It was the first session for 2025. A brilliant day weather wise which encouraged guests to come along. We had twenty-five guests which was a wonderful way to start the year.

We love to see all the regulars attending and we appreciate the support.

We started with our Guest Speaker Sergeant Bridgette Barendregt from SAPOL. Her topic was ‘Cybersecurity and Scams.’

Her presentation was both informative and frightening. The way scammers are operating is very sophisticated and alarming. They are becoming more brazen with their ability to contact so many people, hoping to catch out as many as possible. Bridgette identified the many different scams and what to do. The bottom line was to always be suspicious of emails, especially those with links attached.

The group found the presentation very helpful and there were many questions.

We had a new Chair Exercise instructor, Leeanne, whose exercises were well received.

We look forward to Leeanne’s next class

Lunch was also appreciated.

Overall, it was a great way to start 2025.

Special Thank you to Marissa Payne for helping with the setup and the lunch. The support we receive from the City of Burnside is valued.

Thank you to all the volunteers on the day, Des and Maria Munro, Trish, Margie Ferguson, and David Dewar.

Once we had been given our High Vis vests, we were on our way. Toby briefed us on the long history of the Coopers Brewery. It started in 1862 by Thomas Cooper. He handed the reins to four of his sons, and now the Brewery has been in the family for six generations.

To the Coopers Brewery:

What a truly memorable tour at the Coopers Brewery. We were all amazed at the size of the facility.

We were graciously met at the Visitors centre by our Tour Guide, Toby.

On the tour we saw many artifacts reflecting the history of the Brewery. From an old delivery truck to a cart used with a horse for delivering the stock.

The facilities were truly spotlessly clean which we were told is essential for the brewing of beer. We saw many aspects of the brewing and bottling. It is a paradise for engineers.

There are robots for loading which reduces the need for labor and helps with the efficiency of the complex.

We were in awe seeing firsthand the different parts of the brewing process. Toby kept us well informed as we progressed through the different areas.

Once the extremely interesting tour was completed, Toby directed us to the Tasting Room.

We were honoured to have Dr. Tim Cooper talk to us about the different beers/ales we were tasting. Dr. Tim was a wonderful host, and we felt very fortunate to have his expertise.

We could have stayed with Dr. Tim for longer as his presentation was so interesting and insightful.

Even for us non beer drinkers it was a fascinating and brilliant tour.

Special thank you to Gerald Barker for arranging Dr. Tim to join us for the tasting. Thank you also to Brian Higgins for organising the Tour.

It was a truly memorable experience that we will not forget in a hurry.

Margie Maloney OAM

The Rotary Club of Burnside were invited to attend the City of Burnside Australia Day Awards Ceremony at the Regal Theatre. The Club had been nominated to receive the Community Event of the Year.

The club was delighted to be named the winner of this award for the Annual Senior Citizens Christmas Lunch.

There were four Awards handed out this year, Young Citizen of the Year, Citizen of the year Award for Active Citizenship and Community Event of the year

This Seniors Christmas lunch is the highlight of the Club’s year. This event has been going for many years and is always a wonderful day. We invite up to 150 people who can come along and enjoy a delicious Christmas lunch, with wine and entertainment, all at no cost. Guests requiring transport are catered for with a roster of members and 2 City of Burnside buses to collect them and return them home.

Guests are all delighted to be part of the lunch and look forward to attending.

Thank you to all the members, partners and friends of Rotary for making the Senior Christmas lunch such a success.

Thank you to the City of Burnside for their support, greatly appreciated.

Thank you to all the members and partners who attended, the Council were thankful for our support. Mayor Anne did a magnificent job with her speeches.

Will’s concerning financial scams presentation was both enlightening and very frightening.

In Will’s words “My journey of cyber understanding has sadly left me with the cynicism that everything in the internet should be assumed to be dodgy until proven otherwise. The rise of A.I. is only going to exacerbate the imperative of protecting ourselves and our own data”.

Common types of scams are: Phishing, Malware, Hacking, identity theft, investment and Banking to name just a few.

What you can do to shield your risk:

1. Do not trust anything. Find your inner sceptic
2. Take action to check for the truth.
3. Arm yourself with phrases/experience to recall.
4. Multi-factor authentication and Password Management.

While we were delighted to have Will present at the meeting, many left feeling very insecure about our data and financial concerns. But awareness is the start and taking the appropriate course of action.

Thank you Will for such an interesting presentation and making us all prepared for what lies ahead unless we take the necessary precautions.

The Community Wellness Hub will commence on the 20th February 2025 at 11 am until 1 pm.

The City of Burnside continues to be a great supporter of this amazing event. It was encouraging to see the number of participants increase over 2024. The final event in November 2024 attracted 41 participants.

Guest Speakers have been booked for the first few months with more to follow as the year progresses.

Thank you to all the volunteers who come along each month to provide the lunch and chat to the guests. It is a very rewarding morning and many people have said how much they enjoy coming.

Thank you to the Instructors for the Chair exercises, which is always a highlight.

