Breaking Barriers

The Rotary Club of Dapto welcomes para-athlete Lily Piccolo into its ranks.

The Rotary Club of Dapto, NSW, is proud to welcome para-athlete and motivational speaker Lily Piccolo as one of its newest members. Lily makes history as the first visually impaired person to be inducted into Rotary within District 9675 – an important milestone in advancing Rotary’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

A Shellharbour local, Lily has transformed personal adversity into resilience and leadership. Diagnosed in her 20s with retinitis pigmentosa, a rare degenerative eye disease, she refused to let vision loss define her. Instead, she has forged an extraordinary path as a para-cyclist, achieving double gold at the Oceania Para-Cycling Championships alongside her tandem pilot, Kelly Wright.
But her adventurous spirit reaches far beyond cycling. Lily has trekked the Camino pilgrimage across Spain, skied cross-country at Ski for Light in Colorado, and is currently preparing for the Bondi2Berry charity ride, as well as a climb of the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.

Lily’s achievements extend further than her personal goals. She is leading the effort to establish Camp Abilities Australia, based in the Illawarra, with the first camp planned for January 2027. Camp Abilities is a renowned international program designed for children with vision and sensory impairments. Through adaptive sports such as tandem biking, goalball, beep baseball and kayaking, the camp empowers young people to build independence, confidence and inclusion.

By joining Rotary, Lily sees an opportunity to broaden her impact. Rotary’s ethos of service and community action aligns seamlessly with her mission to break down barriers and create opportunity. Through her membership, she hopes to raise awareness for Camp Abilities, build vital community partnerships and inspire greater inclusivity across the region.

We are thrilled to welcome Lily into the Rotary Club of Dapto and to our district,” said District Governor Renga Rajan. “Her determination and vision for a more inclusive future embody the very spirit of Rotary.”

As both an athlete and advocate, Lily is blazing a trail that uplifts others. The Rotary Club of Dapto looks forward to supporting her journey and working alongside her to bring lasting positive change to the community.