companionship and a sense of belonging. For some, the opportunity to connect with others is the most important part of the evening.

Their philosophy is simple: Every person has value, and every person has something to contribute, regardless of their circumstances or background.

We were so pleased to hear that our very own Rotary member, Jo, volunteers in the kitchen!

With plans to expand their kitchen and improve facilities, and changes to food sponsorship, community support and donations are especially welcome to help keep this wonderful initiative going. Thank you, Ben, for an inspiring presentation and for reminding us of the incredible difference that kindness, connection and community can make.

Service Above Self – something Ben and his team demonstrate every week!

11/10/2026

The RCWL was on sausage sizzle duty today, serving up a tasty BBQ for visitors enjoying the Tennyson Dunes Open Day. It was a fairly quiet day, although we did have a few busy bursts with queues forming for our sausages.

We are pleased to support this annual local community event, and all profits from our BBQ will be donated to the Friends of Tennyson Dunes to support their valuable work. A big thank you to everyone who stopped by for a sausage and supported our efforts.

03/10/2026

Last night, 2 October, our Immediate Past President Robin, together with Louie, had the pleasure of attending the 4th Induction and Changeover Ceremony of the Rotary Club of Plaridel Polaris in the Philippines.

What an experience! With more than 120 people in attendance, the evening was full of energy, tradition and plenty of colour. The ceremony included the Philippine National Anthem and strong references to faith and trust in God, along with Rotary protocols that gave Robin a glimpse of how early Rotary meetings may have been conducted.

One of the highlights was seeing the club members arrive dancing their way into the presentation area, where they were individually welcomed by the District Governor and other dignitaries. The members looked particularly impressive in their matching suits, while guests embraced the black semi-formal dress code. Robin and Louie were made to feel incredibly welcome by the warm and friendly Filipino people.

It was a wonderful opportunity to experience Rotary in another culture, build friendships and see the many ways Rotary clubs around the world celebrate their members and community. Rotary connects us, wherever we are in the world.

29/09/2026

We had a great speaker at RCWL tonight - Sam Weavers, “The Popcorn Kid”, and his dad Shaun.

Sam shared the story of how he started making popcorn at just nine years old, initially selling to friends and family. Then came the big break - Regal Cinema Kensington approached him to supply their popcorn!

After several years producing popcorn from the family home, Sam invested $20,000 in machinery to increase production. In September 2025, plans for a warehouse on his parents’ property were approved, and the business continues to grow. Sam now supplies outlets including United, IGA and Klose’s Foodland, and is even able to employ people as the demand increases.

But there’s much more to Sam’s business than popcorn and profits. He supports childhood cancer charities and partners with Kids4Kids, with 40% of popcorn bale sales going to this charity. He has raised an incredible $30,000 so far and has received seven awards along the way. What an excellent speaker Sam has become. He spoke with confidence, enthusiasm and genuine passion! A wonderful story of entrepreneurship, determination, family support and giving back.

Thanks for sharing your story with us, Sam!

14/09/2026

08/09/2026

Every breakthrough starts with a question… and someone willing to back it. Tonight, we were fortunate to hear from PDG Barbara Wheatcroft from the Rotary Club of West Beach about the exciting future of Australian Rotary Health (ARH) as it prepares for 2027.

For more than 45 years, ARH has been answering one simple question:
“What can we do to help?” And the answer has been to fund possibility.

Over those 45+ years, an incredible $56 million has been raised, supporting 741 research grants, fellowships and PhD scholarships, along with 874 scholarships in rural medicine, rural nursing and Indigenous health. But behind every statistic is a person, a researcher with an idea, a student given an opportunity, or a breakthrough that may never have happened without someone choosing to say yes.

ARH’s current focus is particularly important: mental health in children aged 0–12, supporting research and evidence-based programs that can make a difference early in life.

As ARH looks towards 2027, the organisation has a refreshed brand, an expanded events offering, new digital kits and a new events portal - same heart, same commitment, but with a sharpened vision and purpose. The much-loved Lift the Lid walks are continuing, with ARH now bringing these events in-house with an amazing 95 walks since 2020.

A big thank you to Barbara for sharing the story behind Australian Rotary Health and reminding us that when we support research and emerging researchers, we are giving brilliant minds the gift of time, and the opportunity to discover what is possible.

Find out more about Australian Rotary Health:
https://australianrotaryhealth.org.au/