15 May, 2026 (May 16, 2026)

Meetings:

1^st and 2^nd Friday via Zoom

3^rd Friday at Dunmore Lang College

7:30am to 8:30am

Zoom ID: 878 2165 6014 Password: 2113

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Dear Rotarians and Friends,

May is Youth Service Month, and we look forward to celebrating our Epic Day of Service on 16 May 2026.

Recent Activities

2 May – International Work/Lie Day BBQ at Bunnings
A special fundraising BBQ was held in support of ROMAC. We raised $2000
8 May – Red Shield Appeal Trivia Night
Pam, Garry, Brian, Sue and Barbara enjoyed a fun and engaging evening supporting this great cause.
9 May – District Assembly
Club representatives attended the Assembly at Western Sydney University, South Parramatta campus, where new ideas and district directions were shared and discussed.
10 May – Mother’s Day
We extend warm wishes to all mothers and grandmothers who celebrated this special day. My meaningful morning session was also conducted with 40 residents at the Australian Nursing Home Foundation, Gordon Centre.
10–15 May – Youth Project DIGIT Week
Six regional students and their teacher participated in an enriching program featuring visits to Cochlear, North Ryde RSL Club, the Rural Fire Service Headquarter and SAN Hospital.
11 May – Youth Dinner at Epping Rotary Community Hall
Hosted by Epping Rotary Club, this gathering gave students the opportunity to share their family stories and personal interests with members.
12 May – Dunmore Lang College Scholarship Breakfast
Congratulations to scholarship recipient Imogen Hanrahan. We appreciated the inspiring contributions from Dean Emma. Several staff members were also in attendance.
14 May – DIGIT Week Farewell Dinner
The week concluded with a farewell dinner at Riding for the Disabled Association, Ryde Centre, where students and teachers shared their experiences.

Looking Ahead

Sunday, 17 May 2026 – Four Bridges Walk
Join us as we launch our eFun Run/Walk with this scenic walk.
North Ryde eFun Run 2026
Registrations are now open! Please help spread the word and consider participating. The final day will feature Annadale historical walking tourled by Bob Selinger OAM.
Macquarie University Parkrun BBQ
Supported by Community Bank Homebush and North Ryde (Bendigo Bank), events will run from 17 to 24 May 2026, with the BBQ taking place on 23 May 2026.

Thank you all for your continued support and involvement in our activities.

Rotary Club of North Ryde
Our next club meeting will be held via Zoom
Friday 5 June 2026
7:15am for a 7:30am start

Best Regards

Mandy

For our upcoming Zoom Club meetings and assembly, here is the link details:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87821656014?pwd=S1I0T1hBVDVXSVB4OFhTL2p1cFhhdz09

Meeting ID: 878 2165 6014
Passcode: 2113

The 2026 DIGIT Week

The 2026 DIGIT Week finished on Friday 15 May with the students returning home. They arrived in Sydney on Sunday 10 May and started visiting organisations on Monday 11 May.

This year we had 2 students from McIntyre High School in Inverell, Samantha and Jorwil and 4 students from Forbes High School, Lucy, Tristan, Drake and Aidan. We also had the pleasure of having Fran, a Support Teacher from Forbes High School join us this year.

A big ‘Thank You’ to the people who hosted the students for the week. Narelle Barker, past member of the Rotary Club of Epping, who hosted Drake, Bruce Jacob and Louise Prentice, from the Rotary Club of Epping, who hosted Jorwil, Peter Garrard and Janet Stacey, from the Rotary Club of Epping, who hosted Aidan, Brian and Sue Bailey, from Rotary Club of North Ryde, who hosted Samantha, Mark and Terrie McConnell, past member of the Rotary Club of North Ryde, who hosted Lucy, Tristan and Fran.

I also had Mandy Van, President of the Rotary Club of North Ryde (Monday), Brian Bailey (Tuesday and Thursday) and Terrie McConnell (Wednesday) join us on our visits during the week.

David Martin, from the Rotary Club of North Ryde, organised the following week for us.

Each day we would meet at the Dunmore Lang College carpark, for the hosts to drop off their student, before we headed off.

Monday – 11 May:
Cochlear at Macquarie University
North Ryde RSL Club
Rural Fire Service Head Quarters at Sydney Olympic Park
Sydney Adventist Hospital
Dinner with the Rotary Club of Epping

Tuesday – 12 May:
University of Technology Sydney Library
University of Technology Sydney Engineering
Cisco
IBM – where they provided pizza for dinner
After dinner we walked to the Sydney Opera House

Wednesday – 13 May:
Google
Ferry from Pyrmont Bay Wharf to Circular Quay and return to Barangaroo
Microsoft
Laser Tag, Ten Pin Bowling and dinner at Strike Macquarie Centre.

