Canterbury RC was one of seven Eastside and Riverside Rotary clubs that participated in Rotary’s Boroondara, ‘Australia Day in the Park’. The venue, Victoria Park in Kew was invaded early by trucks, cars, food vans, beverage vendors and providers of children’s entertainment ready to set up for the day. Among the activities were a makers’ market, jumping castle, scouts’ climbing wall, mini train, a full program of onstage dancers and entertainers and a two-hour live broadcast of the National Rotary Australia Day event. This included an address by the Governor General, His Excellency David Hurley, and entertainment by Marina Prior, Mike Brady, Josh Piterman and John Foreman.
The onstage performers included Ukulele by Thom Jackson, a Flag raising by 4th Kew Scouts, expert Tia Chi, and Chinese traditional dance. Sing Australia, Bollywood dances and a Tango demonstration kept the audience well entertained with their outstanding performances. The day ended with a performance of 40 children joining Naki Khan onstage doing the iconic Waggle Dance to raise awareness about the importance of bees to our global food security.
Besides all this, each Rotary Club proudly showed off their local and community projects. Clubs who participated were Balwyn, Camberwell, North Balwyn, Glenferrie, Canterbury, Hawthorn and Kew. The Victoria Police and Kew Scouts supported the event. The day was officially opened by Deputy Mayor Cynthia Watson.
What made the day special was the collaboration and camaraderie of so many clubs working together on a project supported by the National Australia Day Committee (NADC). There was also wide multicultural participation including, visitors, vendors, performers and community groups. This day will mean something to everyone who was there in so many different ways and we are all richer for it.
The Rotary Club of Canterbury thanks and appreciates the efforts of everyone involved in making the venture a success. Your gifts of time, effort and service does our club proud.
