Next week is Committees
Last Meeting
Venue: Castello's Cucina
Guest Speaker: Rtn Raj Gautam
Our Guests: Rtn Briony Casburn, Rtn Janet Rice, Linda Matthews, plus Rob's assistants Carolina and Noelle
Attendance: 27 members 6 guests
Welcome
President John welcomed our guests, including honorary member Mavis Martin, and handed over to Brendan Kenny.
Guest Speaker: Raj Gautam - Nepal
Brendan provided a quick summary of Raj's achievements. He is a Past President of the Rotaract Club of Kathmandu and Vice President of RC Kathmandu. His early experiences with Rotary included Youth Exchange and RYLA. He has a Master's Degree in Social Work, has been involved in a range of humanitarian projects in Nepal and won a number of awards for his achievements....reconstruction of 20 schools after the 2023 earthquake among them. He is a good mate of the Rotary Club of Bordertown and visited parts of the South East on this trip to SA. He comes tonight to provide a snapshot of his club's projects and the outcomes being pursued.
RC Kathmandu was established in 1959......there are now 25 club's in the nation's capital, and 150 clubs in total. Nepal's population is 29 million (larger than Australia). During his time in Rotary there have been 4 global grants provided to his club by Rotary International:
- Agricultural Diversity (with Canada providing the seed funding)
- Nepal Emergency Medical Services
- Training To Prevent Violence Against Women Advocates (US)
- Wash [Providing clean water through water, sanitation and hygiene] (US)
During Covid the club was hyper-active (with the help of many Rotary clubs across the globe, including Australia), supplying food, hand washing materials, and protective apparel (PPEs). They established a PCR lab for Covid testing, supplied oxygen concentrators, set up a Rotary emergency unit and operating theatre, plus medicine distribution with RAWCS.
Ongoing commitments include provision of clean drinking water, scholarships for 1000 primary school poor kids, provision of sewing machines for women, establishment of a Community Health Unit, training of health workers and constructing toilets for girls at schools.........many of which only have the one toilet facility for boys and girls.
The earthquake of 2023 caused widespread destruction, 153 lives were lost and many more injured. 89 schools were severely damaged. He led a team to restore a number of these, provide help with food and shelter for 500 families and to set up temporary learning facilities. His club is now embarking on a mental health program in partnership with other clubs.
There was a fair exchange - Raj's club banner and our wine
Raj was thanked with much applause. Quite frankly the editor felt humbled. So much is being achieved by a club with only 40 members........
Spots
John Peacham advised that Community Group Leader elect Di Clements will be holding a Presidential 'Learning Weekend" in June......whatever that means.....followed by a workshop with club presidents towards the end of July. The Bunnings BBQ on Sunday netted $2109, and the Thrift Shop continues to perform well.
Mavis Martin spoke of the contributions to Rotary made her partner Richard Taylor and Bob Laws, both of whom are under nursing care and would love a visit from Unleyites. Richard is in Resthaven at Westbourne Park and Bob at Carmelite.
Christina Way is accumulating cash (up to $900 already to go to Food on the Table) for her body numbing Soup and Sleep experience this coming Thursday. Maybe someone can sneak her a mattress in the early hours of Friday morning.
Christina also revealed that Linda Matthews was celebrating a birthday, but did not mention a number.!!
Rhonda Hoare started rounding up members with their friends for the supa dupa quiz night on 29 June. The info sheets for the Youth Music Awards and the dazzling Inside Out 2 film event on July 20 were ready for collection tonight.
Patsy Beckett reported that the Mitre 10 BBQ on Saturday had revenue of $390...great to fly the flag in the local community.
Chris Davis confirmed that the SA Police Officer of the Year presentation will be on the Goyder stage of the Jubilee Pavilion on 6 September. He is hoping that the Pride of Work material for distribution will be made available shortly......presentation has been delayed 2 weeks until 6 August. Teacher of the Year presentation is planned for 22 October.