Thursday – 14 May:
Macquarie University
Dunmore Lang College Student Accommodation
Next Sense
Riding for the Disabled Marsfield – presentation preparation
Farewell Dinner and Student Presentations.

Friday – 15 May:
Return home by train.

Fran, the teacher from Forbes, spoke at the Presentation Dinner on Thursday and could see what a difference this visit had done for the students and was going to go back to her school and promote the DIGIT week for future students.

The week was a great success due to all the time and effort that David Martin put into pulling everything together. From getting the students to come from the schools, finding host families for them to stay with and then contacting the organisations for us to visit. David also provided details of Metro and train timetables and platforms of where and when we had to be in a certain place.

Thank You David.

Regards

Garry Maloney

Community Service Director

Visit to Cisco on Tuesday 12 May.

In the photo from left to right: Marion - Cisco, Varun - Cisco, Garry Maloney, Jorwil - McIntyre HS, Tristan - Forbes HS, Lucy - Forbes HS, Samantha - McIntyre HS, Fran - Forbes HS
Drake - Forbes HS, Aidan - Forbes HS, David - Cisco, Hugh - Cisco, Brian Bailey.

Our visit to IBM on Tuesday 12 May. Shows the Thank You message left by the students to IBM for having us visit them and the pizza for dinner.

The other lady in the photo is Carmela from IBM who spoke to us during our visit.

After IBM we went to visit the Sydney Opera House for the photos below. Brian was taking a phone call.

Our visit to Microsoft on Wednesday 13 May. In the 1st photo is Dan Bowen, from Microsoft, and Terrie McConnell, host family for Lucy, Tristan and Fran.

A couple of photos from our visit to Next Sense on Thursday 14 May.

On the far left is Amal, and on the far right is Laura, both from Next Sense.

The 2026 North Ryde eFun Run for Youth Mental Health has started!

It's not too late to register for our eFun Run week of fundraising for Youth Mental Health!

Just go to https://rotary-north-ryde-efun-run-for-youth-mental-health-2026.raiselysite.com/ and click on Sign Up or Sponsor/Donate to a Friend if you can't participate.

We start the week on Sunday 17 May and conclude on Sunday 24 May.

Funds raised go to Australian Rotary Health for research into mental health for young people with a focus on the 0-12 years; the Lifespan Health and Wellbeing Research Centre's Cool Kids Program and Kids Xpress to support children recovering from trauma.

Today, Sunday 17 May, a small group of five started the week with a walk across the 4 bridges from Cunninghams Reach Park, Lane Cove to the Iron Cove Bridge, and return, a distance of 16kms.

A great way to start the week of walking and fundraising! For more photos see photo albums in this bulletin or click here.

MQ Parkrun Event Saturday 23 May - join us for a sausage sizzle and some fun!

The Rotary Clubs of North Ryde, Ryde and Macquarie Park are organising a fundraising BBQ at the Macquarie University Parkrun on Saturday 23 May!

This is a special event linked to our North Ryde eFun Run for Youth Mental Health.

Come along and walk or run the 5kms around the grounds of Macquarie University starting at 18 Wally's Walk, Macquarie University Campus.

Enjoy a delicious Rotary sausage sizzle afterwards!

We will be raffling some great prizes donated by Macquarie University Sport and Aquatic Centre:

1st prize A year's full gym membership

2nd Prize A Signed Sydney FC Jersey

3rd Prize A Macquarie Hoodie

You can purchase tickets at the Rotary stall $5 a ticket or 3 for $10. The raffle will be drawn on the day.

There are also free goodie bags that will be handed out!

A Guided Historical Walk around Annandale Sunday 24 May

To conclude the eFun Run week, a guided historical walk around Annandale has been organised by our own historian, Bob Selinger OAM commencing at 10am. If you would like to join the walk please contact Bob on his mobile 0403003257 or email peternathan64@gmail.com. Lunch will be booked at the Tramsheds at the conclusion of the tour, please let Bob know if you wish to join us for lunch.

For more information go to the eFun Run website and click on events: https://rotary-north-ryde-efun-run-for-youth-mental-health-2026.raiselysite.com/