Bally Barker Blog

Our club Christmas party was held in the Wine Room at Balgowlah RSL club on Tuesday December 10, 2024. Everyone enjoyed a most relaxed night that provided a great opportunity to enjoy fellowship and Christmas cheer.   President Diana welcomed club members, partners and guests. Guests included Margaret Murdon (Streetwork), Sarah Watts(Lifeline), Kerry and Mark Gwynne (Dalwood Splistead Services), and Honorary member, Peter Stephenson and his wife Barbara; together with member's partners, Enid Hill, Chiaki van Brugge, Joy Apps, Helen Gray, Anne Thompson and Diane Mead.     Enid, Helen and Anne selecting pudding   As in former years,  members brought gifts for Dalwood Spilstead Services (DSS) to distribute to the needy families they give so much valuable support. Kerry Gwynne , Manager Spilstead Services told us how they would help make Christmas for so many of the families that are so dependent on the support from DSS. Kerry also spoke about the extremely d...

Tuesday Feb 16   Our inspirational guest speaker at our meeting (via ZOOM) was Gemma Sisia - founder of the school of St Jude Gemma Sisia The School of St Jude is a charity-funded school located in the city of Arusha, in the northern Arusha Region of Tanzania. The school, located across three campuses, provides free primary and secondary education to the poorest and brightest children of the Arusha Region. It was founded by Australian Gemma Sisia in 2002, based on the belief that education is the best way to fight poverty. Gemma statted the first class in 2002 with three students; today 1,400 students are borders at the school, plus approx. 400 living locally in a fifty Km radius attend daily. They are collected by 26 buses (10 coaches, 7 mini vans; the remainder 4WD that pick-up /drop-off from the unmade dirt roads). There are 300 staff at the school in key areas of teaching, head office, Alumni and fund-raising. In earlier years the staff was largely international, but toda...

Tonight, the Rotary Club of Balgowlah celebrated our 50-year anniversary and changeover evening to launch our 51 st year . An audience of over 80 people attended and had a great night hearing the history and many achievements of the club and its members. A number of awards were made and President Roger Gray passed over the presidential chain to Dr Diana Hart - our incoming president for 2024-25.   The global President of Rotary,  Gordon R. McInally sent a letter to the club congratulating it on the 50 years of Rotary service. President Roger Gray opened the evening and then warmly welcomed our Charter member and past president John Havilah who recounted the early years and how 24 members were present at the Dual Charter Night at Chatswood Civic Centre on Wednesday June 19, 1974. John Havilah - Charter member "Meetings were held in the Wakehurst Golf Club and the club was busy creating banners, road signs, letterheads and the club Bulletin was produced ...