There is still time to register for the upcoming Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) to be held at Golden Beach, Caloundra, on Saturday, 13 June, but registrations will be closing shortly.
If you have not yet attended an RLI program, I strongly encourage you to consider it.
RLI is much more than a training course. It is an opportunity to deepen your understanding of Rotary, explore new ideas, develop leadership skills, and connect with Rotarians from a wide range of clubs and backgrounds. Whether you are a new member, an emerging leader, or a long-serving Rotarian, RLI provides fresh perspectives and practical insights that can help you become even more effective in your club and community.
Many Rotarians who have completed RLI describe it as one of the most valuable experiences in their Rotary journey. The program is interactive, engaging, and designed to inspire participants to think differently about leadership, service, membership, and the future of Rotary.
As our clubs continue to face new challenges and opportunities, investing in our own development is one of the best ways we can strengthen Rotary and enhance our impact in the communities we serve.
I encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity and join fellow Rotarians from across the district at Golden Beach.
Across District 9620, a quiet transformation is reshaping how Rotary connects with volunteers. At the centre of this shift is Volunteering Queensland, providing clubs with new opportunities to expand their reach, strengthen projects, and build stronger community connections.
Traditionally, Rotary clubs have relied on members and local networks. While effective, larger and more ambitious projects now require additional support. Through Volunteering Queensland, clubs can access a diverse pool of motivated volunteers, students, professionals, and retirees, who are actively seeking meaningful opportunities to contribute.
This platform offers more than just extra hands. It enhances project delivery, improves outcomes, and allows volunteers to experience Rotary’s values and fellowship firsthand. In many cases, this can lead to ongoing involvement, whether through membership or as “friends of Rotary.”
Importantly, it also responds to growing public interest. Each year, D9620 receives numerous enquiries from individuals wanting to volunteer. This partnership now provides a structured and effective way to connect those people with Rotary projects.
Leading this initiative is District 9620 Volunteer Coordinator, Chris Wright (PDG), who has been actively promoting the program across clubs.
To support members, a learning session will be held on 7th June at Bostock House, equipping members with the knowledge and confidence to navigate the portal effectively. The session will cover:
Setting up and promoting volunteer opportunities
Managing applications and selecting suitable candidates
Ensuring volunteers are well briefed and supported
This hands-on approach ensures clubs are not only encouraged to participate but are fully equipped to succeed.
The message is simple: this is an opportunity not to be missed. By embracing Volunteering Queensland, clubs can grow their volunteer base, deliver larger projects, and showcase Rotary to a wider community.
For more information, contact PDG Chris Wright on 0413 055 177 or email 001chriswright@gmail.com.
During my volunteering time in Kenya and Tanzania earlier this year, I had the pleasure to meet with the Rotary Club of Arusha and the organization So They Can. So They Can took me to the rural district of Babati to show me the schools and SWaSH project that they have been working on for years, improving facilities in primary schools across the region. Their work is incredible, inspiring and makes a huge difference in children's, teachers and communities lives, increasing retention and access to education especially for girls.
I am really excited to share with you, the Rotary Project Video of So They Can and their project appeal in attachment.
They currently need to fundraise, and get as many Rotary clubs supporting them as possible, to reach a USD $72,000 (AU$100,000) goal to implement new safe, and inclusive toilets, and SWaSH clubs, in 3 of their partner primary schools, which have critical needs.
It means for clubs that they are part of an international project and a global grant without having to write the grant themselves. The clubs joining in the SWaSH project will be part of the change and a global community of Rotary Clubs making a difference in improving education in Tanzania.
If clubs partnering with the project would like a speaker from So They Can, we would be happy to discuss and arrange either an in-person or online presentation, depending on the club’s location. I am also available to answer any questions or provide further insight based on my personal time spent with So They Can, including visits to the schools where I witnessed firsthand both the needs within these communities and the significant improvements made through the sanitation and infrastructure projects delivered by So They Can.
Asante sana (thank you in Swahili).
Warm regards,
Valerie 2026-2027 President Elect Rotary Club of Paddington
Because small connections can create a big impact.
Any further questions about Mirror of Hope and Tommy's visit, clubs are free to contact me, Valerie Simons, Rotary Club of Paddington, +61 458 149 028 or email valeriesimons@gmail.com.
Welcome to the Gist! Rather than send multiple messages per week to club officers in the hope that they will channel your interests and pass on what is important to you, we will be sending one digest email per week using the Clubrunner platform which lists new things in the top section, and reminders of old news in the bottom section. That way, you only need to scan the top half of one email per week to get the Gist, and everyone gets the Gist!
This e-bulletin is published by your District Administrator and Webmaster to let Rotarians and any other subscribers know about what is happening in the district. The GIST is for time-sensitive brief stories sponsored by the District, a Rotary club, or a Rotary RAG or Fellowship.
District Announcements
Club event announcements
RAG and Fellowship event announcements
Event notices will run once only in the "Breaking News" section, and events will continue to be published down below in the "Event Reminders" section until the event has passed.
Articles that report on past events and projects, anything of enduring significance, and anything else that does not fit the GIST publishing guidelines should be sent to the District Newsletter editor at newsletter@rotary9620.org.
How to get an Event in the Calendar
To get an event in the Calendar, please send the following information to gist@rotary9620.org:
Mandatory: The text that you would like to appear in the calendar entry. Should include a teaser as to why someone would like to attend the event, ticket prices, etc etc. The text cannot include potentially sensitive information like email addresses, phone numbers and bank account details. If you wish to communicate these, put them in an image or PDF file that can be linked as a download document.
Mandatory: Date, Time, Location. Please include the postcode in the location as this is needed to generate the location map. (Or the event could be online of course.)
Mandatory: Name of a Rotarian in the district who is the primary contact for the event.
Strongly recommended: An image to go in the calendar entry detail page. Landscape format works best.
Optional: Documents about the event like event flyers, etc etc. Max size: 5MB
Optional: Links that might be useful like bookings links, the home page of the charity you are supporting, etc.
How to get an event notice in the GIST
The GIST is published on Sunday. The deadline to get an event notice in every Sunday's GIST is midnight Friday. Requests coming in after Saturday morning will be handled on a "best effort" basis. To get an event entry in the GIST, please do the following:
Mandatory: Get the event in the Calendar (see above)
Mandatory: An image in square or landscape format to be the article. If you send an image that is in portrait format, it will be cropped to square according to the GIST editor's judgement. It's OK to send a PDF Flyer - the editor will just do a screenshot and use that.
Optional: SHORT explanatory text which will go under the image. 200 words max. Long explanations should go in the calendar entry.
