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Nominations are called for the RC Karrinyup 2025 Michael Chin Humanitarian Award. Individuals living or undertaking volunteer humanitarian activities within the City of Stirling area may be nominated with the intent that the recipient be local to the Rotary Club of Karrinyup. Do you know an amazing person, who inspires others, makes an impact in the community and deserves to be recognised? If so we would love to hear from you. Nominations close 28 March.

Do you know a young person, who would benefit from RYPEN (Rotary Youth Program of Enrichment)? This weekend camp is for 14 to 17 year olds, with a focus on “Fun with a Purpose” to develop skills around team work, communication, goal setting and problem solving. Participants are encouraged to push their boundaries and challenge themselves in a safe and supportive environment. Karrinyup Rotary will again fund this program. The next RYPEN camp is from Friday 2 – Sunday 4 May 2025. Contact Youth Director Eddy for further information.

Karrinyup Rotary contributes to the Borderless Friendship Foundation WA (BFF WA), a Perth based not-for-profit organisation, which supports children in hostels in the Hilltribe region of Thailand. Recently Karrinyup Rotarians Sandra, Jane and Jenni, seen here with Lorel from BFF WA, made a ‘hands on’ visit to this International Service project. They reported back to the club on their amazing experience. There are 380 hill tribe children in BFF’s care. In addition to club support, several club members have chosen to sponsor an individual child. Read how you could too.

Vocational Service Director Kay Durrant introduced trainee Lucia Curti, a recipient of 2024 Karrinyup Rotary Special Recognition, and Vanessa Hayes from Electrical Group Training Perth. Kay described the club's partnership with the Apprentice Employment Network WA (AEN WA), a Registered Not for Profit Charity. Our Vocational Service team provides practical support for outstanding apprentices/trainees with Special Recognition. Lucia spoke about her career, explaining how the club's support had assisted her in purchasing a laptop computer, an essential item for her work. Group Training Organisation (GTO) representative Vanessa explained the work of GTOs.

The Karrinyup Rotary Youth Service team has again established a ‘Back to School 2025’ humanitarian grant to assist children of Ukrainian Displaced Persons living in Western Australia. Its purpose is to help cover the expenses of funding their back-to-school requirements for 2025. Limited funds are available for families to apply for a humanitarian grant of $200 for local children, who have settled here after fleeing the war in Ukraine. To be eligible, they must have and submit the 786 or 866 visa that applies to DP’s from Ukraine. Please read instructions on the second page carefully. Email only the first page to karrinyuprotary@gmail.com.

Karrinyup Rotary commenced planning a 50th anniversary project in 2021. The Golden Project was to be one of significance to celebrate the Club's 50 years of Rotary service. The designated club team worked with architect Alex Godfrey and the City of Stirling. Over the years, it was decided it would be the 'Lake Gwelup Story Trail', an interactive experience, celebrating Nyoongar culture, environmental and historical stories of Lake Gwelup, where the club has a long history of service to the community. The project has now been completed and will be launched on 23 November. Peter Polain and Peter Durrent are seen here toasting the successful completion of the project.

Members of the Karrinyup Rotary Vocational Service team recently attended the 2024 Apprentice Employment Network of WA Awards for Excellence gala presentation evening, where Carol O'Lone and Carolyn Prunster presented Karrinyup Rotary Club Special Recognition Accolades. This is the club's third year supporting this project, which is the result of Kay Durrant’s understanding and recognition of the importance of the need to support young people starting out in their careers. We will hear from some of our 2024 recipients during Vocational Service month, January 2025.

President Phil Ledger and Treasurer Paul Callery represented Karrinyup Rotary at the 30th anniversary of Foodbank WA. We were delighted that Pat Fosbery, widow of Karrinyup Rotary charter president Graham Fosbery, was able to join us as a special guest. The Rotary Club of Karrinyup has had a long association with Foodbank WA having been involved since its inception in the early 1990’s. Charter President, Graham Fosbery, served as a Founding Director during those early years and remained a supporter throughout his life. 

Rotary Youth Exchange Coordinator Trish Lynch introduced our 2024-2025 Inbound Rotary Youth Exchange (RYE) student Viki, from Austria. Viki has been an active member of our club since her arrival in Perth in late July. Our students' presentations, where they describe themselves and their home country, are always most interesting and Viki's presentation was outstanding. It was lovely to have her host families, District Placement Officer, our 2025 RYE Outbound student Ellen and Mandurah District's Inbound RYE student Eliane from Switzerland join us for the evening.

Mike Murphy introduced exercise physiologist, open water swimmer and public speaker Ceinwen Roberts, head coach and co-founder of Positive Swim Squad. The 'Bears of Brine' are nine Perth swimmers, all members of the Positive Swim Squad, who spend countless hours preparing for solo ultra marathon swims. Recently, they took on the English and Bristol channels in a bid to fund raise for a five-classroom school and toilet block in Lombok, Indonesia, through the charity Classroom of Hope, a new recipient of Karrinyup Rotary's International funding this Rotary year.

The RC Karrinyup was delighted this week to welcome 2024 - 2025 Inbound Rotary Youth Exchange student Viki from Austria. While Viki has been in Perth a few weeks now, this was her first formal opportunity to meet club members at a meeting. She told us that she has been to King's Park and to the beach and attended a briefing weekend for RYE Inbound students. She is attending at Warwick SHS and has already helped out volunteering at the Stirling Farmers Market.