If you know anyone interested in attending, there is no need to book at this stage.

Please contact Margie Maloney 0412 383 827 if you have any questions about the event.

We look forward to seeing our loyal supporters, many who have been attending all year, Thank You.

Vocational Tour on Wednesday 15^th January 2025 to the recently opened Ambulance Station at Norwood. We had a great turnout with 17 Rotarians and partners. Our tour guide was Shaun who did a wonderful job. It was truly amazing how the station works. It is also a training facility as well as staging for crew on call for the next job. We all appreciated the opportunity to see inside an ambulance and all the equipment that is stored there.

The station has a high level of cases from about 11 am and continues during the day and night. Staff work up to 10-hour shifts except during Monday to Friday when it is an 8-hour shift.

Staff response is measured in seconds. Ideal is 60 seconds from call to being on the road for Priority 1!!!!

Shaun has been in the service for over 20 years and very passionate about his work. We were all amazed at Shaun’s attention to detail, and we all came away with a great deal of information on how the service works.

Thank you, Shaun, for taking the time to show us around and answer the many questions from the group. We all have a new appreciation of the Ambulance service.

We then made our way to the Maylands Hotel for a relaxing lunch. The food and service were excellent. It was a great chance to catch up with members and partners. Thank you, Brian, for organising the tour and the lunch, always a highlight.

It was a wonderful way to gather members, partners, friends of Rotary and distinguished guests to celebrate Christmas.

We held the dinner at the Kensington Hotel and were well looked after by Emma and Blaike. The room looked very festive and the food was delicious.

Highlight of the night was to induct Ken Cross into the Rotary club of Burnside. Ken has been a friend of Rotary, helping out many times at BBQs and the Community Wellness Hub. His lovely wife, Doreen has been a guest speaker at the Community Wellness Hub on her time with the United Nations. We are truly delighted to have Ken officially join the club.

We were also delighted to have Jack Batty MP join us for dinner. Jack has been a great supporter of the Rotary club of Burnside. We look forward to another productive year, helping the community through funds raised at the many BBQs we hold. BBQs are a great way to bring together members in fellowship and working toward a common goal.

On Saturday, 14 December 2024, I had the honour of attending the Centenary Ceremony for the Burnside District Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial in Rose Park, representing the Rotary Club of Burnside. This memorial stands as a profound cultural and spiritual landmark within the City of Burnside, established to commemorate the fallen soldiers of the Great War.

At the original dedication ceremony in 1919, relatives of the fallen soldiers planted trees along Alexandra Avenue and Prescott Terrace in their honour. These trees now stand tall, a living testament to the memory and eternal sacrifice of those who gave their lives.

In 1920, funds raised by the Burnside Memorial Committee commissioned a bronze statue by renowned Australian sculptor Charles Web Gilbert (1867-1925). The statue, unveiled on 14 December 1924 by the Governor of South Australia, Lieutenant General Sir Tom Bridges KCB KCMG DSO, captures a profoundly evocative scene: a soldier climbing over the top of a trench and turning back to offer a helping hand to his mate.

Her Excellency the Honourable Frances Adamson AC, Governor of South Australia, delivered a heartfelt keynote address that resonated deeply with all present. Additional thought-provoking speeches were given by Colonel Stephen Larkins OAM and Mayor Anne Monceaux.

The ceremony was attended by Cressida O’Hanlon MP, representing the Premier, and local member Jack Batty MP, representing the electorate of Bragg. Also present were Councilor’s from the City of Burnside, members of the RSL, the Burnside Historical Society, numerous volunteers, a local choir, Chaplain Carl Aiken OAM JP, and many current and former service personnel.

This memorial serves as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by those who came before us. It is a place to reflect on the struggles that have granted us the freedoms we enjoy today. By honouring these sacrifices and preserving their memory, we ensure that the lessons of the past are not forgotten. It is our collective responsibility to pass on this torch of remembrance to future generations, so that their sacrifices were not in vain and history is not unnecessarily repeated.

I highly encourage everyone to visit the memorial and take a moment to reflect.

Lest We Forget.

Dr. Andrew Bradley MIEAust CPEng NER APEC Engineer IntPE(Aus)

This past Sunday, our club hosted our largest community service event of the year—the Senior Citizens Christmas Luncheon at the Burnside Town Hall. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all the Rotarians, volunteers, and the families and staff of Burnside Primary School who joined us. The seniors shared their delight in the children’s performance and truly enjoyed the festive atmosphere among friends. They asked me to convey their appreciation to everyone involved.

A special thanks also goes to our event sponsors, the City of Burnside, and Tony & Marks, and to our special guest speakers James Stevens MP, Mayor Anne Monceaux, and Stefano Tocci. Your support helped make this event a wonderful success!

I would also like to acknowledge the generous contributions made by seniors and volunteers to the Baptist Care Toy Donation effort. Your kindness will bring joy to those less fortunate this Christmas. Even a small donation can mean the world to someone in need—thank you for making a difference!

Dr Andrew Bradly President Rotary club of Burnside.