Judy Barton advised that Alice Edge, the head of Unley Salvos, will be attending next week's meeting in search of donations for the Red Shield appeal which our club matches $ for $.
Jerry Casburn declared that he had brought along 4 bottles of Mclaren Vale wine for tasting..............maybe our next bottling if they pass the taste test.
Finale
The Prez reminded of the coffee morning on Friday - 10.30am at Impressa....Rotary clobber if possible.
There will be a Board meeting tomorrow night and next week we have a committees' meeting to plot and plan the year ahead.
Chris Davis scored the filthy lucre, Robyn Carnachan was anointed with a Motor Neuron beanie (see opposite) and Brendan also scored something.
Rectitude prevailed and the meeting closed at a benign 7.48pm after the Prez dared to reflect on a woman's wishes.
Rotary International News
Rotary projects around the globe June 2024
By Brad Webber
United States
Thanks to the foresight of the Rotary Club of Bucyrus, Ohio, students were outfitted with 6,600 pairs of glasses for the 8 April total solar eclipse. In late 2022, with the eclipse still nearly two years away, “we talked about how neat it would be to get solar eclipse glasses for every school in our county for their students for the big event,” says Julie Rexroad, a club member, Interact club adviser, and science teacher at Wynford Local Schools. Once the club approved the $4,300 purchase, members designed, ordered, stored, and eventually delivered the glasses, purchased online from a company recommended by a local astronomy club. “Our location in Ohio is in the totality zone, and it is a once-in-a-lifetime event for most,” Rexroad says. For those missing out, northern Ohio can always look forward to 2099.
Canada
Atop self-crafted engineering marvels of corrugated paper and tape, about 80 cardboard toboggan enthusiasts sledded during a timed contest of the Rotaract Club of North Simcoe, Ontario, in February. The challenge is held in conjunction with Penetanguishene’s Winterama, a 76-year-old staple in the town, and is open to competitors at no cost, attracting as many as 160 each year. “We’ve seen so many amazing sleds, and each year they get even better,” Club President Elana Durtnall says. The club awards prizes for categories such as most creative, most team spirit, and fastest sled, with the speediest clocked at about 28 kilometers per hour (17 mph) by the radar of auxiliary officers of the Ontario Provincial Police. Club members handle tasks such as registration, social media promotion, sponsorship acquisition, and assistance with building a Rotaract cardboard toboggan used to promote the event in the parade the previous day.
England
Rotary clubs in District 1200 hold a full menu of skills tests in disciplines including writing, speaking, music, technology, and more, but the Young Chef event is among the most popular. At a district-level qualifier directed by connoisseurs of the Rotary Club of Burnham-on-Sea in February, seven high school students whipped up three-course menus in two hours. The victorious victuals included venison steaks accompanied by fondant sweet potato, pea puree with juniper berry red wine sauce, and strawberry mille-feuille, a puff pastry dessert. The winning chef and a runner-up advanced to the regional final in Cardiff, Wales, in March. “We find it a rewarding competition for us as well as the contestants,” says Jane Gibbs, a Burnham-on-Sea club member who has organized Young Chef assemblies for more than a dozen years.
India
India is home to 1 of every 8 people with the trait for thalassemia, an inherited blood disorder when the body doesn’t make enough of the protein hemoglobin, hurting red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout the body. While mild forms might not need treatment, other cases could require frequent blood transfusions to help increase blood cells to manage anemia and resulting fatigue. The Rotary Club of Calcutta Metro City is promoting awareness and treatment of the disease with its thalassemia-free India initiative. In February the club coordinated an educational event attended by 50 young women and mothers in Sonarpur, West Bengal. The gathering was one of dozens of such events since 2022, reports club member Subhojit Roy. Besides its focus on encouraging screening and delivering its message to young adults and rural residents, the club lobbied thousands of provincial legislators and members of the Indian Parliament to promote testing and government funding of treatment, he says.
