Community in Focus: Deniliquin Rotary Club

28 August 2024

Equipment upgrades help Rotary cook up a storm

Anyone who buys a sausage, steak sandwich or other delicacy from Deniliquin Rotary Club’s catering trailer is doing more than satisfying their hunger.

They are also making a valuable contribution to the community.

Catering is a major fundraiser for the club and helps it to financially support local, national and international causes.

Maintaining the catering trailer and all the associated equipment required for a ‘kitchen on wheels’ is important, so the club has a regular program of upgrades, the latest being replacement of the bain-marie, as well as purchasing a three-pot slow cooker and some new trestle tables.

Rotarian Tony Kew has been an integral part of the club’s catering services for many years.

“We’re all volunteers who want to raise money for worthy causes," Tony said.

"Wherever possible we apply for grants when our equipment needs upgrading; then we don’t have to use funds generated from catering revenue.”

The Rotary catering trailer, with its crew of volunteers, is seen regularly at numerous events in Deniliquin and district.

For many years it has provided sustenance to the hordes of visitors at the Deni Ute Muster, and in more recent times has teamed up with the Deniliquin Truck Show Committee to not only help organise this growing event, but also cater for its attendees.

Rotarians Jaryd Goodway and Di Hand helping out with catering for the Million Paws Walk at Memorial Park.

Rotary is famous for its annual Australia Day breakfast in the Waring Gardens, is a regular at Carols by Candlelight each year, provides a monthly breakfast for Edward River Council staff and is often asked to cater at a range of local events. Members also enjoy self-catering for some of their weekly meetings, especially in the warmer months.

These activities have all aided the club to raise more than $40,000 in the past 12 months alone, mostly to help those in the local area, but also to support Rotary International initiatives.

And Rotary has been doing this for many years, with a long and stellar history serving our community. Next year the club will celebrate its 75^th anniversary, having started under the guidance of charter president Ron Prunster in 1950.

Over the years, it has been involved in a plethora of projects, often as the driving force. Among its first contributions to our community were the paving and installation of flood lights at the War Memorial in Waring Gardens, as well as seating in the gardens. It has also planted trees to beautify the hospital surrounds and the town entrances.

Also in its early years, Rotary supported one of its enthusiastic members, former Deniliquin Mayor Hector Campbell, to start a learn to swim program at McLean Beach, with three members in attendance each morning throughout January and February to teach swimming and reduce the tragic number of river drownings that had occurred.

Proudly showing off the Rotary barbecue trailer, completed with Murray Irrigation support, are Di Hand, Club President Iain Goodway, Narelle Edwards and Carolyn Short.

In its first decade, the club raised £6,000 – a huge sum at the time – for construction of the ‘Inala’ facility for elderly residents and, in more recent times, has been a significant contributor to Navorina Nursing Home.

A major project in the 1990s was Rotary Park, which is now home to a vast range of sporting facilities and sports codes. The first annual Rotary Easter Art Show was also hosted around this time. This event is still running today, in conjunction with the Edward River Art Society.

The club has also contributed around $30,000 towards construction of the Hilltop Patient and Carer Accommodation Centre in Albury, which is used by many local residents undergoing medical treatment.

There have been many other Rotary activities and projects over the past seven plus decades; far too numerous to record here. However, one which will receive plenty of attention over the next six months is the Rotary time capsule, which was buried in the Island Sanctuary on Australia Day in 2000 and will be raised and opened on Australia Day 2025. Plans are underway not only for its contents to be distributed, but also for a fresh batch of envelopes to be buried for the next 25 years.

“Being a part of Rotary and the various projects we undertake is extremely rewarding,” Tony Kew said.

This view is supported by the 2024-25 club president Iain Goodway, who joined Rotary after relocating to Deniliquin as owner of the Deni Golf Resort.

“My wife Debi and I wanted to be part of the local community and give back a little where we can, and Rotary has been ideal for this,” Iain said.

“Like any organisation you get out of it what you put in, and we get so much personal satisfaction from our involvement with Rotary.”

And while Rotarians make their valuable contribution at local, national and international level, enjoying fun times together is also very important.

“We have lots of fellowship, especially after we’ve catered for an event with the Rotary trailer,” Tony said.

“It’s all part of being a member of our club.”

This year, Deniliquin Rotary Club was one of seven organisations to be supported by Murray Irrigation's community sponsorship program, receiving a contribution of $1,600 towards its catering equipment.

George and Angela Maddison help feed the crowd at the annual Australia Day breakfast in Waring Gardens.

It follows Murray Irrigation’s help several years ago with the purchase of a new hotplate, which was part of a trailer upgrade that also included specially constructed storage.

“Naturally, when we receive financial support from organisations like Murray Irrigation it makes it easier for the club to undertake the upgrades," Tony said.

"It’s invaluable assistance.”

If you would like to learn more about Rotary, the work it does and what is involved in becoming a member, phone Tony Kew on 0429 812 862 or the club’s 2024-25 Membership Director Leesa Muir on 0447 545 456.

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