Rotary’s speakers to support WRISC

THREE hundred Rotarians representing fifty western Victorian and South Australian Rotary clubs will be in Ballarat next week.

The Rotary clubs of Ballarat are hosting the Rotary District 9780 Conference at Mercure Ballarat from Friday, 24, to Sunday, 26 March.

Their aim is to bring likeminded Rotarians together to network, share ideas and celebrate all they’ve achieved in their communities, and internationally.

High-profile guest speakers, author and educator John Marsden and former tennis player Jelena Dokic, will be headlining the event, and their talks are open to the public,

Topics on the agenda include reading to children, and domestic violence.

Rotary District 9780 governor Kathy Rivett said all public ticket sales will be donated to local organisation WRISC Family Violence Support.

“It’s a great opportunity for us to share notable speakers with the public, while at the same time, fundraising for the prevention of domestic violence in our community,” she said.

“We’ve got a few clubs doing ‘say no to family violence’ campaigns, and with Jelena’s history, it fits in as well.”

Marsden’s many books include the iconic Tomorrow When the War began, while Jokic is the co-author of autobiography Unbreakable. Attendees will be able to ask questions, and have books signed.

WRISC supports women and children who have experienced domestic and family violence throughout the City of Ballarat, Hepburn, Golden Plains, Pyrenees, and Moorabool Shires.

For an additional fee, people can attend the whole program with speakers Anthony David Holmes, the surgeon who separated Bangladeshi conjoined twins Trishna and Krishna, the founder of Eat Up Lyndon Galea, Rotary District 9800 World Peace Fellow Jessica Trijsburg, ROMAC ambassador Rosie Lotawa, and flood survivor Mark O’Toole.

The public session with Marsden and Jokic will be held from 1pm to 3.30pm on Saturday, 25 March. Tickets are $35 via trybooking.com/CDGXK.