PHOTOS: Port Macquarie West Rotary celebrates $100,000 raised for mental health charities

The Hundred Thousand Million Project has reached a major milestone, prompting a celebratory gathering of members of Port Macquarie West Rotary. How did they do it?

The Rotary Club of Port Macquarie West reached a major milestone last year - more than 12 months ahead of schedule - in their Hundred Thousand Million Project.

The initiative began in 2018, with the goal of collecting, sorting and recycling one million 10-cent bottles and cans in four years.

Over a million cans and bottles have been recycled as part of Rotary Port Macquarie West's Hundred Thousand Million Project, with collection points like this established in the local area to help members in the recycling process.

The idea came about under Julie Constable’s reign as president, at a time when community enthusiasm for the club’s regular raffle fundraiser had declined, and the state government’s new Return and Earn recycling machines offered a new income option.

Rotary volunteers established local connections at Port Macquarie hospitality venues, local entertainment providers, as well as friends and neighbours from all around the community, doing weekly runs to businesses and collection points to pick up the recyclables.

The club hit their goal late last year but, due to Covid, were only able to celebrate the achievement this month.

“It still feels a bit surreal,” admitted current club president Steve Towle.

“We’ve done 620 good trailer loads and 920 full skip bins - which has saved local businesses around $30,700.”

Mr Towle said that, in addition to raising funds, the project also looks after the planet.

“Rotary International has seven core focuses, one of which is protecting our natural environment,” he said.

“We really didn’t know how it would all work, so tonight is a nice opportunity to come together and celebrate a job well done.”

“This all started as a dream,” 2018 president Ms Constable echoed.

“At the time, the new Return and Earn machines offered us a chance to lead the way in this area.

“So tonight is a huge occasion.”

Members were joined by the state and federal members for parliament, Leslie Williams and Pat Conaghan, on Wednesday evening at Sails in Port Macquarie.

Endeavour’s Rob Moorehead and Soldier On’s Jody Geosits were also present on the night, representing just two of the numerous beneficiaries and groups funded through the project.

“It’s a marvellous initiative - Rotary has been just wonderful to us,” Mr Moorehead said on behalf of his mental health clubhouse.

“They’re just a beautiful bunch of people, and they’re so proactive when it comes to speaking out about mental health, which is an area that isn’t very well-funded.

“We’ve been running for more than seven years now and, in that time, there’s been over 700 people with diagnosed mental health conditions come through our front doors - and anxiety levels have gone up further since Covid, but we wouldn’t have been able to help this many people without this support from Rotary.”

“Rotary have gone above and beyond, like always,” Ms Geosits echoed.

“There’s a lot of returned service men and women and war veterans here in Port Macquarie, and that number is growing as the city does - Rotary have helped us connect people in need, to those advocacy services.”

“I feel supported by Rotary, like they’re part of my team.”

See more photos in the gallery below.

Rotary Port Macquarie West celebrates major milestone

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