This Week - Informal Dinner

It's the 5th Wednesday and there will be an informal dinner from 18:00 hrs at Ottimo Restaurant, 13 Nicol Rd., Bedfordview.  It has parking on the property.

Ottimo Restaurant  Here's a link to Google Maps.

So far 13 are coming so I am hoping at least one more will come to take it out of the danger zone.

Ilesh has also added the poll to our Rotary Guest WhatsApp Group so that those who attend our meetings but are not yet members have the opportunity to come....nobody has confirmed from that group yet.

Last Week

Our speaker asked to us to postpone his meeting as his presentation wasn't ready so we had an ad hoc speaker with a presentation on "How Military Requirements created the Food we eat Today".

Next Week

It's a Business Meeting.  What do I say?

Remember, remember!

    The fifth of November,

    The Gunpowder treason and plot;

    I know of no reason

    Why the Gunpowder treason

    Should ever be forgot!

    Guy Fawkes and his companions

    Did the scheme contrive,

    To blow the King and Parliament

    All up alive.

    Threescore barrels, laid below,

    To prove old England's overthrow.

    But, by God's providence, him they catch,

    With a dark lantern, lighting a match!

    A stick and a stake

    For King James's sake!

    If you won't give me one,

    I'll take two,

    The better for me,

    And the worse for you.

International - Argentina

Wearing a Rotary-themed shirt, Estefanía Balocco stands in front of a colourful mural symbolising the joy of service. “This image reflects my best version, filled with authenticity and gratitude,” she says. “It was taken at the end of a service project where every action counts, because serving others is also serving oneself—growing together, from the heart. I’m grateful for every opportunity to contribute and to continue growing as a person.”

I was just 14 when I first discovered the power of service through Rotary. As a member of Interact, a Rotary programme for young people ages 12-18 to learn and apply their service skills, I was shy to speak, but active in action. One Sunday, while visiting a nursing home, a woman asked me for a hug. In that moment, I understood what it meant to be of service: offering presence, listening, and sharing affection. From such a small place, we could be part of something meaningful.

I began my Rotary journey with Interact and then, in 2018, joined Rotaract, a service club for young adults. Fast-forward to today, and I have the honour of leading the International Service committee for one of the districts in Argentina. During the 2024–2025 Rotary year, our team focused on building bridges between communities globally through intentional, human-centred programmes.

One of the most notable initiatives was an international teacher exchange, through which four Argentine teachers travelled to Kansas and Georgia in the United States. They lived with Rotary families and shared their culture with local schools. We are expanding this initiative to include exchanges with Canada, England, and more U.S. districts. We are also preparing to host international teachers in Argentina for the first time.

Building on the success of our educational exchanges, we expanded our efforts to include professional collaborations. We organised professional exchanges for firefighters and paramedics, with meaningful collaborations in Mexico and Poland. Through Rotary Friendship Exchange, twenty-one Rotary members from Argentina and Mexico participated in a program that combined institutional activities, cultural encounters, and tours. One of the most valuable moments was seeing how, by wearing Rotary apparel, other members recognised the participants during the tours, generating spontaneous encounters and new friendships. Along similar lines, we are moving forward with organising future exchanges with Puerto Rico, India, and Brazil.

Leading these efforts is not without challenges, especially in teamwork. But Rotary taught me that strong teams don’t need to be identical—we just need to be committed to our shared purpose. Managing differences is one of the greatest challenges, but also the greatest rewards.

I am fundamentally driven by the belief that organisations like Rotary can be engines for human development. From a very young age, Rotary was the place where I built my identity, not only as a young person but also as a leader. At Interact, I discovered I could be part of change. At RYLA, a multi-day leadership camp for youths,  I found something even deeper: my voice, my skills, and the certainty that service is also a path to self-discovery. That process motivated me to choose a college education in administration and coaching, focusing on people and how to bring out the best in them within organisations.