We meet three times a month with an additional social meeting to suit members. Our face to face breakfast meetings are at The Robyn Yates Centre for Cancer Wellness Support. We will still have some ZOOM meetings. Check Calendar for details.
It's the end of June as I write this message. It's pretty much the end of our Rotary year.
Traditionally it's when we change over our Presidents and recognise that a Changeover function. For us we are doing it a little bit differently and we are having Joint Presidents. Sandra de Gruchy will join me for the next twelve months. We will sort out the role between us and hopefully it will all work smoothly. It gives me the opportunity to mentor Sandra in the first few months and she will gradually take on more. of the day to day running of the Club. I will have more time for other projects particularly our Homelessness project and other District duties. Sandra retains the Youth Director role. See story and pics below.
Also June turned out to be a big month for me as I did The Pushup Challenge for mental health. We did all the 3,139 pushups and raised over $4,000 for Lifeline. See story.
In May we had our District Assembly where Rotary Clubs get together to update their plans for the year. We followed this with our Club's Strategy Workshop where we set the resource and operational plan for our key projects.
We are confident that our Club activities, and working together with other Rotary Clubs, will lead to significant benefit to our local community. We have ambitious and challenging goals for 2022-23, including the Cookbook, Homelessness, mental health and other projects.
Please call/text me if you would like to know more about Rotary, our Club and our 2022 projects. Do you know you can be involved in some of our community projects in the Blue Mountains, working alongside some pretty interesting people. It's always rewarding to participate and have fun while you're doing it.
Dementia is the second leading cause of death of all Australians. Provisional data suggests dementia will soon be the leading cause of death in Australia..
In 2024, it is estimated that more than 421,000 Australians live with dementia. More than 1.6 million people are involved in the care of someone with dementia. In The Blue Mountains with its ageing population, dementia is a top shelf social issue. Most people are either living in the community or in aged care and need help, reassurance and support, as either a dementia sufferer or as a carer.
Rotary DCafs
Rotary DCaf was first launched as a pilot study in November 2018. It was the brainchild of a group of Rotarians on Sydney’s North Shore, who wished to provide a fun and safe social space for dementia sufferers. The team came up with the catchy name and a plan of how it would come together, in conjunction with Ku-ring-gai Neighbourhood Centre (KNC). The idea of Dementia Cafes (commonly called DCafs) was not a new one, but was certainly an exciting new project for Rotary. There are now numerous Rotary DCafs with several more planned in the near future.
Three years ago Rotarian Bobby Redman gave a moving presentation at a District Conference. Bobby, who is not only living with dementia herself, has been instrumental in starting these groups in Sydney and the NSW Central Coast. The Rotary Clubs of the Upper Blue Mountains, Central Blue Mountains, Springwood and the e-club of Greater Sydney have all committed support for this project with volunteers. In consultation with Dementia Australia and the NSW Chapter. We have partnered with the Lithgow Dementia Support group, who have helped with advice and funding for the Music and Art therapists. In addition, as there is nothing of this kind in the Blue Mountains, the need was strong, as attested by BMCC community employees working in this area.
Dementia Cafes are not actual cafes, but social groups for people living with dementia and their family carers. This group of people are extremely vulnerable to social isolation due to both the stigma around dementia and the lack of social activities that meet their needs.
Rotarians and community volunteers organise the group gatherings, where those living with dementia and their carers come along and spend a couple of hours socialising and participating in a variety of fun activities. Currently there are DCafs operating in Katoomba, Springwood and Lithgow. Occasionally, guest speakers are invited to come along and talk about local dementia services or provide other relevant information.
Blue Mountains and Katoomba RSL.
Rotary started the Katoomba DCaf two years ago with a partnering arrangement with Katoomba RSL. Its purpose was to provide an opportunity for people living with dementia, their home-carers to meet friends and create a supportive community network. It is a safe, private place to socialise and share experiences with others including trained Rotary volunteers. Music and Art are recognized therapies and feature prominently at the Katoomba DCaf.
The session also includes an easy quiz on the theme for the meeting, and gentle stretching and ‘mindfulness’ breathing.
The benefits of participating in this group as persons living with dementia and their carers is in relation to friendship, support (advice), humour and creativity. The volunteers have also expressed real enjoyment in participating in this group due to the demonstrated interest expressed by those attending.
Tea and coffee are available and many stay on for lunch afterwards. The group meets in a room that is away from the public spaces as some of those attending struggle socially.
We have many happy stories including the return of a carer despite losing his wife to dementia, as he feels welcome and likes to share his knowledge. Another one with early on-set dementia, enthusiastically playing the percussion instruments and dancing. Another is able to recite “Clancy of the Overflow” verbatim, during our ‘Horses’ theme on Melbourne Cup Day.
