Project Awards for 2023

Community Activity Award

  • Goolwa Community Newsletter – Lions Club of Goolwa

The Lions Club of Goolwa lnc. commenced publishing a Community Newsletter in 1982, as our town had never had its own newspaper. This project was initiated by our Charter and Life Member Frank Tuckwell OAM, following his year as Club President in 1981/1982 and has been an ongoing Club project since then. A copy of every issue is held in the Archives of the South Australian Museum and is now regarded as the ‘social History’ of Goolwa. 500 copies are printed every month and issue number 405 (September 2023) is now available.

  • Kiwanis Bus Operators Club – Kiwanis Club of Bus Operators SA

For over 40 years, the Kiwanis Bus Service Inc. has operated to provide low cost bus outings for residents of nursing homes, senior citizen homes and other groups serving the needs of the disabled and the disadvantaged, as well as special interest groups and the Kiwanis Clubs that manage and support it. The service is totally managed and operated by unpaid volunteers.

To ensure the service could continue to operate a special club, The Kiwanis Club of Bus Service Operators (Bus Operators Club) was started in January 2008, with its primary focus to provide drivers, driver assistants and office volunteers to operate the Kiwanis Bus Service.

  • Second Hand Furniture Shed – Lions Club of Clare

The project’s basic purpose is to sell donated furniture to raise funds for community projects.  Besides raising vital funds the project has had a number of significant additional benefits including, reducing the amount of unwanted furniture going to landfill, supplying quality furniture to the disadvantaged (including victims of domestic violence) by partnering with local community support agencies (both government and NGO’s) and working with youth.  For many locals it has also evolved into a drop in centre for those needing greater social interaction with others in our community.

Community Education Award

  • Raising Awareness of gender based violence – Zonta Club of Fleurieu Peninsula

Violence against women and girls is a serious and widespread problem in Australia. This includes, physical, sexual assault or psychological harm, and threats of harm or coercion. Twenty seven percent of women and 12% of men experienced violence by an intimate partner and in 2022, 56 women were murdered by a partner. (Domestic Violence statistics 21/22 www.abs.gov.au personal safety). The aim of this community event in Victor Harbor was to deliver a public awareness campaign to gender based violence.

  • Hills small acreage field days – Rotary Club of Stirling

The inaugural ‘Hills Small Acreage Field Days’ was a very successful two-day event held at Echunga in September 2022. The event was specifically designed to assist the large number of Hills families that live on small acreage (including many families living within the numerous towns and villages) manage the challenges that come with this non-urban lifestyle.

An emphasis on practical demonstrations and educational topics such as bushfire preparedness, machinery and equipment safety, and on the basics such as water storage, irrigation, sewage, solar and alternative power sources, fencing, noxious weed control and water course management were available to help attendees.

Environment with the Community

  • Fire Proofing Monarto Breeding Modules – Rotary Club of Murray Bridge

The Rotary Club of Murray Bridge Community committee organised to provide architectural working plans, tools, equipment and labour to finish off three 12mtr x 6mtr breeding modules with the addition of fireproof skirting and ventilation around the base of the modules.

  • Revegetation of Richards Park Norwood – Rotary Club of Norwood

Richards Park is one of the show-piece parks in the Council area and the largest in the Norwood precinct.  Our club President noted that the park was in a poor state.  Although it had been landscaped with many mature trees, there were a large number of bare patches in the multiple garden areas where the understory had died and these garden areas were also covered in weeds.

  • Rotary Corner – Rotary Club of Salisbury

In 2018, Rotary International President Ian Risley challenged every Rotarian to plant a tree world-wide. Past President Norm Waldowski from the Rotary Club of Salisbury (SA) took up this challenge in collaboration with the Department for Environment and Water to remediate a small section and former grazing paddock of Cobbler Creek Recreation Park, Salisbury Heights. The area was identified in need of attention after the long term infestation from thistles, coolatai and other invasive weeds which had destroyed the original local environment.

Event Award

  • Brighton Busy Beavers Transport Day – Kiwanis Club of Brighton

The Brighton Busy Beavers Aktion Club, is a club for individuals who all have intellectual or physical disabilities, and is sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Brighton .The aim of the project is to assist members of the Aktion Club to become comfortable and confident travelling around on Adelaide’s public transport, network. At a previous meeting we had a police officer speak to the club about safety when travelling on public transport.

  • Camilla Louise Fashion Parade –  Zonta Club of Adelaide Torrens

These fashion parades promote our organisation Zonta to the wider public and have a focus on environmental sustainability. All clothing modelled and for sale is recycled and vintage in origin.

