Events

Varvara Athanasiou-Ioannou, is the Founder and Chair of the Food for Thought: an inclusive Greek Australian Women’s Network.

She is a multi award winning educator who has left her imprint indelibly marked in many sectors. For the last 21 years, she has devoted her life to the promotion of women’s issues. Her latest achievement is the publication of an oral history book, 'Her Voice, Greek Women and Their Friends', about the personal and professional lives of 42 women living in Australia.

This  ground-breaking  collection of stories features relatable role models, whose strength and resilience will inspire anyone who reads it. It is aimed to be read by everyone, men and women. 

'Life for many of these women has not been easy; starting over in a new country, or born here to migrant parents, with heightened expectations, experiencing bullying, racism, sexism,  disengaged partners, domestic violence and mental health issues just to name a few. At points, some lost their way – and their voice. I was inspired to help them find it.'

The women featured in the book, from all walks of life, are academics, educators, entrepreneurs, writers, municipal counsellors, journalists, lawyers, scientists, politicians  and more. Selected with a diversity lens in mind, the women featured present an intersectionality of age, class, marital status, sexuality, faith, disability and race, representing different professional and business backgrounds. Everyone will know someone in the book and relate to many of the stories and  issues raised. It is a conversation starter.

M.C.:  Charlotte England

Photo Credit: Permission by Varvara Athanasiou-Ioannou

Inaugural Award For Seniors

MC: Dorothy Gilmour

'Sophie Flynn is a lawyer with around 20 years of work, mainly in international humanitarian programming and policy.'

The presentation will focus on Rotary and UNICEF's strong partnership, against the backdrop of UNICEF's role within the United Nations and UNICEF's mandate and work around the world.

Further, the presentation will zoom in on the work of UNICEF Australia (where Sophie works as a Child Safeguarding Specialist), and spotlight Rotary and UNICEF Australia’s flagship 'Give Every Child a Future Program'. The Program, started in 2021 to mark the centenary of Rotary in Australasia, focuses on strengthening healthcare and saving lives of children and women in the Pacific'. 

(Sophie is also the mother of Rotary Exchange Student, Evie).

Photo: Musa Ajit via Pexels

'A rollicking account of a little-known event that changed the course of Australian history. 
How a motley crew of merchant seaman walked 600 miles to save 7000 gallons of rum.
'When, in 1796, Calcutta-based Scottish merchants Campbell & Clark dispatched an Indian ship hurriedly to the colony of New South Wales, they were hoping to make their fortune. But when the Sydney Cove went down north of Van Diemen's Land, the cargo master and 16 other crew members were compelled to walk 600 miles to Sydney Town. 

The rum? Find out by listening to Adam. 
Adam Courtenay is a Sydney-based writer and financial journalist. He has had a long career in the UK and Australia, writing for papers such as the Financial Times, the Sunday Times, the SMH/Age  and for magazines including Forbes and Company Director. Adam has a love of Australian history and biography and has written six books, including The Ship That Never Was, The Ghost and the Bounty Hunter and Three Sheets to the Wind. 

Adam is the son of Australia's best-loved storyteller, Bryce Courtenay.

M.C. David Rush

Photo:  via Harper Collins

M.C. David Rush 

Photo: Troy Mortier via Unsplash

In January of 2024, Mark participated in the Ride for Rotary motorcycle ride in India. It was the 8^th such event run by Rotary District 3181 and in total has generated US 150k for ARH.

46 participants (most on 350cc Royal Enfield motorcycles) from 14 different countries rode from Udaipur in the NW down to Goa in the SW. A fantastic experience with motorcycling, dodging of tuk tuks, warm rotary hosting, fellowship with other participants and some real cultural engagement.

Mark, current president of Glenferrie club, has ridden motorcycles since the age of 10 when he bought for $10 a scooter from a mate who had given up getting it going. Other motorcycling adventures included rides in the USA and Mongolia.