September 17 DCaf
Rotary's Liz Romalis
On September 17 DCaf coordinated a fundraiser for Dementia Australia. A large contingent of people and their carers joined in with Rotarians and others. The event was compared by local musician and story teller Pat Drummond. The Katoomba Men’s Shed Band played some pretty groovy music and the Dementia Choir had us all entertained.
Anyone attending could not help be moved by the engagement, enthusiasm and recognition these Rotary DCafs are providing a critically important community role.
We would like to acknowledge the Katoomba RSL who were finalists in the Clubs NSW Community Services Award as a result of their support for Upper Blue Mountains Rotary DCaf.
If you would like more information or attend DCaf on the first and third Tuesdays in the month please contact Lucian on 0415232901 or Liz via email at eromalis1@bigpond.com
Join us to "Say NO to domestic and family violence and YES to respectful relationships."
Rotarians across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands have joined together to spread awareness, provide assistance, and offer resources to combat family and domestic violence. By working together, we can make a significant difference in reducing this pervasive issue, across our District, from Sydney Harbour to the top end of the Central Coast and west to the Blue Mountains. We share the common goal of supporting individuals who have experienced abuse and violence within their homes.
Last month we held our Cocktail Party, raising funds for Domestic Violence, at Bygone Beauty's in Leura. This event was the culmination of a lot of work by Rotary and wonderful support from Bygone Beauty's. We raised over $6000 for Domestic and Family Violence in the Blue Mountains, which was distributed to two local organisations at the coalface, DV West and Brigid Justice. Representatives from Blue Mountains Police, Susan Templeman MP and a Domestic Violence professional, joined us. Compered by Ray Wiles and a special "teapot talk" by Maurice Cooper OAM, the night was a lot of fun but with a serious purpose. Thanks to everyone involved and for your generosity, including all the local sponsors. By working together, we can make a significant difference in reducing this pervasive issue, across our District, from Sydney Harbour to the top end of the Central Coast and west to the Blue Mountains. We share the common goal of supporting individuals who have experienced abuse and violence within their homes.
In light rain we put on a BBQ at the Police Open Day at Katoomba on Saturday. It was a joint effort with help from Katoomba, Central Blue and eClub Rotary Clubs. Good to meet a cross-section of police men and women who keep our community safe and functional. Local State Member Trish Doyle MP was an enthusiastic support for our police community.
First Nations Rotary Group Study Cultural Exchange – Wiradjuri and Oceti Sakowin
The Idea
Through a web of Rotary contacts, interests in First Nations peoples, emerging understanding of how Rotary can participate in Reconciliation in Australia (and elsewhere), and a strong desire by District Governors (past and present) and Rotary clubs. The idea of Indigenous exchanges of young professionals started to ‘come together’. Like all good ideas it need capability to make something of the idea! Connections were made internationally via the Rotary Fellowship program, when Rotarians from Parkes and Rapid City South Dakota (SD) USA, hosted each other and a few of them started to talk about how Rotary could support local First Nations people to be proud of their original culture. The idea of Peace Parks blended with local Indigenous art emerged. This provided solid ground to extend international sharing to include Vocational understanding and cultural expression. These ideas require funding, and so the previous District 9700 (which made up most of Wiradjuri country) set aside District funds to support the Exchange concept. The SD team did the same. With delays due to Covid, the Wiradjuri team went to the lands of the Oceti Sakowin in late 2023; and the Oceti Sakowin team (1 Team leader, and 4 delegates) came to Wiradjuri country in October this year, 2024. Organising the visit this year, was made possible by the unending support of local Rotarians. All the team and the two drivers were home hosted, every night. Each community where we stopped put together a great itinerary for the delegates, focussing on local First Nations services, culture, stories, education, and their history of being colonised. Both stages of the Exchange were strongly supported by District Grants from the Rotary Foundation.
One example of the hospitality was making contact with a previous Club Rotarian who had moved, asking if they could prepare a short stop lunch and catch-up with a First Peoples Elder and local Rotary Club, Upper Blue Mountains Sunrise came to the party in spades. After a 17-hour flight then a 2 hr drive out of Sydney, the visit to Echo Point, the stories told by Auntie Carol, and a lovely picnic
Our Club was enthusiastic to set up the BBQ and cook a few sausages for our friends at the Medlow Music in the Park on Saturday. The rain held off mostly and under Pat Drummond's MC direction we had a pleasant day in the Park, listening to a range of talented singers, choirs and musicians. We raised a few dollars for Domestic Violence in the process. Its always a great community event put on by Medlow Bath Residents Association.
Our Club, together with other Rotary Clubs, hosted the nine new Rotary Exchange Students at the Upper Blue Mountains on the weekend. They joined us for a walk from Govetts Lookout to Evans Lookout. They will have a great cultural experience in Australia over the next year.
We meet three times a month with an additional social meeting to suit members. Our face to face breakfast meetings are at The Robyn Yates Centre for Cancer Wellness Support. We will still have some ZOOM meetings. Check Calendar for details.
December 2024
