SPOKE 'N' WORDS

Issue 22
25 February 2026
 
 
Join our dinner meeting most Wednesdays at The Lava Cafe, 25-27 High Street, Berwick, Victoria, Australia. 
 

6.30 pm for 7.00 pm

Enquire by Email:
Visitors and Rotarians are very welcome.
 
Welcome to our vibrant and relaxed Rotary Club, where community spirit thrives alongside a sense of ease and camaraderie. Picture a place where laughter mingles with purpose and friendships are forged through shared experiences and meaningful endeavours.
 

By the way, this Bulletin is Best Viewed Online 

 
President's Ramblings
Hello,
 
Last week we enjoyed a tour of Berwick College with Principal Joise Millard and Daniel Bowen, Leading Teacher (Student Voice, Agency and Leadership).
The college has fantastic facilities including a performing arts centre, sports facilities, excellent student resources and areas to support student learning and wellbeing. The college is creating a supportive environment that accepts all students and provides an excellent education for students wanting to enter university as well as students looking for trade pathways. We talked about future opportunities with the college including the upcoming presentation balls as well as starting an Interact club at the college. 
 
This week we will hear from Jim Wilson about all the amazing things the Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS) does. We have guests visiting the club from other clubs and new friends wanting to learn more about Rotary. Looking forward to seeing you all there.
 
This week:
Saturday 7 March - the Rotary Overseas Relocated Playgrounds (RORP) is loading out the playgrounds at Mount Martha at 8:30am, finishing by lunchtime. Please speak to Russell or myself if you can join us, we are still looking for 6 more helpers. 
 
Dates for your diaries:
Friday 20 March - Nossal High needs volunteers from 9am - 3pm to run their mock interviews. They are looking for 20 volunteers. Could you please email Andrew if you are able to attend for all or part of the day.
 
Saturday 28 March - Geoff will be organising a working bee at St John of God to plant out the garden beds. It will be all hands on deck for this event. 
 
Thanks,
Jen
Jim Wilson - RAWCS
Mar 04, 2026
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
4 March - Jim Wilson - RAWCS

 
The Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS) is a registered Australian non-profit organisation and a program of Rotary International that facilitates humanitarian, development, and disaster relief projects both in Australia and overseas. RAWCS focuses on community service by managing projects and volunteering. 
 
RAWCS is responsible for many amazing projects all around the world, Jim will share his experience on the RAWCS board and hearing about the amazing work that is happening thanks to RAWCS. 
Berwick
Lava Cafe

Richard Garvey, Berwick and Harkaway Cemetery Trust
Mar 11, 2026
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
11 March - Richard Garvey, Berwick and Harkaway Cemetery Trust
 
Each year in January we partner with the Berwick and Harkaway Cemetery Trust at our annual working bee. 
This partnership has been going continuously for 61 years thanks to the Funston family. 
Richard Garvey will be joining us this evening to tell us about the trust, what they do, how they run and maybe a ghost story or two.


 
Berwick
Lava Cafe

Annual Bowls Match - RC Berwick v RC Monbulk
Mar 18, 2026
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm

It's time for the 54th annual Lawn Bowls match against the Rotary Club of Monbulk and we need all the help we can get!

This event is hosted annually on a rotational basis between the two clubs and was first held in the early 1970s. Two Rotarian friends at Berwick Club, Funno's father and Bob Gray, after Bob had moved to Monbulk and purchased the Monbulk Butcher's shop, got together and floated the idea that it would be great it the Berwick and Monbulk Rotary Clubs could meet together on annual basis alternating between the two clubs and the common thread was built around a bowls challenge. 

This is a great night out to play against a friendly bunch of Rotarians and non-Rotarians. Knowledge of the game is useful but certainly not a prerequisite to having a good time and enjoying a bit of fun on the pitch. Please wear flat shoes on the rink.

Monbulk Bowls Club: 11 Moores Rd Monbulk

Meal and bowls included.

Dinner will be served at 6:15pm and will be alternating Roast of the Day with vegetables / Fish and chips with salad. Please advise of any special dietary requirements.

Bowls will commence at 6:45pm

Car pooling may be organised for transport. 

Please register early as we need an idea of numbers by Friday March 13th.

When registering, please include in the comments if you wish to car pool or will be meeting us at Monbulk.

For those going direct to Monbulk, please aim to be there by 6:00pm

Dinner/ bowls and tea / coffe are included in the price.

If you wish to attend for dinner but not bowl, there is a reduced price $TBA. Please advise by email.

Game On!

Monbulk
Monbulk Bowling Club

Rotary Community Group Leader - John Poke
Mar 25, 2026
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
25 March - John Poke - Rotary Community Group Leader

 
This week our guest speaker is John 'Pokey' Poke, our Rotary Community Group Leader.
John will give us an update on what is going on in our district and in particular our community group.
Berwick
Lava Cafe

View entire list
Member Birthdays
Jane Moore
March 4
 
Sharmaine Squire
March 5
 
Michele Somers
March 9
 
Di Scheepers
March 10
 
David Nutter
March 13
 
Terry Pollock
April 5
 
Gus Dominguez
April 19
 
Fred Edwards
April 25
 
Jennifer Marshall
April 30
 
Spouse/Partner Birthdays
Wendy Boon
March 1
 
Jane Moore
March 4
 
Rosaleen French
March 4
 
Ann Kraan
March 13
 
Warren Lukey
March 18
 
Cynthia Merrill
April 1
 
Carol Evans
April 23
 
Steven Marshall
April 24
 
Join Date
Marta Faithfull
March 4, 2014
12 years
 
Louise Carter
March 12, 2019
7 years
 
Louise Jackel
March 12, 2019
7 years
 
Mark Caulfield
March 16, 2000
26 years
 
Di Scheepers
April 12, 2017
9 years
 
Di Double
April 26, 2007
19 years
 
Trevor Watson
April 27, 2022
4 years
 
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