What an effort from the FORaMEAL team and those members who provided their support during the Federation Square Big Difference packing event on 27 May and at RICON23 packing event. Doug and Nora were the organisers of these events alongside the team at District 9800 including Lili Teichmann and Janet Hay. Needless to say, this is a Canterbury program and we did ourselves proud!

 

Special mention to those who underwent Supervisor training and assisted the crowd during these events - thank you.

 

100,000 meals packed at Fed Square during the Big Difference - the event went so well that it had to finish at 2.30pm when the supplies ran out!

 

During this time the team were at the House of Friendship where they packed 30,000 meals on Saturday (same time as Fed Square!!), 15,000 on Monday, 15,000 on Tuesday and another 10,000 on Wednesday.

 

Total packing for the event was 170,000 meals - a magnificent effort and credit to all the Rotarians, Friends of Rotarians and members of the public who participated.

 

 

 

The Rotary Club of Canterbury responded to the call for supplies by Ukrainians suffering under war conditions. During the week ending 2 October the Club sent 10,000 nutrition meals packed in easy-to-use pouches. Each pack contains lentils, rice, oats and a vitamin sachet of essential nutrients. The Club also responded to a request for underwear for the soldiers working in difficult and remote conditions.

 

We are so grateful to be able to assist in this situation. It is so hard to know what to do when people across the globe are struggling. Well done to the entire FORaMEAL team and everyone who donated or contributed to this work.

 

 

Dorothy Gilmour at a Club meeting recently discussed a grim issue - abuse. Whilst it  is a dire situation for many Dorothy did not want us to be linger on this and she offered us hope that we can do something about it. Dorothy was keen to point out that abuse is not limited to a specific demographic and happens to all kinds of people in different environments. Abuse represents an exercise of power over a targeted victim making the person feel insecure and can be physical, mental, subliminal etc.

 

Rotary Safe Families was established 3 years ago by Dorothy Gilmour, a member of the Rotary Club of Melbourne, with the aim of the primary prevention of abuse.

 

The strategy adopted is the simplified by the identification of the three R's:

 

1. Recognise the signs of abuse

2. Raise concerns safely with the victim

3. Refer the victim to the appropriate support

 

She passionately emphasised the view that being a passive bystander is not an option. She also asked some interesting questions of the members of The Rotary Club of Canterbury:-

 

1. When have you last discussed abuse?

 

2. Why is abuse such a taboo subject?

 

What Rotary Safe Families advocates for is not money simply to seek champions amongst Rotary clubs across Australia who will spread the word and support others.

 

Dorothy posed the question to the members whether they were aware of two signs that someone is being abused

 

The first one is visible and involves a hand signal which indicates a cry for help – you place your thumb across your palm and close your fingers over it

 

The second one is and may involve situations where someone in a bar is feeling threatened, they can approach the bartender and ask " Is Angela here?" Bartenders are taught this as a sign of distress

 

The organisation maintains an up-to-date website which provides ample resource materials including videos about issues of abuse. There is a link to a you tube video below

 

https://youtu.be/JrhmJi_3v54.

 

The website for Rotary Safe Families is :

 

www.rotarysafefamilies.org.au.

 

It goes without saying that Rotary does not condone abuse.