Past President and former Glenferrie Rotarian Charles Tran has found a new career as a volunteer with St. John Ambulance Australia, where he has developed significant new skills to add to his long list of accomplishments. Charles was instrumental in the decision of the club to acquire and instal a defibrillator at Patterson Reserve, purchased with a generous grant from the Bendigo Bank, in support of the Boroondara Farmers Market. It's important that all members of the club know how to access and use the defibrillator and how to help if someone is experiencing cardiac arrest. Charles will demonstrate at our regular club meeting the techniques for saving lives through the use of the defibrillator.
Our last dinner meeting attracted a good -sized audience with partners and guests also attending.
Our club member, Ted Baillieu AO, a former Premier of Victoria, spoke about his great interest in the history of recent World wars and particularly the First World War. He demonstrated through the AIF PROJECT how much easier it is now to follow up individual veterans and learn their history, such as their age when they enlisted, to what part of the world they were posted and whether they returned from the war. Many houses in which the veterans lived, are still standing.
Welcome to Glenferrie Rotary Laura Schembri
with President Helena and her mentor, Maria Pantling
Speaker: Hon Ted BaillieuTopic: We Will Remember Them
Members and guests were entertained by our own member, Ted Baillieu, former Victorian Premier, who gave us a very entertaining and educational presentation on an obvious “passion project” he has been involved with for some time, The UNSW Canberra AIF Project. As many members may know, following his term as premier, Ted became heavily involved in the history and connections in the community of the First World War. His personal connection included the fact that his mother's father (his grandfather) Captain William Knox had travelled to the Middle East, had served at Gallipoli and was killed in action in France. He had the opportunity to represent Victoria in 2008, visiting Gallipoli and France and also served on the Victorian ANZAC Committee between 2014-2018.
The Board met at the Auburn Hotel on 23rd April. The Farmers’ Market continues to perform well, with 905 patrons and $5,120 in gross takings at the April market. On the international service front, the Club celebrated the successful completion of a water reticulation project in Sierra Leone — attended by around 500 people, including the local MP — and is pursuing further projects in Ghana and Cambodia. Notably, the Club received a Bronze Award at the District 9800 convention for its environmental initiatives, and upcoming plans include a Bunnings sausage sizzle fundraiser for Middle East refugee relief, a Club Forum on 11th August, and the Christmas Party at Studley Park Boathouse on Wednesday 9th December.
His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen had an important task to attend to before leaving on their recent trip to the USA to address Congress. No, it wasn't to put the bins out. The task was a personal letter of congratulations and the occasion to celebrate the 65th wedding anniversary on March 24th 2026 of Honorary Member PP John Hudson OAM and Eril.
John and Eril, from all of us at the Rotary Club of Glenferrie, sincere congratulations on this anniversary of a wonderful life together. May much happiness remain in store for you and your lovely family in the years ahead.
The Rotary Club of Glenferrie acknowledges the traditional owners as the custodians of this land, recognising their connection to land, waters and community. We pay our respects to Australia's First Peoples, and to their elders, past, present and future.
The Rotary Club of Glenferrie | PO Box 2134 | Hawthorn Vic 3122
