Stories


Support for Local Gymnastics Club Rotary Club of Alice Springs Mbantua District Grant 2024-2025 Update October 2026 In an exciting update to this story, the Alice Springs Youth and Community Centre competed at the Gold Coast in the Gymnastics Australia National Club Carnival in September 2026. This is the first time in several years the Club has taken athletes interstate to compete and represent Alice Springs. The event includes competition and training camps over 2 days. The athletes at level 6 and 7 were supported by coach Liv Antonelli and volunteer coach Marie Baptista. The Alice Club combined with Sydney Gymnastics Centre and Inner West Gymnastic and were successful in earning a 4th on vault, a 3rd on bars, a 4th on floor and a 5th place overall. Well done team, we like to think we helped in some small way with this project! Read more...	Support for Local Gymnastics Club	Ron Saint	2026-10-04 14:30:00Z	0
District Grant Project - Emergency Services District Grant - Emergency Services Alice Springs/Tennant Creek Provision of Tools and Toolboxes for Emergency Services Storm Trailers The Rotary Club of Alice Springs / Mbantua are sought to partner with the Emergency Services by providing response equipment for the Volunteer Units. The Volunteer Units service an area of some 800,000 square kilometres, with 30 volunteers in Alice Springs, 10 volunteers in Tennant Creek and 4 volunteers in Kings Canyon. Of the equipment to be provided for the trailers, The Rotary Club was to source and supply toolboxes, blowers, chainsaws, lights and charging equipment to the value of $5392.53. In applying for a Foundation District Grant, we sought the $2,500.00 maximum allowable in this year’s round of applications. This would leave our Club to provide funding to the value of $2892.53. Artwork was applied to the trailers recognising the Rotary Club’s contribution to the project. The Rotary Club of Alice Springs - Mbantua has had a long-term association with the Northern Territory Emergency Services through the Damien Clifton Award for the SES person/volunteer of the year. The Club is also a contributor to the Foundation and has committed to US$3,000 of support in our Club’s goals for this year. Read more...	District Grant Project - Emergency Services	Ron Saint	2026-10-03 14:30:00Z	0
Global Grant "Say No - Domestic and Family Violence" The Good News Story of the Global Grant "Say No - Domestic and Family Violence" The story behind our Club receiving a Global Grant is a feel-good story. The District 9510 Foundation Chair and DG 27-28 Nominee was to visit Alice Springs in June 2026 and was looking for things to see and do. He was going to have his partner travel with him, the DG 25-26 for District 9790. In designing an itinerary, we thought we could mix visits with the recipients of Rotary's District Grants in recent times with a visit to the quirky storage area for the Henley on Todd Regatta. Not many of you would know, but the Henley on Todd has run for over 60 years and has been a great collaboration between the 3 Rotary Clubs in Alice Springs. The projects we have supported via District grants have been, the Tools and Toolboxes for the Storm response Trailers at Emergency Services in Alice Springs and Tennant Creek, the provision of an inflatable landing pit for the Alice Springs Youth and Community Association and an Electronic Whiteboard for WoSSCA. We also support the schools annually. So, visits were organised with these groups. It was the meeting with WoSSCA that proved the most intriguing. In relation to Domestic Violence, WoSSCA has run the Women's Shelter and provided education services in the Domestic Violence space. Initial discussions were around our continued involvement with WoSSCA on the District Grants and attendance at the broader Domestic Violence Forums and activities in Alice Springs. When they were asked what a way in which Rotary would be able to assist them, provision of a car was put forward. This is not something that can be covered by a District Grant. But, of course, in our midst was a highly motivated couple of Rotary Leaders! Enter the Foundation Chair and mooted it could be covered by a Global Grant. We picked our Treasurer up off the floor. With further discussion, it was evident a car would need to be part of a broader Domestic Violence prevention strategy. And so, the idea was born. Over the next few weeks, the only representative left in Alice Springs was President Elect Paul Wilson. The onerous task of pulling the project together rested with him. With the acceptance of the application by Rotary International, we have now been able to complete Phase 1 of the project, the delivery of a 4x4 Ford Everest to support the educational programs of WoSSCA in the remote ares of Central Australia. Read more...	Global Grant "Say No - Domestic and Family Violence"	Ron Saint	2026-10-02 14:30:00Z	0
Rotary's End Trachoma campaign has two local champions Both the Rotary Club of Alice Springs-Mbantua and the Rotary Club of Alice Springs have committed to joining the national Rotary End Trachoma campaign to end trachoma in Australia and to coincide with the World Health Organisation's End Trachoma 2020 campaign. Australia is the ONLY first world country in which the bacterial eye infection trachoma, which can lead to blindness if left untreated, is still endemic. In 2016, the Rotary Club of Melbourne took up the challenge to create a national Rotary campaign to end trachoma to celebrate 100 years of Rotary in Australia in 2021. We have responded to that challenge and continue to look for opportunities to support the broader initiative by committing to being the champions for Central Australia. Although the 2020 target has passed, Rotary continues to push to rid Australia of this debilitating condition in the vulnerable remote populations. The Rotary End Trachoma campaign is strongly supported by Past Rotary International President (and Australian) Ian Risley and his message to all Rotarians from 2017 is below.	Rotary's End Trachoma campaign has two local champions	Ron Saint	2021-09-25 14:30:00Z	0
