R O T A R Y      C L U B     O F     P R A H R A N

In mid 2002 the Community Service Committee decided to adopt a school in the area which could benefit from Rotary support and Stonnington Primary School was selected. The first Rotary project for the school was providing a healthy cooked breakfast once a week for the children. It was discussed with the then principal, Helen Friedman, followed up by Adrienne Basser and the project was enthusiastically launched. Gayle Yardley, the new principal, and all the school staff have been extremely supportive. Breakfasts ranging from cheese on crumpets to barbecued sausages with fruit juice, milk and fruit are served on Wednesday mornings. In the first year, three Prahran Rotarians and volunteer spouses, were rostered every week with Sue, one of the school mothers. Many National Australia Bank employees volunteered to help with the encouragement of David Westerman. John Morey co-ordinates the project, organising supplies and ensuring smmoth running. Today the Stonnington Primary School Breakfast program is still going strong with all the Club members and their spouses taking part in the weekly program, serving 25 to 50 breakfasts each week.

                
With the breakfast program running well, the shelter project was soon under way. There was an area that needed landscaping, and it was agreed that it would be a perfect spot to build a shelter shed for students to have their breakfast as well as a great space for outdoor lessons.

Graeme Newton and his team organised the building of an outdoor shelter for the school which eventually became a joint Centennial project with the Rotary Club of South Yarra. The official opening was held on 8th November 2004 at a lunchtime celebration. The Community Shelter has been a great addition to the school. Suitably, in recognition of the committee's excellent work in 2004, the Club received the District Community Services Award.
Rotary continues contributing to the school; dictionaries were donated to all the year 3 students, and 500 books were donated for the Reading Recovery program.