Members of the Rotary Club of West Pennant Hills and Cherrybrook have spent the past few months everywhere from the showgrounds of Coonabarabran to the golf course at Pennant Hills, packing in a run of fundraisers, awards nights and working bees that shows little sign of slowing down.
The season’s travel started early, when a group of members headed north to Coonabarabran between 29th May and 6th June to help their sister club, the Rotary Club of Coonabarabran, staff the canteen for the town’s Equestrian Expo. Billed as the largest equestrian event in the country, the expo meant long days behind the counter, but those who went came back saying it was worth every hour.
Closer to home, the club joined forces with the Rotary Club of Pennant Hills on 3rd June for the 50th Pride of Workmanship Awards, held at Pennant Hills Golf Club. The milestone night recognised two people put forward by the West Pennant Hills and Cherrybrook club: Eva Kucharzewski, who owns Lalka Boutique, and JoJo The, president of the Cherrybrook Public School P&C. A separate award went to David Firth, honoured for years spent quietly keeping the Pride of Workmanship Awards alive and pushing other clubs to get behind them.
Three days later, on 6th June, the club ran another of its regular sausage sizzle and cake stall fundraisers outside Bunnings Castle Hill, with everything raised going straight to Rotary charities.
The club’s calendar turned a corner on Friday 21st June, when members gathered at Springfield House in Dural for the annual changeover dinner and formally welcomed in the new board for the year ahead.
Pennant Hills High School’s P&C called on the club again to run the barbecue at its Winter Carnival on 27th June. The weather did not cooperate — members worked through wet, cold conditions — but the day went ahead and the proceeds went back into the school.
The biggest fundraiser on the calendar, the club’s annual Trivia Night, was held on Saturday 1st August at the Cherrybrook Community Centre. Robert Bredin returned as quizmaster for another year, and by most accounts did not disappoint. Money raised on the night is going to Serving Hope On Wheels along with other Rotary causes.
Away from the events calendar, a smaller group of members has kept up a quieter, ongoing commitment: regular mowing, line trimming and pruning at several transitional houses in Kenthurst.
The next date on the calendar is a Bunnings barbecue at Castle Hill on Saturday 5th September 2026. Anyone wanting to find out more about Rotary, get involved, or simply sit in on a meeting can call 0412 064 336, or visit the club online at http://www.wphcrotary.org/.