By Kath Gannaway
Coldstream Primary School has made history as the first school in Yarra Ranges to partner with a Rotary Club as part of Rotary’s EarlyAct program.
Wandin Rotary is the mentor club and has been working with the school and the students to get the program up and running.
The Charter group of students of Coldstream Primary School EarlyAct Club were inducted in a ceremony at the school on Friday, 18 August, attended by Rotary members and Rotary District Governor, Malcolm Chiverton.
Rotary Club of Wandin member and MC for the ceremony, Russell Hayes, said the young people who make up the charter EarlyAct Club represent the future of Rotary.
EarlyAct is community service for kids which seeks to nurture citizenship, encourage leadership and foster service to the community.
As part of Rotary the Coldstream students are part of an organisation which is over 100 years old, has 1.2 million members in 200 countries and which operates the largest student exchange program in the world.
The students were presented with EarlyAct polos and a club banner, and at their first official meeting will receive the symbolic gavel.
Charter president Bailey said it was an exciting opportunity to be one of the first Junior Rotary clubs in Australia and said they were ready to start work.
“Our team will be running the wheelathon and we hope that all of the kids and families will be able to join in and raise enough for at least two wheelchairs,” he said.
“These wheelchairs will be given to people in developing countries who don’t have the resources to purchase their own.”
He said the team had many more projects on the planning board that would benefit their community.
School principal Phillipa Adgemis spoke on ‘Coldstream and the Community’ and said they were thrilled that their students were showing a commitment to becoming Junior Rotarians.
“It’s about connecting with our community and giving of yourself, which is vitally important,” she said.
“This is just perfect for us and we relish this opportunity for our children to be giving back to society and doing something for others.
“Doing something for others, giving something for someone else is one of the highest callings, I believe,” Ms Adgemis said.
Mr Chiverton also spoke to the Junior Rotarians saying the earlier they start to be connected to their community, the more likely they are to be leaders as they get older.
“It is really important that as a community we have these early opportunities to connect and to be leaders in your school.”
