UPCOMING EVENTS

NEWS

Christmas in July – It’s on again this year!

The annual Rotary Kiama “Christmas in July” Trivia night will take place again this year at the Pavilion on 25 July. Bookings open on 24 February for $25 a seat. Book at the button below (which will take you to the TryBooking site).

Ride4Rotary on 18 May

Ride4Rotary is a regional Rotary initiative raising money for Southern Youth and Family Services, with all money raised supporting their Education, Employment and Training (EET) programs. This program assists vulnerable young people with getting employment ready and getting into employment.

Rotary Kiama has entered a team – the Rotary Kiama Karvers. Join our team now and start to fundraise – before either riding on the day or virtually riding (you decide what you do) if you are not a cyclist – and let us together help our local young people to get properly sorted and on their way. The ride on the day is community focused and consists of either a 1.8km circuit of Wollongong Lighthouse, or a managed out and back ride away from roads along the northern beaches of Wollongong of 10, 20 or 29km distance.

Reach out on the contact form on this site if you have any questions about Ride4Rotary.

Bill Wheeler Symposium Winner 2025

Kiama Rotary Supports Cutting Edge Bio-Medical Research at UOW – the Bill Wheeler Scholarship Award 2025. 

The Kiama Rotary Club has again supported the Bill Wheeler Symposium and Award Scheme at the University of  Wollongong (UOW), with a donation of $1,000 for the 2025 award. The Award Scheme recognises the work of a former  member of the Rotary Club, the late Bill Wheeler, OAM, in assisting the UOW Research Centre. Rotary members  attended the symposium held in Wollongong last week.

The winner of the 2025 award is Mr Mohsin Hassan of the UOW Intelligent Polymer Institute. He will be undertaking  research overseas into the development of a bio-printing system to assemble 3D bio-fabricated structures for medical use.  The Rotary Club hopes to have Mohsin attend a future meeting to tell the members about progress on his PHD.

Bill Wheeler organised a Rotary led fund-raising event at Hartwell House in 2003 to assist Professor Graeme Clarke,  developer of the Cochlear Ear program in Australia, who was then working in collaboration with Professor Gordon Wallace at UOW. Thereafter, until his untimely death in 2006, Bill continued to enthusiastically support Distinguished Professor  Gordon Wallace, Executive Director, ARC Centre for Excellence for Electromaterials Science at UOW, where ground breaking bio-medical research continues to this day.

The Bill Wheeler Symposium and Award Scheme has been an annual event at the UOW Innovation Campus since 2009  and Kiama Rotary is delighted to have been involved with donations to the Symposium over that period. The annual  award goes to a PHD student undertaking cutting edge bio-medical research at the ARC Centre and the Rotary funds  help the winner to undertake overseas research for their PHD studies.

The Bill Wheeler Symposium is a community-based event, and each year a distinguished speaker is invited to give a talk  on their area of medical research. The 2025 address was given by Associate Professor Laurencia Villalba, a distinguished  vascular surgeon whose ground-breaking work has been in the field of treatment of pulmonary embolism.

Mrs Lexie Wheeler also financially supports the award each year. Lexie formally presented the award to Mohsin Hassan at the Symposium held on 25 March. She was accompanied this year by her grandson, Jacob Parker. She thanked UOW  and Professor Wallace for the event and the honour extended to her late husband. She also thanked Kiama Rotary for its  continuing involvement and contributions.

MHERV Van Came to Kiama

Rotary Kiama is once again hosted the Mens Health Education Rural Van (MHERV) on Tuesday 11 March. This modern mobile clinic, sponsored by Rotary and operated by an experienced Registered Nurse, offered a free opportunity for a health screen without judgement, or having to make an appointment. The day was wet, and a bit windy, but 55 members of the public were seen with several strongly urged to see their GP after screening – potentially preventing them suffering a significant health related episode. The Van originates from the Lake Macquarie area (Rotary Warners Bay) and is currently continuing a south about loop through the South East of NSW, before heading north later in the year.

Rotary Kiama cleans up Bombo Beach

As part of Rotary Kiama’s longstanding commitment to “Clean Up Australia Day”, members gathered on Bombo Beach on a “search and pick up” mission for all sorts of rubbish, flotsam and jetsam. The beach was notably cleaner than a decade ago, despite the odd camping site hidden at the back of the beach, which was good to see.

Rotary’s 120th Birthday

Rotary celebrated 120 years of service at our meeting on 10th February at the Kiama Golf Club. At this meeting, we acknowledged 50 years of continuous service to the community by both David Russell and Peter Maitland, who were presented a letter of recognition from Stephanie Urchick,  the President of Rotary International.