First Mbantua Cocktail Party for 2018 The last Friday of every month, Rotary Mbantua has a cocktail party instead of a general meeting the following Monday. What better way to have a cocktail party than with Tea and Coffee - Long Island Iced Tea and Espresso Martinis! At the start of each year Alice Springs has an influx of new people, young professionals coming into town to take up positions in health, education and services and we think its a great opportunity to provide a vehicle so that new people can meet each other, meet locals and find out about other clubs and activities in Alice Springs. It also a great way to find out about Rotary Mbantua and the work it performs in Alice Springs. The cost is $20 per head, which includes finger food. A cash bar providing cocktails, spirits, wines and beer will be available. The venue is the outdoor amphitheatre at Mercure Alice Springs Resort at 34 Stott Terrace (formerly the Chifley) 5.00-7.00pm. So we can cater, if you intend coming please register here. If you want to share this with others, download flyer here.	First Mbantua Cocktail Party for 2018	Bill Palmer	2018-02-22 14:30:00Z	0
What happens at a Mad Hatters Cocktail Party.... In case you ever wondered what happens at a Rotary Cocktail Party where the theme is Mad Hatters Cocktail Party to support Rotary's Mental Health Hat Day and Mental Health month, here is the evidence! It should be said that a huge amount of fun was had by all...until the next morning! The makers of Panadol are now eminently richer!	What happens at a Mad Hatters Cocktail Party....	Bill Palmer	2017-11-18 14:30:00Z	0
Mbantua Cocktail Party The last Friday of every month, Rotary Mbantua will have a cocktail party instead of a general meeting the previous Monday. The month of October is Mental Health Month and Rotary has always supported this by holding a "Hat Day" to raise funds for Mental Health. What better way to raise funds than have a Mad Hatters Tea Party! Complete with Tea and Coffee - Long Island Iced Tea and Espresso Martinis! Alice Springs always has new people, particularly young professionals coming into town to take up positions in health, education and services and we think its a great opportunity to provide a vehicle so that new people can meet each other, meet locals and find out about other clubs and activities in Alice Springs. It also a great way to find out about Rotary Mbantua and the work it performs in Alice Springs. The cost is $20 per head, which includes your first drink and canapes. A cash bar operates after that. The venue is the outdoor amphitheatre at Mercure Alice Springs Resort at 34 Stott Terrace (formerly the Chifley) 5.00-7.00pm. So we can cater, if you intend coming please register here.	Mbantua Cocktail Party	Bill Palmer	2017-09-11 14:30:00Z	0
Supporting Donate Life Saturday 29th July saw us supporting the launch of DonateLife Week 2017 by cooking the barbeque for a soft launch on the lawns of Alice Springs Town Council. The local DonateLife team were there with many of their friends. I swear it must have been the smell of the BBQ as DonateLife signed up six donors and another three who took forms away! This was a great response according to the team. If you are not registered as an organ donor - you can do so by clicking on this link: https://register.donatelife.gov.au/decide It was a great opportunity for us to connect with others who are just as commited as us to 'making a difference'.	Supporting Donate Life	Bill Palmer	2017-07-29 14:30:00Z	0
Helping people with disabilities make their own music Music has been an important part of leading an ordinary life for students at the Music School for Children With Disabilities in Honor of Paul Harris in Lublin, Poland. Founded by Rotary members, the school serves 20 students with various disabilities, including Down syndrome, autism, and visual impairments. The Rotary Club of Lublin-Centrum-Maria Curie-Sklodowska has provided funding with help from Rotary Foundation Matching Grants and the Henryk Wieniawski Musical Society, which houses the school. After their son Mateusz was born with underdeveloped eyes, Mariusz and Joanna Kania looked for ways to help him be active. When he showed an aptitude for music, they looked for a teacher and were thrilled to find the Paul Harris music school. Read more...	Helping people with disabilities make their own music		2015-05-01 00:00:00Z	0
Finding Safe Haven For years, Angalia Bianca had slept in abandoned buildings throughout Chicago. She stole. She did drugs. She spent time in and out of jail for forgery, theft, trespassing, and possession of narcotics. But after she landed in prison for the seventh time, something changed -- Bianca knew she wanted a better life. She just didn’t know how to make it happen. After serving her time, Bianca sought help from a local homeless organization, A Safe Haven, and moved to its shelter in the Rogers Park neighborhood. Bianca followed the program closely -- she attended all the required meetings, passed drug tests, and volunteered at every opportunity. Read more...	Finding Safe Haven		2015-05-01 00:00:00Z	0
Saving lives in Ghana What is it like taking a large team to Africa? It has probably been one of the most rewarding experiences in my life. In mid February, I began leading Rotary members from all over the East Coast of the United States through Ghana. I’ve tried to give the team a warm Ghanaian welcome like I’ve received on my earlier trips. A large trip is a real blessing because each person sees Ghana and our work in a different way. A highlight for the team was greeting the chief of Sagadugu. The team got excited about buying goats and food for children in the villages where I support eight churches. It was good to see the pastors of most of the eight churches, and I had to explain that we were just passing through on our way to Bolgatanga. Read more...	Saving lives in Ghana		2015-05-01 00:00:00Z	0
India celebrates three years without polio Throughout India and around the world, Rotary clubs are celebrating a major milestone: India has gone three years without a new case of polio. The last reported case was a two-year-old girl in West Bengal on 13 January 2011. To mark this historic triumph, Rotary clubs illuminated landmarks and iconic structures throughout the country with four simple but powerful words, "India is polio free." The three-year achievement sets the stage for polio-free certification of the entire Southeast Asia region by the World Health Organization. The Indian government also plans to convene a polio summit in February to commemorate this victory in the global effort to eradicate polio. Read more...	India celebrates three years without polio		2014-02-26 00:00:00Z	0