  • Clothesline Event – Zonta Club of Adelaide Flinders

The 16 days of Activism is a focal point on the Zonta Calendar. As a club we have adopted a proactive way of participating in Zonta says NO to domestic violence. Our club joins with a SANFL Club to hold a “Clothesline Event”, working with young players in both women’s and men’s teams to make a statement promoting our stance that domestic violence in not OK. Each participant paints a message on a T shirt which is then collectively displayed to the wider community. This is an ongoing project.

  • International Women’s Day Brunch – Zonta Club of Port Lincoln

International Women’s Day provides a global platform for celebrating women’s achievements, raising awareness about gender inequities, and increasing support for women worldwide. Our International Women’s Day Brunch aims to bring our community together to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements of exceptional women in our community who inspire us towards a better person, and in doing so, a better community that we live in, and a better world. It is also an opportunity to advocate for our club, (Zonta Club of Port Lincoln-part of an international organisation which empowers women and girls through service and advocacy), making the world a better place for women and girls. We had over 160 people in attendance (a good statistic for a regional community).

  • Share the Warmth – Rotary Club of Holdfast Bay

The Rotary Club of Holdfast Bay has an established relationship with local outreach programs located in Holdfast Bay providing funds for warm clothing and food to individuals and families in the local community requiring emergency assistance. In December 2019 the club expanded this relationship and support by involving local businesses and members of the community through food drives held at local shopping Centres. This has been a hugely successful program with over $140,000 worth of goods donated over the past three years.  Earlier this year the Club looked at how this partnership between business, local outreach programs and the local community could be further enhanced to provide even more support for those doing it tough.  For the last few years, the Club’s fundraising program has enabled it to purchase approximately 30 new warm coats per annum for people experiencing homelessness.  In recognising the growing need in the community, due to the increased cost of living, and realising that our fundraising dollars are limited, we further expanded our ‘drive’ model to include the collection of pre-loved warm coats.

Health Award

  • Automated External Defibrillator Project – Rotary Club of Strathalbyn

The AED Project main objective is to bring awareness to the community of the need for more accessible AED units in the community and to encourage the public, community groups and businesses to purchase more units and have them available to the public 24/7.

  • Race Runner Support – Kiwanis Club of Glenelg

The Kiwanis Club of Glenelg is 51 years old and has been involved with the support of a number of physically disabled youth to be a part of Race Running Australia (RROZ) , a not-for-profit organisation established through Disability Sports Australia to promote, co-ordinate and build the disability athletes sport of Race Running in Australia (also known as Frame Running).

Social Inclusion Award

  • Community Endowment – Lions Club of Mount Gambier

Objective of the community endowment project was to provide essentially needed equipment to the three organisations to facilitate continuity of the excellent services they provide for the benefit of our residents. The equipment was requested by the organisations concerned being, Riding for the Disabled Mount Gambier, Mount Gambier & District Health Service and Boandik Lodge Inc. – Aged Care Provider

  • Cuppa Conversations –Rotary Club of Adelaide Light

Cuppa Conversation is a monthly meet-up where the Rotary Club of Adelaide Light invite recent arrivals in Adelaide to come and have morning tea with us to socialise and use their conversational English in a welcoming atmosphere. We use our Rotary social network to invite participants along who are currently studying English at schools and universities or are recent arrivals in their new country. Currently, we have a WhatsApp group with 84 migrants and Rotary club members.

  • Refugee Mentoring –Rotary Club of Adelaide Light

Early in 2021, the Rotary Club of Adelaide Light signed up for a new project through Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia to mentor and assist a family to adapt to a new environment after fleeing their country. Several of our Club members undertook the required on-line training to participate in this program.

In December 2021, CRSA assigned a family of seven to our Club; husband, wife, and their three sons (6, 4, and 1 year old) as well as the husband’s parents. They had been lucky enough to be on one of the last plane-load of Afghan refugees who were fleeing the tyranny of the Taliban. The husband, who had been an interpreter for the Australian forces, was targeted by the Taliban for retribution.

  • Regency Green – Rotary Club of Regency Park

In November 2022, the Rotary Club of Regency Park was approached to help with the opening of Regency Green. Regency Green was a former aged accommodation facility operated by United Care. The Regency Green was repurposed as a welcoming arrival centre for refugees and other new arrivals. The units were remodeled to accommodate singles and families.

  • Women of Inspiration – Zonta Club of Adelaide Flinders

As part of our Service Projects we make Breast Cushions which are placed in a patient’s room when they return from theatre. These cushions, worn like a shoulder bag, offer comfort to women at a very vulnerable time. Such a woman, Trish Pickering, received a gift, and some years later, her husband contacted our Zonta Club and wished to assist us as our small gift had made such a difference to his late wife. Thus, two years ago, the Woman of Inspiration Award was launched, acknowledging women who have been through and overcome difficult times. Five women have been acknowledged since inception of The Woman of Inspiration Awards. They all have inspirational stories to tell.

