Barry Oliver chaired today's club meeting at Cilantro where approximately 16 club members enjoyed a lovely breakfast. Guests included Raj Daniels and Gary Ramage. Tony Ryan and Charles Rener joined the meeting via Zoom. (Ed - thanks to Geoff Gartly for pics)
CLUB ANNOUNCEMENTS
- President Grant informed members of a motion approved at Monday's board meeting to donate $9,129 to SECASA - South Eastern Centre Against Sexual Assault. Club members will be invited to vote on the proposal at the club meeting on Wednesday 17 June 2026.
- President Grant informed club members Tim Moran plans to resign after 16 years at Rotary citing family commitments. During his time in Rotary Tim has mainly supported the Community and Youth Committees where his background knowledge in local government and youth and family social services has been of huge benefit for the two committees. His contribution will be sadly missed.
- President Elect Neville advised he attended all the sessions at this year's District Assembly where there was much to be learned.
- Geoff Gartly thanked the club on behalf of the Scouts for the club's donation to purchase a defibrillator for the Heritage Scout Hall in East Bentleigh
- Geoff also informed us Jim Magee is up to the 700km mark on his Camino de Santiago pilgrim walk - well done Jim.
- Clemence, our incoming exchange student from France a few years ago, is back in Melbourne. Geoff will bring her to the club.
- Ron Brownlees informed club members a celebration of life service for Bill Chapman, former member of the R.C. of Moorabbin, will be held at the Sandringham Yacht Club on Monday 15 June at 1pm.
GUEST SPEAKER - Club Member Michael Josem - Member Behind the Badge
Michael Josem was our guest speaker today and provided a brief and very interesting glimpse of the "person behind the badge". His life is atypical of someone born in the 1980s, growing up and studying in Australia before travelling and working overseas as so many young people currently do. After growing up in Mount Waverley, he attended Monash University where he studied and obtained his Bachelor or Arts degree, and also where he met Federal M.P; Tim Wilson, with whom he now currently works. His working life has included stints working with politicians in Canberra, work as a security expert in fraud, and in particular the gambling industry where he helped break an organised crime syndicate defrauding online gamers in the US. He has worked as a communication consultant on the Isle of Man off the UK, helping to hire tradespeople who had migrated across from Europe. He ran for Parliament for the seat of Manx on the Isle of Man, only to be pipped at the post by six votes. His interests are varied, often getting involved in community events and volunteer groups. He is a volunteer in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission researching the background and telling stories of the fallen to bring their "stories alive". He played men's netball, and proudly informed his club won last year's Men's Netball Winter Championship in the UK. .
Michael returned to Melbourne after 20 years abroad. He became a member of our club in February this year after transferring from the Rotary Club of Douglas on the Isle of Man where he joined approximately 5 years ago. He drew a comparison of the two clubs, commenting the R.C. of Douglas is a fairly conservative club with club members who can tell stories of a bygone era. They celebrate an annual Charter night rather than Changeover. Thank you Michael for your fascinating presentation - it drew quite a few questions from club members particularly around gambling, crime detection, and your volunteering in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. .
The guest speaker for next week is Murray Wilson, District Governor Nominee. The rosters were announced before Grant closed the meeting.
