The Cowra Rotary Club marked another milestone this week, celebrating its 87th birthday while also reflecting on a busy and successful period of community service, fundraising, and local engagement.
At the weekly meeting, President Kylie Docker reported on several achievements.
The club has secured a $5,000 grant from Club Cowra to support CINC in delivering the Love Bites Programme.
Rotary will soon be added to the Council’s Community and Volunteers page, recognising its ongoing contribution to the region.
Members attended a Welcome to Cowra function hosted by Cowra Council.
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The Try-A-Trade Day was hailed a success, with volunteers thanked for their involvement.
The Rotary Bookshop, which recently opened, is proving extremely popular and already exceeding expectations.
The club continues to grow its social media presence to connect with the community.
Treasurer Bryan Dawes confirmed that membership fees remain unchanged at $250 for individuals or $450 per couple. Fees are now due for the current Rotary year.
Community service representatives Bob Griffiths, Brian Marsh, and Ian Docker reported that:
The Bookshop has been a great success, with more than $2,800 in sales since opening on August 22, including nearly $1,150 in just three and a half days last week.
Thanks were extended to Bob Langhorne for compiling the volunteer roster and to the many helpers who clean, sort, and price books.
Volunteers are reminded to arrive early for shifts, help with shelf stocking, and maintain a welcoming but quiet environment for browsing customers.
Return & Earn Scheme: from mid-2027, wine bottles will be included, a change that may require rethinking volunteer capacity due to the extra workload.
The club is still seeking volunteers for upcoming events, including the Trotting Meetings on September 14 and 21.
This week’s guest speaker was Bill Phillips from the Brisbane Highrise Rotary Club, who, along with his wife, visited while passing through Cowra.
Bill spoke about his club’s 33-year history and 42-member base, as well as its many projects.
A long-running Art Show in Brisbane’s CBD, which raises funds for homeless initiatives.
A strong youth program supporting young people in Queensland.
International projects in Tanzania, including the rebuilding of a school near Mt Kilimanjaro and support for St Jude’s School, a long-standing Rotary initiative.
President Kylie also shared updates from the week.
Members attended the Country University Centre Higher Education Information Evening.
Preparations are underway for the upcoming Peace Dinner on Thursday, September 18, with RSVPs encouraged.
With warmer weather arriving, events like the Sakura Festival are fast approaching, where Rotary will be assisting with the food stall.
Members were reminded of several important upcoming events:
Thursday, 11 September, Board Meeting
Sunday, 14 September, Trotting Meeting
Thursday, 18 September, Peace Dinner at Club Cowra
Sunday, 21 September, Trotting Meeting
Saturday, 27 September, Sakura Matsuri / Seikei Food Stall
Saturday, 18 October, Cowra Show BBQ
20–25 October, Red Radials Event
Friday, 31 October, Breast Cancer Fundraiser
Saturday, 22 November, Cowra Races BBQ
With 87 years of service behind them, the Cowra Rotary Club continues to demonstrate its vital role in the community.
From successful fundraising ventures like the Bookshop to international outreach in Tanzania, the club remains focused on creating meaningful local and global impact.
