Club Lunch

Guest Speaker:  Mr Maurice O'Connell

Maurice O’Connell is a retired banker and financier. He went to Europe in early 2022, to retrieve a motor bike he had stored in a barn near Oxford, and ride around Eastern Europe. When the Russians invaded Ukraine, he changed his plans, bought an old Toyota Corolla and drove to Odesa to see if he could help. 

He attached himself to a local Ukranian start-up charity called ‘New Dawn’ which had set about helping Internally Displaced Person (IDP) fleeing the Russian invasion. Fortunately, there were folks there whose English was better than Maurice’s Ukranian or Russian! 

Many Club Members will have heard Maurice speak previously when he returned home in late 2022. A lot has happened since then. While home last summer we connected Maurice with a Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS) charity, established as the Rotary District 9510 Ukraine Project, and began fundraising and working in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Odesa. 

Maurice will talk about how that funding has been applied, in rebuilding medical facilities, hospitals schools and public facilities. He will outline the challenges facing his friends and colleagues working in and around Odesa and in particular the ‘Forgotten Villages’, close to the front line with the Russian invaders.

Event Details

Time: 1200 for 1230

Dress: Jacket and Tie for men, Smart day attire for ladies

Price: $56.00

RSVP: By 5PM, Friday 16 February 2024

CANCELLATION POLICY - Bookings cancelled after the RSVP will incur a 50% charge of the ticket price