Saturdays 9:30am - 1:30pm

Saturday 25 October:  Jan Roberts, Sandra Illingworth

Saturday 1 November: John Bennie, Brian Tyedin

We need a volunteer to assist Daryl Brown on 8 November. If you are available, please contact Ian Goldsmith.

If you are unable to make your shift, please arrange for another club member to take your place.

Rotary Manningham City provides the neurodiverse members of our wider community an opportunity to socialise, dance and enjoy themselves in a safe regulated environment. 

Our involvement not only provides an outlet for this community, but also a brief respite for the care givers and parents who do a thankless hidden role that is never ending. For a few hours every couple of months, we can celebrate diversity, amongst younger people of ‘all-abilities’.

This year, mostly thanks to the efforts of John Bennie planting the seeds of an idea with councillors at Manningham, Mayor Cr. Deidre Diamante has embraced and facilitated the inaugural Black Tie Mayoral Disco.

In recognition of the importance of the project, and in support of our community, we are hoping to fill the function centre on the 1 November with dancers, their parents, and their carers, along with Councillors, Rotarians, and our sponsors the Bendigo Bank, to celebrate and give back to the community.

Usually with about 100 dancers and support crew, we are aiming to surpass that for this special event. Kathy Monley has kindly offered Op-Shop discounts to ticket holders so our dancers can find a new outfit, and drive more foot traffic into our store. Look out for the influx over October if you are in the shop.

I can’t tell you how excited I am about what we’ve got lined up for our District Conference! It’s shaping up to be such an inspiring weekend, and I truly hope you’re as keen as I am.  It’s on 13-15 March 2026 in Hobart. A huge thank you goes to our amazing conference committee who have been working so hard behind the scenes. The program is almost ready, and now we’re polishing all those little details that really make an event special.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve had the joy of visiting a number of Clubs to talk about the Conference, and in November a team of us are planning on heading down to Tasmania to spread the word even further. If you’d like us to come to your Club, please let me know—we’ll do our best to make it happen! March might feel a little way off, but it will be here before we know it. I’ve recently spoken with the Grand Chancellor, and rooms are booking up quickly. So, if that’s where you’d like to stay, I’d suggest jumping in soon.

Of course, there are lots of other great accommodation options close by too. Friday night is always a highlight—so start thinking about whether your Club will organise its own dinner, or if you’d like to join the “Making Connections” dinner, which is a fantastic way to meet new friends and catch up with familiar ones. And don’t forget our Gala Night! This year’s theme is Nautical. Dressing up isn’t compulsory, but it does add to the fun—and I can’t wait to see the creative ideas Clubs come up with.

Don't forget the 'Early Bird' pricing ends on 31st December, so book your tickets now. There’s so much to look forward to, and I really can’t wait to share this weekend with you. Hobart in March will be the place to be, and I look forward to seeing you there!

For more information visit the conference page: D9815 & D9830 Joint District Conference.

Monique Smith (RC Boronia), Conference Chair  

If you have roster changes, please contact Luke Bastian or John Bennie ASAP.