During the evening, the Club also inducted its newest honorary member, recently elected Kiama Mayor Cameron McDonald.

Recent “Bugle” Article – Inclusion in Rotary

Rotary will be celebrating 120 years of service on 23 February and all 1.2 million Rotarians worldwide share the belief that embracing diversity, equity and inclusion is integral to everything we do in Rotary. Yet, the myth that Rotary is somehow only for men, is still around. So, let’s debunk that particular myth.

Carol –  My Rotary journey began in 1972 when as a member of Corrimal Rotaract Club (for 18-25 year olds) I was selected to attend the Rotary Youth Leadership Award Program (RYLA). It was a life changing experience and I still live by the motto PMA – Positive Mental Attitude which I gained at RYLA all those years ago.

When I moved to Kiama in 2013 I decided there was more to life than four walls and a TV. I rocked up to a Kiama Rotary Club meeting one Monday night in my hi-viz gear straight from work and was immediately made welcome. It’s nice to walk down the street and actually meet people you know. You feel you belong.

Although I work full time, I find that I can readily fit my Rotary activities into my life.

Importantly, as People of Action, we raise funds to support many local and international projects and this gives me a great sense of pride knowing I am helping the Kiama community as well as contributing internationally through Rotary’s overseas aid projects.

Thank you to the Bugle for allowing this to be re-posted.

Kiama Rotary at the Kiama Show 2025

The Kiama Show is the beating heart of the Kiama community every January. Kiama Rotary was there this year manning the BBQ in partnership with the Show Society to feed those of all ages having fun at the Show over two very long days. Thankyou to all that supported us, including guest BBQers local Federal Member for Gilmore Fiona Phillips and Kiama Mayor Cameron MacDonald.

Kiama Rotary – Supporting “Jay’s Mission”

Kiama Rotary presented a cheque on Wednesday to “Jay’s Mission” Melanoma Walk from Canberra to Sydney, raising money for the Australian Skin Cancer Foundation to continue to drive ADVOCACY, EDUCATE, fund RESEARCH and provide SUPPORT for melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers. The walkers reached the Lighthouse at 10 AM to be be greeted by Kiama Mayor Cameron McDonald, Rotary Kiama Members and Australian Skin Cancer Foundation members for morning tea and a well earned sit down, before continuing their trek. Rotary Kiama President Phil Whyte presented the walkers with a $3500 donation to the Foundation to support their ongoing efforts to combat this terrible disease.

Supporting Kiama Youth

Helping with the development of young people is only one of the ways that Rotary makes a difference.

Kiama Rotary Club has congratulated Mark Burns and his team for another successful running of the “Building Young Men Program”. President of the Club, Phil Whyte says that, as a major financial sponsor of the program we are delighted to be able to support a program which clearly benefits the development of our young men.

This is only one of a number of ways that Kiama Rotary Club is supporting our young people. In the next few months we will be providing financial support to enable 4 of our brightest scientifically minded young people to attend the National Youth Science Forum (NYSF). This program has helped many young people in the past to see the full extent of career opportunities open to them in the field of science when they have completed their secondary education.

We will also be facilitating the attendance of a young woman to a Rotary leadership program in the New Year; providing volunteer support in the upcoming HSC examinations and we continue to support the Imagination Library which provides the opportunity for young children to discover the joys and benefits of reading from a young age.

Festival of Choirs – The Photos!

End Polio Now Train Ride

World Polio Day is 24 October.

Polio is a highly infectious disease that most commonly affects children under the age of 5. The virus is spread person to person, typically through contaminated water. It can attack the nervous system, and in some instances, lead to paralysis. Although there is no cure, there is a safe and effective vaccine – one which Rotary and our partners use to immunize over 2.5 billion children worldwide. Find out more about Polio here.

Rotary has mobilised a global effort to eradicate this disease over previous decades, using locally based teams to access some of the most dangerous and difficult areas to vaccinate children, and protect them from the consequences of this terrible disease. We are “this close” to polio going the way of small pox, and in practical terms, eradicating this disease throughout the world.

Our Illawarra Rotary Clubs have banded together to raise funds and awareness about this disease through our annual “End Polio Now” train ride on the South Coast line on Wednesday morning. The Team, with Kiama members, had a break at Kiama Station from “riding the rails” to end polio now.

Rotary Bangs the Drum For a Kiama Institution

The Kiama and Shoalhaven Pipes and Drums Band received a healthy contribution recently from Rotary Kiama for the purchase a new bass drum. Members of the band can be frequently heard piping the sunset (and an occasional sunrise) up at the Blow Hole Point. The new drum, an essential element for many aspects of Scottish music, will ensure that this Band will continue to loudly beat the cultural and musical heart of Kiama and the Shoalhaven!