The Rotary Club of Mooloolaba (Inc) was chartered on the 26th March 1973.

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District Governor (1973/74) Glen Kinross presented the charter on Saturday 28th July 1973 at a function held at the Surfair International.

Charter President was Vic Honour.  During his term with us, Vic served as District Governor in 1976-77.

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Initially, Mooloolaba Rotary met at the Mark Anthony Motel, later moving to the Headland Golf Club.  Since then, we have met at the Mooloolaba Yacht Club at Parkyn Parade, Mooloolaba and the Mooloolaba Surf Club. Today we meet at the Mooloolaba Bowls Club, 60 Brisbane Rd, Mooloolaba.

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Currently Mooloolaba Rotary has around 40 members. We are always looking to expand our membership and recruit new Rotarians. We are actively seeking female members and are proud that our club president for Rotary years 2021, 2022 and 2023 are female.

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The club is known internationally as "The Friendly Club" as we regularly welcome many visitors from around the world to our Monday meetings.

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Here's a short video insight into our history:

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Some of the significant projects undertaken by this club include:

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Current Projects:

• Youth:​

  • Youth Exchange program (YEP),

    • From around 1981 we have hosted 30+ international exchange students from Europe, USA, Japan and South America for the school year.

    • We have also sent 30+ local students outbound to many countries, the last being in 2019 with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

    • We are hopeful of restarting the student exchange program in the near future.

  • Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA).

  • Rotary Youth program of Enrichment (RYPEN).

  • Interact, Immanuel Lutheran College.

  • Freulingsfest Car Parking, Immanuel Lutheran College.

  • Equine Therapy program for Mooloolaba State School students.

  • Road Safe Youth Driver Awareness program (RYDA).

  • National Youth Science Forum (NYSF).

  • Telling Stories School Writing Competition.

  • Interact, Kawana State College.

  • EarlyAct, Buddina State School.

  • Art Festival setup, Immanuel Lutheran College.
     

• Community:​

  • Senior Citizen’s Christmas Party.

  • Car Parking – Queensland Garden Show, Nambour.

  • Rotary “Lift the Lid” Walk for Mental Health.

  • Christmas Trailer Raffle.

  • Bunnings and other BBQs.

  • Annual Australia Day Citizenship Ceremony.

  • endED House of Hope Connections Cafe.

 

• International:​

  • Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS):

    • Rotary Australia Re-Purposing Equipment (RARE), formerly Donations in Kind (DIK).

      • Collecting goods (mainly medical and education items) for shipment to South Pacific islands.

    • Solomon Islands - planning is underway for the next series of projects in the Solomon Islands to install water and sanitation services in remote village schools.

  • Rotary Australia Re-purposing of Equipment - collection and shipment of medical supplies, educational materials and other essentials to PNG and the Solomon Islands.

  • International Friendship Exchanges - with Rotary clubs around the world.  Club members have exchanged with clubs in USA< Suoth Africa, Sri Lanka and New Zealand.​
     

• Vocational:

  • Vocational visits to local businesses and organisations.

  • Mock interviews, Maroochydore State College.

  • Recognition of entities associated with Mentoring Sunshine Coast.

 

• The Rotary Foundation and Rotary International programs supported/ accessed by this club:

  • Annual donations by members to The Rotary Foundation (TRF).

  • Donations to the PolioPlus campaign which aims to eradicate polio from the world.

  • Funds received from TRF via Global and District grants to support our local and international projects.

  • Fellowships:

    • International Friendship Exchanges;

    • Sporting fellowships, including golf, cricket, skiing etc;

    • Cruising fellowship

    • and many more.

  • Rotary Action Groups:

    • Rotarians Against Malaria (RAM)

    • Addiction Prevention (RAGAP),

    • Water and Sanitation Action Group (WASHRAG)

    • etc, etc.

  • Rotary Australia Foundation – tax deductible donations to The Rotary Foundation.

  • Rotary Peace Centres.

 

Completed Projects:

• Youth:

  • 1974-75      Shelter Shed for the Buderim School.

  • 1985           Charter of Interact Club of Immanuel Lutheran College.

  • 1994-99      Sponsored Annual "Camp Quality" for Children with cancer.

  • 2021           Rotary Peace Pole, Mooloolaba State School

 

• Community:

  • 1974-84      Established and operated annual Prawn Festival which in May 1989 attracted over 45,000 visitors to the area.

  • 1979-80      Sponsored the charter of the Rotary Club of Kawana Waters.

  • 1980-81      Formation of our first sponsored Probus Club at Buderim. Chartered 12/3/81.

