Playground to the Philippines

 

 

 

 

 

When I began my year as President of our Rotary Club, I was faced with an enduring question: What significant project can we undertake, given the age and capacity of our members?

 

For some years, our club has not attempted a major project, and I felt a sense of inertia settling in. I was determined to change that. About eight months ago, an opportunity arose to send a recovered playground to the Philippines. It sounded simple enough - but very quickly, the challenges appeared. Funding, logistics and especially our age demographic became stumbling blocks. The concern I kept hearing was: “We’re too old - how on earth can we load a container?” That’s when we realised, we needed to think outside the box and find younger, fitter hands to help. We explored several options - the surf lifesaving club, police academy cadets, even the local fire brigade - but those conversations didn’t lead to anything. Just as momentum seemed to fade, a surprising solution appeared.

 

My Filipino wife spotted a Facebook post from a community group offering volunteer service work - everything from mowing lawns to moving furniture. It sounded too good to be true, but we got in touch. One thing led to another, and within weeks, we had a team of enthusiastic volunteers onboard. Over five weekends of preparation, and with their help, we were able to pack an entire 20-foot container with educational materials, medical supplies and playground equipment. On the final day, 16 missionary volunteers arrived - and within just four hours, every square centimetre of that container was filled to capacity. It will be on its way to Manila in two weeks, where it will make a tangible difference in the lives of children and families.

 

The experience has been transformative for our club. What at first seemed impossible turned into not only a successful project but a renewed sense of energy and purpose among our members. Alongside the incredible efforts of our club members in sourcing a wide range of donations - including new school uniforms, desks and chairs, books, toys, educational supplies and medical equipment - we were fortunate to have the enthusiastic support of young missionaries who assisted with the physical side of the project. These volunteers were from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, led by President Rhys Standley of the Australia Adelaide Mission. Their work ethic, positivity and willingness to serve made all the difference. One of our members commented: “Your church recruits were a great bunch of workers and wonderful people to work alongside.” If your club needs enthusiastic support for a labour-intensive service project, we highly recommend connecting with them. They are available from Adelaide right through to Darwin and are ready to collaborate with Rotary clubs.

 

This project reminded us that no club is ever “too old” or “too small” to dream big. With creativity, determination and the right partnerships, there is always a way forward. We hope our story encourages your club to step up, think differently and take on that next significant service project. Believe me - it’s worth it!

 

Robin Weissel

President 2025/2026