Club activities

Only a few Days to go!!!

9th Annual Sunshine Coast Solstice Swim Event
Sunday 21st June @Alex Beach

Register on this link:

https://raceroster.com/events/2026/109334/9th-annual-solstice-swim

There are swim distances of 50metres, 500metres, 1km, 3km and 5km.

50 metres splash acknowledging that Sunday 21st is the actual solstice….and in support of Wishlist, we've put on a very short course where you can get "nearly naked" and have a dip to celebrate the start of new celestial year.

No race, No pressure, No need to do the full 50m, BUT NO sugar babies, so NO wetsuits..just budgy smugglers and bikini's only. Do it for Wishlist and Gimme 5.

500 metres is for regular swimmers more comfortable with a shorter course swim that is perfect for younger or first time competitors or folks wanting to get acclimatised to ocean swimming.

1km and 3km are our more popular dIstances, and is only for swimmers who have swam these distances before.

5km - we have some amazing regular athletes who do this swim every year. Not for the faint hearted.

Know your capability and there is absolutely no problem if you decide to go down a swim length on the day.

Are you up for the challenge?

All swim legs are chaperoned by the Alex Headland Lifesavers on boards and jet skis.

All events commence with a safety briefing on the beach by the AHSLC swim captain.

We are continuing with our relationship with Multi Sport Australia and will be supplying timing anklets to all swimmers, to provide peace of mind, and to give you that all important personal best time.

On the day ........

Swim times: (TBC - swims will be in this order but for general advice only)

50m "nearly naked swim"

9.30 - assemble on beach for swim briefing

10.00 - swim starts - out to first buoy and return.

5km

7.50am – assemble on the beach for swim briefing

8.00 am - swim starts

500m

8.10am – assemble on the beach for swim briefing

8.15 am - swim starts

3km

8.25am – assemble on the beach for swim briefing

8.35 am - swim starts

1km

8.45am – assemble on the beach for swim briefing

8.55 am - swim starts

Late entry and on the day pricing applies after 12 noon on Saturday 21st June.

For more information or questions, please check the FAQs or email us.

Gear storage

Available adjacent to the registration desks

Parking

Parking is available in Mari St car park opposite the SLSC, behind the Mandolin Beachfront resort high rise.

Club helps save young drivers lives

Club members turned up at Nambour during the month to help facilitate the Rotary Youth Driver Awareness program. (RYDA). Most of the schools in Queensland know abut RYDA and those that can send the high school students to the RYDA one day course. The impact it can have on young drivers behaviours behind the wheel is lifesaving.

No, Its not all about skidding and braking (although thats part of it)...But it is about improving your driving, and that starts with what's in your head.

Much of the day is spent workshopping driver behaviour, and that starts with understanding that the choices you make have consequences. Something as simple as choosing your music while driving, knowing what kind of risk-taker you are, understanding human limits peripheral vision, brain development and that all important road safety tips and tricks to save you and your passengers lives.

Students also get to meet folks who have been involved in some pretty horrific traffic accidents

Bianca from Rise2 updates club on homelessness in the community

We had the pleasure of one of our special beneficiaries from last years Solstice Swim fundraising joining us today with Bianca Kay from Rise2 Foundation. RISE2 is an innovative program which provides safe and dignified accommodation for women and children who have experienced domestic and family violence. The RISE2 homes are located within local communities, which provides a sense of normality and belonging.

ROMAC - Emergency Medical aid to the pacific islands

When you see a badly disfigured child, or conjoined twins on the TV being treated in Australia, you can be sure that the ROMAC organisation is in there doing the work. It's an amazing group of doctors and health workers, sported by Rotarians in the region.

Alex Rotary is a regular supporter of ROMAC, and we are delighted to support their annual Quiz night in Caloundra. This may also be because we regularly win the trophy (?) but during the month we didn't win, but achieved next best thing, by cleaning up on the raffles...check out the table...

Maroochy Neighbourhood Centre Project

Three Rotary Clubs, Sunshine Coast Council and Maroochydore RSL combine to create a cafe precinct and add $8,000 to the Neighbourhood Centre funds to create opportunities for folks to become barista’s.

Alexandra Headland Rotary with support from Mooloolaba Rotary, Glasshouse Country Rotary, Maroochydore RSL and Cr Joe and Rosanna Natoli from Sunshinecoast Regional Council, saw the opening of the new outdoor café and shelter at Maroochydore Neighbourhood Centre (MNC)

In addition to the delivery of the cafe area, the club made a presentation of an additional $8,000 to provide additional support.

MNC CEO, Mark Ellis thanked all for their support and talked about how this surprise donation will help the many programs that are run out of the Centre to help the community. This follows on from a previous donation of $11,500 from Alex Rotary for the “One Roof” project for the homeless.

This new outdoor café is a place where a friendly chat over coffee can make a difference, and will enable training of barista’s.

"The cafe precinct will be a huge improvement for the Neighbourhood Centre where folks can learn to be Barista's, and will act as a casual meeting place for our amazing volunteers and friends" said Mark.

Alex Rotary President Wendy said "Alex Rotary is honoured to be be able to continue our help around the region, from Peregian to Nambour to Landsborough. I encourage anyone who wants to "give back to the community" to pay a visit to their local Rotary Club and see if there is something for them to participate in that will “make a difference to folks less fortunate.”

“At the moment we are interested in hearing from folks who would like to help with our big summer Kombi show or our Winter Solstice Swim, as well as our regular community programs.”

Sandra, Peter, Wendy, Mark, Joe and Rex with the $8,000 cheque presentation

Barista Mark did the honours

The flash new cafe where you can get a flat white for a gold coin donation..

Background

Following the clubs successful breakfast morning with sponsors, supporters and beneficiaries we followed up with the Neighbourhood centre to see how things were going, and if they needed any help.

It turned out text there was big renovation about to start (Thanks to O'Brien industries) and the place was being given a makeover. It was on Channel 7.... only a certain scribe missed it.

Anyway, great job guys, but of course there is always more to be done, and so when Mark told us that his dream of having a small cafe with barista training, and a quiet meeting place for the MNC clients need a concrete slab, and shade and some furniture the club sprang into action.

So Alex Rotary has reached out to all local Rotary Clubs to see if they would like to put their shoulder to the wheel and join Alex in sponsoring the project.

Later news: Mark told us at Fridays BBQ fundraiser, that the sleep bus is nearing completion...bit of a hiccup with registration but nearly there with this facility that will be shared between Nambour and Maoochydore. More to come.

Here's a plan of the area.

...and in the news The Maroochydore RSL has got behind this project with a magnificent $5,000 donation. Here is Wendy and Angela acceoting the cheque on behalf of the club.

..and here's the latest progress...slab and supports are now down. (Thankyou David from Hamer Concreting) with shade on order.

...and Now work is complete and the Neighbourhood centre has put these pics up on their FB page,

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DRzXAsLkw/

BIG BIG shout out to Maroochy RSL, Joe Natoli Sunshine CoastCouncil, Glasshouse Rotary and Mooloolaba Rotary who also got behind this project.

Brightwater Presentation

Here's an end of year pic from Stephen at Brightwater school where the Salvation Army and Alex Rotary were thanked for their involvement in the hugely successful bike project.