  • 1982-83      "Jaws of Life" equipment supplied to St Johns Ambulance.

  • 1982-2019  Major upgrades to Mooloolaba Rotary Park & BBQ areas. Two new Pavilions built. 

  • 1983-85      Supervisory work in the construction of the indoor sports stadium at Buderim.       

  • 1987-2016  Charity Golf Day.

  • 1989-90      Planted over 8,000 trees to “green” local motorway.

  • 1999           Charity Concert raised $15,000 for three local charities.

  • 2005-07      Classic & Vintage Car Show.

  • 2007-08      Construct footbridge in Botanical Gardens

  • 2014-17      Sunshine Coast Duck Race held at the Sunshine Coast Plaza Shopping Centre. All proceeds assisting local charities. 

  • 2016           Assist with design and construction of building additions at the Mooloolaba Volunteer Coast Guard headquarters, saving the Coast Guard $200,000+ in fees.

  • 2017-19      New Year’s Eve car parking, Mooloolaba.

  • 2018           Safe house, Landsborough.

  • 2019-22.     “A Night to Remember” Music trivia quiz.

  • 2021           Casey’s Backyard renovation.

  • 2023           "Legends Showcase" tribute evening at Venue 114.

  • 2023.          STEMM (supporting teenage mothers) renovation of kitchen.

  • 2024.          endED "Connections" Cafe, a redevelopment of an old shed into a cafe for families of endED patients (eating disorders)     and other local charities and not-for-profits.

 

• International:

  • 2009-2018  Since 2009 Rotarians have travelled to the Solomons to install water and sanitation for primary schools and medical aid posts at remote island locations.  Funds for these works have been raised by our club with supporting grants from The Rotary Foundation.  Other Rotary clubs have also contributed funds to this important regional project.

  • 2023           Donation of educational materials to Nauru Island primary school.
     

• Vocational:

  • 1978-79      Establishment of the Pre-employment Centre at Cotton Tree, later to become known as Maroochy (later still Maroochydore) Skill Share. 

  • 2002-09      Sunskills Careers Options Program for students seeking Trades and Industry training options.

  • 1973-2018  Pride of Workmanship Awards (replaced by Small Business Awards).      

  • 2019-2022  Small Business Excellence Awards. 

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Beneficiaries:

Organisations that have received support through our fundraising activities from 2018 to 2022 (notwithstanding the impact of Covid on our fundraising activities) – total distributed in the period $343,739:

 

• Major Beneficiaries ($3000 or more):

  • Australian Rotary Health.

  • The Board Meeting Surf Charity.

  • Rotary and University of the Sunshine Coast Scholarship Fund.

  • The Rotary Foundation.

  • Cittamani Hospice.

  • Car donated to Cittamani Hospice.

  • Equine Therapy, Mooloolaba State School.

  • National Youth Science Forum.

  • Sponsored the Job Help Organisation “Bridging The Gap” (1994-99).

  • Sponsored annual Careers Market (1994-99).

  • Seniors Christmas Party.

  • RESET Support Services.

  • QF6 Mooloolaba Volunteer Coastguard.

  • North Queensland Flood Appeal.

  • Longreach Drought Appeal.

  • The Pyjama Foundation.

  • Headspace Maroochydore.

  • Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children.

  • Solomon Islands Water and Sanitation Project.

  • 'Are You Bogged Mate' mental health support.

  • EndED eating disorder support.

  • STEMM - supporting teenage mothers.
     

• Other Beneficiaries:

  • Rotary International Youth Exchange student.

  • Rotary Australia Re-purposing of Equipment (RARE), formerly Donations in Kind (DIK), Northern Region.

  • Rotary Youth Leadership Awards.

  • ROMAC Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children.

  • Polio Plus.

  • Sailability Mooloolaba.

  • Inner Wheel, Sunshine Coast.

  • Our Rainbow House.

  • Guide Dogs Australia.

  • DV Safe Phones.

  • Rotary Youth Program of Enrichment.

  • Bloomhill Cancer Care.

  • Queensland Bushfire Appeal.

  • Rotary Club of Riccarton, Christchurch (mosque massacre).

  • Angel Flight Australia.

  • RC of Bhadgaun Nepal (earthquake).

  • Days for Girls.

  • Maroochydore High School Time Capsule.

  • Immanuel Lutheran college Honour Board.

  • Dementia care Booklets.

  • IFYS Garden project.

  • Food Plant Solutions.

  • Dementia Australia.

  • The Compass Institute.

  • Rotary Park, Mooloolaba Spit (signs).

  • Books for Tonga.

  • Nauru Rotary - school equipment.