Rotary Club of Roma Inc.

11/10/2026

Rotary Club of Roma's Jim Baker Medal presentation

11/10/2026

President Scott McDonnel had the pleasure of presenting the 2026 Jim Baker Medal for Vocational Excellence yesterday evening, as part of the annual Maranoa Business Awards evening.
From an outstanding field of 10 nominees, long-serving Maranoa Regional Council employee Dale Waldron was announced as this year's medallist.
Dale began with the Roma Town Council in January 1981, straight from school, and is still serving his community 45 years later. He's worked in roles across finance, payroll, records, communications, cemeteries and administration, through amalgamation and decades of change. Now, as the manager of information management and cemeteries, he handles families' most difficult moments with dignity and care. As Scott told the packed venue, his is a career of sustained service, delivered with integrity, humility and pride.
All 10 nominees embody what Jim Baker stood for - pride in workmanship, high ethical standards, doing a job right and doing it well, and mentoring others.
They include:
* Sarah Cameron, Roma State College
* Catherine 'Cathy' Cooper, St John's School Roma
* Andrew 'Crawfo' Crawford, Crawfo's Tyres
* Travis Hanson, TDH Mechanical Maintenance
* Camille Johnston, Golden West Apprenticeships
* Ernst Luarsai, Crystal Finish Detailing - Roma Qld
* Margarita 'Maggie' Puralta, Milestones Early Learning Roma - Junior Campus
* Ali Raza, Friendly Grocer Surat, and Wagon Wheel Cafe
* Keagan Roos, Top Country, Roma Uniting Church

Congratulations to you all!

07/10/2026

Just A Farmer - By Leila McDougall is a powerful Australian film that explores the mental health challenges faced by farming families and rural communities.

MC Shane Webcke will lead an expert panel discussion after the film.

Sunday 11 October 2026 - Roma
📍 Bungil Cultural Centre, 57 Bungil Street, Roma
🎟️ Book a free ticket at: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/just-a-farmer-roma-screening-tickets-1999751198667?aff=oddtdtcreator

The CrackUp Sisters will be entertaining children at the event, thanks to support from the Department of Primary Industries. Rotary International and Frontier Services are also generously providing a free community BBQ as part of Queensland Mental Health Week 2026. — at Roma Cultural Centre.

20/09/2026

Last Saturday we had the pleasure of Joining forces with the Rotary Club of St George District 9620 to assist the Surat Diggers Race Club in hosting their annual race day. Rotarians from Roma, St George and a visiting Rotarian joined forces to assist in manning the canteen. It was a massive day, and even though the actual races were cancelled due to very dry track conditions, the revelry did not get cancelled and it was a very successful event.

14/09/2026

🏅 Someone at your work deserves this.

The apprentice who never stops. The office manager who keeps the whole place running. The one your customers ask for by name.

Nominations are open for the JIM BAKER MEDAL FOR VOCATIONAL EXCELLENCE — the Rotary Club of Roma's community award for the working people who make Maranoa businesses great. It's named in honour of Dr Jim Baker, the Flying Obstetrician, whose dedication to the people of this region set the standard for what service to the Maranoa looks like.

✅ Open to EVERY business in the Maranoa — no memberships needed
✅ Free to nominate, takes 5 minutes
🏆 Presented on stage at the Maranoa Business Awards, 10 October — your business shares the recognition in front of the whole region

⏰ Nominations close Saturday 27 September

Nominate now 👉 https://rotary-jim-baker-medal.vercel.app

Know a business with a legend on the team? Tag them below 👇

26/08/2026

Vale to one of the greatest.

31/07/2026

Incredibly sad news. Dion was a friend to the club, and an asset to our community. He will be greatly missed.

Today, our community mourns the loss of Sergeant Dion Horn, Youth Club Program Manager at PCYC Roma, who passed away peacefully on Sunday after a long and brave battle with illness.
Dion was a guiding light in our youth programs: a mentor and a friend to all who knew him. His legacy of care and dedication will live on in the young lives he impacted every day, and in the now-iconic annual Colour Run.
We extend our deepest love, thoughts, and strength to Dion’s family and loved ones.
Rest in peace, Sergeant Horn. You will be dearly missed.

20/02/2026

Vale David. Your Community mourns your loss. Thank you for your extraordinary contribution.
Our thoughts are with Aileen, Jason, Danny and the rest of the Knowles and extend family, and all the members of the Lions Club of Roma Queensland.

26/01/2026

🎬 Community in Action at Campbell’s Park!

The Rotary Club of Roma was proud to support Maranoa Regional Council in delivering a fantastic Movie Night at Campbell’s Park, featuring the movie Kangaroo.

Thanks to the grant support we received for our community van, we’re more than happy to give back by helping deliver events that bring people together across our region.

At Rotary, this is what it’s all about — serving the community and supporting initiatives that make Roma and the Maranoa an even better place to live.

A great night, a great turnout, and a great example of what can be achieved when local organisations work together 👏

20/01/2026

🌟 Thank You, Rotary Club of Roma! 🌟

We are so grateful to the Rotary Club of Roma for their generosity in providing gifts for the children and young adults at Hope Children’s Home, an orphanage in Bali. From the tiniest tots to those in their early-20s, your kindness brought smiles, laughter, and so much joy.

The children are currently staying in a nearby house while their new home is being built after their previous orphanage was lost to a fire. Even in challenging times, their hope, resilience, and laughter shine through.

The Rotary Club of Roma kindly donated two suitcases filled with school supplies, books, games, puzzles, and more. When we visited, we enjoyed beautiful Christmas carols, playing games, reading stories, and touring the new home under construction, a space that will soon be filled with love and happy memories.

A special thanks to Russell Shearing-Jones, Secretary of the Rotary Club of Mt Lawley in Western Australia, for connecting us and letting us know about this opportunity. Your support made it all possible.

Moments like these are a wonderful reminder of what it means to be a Rotarian and to show our children the power of service, compassion, and generosity.

💛 From all of us and from the children at Hope Children’s Home: thank you for making a difference!

If you would like to support Hope Children’s Home with a tax-deductible donation, you can do so here:

https://rawcs.org.au/projects/

Club of Roma Inc.