  • Women Artists – Zonta Club of Adelaide

History is written by the dominant group about the dominant group, in this case: white, European males have written about white, European male artists. The lack of gender equity and diversity in art history still exists today as recent studies in both US and Australia have revealed. (See sources below)

For the past two years the Zonta Club of Adelaide has run a series of weekly talks on women artists. The talks brought together men and women to learn about the work, the life and the times of a number of women artists. The premise in preparing the talks is that art is for everyone and we are all on a journey to learn more. The work of women artists has been historically ignored and forgotten or attributed to their male partners/husbands/lovers. These talks aimed to address that lack of awareness of the contribution by women and people of non-European background, to art over time.

  • Women’s Art Studio – Zonta Club of Gawler

The Women’s Art Studio is a community-based project. It aims to create a cohesive, inclusive, safe community space for women interested in connecting with others and participating in active and enjoyable art activities. The studio provides access to women within the community who are vulnerable and disconnected.

Team Award

  • Calperum Maintenance – Rotary Clubs of Regency Park, Unley, Walkerville, Magill Sunrise, Adelaide and Edwardstown.

In February 2023 a number of Rotary Clubs in District 9510 joined together to carry out upgrades to a number of accommodation buildings at Calperum near Renmark after the flooding from the river Murray.

  • Sierra Leone Hospital Equipment Project – Rotary Club of Adelaide Central

The SA-based founder of a charitable hospital being built in a remote area of Sierra Leone approached our Club in mid-2022 for assistance with sourcing and shipping medical equipment and supplies to enable this facility to open this year. We introduced him to Rotary Australia Repurposing Equipment for supplies ranging from theatre barouches to hospital beds, wheelchairs, PPE and more, while our Club took on the complex logistics of shipping it all.

Youth Award

  • Children of Courage Awards –Lions Club of the City of Adelaide

The Lions Children of Courage Awards provide recognition to the many young people severely disadvantaged by a variety of life-threatening and/or life-altering disabilities. What these young people have achieved is truly remarkable and highlights the dedication of their parents and professional supporters (including speech therapists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, special education teachers, social workers etc.).

  • Music Awards Night – Rotary Club of St. Peters

For over 25 years, the Rotary Club of St Peters has held an annual Music Awards night for Senior High School music students, usually in late May. The event has been held in churches as well as in some school auditoriums on a Tuesday evening. The schools invited are the Eastern suburb schools both public and private and usually 8 to 12 students perform on the night. With the school’s involvement students are selected and must perform on a selected evening – it can be singing, piano, trumpets, drums, or any other musical performance.

Harry Tillyer School Award

  • Eastern Fleurieu School R-^6 Expect Respect Program – Zonta Club of Mount

The Zonta Club of Mt Barker supports the Strathalbyn community through scholarships and the Expect Respect program at the Eastern Fleurieu School R-12 and the feeder schools in the area. This program, through workshops and artwork aims to develop positive behaviors and allow students and young people to learn how to show respect for each other. The long-term aim is reducing the incidence of domestic violence. Workshops are held addressing these issues and artwork is developed during the year highlighting domestic violence in particular.

The Allan Sloan Young Citizen Award

The Allan Sloan Young Citizen Community Service will be awarded to a South Australian resident aged 15-25 years. The winner will be an active and enthusiastic volunteer who has demonstrated outstanding leadership skills, achievement or service to a community project. This Award recognises the work of Allan Sloan who served as the Lions representative on ACSO/SCASA for 20 years. He devoted much of his life to Community Service. His chief service interests were in the care and life of children and young people, with particular involvement in projects concerned with childhood abuse and domestic violence. The nominee does not have to be a member of a Service Club, nor does his/her community project need to be associated with a Service Club.

Unfortunately there were no nominations this year.

Heide Taylor Community Service Medal and Prize

This award recognises the work of Dr. HEIDE TAYLOR OAM, involved in Women’s Affairs for over forty years and countless activities related to the Status of Women; adviser to both Federal and State governments.

  • The nominee does not have to belong to a service club
  • The nominee has been nominated for their volunteer efforts in an unpaid capacity
  • Give description of current, past and any other service to their community
  • Duration of service
  • Beneficiaries of the service
  • Impacts of the service
  • Referees if appropriate

Nominations were received for the following

Mary Burford – nominated by the Zonta Club of Adelaide

Rose Darling – nominated by the Rotary Club of  Regency Park

Shirley Lamb – nominated by the Zonta Club of Adelaide Torrens

Jill Welsh – nominated by the Zonta Club of Adelaide Flinders

 

Premiers Distinction Award

The recipient of this award is selected from this year’s finalist from each of the Premier’s Service Club Awards.