The Morelander Edition 12 2020-21

Bulletin of the Rotary Club of Moreland

EDITION 12|13OCTOBER 2020

THE MORELANDER

BEING AN ALLY

Grant Goidino tells us what we can do to make our club more LGBTQ+ inclusive

Pages 3 and 4

Award of Excellence for Club Bulletin 2018-2019

Moreland Rotary acknowledges the Wurundjeri people of the eastern Kulin Nations on whose unceded lands we conduct our business. Moreland Rotary respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past, present and emerging. Moreland Rotary also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business.

Cover photo courtesy of Grant Godino THE MORELANDER

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Grant Godino - What we can do to make our club more LGBTQ+ inclusive We welcomed Grant Godino to our weekly club meeting last week where he presented a comprehensive outline of his work in gaining inclusive acceptance of LGBTQ+ within Rotary.

Grant is president-elect of the LGBT Rotarians and Friends Fellowship and member of the Rotary Club of Strathmore, and helped us develop our knowledge and appreciation of just what LGBTQ+ means and how we as Rotarians can become more comfortable in embracing LGBTQ+.

Grant identifies as a gay cisgender male and lives with his partner Lee (he/him) (also a Rotarian) in the inner northern suburbs of Melbourne.

As I have started to share my ideas, opinions and stories about LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and gender diverse, queer, and questioning) inclusion in Rotary, I have heard so many of our leaders say to me: “We’re a really decent club/district. We don’t have any bad people. So, we don’t have a problem. Right?”

I’ve also heard things like “why is Rotary doing something so political” and “there are no gay people in my community.”

These comments come from a space of ignorance and I always consider them a teaching moment. LGBTQ+ rights are human rights.

But while diversity and inclusion have climbed the Rotary agenda over the past decade, many LGBTQ+ members continue to face discrimination, discomfort, and even danger in our clubs. When it comes to true inclusion, everyday interactions with peers and leaders matter as much as organisational policies or formal processes.

Set a meaningful public example.

We need to do this to become more welcoming to LGBTQ+ communities.

This could include: Small gestures like putting a rainbow flag at the bottom of your website, using the LGBT Fellowship’s rainbow heart logo on event flyers or using Rotary’s global statement on diversity, equity and inclusion to make a bold statement that we are accepting of everyone.

Here are a number of ways to make your club and Rotary as a whole more inclusive for the LGBTQ+ community:

Support projects that address key issues for LGBTQ+ communities.

As people of action, we do amazing work to improve communities and the world. When you are considering your next project why not target an issue like HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention, addressing mental health issues and homelessness in LGBTQ+ communities, or preventing violence towards LGBTQ+ people

Start having conversations.

In order to understand the challenges that exist for LGBTQ+ people, leaders at all level (club, district, zone, and international) should stay connected to what it means to be LGBTQ+ in Rotary. This means: Asking a local LGBTQ+ charity to speak at your club Downloading and discussing some of the educational resources developed by the LGBT Fellowship Contacting the LGBT Fellowship to make a presentation Once you start having these conversations both internally and with the communities your club serves, you will see that there are gay people in every community, and maybe already in your club!

Asking everyone to include their preferred pronouns on name tags at club meetings and in email signatures. This signals support for the LGBTQ+ community and is a powerful education piece, helping people understand the importance of using individual’s preferred pronouns. It reduces the chances that people will mistakenly misgender someone who is trans or gender diverse.

Support and promote the LGBT Rotarians and Friends Fellowship.

Global research has shown that employee pride network groups play a vital role in delivering workplace equality for LGBTQ+ people. In Rotary, the LGBT Rotarians and Friends Fellowship is our pride network. The fellowship is dedicated to promoting global friendship, service and education, aiming to create an inclusive, understanding and welcoming community, fostering goodwill and peace, and realising a world that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for LGBTQ+ people Diversity, equity and inclusion is complex, and Rotary is making some great steps forward. We have started to address gender, generational and cultural diversity. There are still many other aspects for us to discuss including LGBTQ+, disability, indigenous people and others, and then also how these identities can intersect (for example, how someone can be both LGBTQ+ and disabled). I’m excited about our progress and encourage people to reach out to the LGBT Fellowship, leaders and district membership committees to continue the discussion.

The number of questions and open gratitude expressed by members in response to Grants presentation spoke volumes of the valuable knowledge and empathy gained by us all on LGBTQ+ and Rotary, and we look forward to developing a good relationship in the future through his new club venture (see page 5).

THE MORELANDER

Text Grant Godino and Trevor Moyle | Image courtesy of Grant Godino

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THE MORELANDER

Image courtesy of Grant Godino

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Rotary pushing back the tide, again – with Merri Rotary Impact Network Grant Godino also provided an update of his exciting new Rotary club venture in Melbourne’s North which at this stage involves a group of about 15 enthusiastic Rotary program alumni.

The provisional name for the venture is Merri Rotary Impact Network and will be a new model of Rotary Club in our local area taking elements from traditional clubs, Passport Clubs and eClubs. The planning for the club is well advanced and it: is focused around social justice and measuring impact, rather than heavy fundraising is family friendly operates mostly online through an app like Microsoft Teams or Slack occasionally meets either online or in person probably at least once a month), involving a speaker, vocational event or social activity encourages members to visit and engage with other local clubs where a speaker or service event resonates with them asks members to aim for at least 40 hours of service a year or make a donation to the Rotary Foundation is physically located in Hume/Moreland Council areas. promotes diversity and inclusiveness in terms of age, ethnicity, race, colour, abilities, religion, socioeconomic status, culture, sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity from its outset.

