The Rotary eClub of Brindabella meets on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month at 8pm Canberra/Sydney time. Our meetings include speakers, club business, project planning and more. Visitors are welcome.
The next club meeting is THIS EVENING, THURSDAY MAY 14.
Please note: this Zoom meeting is scheduled weekly, but the club will only meet scheduled nights.
Scholarship Development The board agreed to explore a formal partnership with the University of Canberra to administer our club tertiary education scholarship. We are seeking a collaborative model in which the University identifies a shortlist of eligible candidates — undergraduate students in financial need with a history of community service — and our club makes the final selection. The scholarship endowment will remain under club administration through the Greater Good Foundation.
Nepal Education Support Following an inspiring presentation from Wendy de Luca at our previous meeting, the board approved a $300 donation to support four students through the RAWCS program that Wendy participates in. We look forward to seeing the difference this makes on the ground.
Changeover 2026 We are planning our annual changeover lunch for mid to late June in Wagga Wagga. See the story below seeking your input on dates and venue — we'd love as many members as possible to join us to welcome our incoming President, Hayley.
Youth Service Month
May is Youth Service Month across Rotary International — and for a club whose particular focus is people aged 15–25, that feels less like a calendar entry and more like a mirror held up to who we are.
We've shared in Carmel's outbound Youth Exchange, and Youth Service Month is the perfect moment to recognise what these programmes do. RYLA, Interact, Rotaract, Youth Exchange — they're how Rotary builds the next generation.
A small Australian footnote worth knowing: RYLA was invented in Queensland in 1959 and adopted by Rotary International in 1971.
A Question for the Club In February, Evan Burrell asked us to think about reimagining Rotary. This week, the Rotary blog ran a piece titled "How Rotary can win over Gen Z". A fair challenge for an e-club to sit with. What would make us irresistible to a thoughtful 25-year-old?
We'll read this blog collaboratively and discuss tonight.
RICON Taipei 2026
The 2026 Rotary International Convention runs 13–17 June in Taipei — over 30,000 Rotarians from more than 120 countries. The headline speaker is Malala Yousafzai: a Nobel Peace Prize laureate addressing the world's largest service organisation about youth and education.
Polio - Closer, not Done Two developments to mark:
This week in Benin City, Nigeria, RI CEO John Hewko confirmed Rotary's total investment in polio eradication has now passed US$3 billion, with 2029 as the current target year.
On 7 April 2026, Australia (with Belgium, Canada, France, Hungary and Indonesia) achieved poliovirus containment certification — a quiet but real Australian Rotary win.
Wild polio remains in just two countries: Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Carmel's April Update
Our Youth Exchange Student Carmel Kelly has provided a wonderful, detailed and photo-filled April update.
We're planning to hold our changeover in Wagga this year, with a Saturday or Sunday lunch format in mid to late June.
I'd love to get your input on the details:
1. DATES Please let me know your availability across the following weekends: - Saturday 13 or Sunday 14 June - Saturday 20 or Sunday 21 June - Saturday 27 or Sunday 28 June
If any of these are a firm 'no' for you, please flag it so we can narrow things down.
2. VENUES Hayley is thinking about venue options in Wagga — if anyone else has suggestions (a favourite spot, a good private dining room, somewhere with parking and easy access), please do throw them into the mix. We're looking for somewhere that can comfortably host a private lunch for our group, ideally with a set menu option.
If you can reply before the end of next week (Friday May 22), that would be brilliant.