M.C.: Noel Halford

Photo Credit: Fazail Ahmad via Pexels

Member Behind The Badge talks are not to be missed!

This is your chance to hear from Peter England, his experiences, accomplishments and  insights.

M.C. Charlotte England

Neil Cole is a multi-award winning playwright and author has won the Aspire Award in 2017 from the Supreme Court of Victoria for his ground-breaking work on psychiatry in the theatre.

He’s also a former criminal lawyer, mental health advocate, former member of parliament and Alzheimer's researcher

M.C. Andrew Crockett

The Werribee Open Range Zoo, of over 200 hectares, is tucked away just outside Melbourne and offers a fascinating voyage into the animal world.  Zoos Victoria properties include Melbourne Zoo, Healesville Sanctuary, Kyabram Fauna Park and Werribee Zoo. 

Jacinda assists in overseeing the whole natives team working with a variety of native Australian species, including - Tammar wallabies, koalas, orange bellied parrots, kangaroos, emus, tortoises and some reptiles.

She is is part of a team at Werribee Open Range Zoo that does incredible work with a very endangered species: the final remaining members of a genetic line that traces its origins to around 100 million years ago, when Australia was joined to Antarctica and South America.

M.C.: Pam Crockett

Photo Credit: Aris Cologon via Unsplash

Ashley is a past RYLA participant.

He is also a climate scientist and international development practitioner.

Through his work, he is acquainted with Leopoldina Guterres (known to Rotary Hawthorn) and the Baguia area of Timor Leste.

He will share his experiences and endeavours from the time he has spent in Timor Leste, inlcuding the geographic conditions and shed light on the challenging economic landscape of the region.

He’s been described as ‘a clearly an invested, enthusiastic, and capable young professional’ by Rotary.

M.C.:  Angela Taft

Photo: Ester Wijihastuti via Unsplash

Photo:  Matheus Bertelli via Pexels

Photo: Simon Berger via Pexels

John Perry

Details via the Rotary Hawthorn Bulletin and direct emails.

M.C. : Tilak Dissanayake

Photo: provided by Bionics Institute 

M.C.: David MacNamara 

Photo Credit: J Weeks 

Join Cheryl, Boroondara’s Home Library Service Librarian, to find out how you can make the most out of your library membership. Cheryl has been the Home Library Librarian at the Hawthorn branch of the Boroondara Library for 5 years and has held many roles throughout her career in public libraries.

She’ll be sharing her tips and tricks so that you can take full advantage of the library’s collection and services.

Cheryl will be sharing her expertise on things like accessing new releases; online newspapers, magazines, movies, documentaries; and how to get involved in volunteering.

Vasso is a Distinguished Professor in the School of Health and Biomedical Sciences. 

'She is a world-renowned researcher who has been recognised with more than100 awards, including the Premier’s Award for Medical Research, Young Australian of the Year (Vic), Greek Australian of the Year, Woman of the Year was named one of the most successful Greeks abroad by the prestigious Times magazine. She was the first to develop a method of immunotherapy to stimulate the immune system in the early 1990s, which today is used by hundreds of labs around the world Vasso has applied several immunotherapies to other diseases including MS, diabetes,  Alzheimer’s’ disease. She is committed to driving her research and programs to help people age healthy. Vasso has recently moved to RMIT'.

M.C.:  Ian Bentley

Photo Credit: Chokniti Khongchum via Pexels 

Prof Clive May is from the Preclinical Critical Care Unit of the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health.

Clive: 'His team have made a very important discovery, he first treatment that reverses the effects of sepsis, a condition that is the main cause of death in hospitals and accounts for 20% of world deaths.
This treatment is now being tested in a clinical trial'.

'Septic patients commonly suffer a range of complications that can cause cognitive impairment and disability'. (Florey Institute)

M.C. : Kevin Rose

Photo Credit: The Florey via Prof. Clive May