The club will be a “normal Rotary Club” in terms of fundamental roles and obligations where members still pay dues, promote Rotary Foundation and all the other things Rotary Clubs do.

They will just meet and operate a little differently but in a way that better suits the lifestyles and commitments of a wider range of people.

Moreland Club members have been a little concerned about potential clash and competition of Merri Rotary Impact Network with our club, however after some discussion and hearing Grant's presentation we have all embraced what he is establishing and see a great future of working together as a partner club We look forward to encouraging this new club initiative and welcome any enquiries direct to Grant at grant.godino@rotarylgbt.org

https://www.endpolio.org/ THE MORELANDER

Text:Trevor Moyle

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Call us on 0448 852 747 or email us: moreland@rotary9790.org.au

THE MORELANDER

Images and Text: RI and David Redfearn|

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About Rotary District Governor's Newsletter "Bruce's Bulletin" is the monthly newsletter of District Governor Bruce Anderson. There is a lot of information about the many Rotary projects and events across our District.

Simply click here to read the latest edition Members of Rotary are part of a diverse group of community and professional leaders working to address community and international service needs and to promote peace and understanding throughout the world.

Rotary districts are a way of grouping a number of clubs in a particular geographic area. The area covered quite often crosses state and even international boundaries.

Rotary District 9790 encompasses the northern Rotary clubs receive a charter suburbs of Melbourne and from the worldwide organisation - stretches north and north east of Rotary International.

Victoria to the Murray River and up into parts of NSW. A Rotarian belongs to a particular Rotary Club often near his/her For more information about home or work or sometimes Rotary District 9790, click here because of the club meeting time.

THE MORELANDER

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Upcoming events and meetings A standing invitation exists for all readers of The Morelander to attend Moreland Rotary Club meetings and some of our other events. Please let us know if you intend to join us by ringing David Redfearn on 0448 852 747 or emailing on dredfearn@vtown.com.au (click on email address).

Upcoming speakers/events 14 October: Monthly Board meeting (via Zoom) Chair: President David Redfearn 21 October: Rosemary Freeman and Lawrence Harvey (Mental Health Month) (via Zoom) Chair: Silvana De Pretto 28 October: World Polio Day event (via Zoom) Chair: Emma Davis 4 November: TBA (via Zoom) Chair: Nino Galgano

Our Guest Speakers Moreland Rotary Club invites speakers to our club both from our local community and further afield. They come from a wide range of backgrounds and are invited because they hopefully inform and stimulate our members and guests. We feel that this is of value in fostering a deeper understanding of our diverse community and even providing guidance as to the types of activites and projects our club may engage in.

However the opinions expressed by our speakers do not necessarily reflect any official viewpoint of Moreland Rotary nor those of individual club members. Irrespective of this we always offer a warm Rotary welcome to all of our speakers.

click here @RotaryMoreland THE MORELANDER

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Rotary Leadership 2020-21

Rotary International: President: Holger Knaack (Susanne) , Rotary Club of Herzogtum Lauenberg-Mölln (Germany) District Governor: Bruce Anderson (Marilyn), Rotary Club of Strathmore Assistant Governor Group 2: Emma Davis, Rotary Club of Strathmore Rotary Club of Moreland President: David Redfearn (Deanna)

Club Service Roles 2020-21

President Secretary Treasurer Club Service Community Service Vocational Services International Service and Assistant Bulletin Editor Membership and Rotary Foundation Local Environment Youth and Assistant Secretary Club Administration Bulletin Editor Australian Rotary Health Public Relations Club History Valued members Honorary Members

David Redfearn OAM Rosemary Freeman John Hoffmann Brian Bennett David Redfearn OAM Brian Bennett Trevor Moyle Trevor Moyle Jo Connellan Silvana De Pretto Nino Galgano David Redfearn OAM Rosemary Freeman Russell Stuckey Nino Galgano Richard McCarthy, Elly Gardner, Lee Garwood. Emma Davis The Hon. Kelvin Thomson, Helen Bailey, John Awler

District 9790 /Multi District Roles 2020-21

Assistant Governor, Group 2 District Community Service Chair and Australian Rotary Health District Legal Officer District Bulletin Editor and Peter Toomey Community Police Award Shine On Awards

Emma Davis Rosemary Freeman Nino Galgano David Redfearn OAM Brian Bennett

WHEN AND WHERE WE MEET: Moreland Rotary Club meets most Wednesdays at 7.30 for a 7.40 am start.

Breakfast meetings tem pora We meet at the Sorrento Bar, 801 Sydney Road, rilyBrunswick, suspen3056 ded

HOW TO GET A COPY OF THE MORELANDER: If you would like to receive our bulletin via email each week, email our editor at: dredfearn@vtown.com.au WHERE TO SEND FORMAL CORRESPONDENCE: Attention: The Secretary, Moreland Rotary Club, PO Box 219, Coburg, Victoria, 3058

Chartered 14 August 1996 - Sponsor Club Coburg Rotary Club | Incorporated 13 August 2019 Designed using Canva - www.canva.com

THE MORELANDER

Images by David Redfearn and logos from rotary.org unless otherwise specified.

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During the pandemic we are meeting via Zoom on Wednesday mornings from 7.30-8.30 am and we have some great guest speakers.

Why not join us one morning? Simply ring David on 0448 852 747 the day before to RSVP and then go to: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87077765173 just before the meeting to join in.