Rotary in Kiama
The Club was chartered in 1952 and has a long history contributing to the community locally, nationally and internationally. We currently have 28 men and women that are active in the Club – many of them long term members. While Rotary was traditionally vocation based, membership and attendance requirements have been modernised, with the focus firmly to provide assistance and leadership to make Kiama, Australia and the world better. Unlike many charitable organisations, all money raised by Rotary goes to nominated projects.
Some of the projects that Rotary Kiama is currently contributing to include:
- Local projects such as Man Talk which is a mentoring and development program for adolescent males through the local High School. The Club supports a number of other programs and awards for youth in the local area. Rotary Kiama also pioneered provision of mental health first aid training in the community, though other agencies have subsequently become more active in this area.
- Regional projects such as the support for families escaping domestic violence through the immediate provision of material support and assistance. Other examples include contributing to the Dolly Parton Imagination Library in the Illawarra.
- National projects including a project led by Kiama Rotary to empower indigenous healthcare workers in remote settlements in the Northern Territory by training them to screen for Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD), endemic in the area, which if left undetected can have devastating life long impacts on children and young adults. The Club is currently investigating extending this program to other countries in the region…
- International projects such as eradicating polio globally, funding the purchase of shelter boxes sent in response to natural disasters, and assembling and sending birthing kits for mothers in remote areas of PNG.
We raise funds to support these projects through activities such as the “Christmas in July” Trivia Night, Black Beach Market Day BBQs, the Festival of Choirs, and a range of other events. These activities not only raise funds, but contribute to the fabric of the Kiama community.
Our aim is to make a difference, but also to have fun while we make a difference!