Malaysia
After providing food and medicine to villagers in Nyamok during the pandemic, the Rotary Club of Metro Kuala Lumpur heightened its assistance to the impoverished community in Pahang state, a five-hour drive from the club base. Rotarians embarked on a project to construct three toilets as well as five kitchens and washing areas for food preparation for the Orang Asli ethnic group. The club lined up a District 3300 grant, other sponsors, and volunteers and then plotted the logistics, including the acquisition of plywood, bricks, cement, and tools, along with the three trucks used to deliver the materials along muddy roads into the remote village. After three days of construction with help from community members, the job was complete, club member Jennifer Lim says. Members installed more ceramic tiles in March to improve the appearance of the toilet facilities, Lim says.
Coffee Chat at Impressa, Unley Shopping Centre
10.30 am on the first Friday of the month is good for a chat with Rotary friends and a caffeine fix - Next one is this Friday 7 June 2024
Upcoming Meetings
Tuesday 11 June 2024 6 for 6.30pm Castello's Cucina
Event: Committees Night
Welcoming team: Judy Barton & Graham Beckett
Tuesday 18 June 2024 6 for 6.30pm Castello's Cucina
Guest Speaker: TBA Cyber Security
Welcoming team: Patsy Beckett and Valerie Bonython
Tuesday 25 June 2024 6 for 6.30pm Castello's Cucina
Guest Speakers: Behind the Badge Speakers TBA
Welcoming team: Patsy Beckett and Valerie Bonython
Apologies and Meeting Enquiries to: Secretary Greg McLeod on 0417 811 838 or email to secretary@unleyrotary.org.au
Venue Set-up Enquiries to: Bulletin Editor Stephen Baker on 0403 687 015
Saturday Thrift Shop Roster
Early Shift: 10.00am to 1.00pm Late Shift: 1.00pm to 4.00pm
Week 1: 1 June 2024
Early: Jerry Casburn & Haydn Baillie | Late: Robyn Carnachan & Leonie Kewen
Week 2: 8 June 2024
Early: Greg Mcleod & Wendy Andrews | Late: Virginia Cossid & Vera-Ann Stacy
Week 3: 15 June 2024
Early: David Middleton & Nathan White | Late: Vera Holt & Rhonda Hoare
Week 4: 22 June 2024
Early: Stephen Baker & Judi Corcoran | Late: Jason Booth & Vera-Ann Stacy
Week 5: 29 June 2024
Early: Bob Mullins & Wendy Andrews | Late: Virginia Cossid & (Paul Duke)
Rotarians, who are unable to attend as rostered, please arrange a swap or as a very last resort contact: Vivienne Wood 0408 819 630; e-mail: vwood@ozemail.com.au [Note Vivienne is away from 28 May to 25 June......please arrange a swap!]
Mitre 10 and Bunnings Barbeques
The Mitre 10 BBQs are the first and third Saturdays of each month. Morning shift 8.30am - 12 noon; afternoon shift 12.00 - 3.30pm, then clean-up.....next one is Saturday 15 June 2024.
ALL the Bunnings Mile End Barbeque shifts are from 8am to 5pm
Morning shift: 8.00am – 12.30pm | Afternoon shift: 12.30 – 5pm
We have been allocated the last Monday of each month and the next one is Monday 24 June
The Tale End.....
Time for religion.......exerpts from Church bulletins
The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals.
-----------------The sermon this morning: 'Jesus Walks on the Water'
The sermon tonight:'Searching for Jesus'
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Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house.
Bring your husbands.
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Don't let worry kill you off - let the Church help.
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Miss Charlene Mason sang 'I will not pass this way again', giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.
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For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.
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Next Thursday there will be try-outs for the choir. They need all the help they can get.
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Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church.
So ends a friendship that began in their school days.
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At the evening service tonight the sermon topic will be 'What Is Hell?'
Come early and listen to our choir practice.
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Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and the deterioration of some older ones.
So endeth the lesson