Karrinyup Rotary members recently attended a celebration of the life of Past President and Honorary Member Frits Van Irsen. Inducted into the Rotary Club of Karrinyup in 1986, Frits served as President in 1996-1997 and later as Secretary and Treasurer. He was recognised as a Paul Harris Fellow in 1993 - 1994 and in 2011 was honoured with a sapphire pin. In 2010 he received the Graham Fosbery Presidential Award for his excellent support as Club Secretary. He will be sadly missed.

At the recent 2024 Changeover event, President Kay inducted Past District Governor and President Elect Phil Ledger, as the fifty first President of Rotary Club of Karrinyup, handing over the responsibility of leadership of the Club. President Phil congratulated Kay on her splendid year of service, saying she ran the club with great aplomb. He mentioned that Kay's service was not only to our club, but also to the wider Rotary community and listed a few of her many activites. He then announced the Board of the Rotary Club of Karrinyup for 2024-2025.

At the recent RC Karrinyup Changeover Evening, John Maker was named as the recipient of the prestigious Graham Fosbery President’s Award for 2023-2024 for dedicated 'Service Above Self' and support for the Stirling Farmers Market raffle, the weekly club meetings and for creating procedures to preserve our club documents. The award is given each year by the President to a person or group, who is considered to have contributed significantly to the success of the Club in that President’s year or progressively over a period of time.

In her address to the gathered members, visitors and friends, President Kay recounted the achievements of the club during the past Golden Anniversary year with special thanks and appreciation to the City of Stirling. She drew a comparison between the metamorphosis of a butterfly and the evolution of our club over the years. She described how, through our many projects, we have made a significant impact and contribution to the community, both locally and beyond. During the address, she thanked the Board and all members for their hard work and support during the year.

Karrinyup Rotary's 2023-2024 Inbound Rotary Youth Exchange student from Poland Karolna gave a final presentation on her exchange year in Australia. She said it had been filled with many new experiences, life surprises, adventures, growing up and so much more. She described highlights of the year, achieving her goals, what she has learned and how she believes the experience will help shape her future. Above all, she expressed her sincere gratitude to all her host families and to the club for making the experience possible.

Each year, the Karrinyup Rotary Community Homeless Working Group collects and donates socks and backpacks to the homeless in the city. These items are distributed on our behalf by the Perth Homeless Support Group, as they have developed an innovative “Community Model” over time, which focuses on assisting individuals experiencing homelessness, displacement, and those in transitional housing. Sandra, Jane and Carol are seen here dropping off the goods collected for distribution this winter.

In Vocational Service month we welcomed Irene Walker, Executive Officer of the Apprentice Employment Network WA, (AEN WA) a Registered Not for Profit Charity. Irene described the work of AEN WA and the wonderful parternership with Karrinyup Rotary, instigated by President Kay. This year our Vocational Service team provided practical support for outstanding apprentices/trainees with Special Recognition Awards. Irene introduced the four award recipients present, who spoke on their career paths and explained how the club's support had assisted with the purchase of essential items for their work.

The Zambia Water Project involved scoping and drilling a bore to sufficient depth and installation of a pump and water tank.  This has now provided clean drinking water for the school of some eighty orphaned and vulnerable children under the support of Arising Life Ministries in Ndola, Zambia as well as to the community of the Kaloko area.

The Earbus has been completed and informally handed over to the Earbus Foundation. The vehicle will now go through operational trials to ensure the design is fit for purpose and any issues found during the field trials will be adjusted.  Finally, the vehicle will be transformed with an appropriate Aboriginal livery for its work in the field before the formal handover takes place in the New Year.  On behalf of the thousands of Aboriginal children, who will benefit from this asset, thank you to all our generous donors. The RC Karrinyup is honoured to have been part of this journey with you. 

Over three years ago, Professor Harvey Coates AO, Clinical Patron, Earbus Foundation of WA, envisaged a mobile 'go anywhere' clinic capable of travelling to remote areas of the northwest of Western Australia. For patients unable to travel to a town clinic, it was necessary to take the clinic to them in the battle against the exceedingly high incidence of ear disease among the population of that area. Professor Coates is thrilled that, thanks to the efforts of the RC Karrinyup, this vision has now become a reality.    

RC Karrinyup has once again supported the Trigg Island Surf Lifesaving Club in the dedicated and amazing work they do in the local community down at Trigg Beach. Our club has enjoyed a long-standing and close relationship with the surf club and has recently funded the purchase of a large beach shelter., thus building on previous donations for rescue vehicles and equipment, such as an Oxy Viva unit, over the years and furthering the relationship between the two clubs.

Members of RC Karrinyup turned out in force for the handover and launch of WA’s first community-funded mobile ear clinic at the Stirling Farmers’ Market. The completed Earbus is the realization of a dream for Professor Harvey Coates AO, Clinical Patron, Earbus Foundation of WA, who three years ago envisaged a mobile 'go anywhere' clinic, capable of travelling to remote areas of the northwest of Western Australia. Thanks to the passionate 'fund, design and build' campaign of the RC Karrinyup, this dream has now become a reality. 

Outgoing President Trish delivered her report for the 2016-2017 Rotary year, summarizing the work and achievements of RC Karrinyup over the past twelve months and mentioning just a few of the highlights.  She said she felt sure that our club has realised Rotary International's 2016 - 2017 goal of serving humanity.

The week from 4th - 10th September was designated as National Stroke Week. Thousands of Stroke Week activities took place in communities across the country including information stalls and health checks. Rotary supports this initiative in spreading the word and, as part of our service to the local Community, the RC Karrinyup hosted an information stall and free blood pressure checks at the Stirling Farmers Market. Club members also volunteered at information booths at Joondalup Health Campus and Bunnings Whitfords.