NEXT WEEK WE VISIT THE CONGO
Our Last Meeting
Venue: Damien on Fisher
Guest Speaker: Michael Francis
Attendance: 26 members 1 guest
President Trevor's Announcements
- Trevor reflected on the plight of children in refugee camps in Syria like the grandchildren of Karen Nettleton...these kids need Australian Government help. On a brighter note the article in the latest Rotary Down Under magazine titled A Place Called Home is worth reading as it deals with the successful settlement of refugees into Australian and New Zealand.
- He showed a video of the Fish Tank entrepreneur quest organised by Unley City Council to which Unley Rotary donated prize money of $1000.
- District Assembly is being held Sunday 5 May at Unity College Murray Bridge. Tis an excellent day....all members should attend....car pooling can be arranged.
- Looking forward, Trevor stressed the need to participate in Club Assembly on 30 April when the future of the Thrift Shop is to be debated; two weeks later is a social meeting full of surprises and enjoyment compulsory.
- Club banners from the GSE team members were on the tables.
Guest Speaker: Michael Francis - Hutt Street Centre
Trevor introduced former businessman Michael who is the Development and Partnerships Manager at the Centre, dealing with vulnerable and disadvantaged people.
Michael thanked our club for its support. He explained that there is, at any time, about 6000 people experiencing homelessness in South Australia. In addition to those sleeping rough, this number includes those sleeping in cars and those couch surfing......not good enough for the 5th most liveable city in the world.
The three main reasons for homelessness are:
- domestic violence
- financial distress
- mental health
[Please note the Star of Bethlehem above Trevor and Michael and the banned alcohol being presented...there must be a message there somewhere]
20 years ago the centre catered mainly for men who had suffered adversity and were struggling with drugs and alcoholism, with a largish proportion being ex-servicemen. Today 43% of clients are women, mostly subject to domestic violence. Older women continue to suffer in silence but younger women leave home when life becomes intolerable for them and their kids.
Invariably 5pm on Fridays is rush hour at the centre. Weekends can be hell when dysfunctional and violence prone families are together. There are 30 - 40 case managers at the centre handling 600 - 800 clients. Managers are responsible for the full spectrum of support such as medical, housing, schooling, and financial. A woman with kids fleeing domestic violence would be quickly be placed in a motel by the case manager and supplied with food and toiletries.
Meals supplied at the centre are at subsistence level with 40,000 served each year by 200 volunteers. For 25 years the RDNS has operated a clinic there. The laundry and showers (10,000 each year) are used extensively. Each year, 600 of their clients are placed in safe housing.
Hutt Street aims to rebuild and transform lives. Last year 150 found employment through Pathways which our club has supported and 60 placed in further education. Other programs include recreational trips to galleries, walking tours, and fishing trips and skills training in gardening, cooking, drama and art to inject living normality. Michael provided stories of difficulties experienced by their clientele...the most vulnerable keep being hurt. It is estimated that each homeless person costs $20,500 more to support because of health care issues.
Michael is grateful for the generous public support for the centre and cited a recent Angel for a Day feeding initiative.
Trevor thanked Michael for his address and he was applauded.
Spots
Robyn Carnachan reported on the progress of the Treasure Boxes trailer donated by our club.
Wendy Andrews informed that a Bridge Day for Cancer Care was being held with RC Morialta on Sunday 2 June at Young Street bridge centre with our share of profit to Unley Cancer Care. We will be responsible for providing lunch. Wendy is in need of items for the raffle.
Ken Haines called for volunteers to help with the Bunnings BBQ on April 29 and the Detmold BBQ scheduled for 9-10 May......early morning cooking is an experience not to be missed.
Patsy Beckett announced that RC Eastwood will be organising the next car rally....with some strange innovations to prevent a repeat of the Unley win.
Bob Mullins wished the club Happy Birthday for 17 April......actually he questioned why it had been forgotten.
Trevor praised the quality of the booklet produced by Fay Reid for her Solomon Islands' project.
The Finale
Instead of the dodgy card game, Trevor supplied large suppository capsules with chocolates (fittingly) and messages of prize denial.....and the winner of the big bag of chocolates was Rhonda. The meeting which was never opened closed at 8.02pm.
Rotary News
A Rotary Peace Fellow’s journey to Antarctica
By Emilse Anabella Palacios, Rotary Peace Fellow 2009-11
Emilse Anabella Palacios joined other women scientists as part of the Homeward Bound expedition to Antarctica.
My relationship with Rotary began as a Rotary Youth Exchange student and member of a Group Study Exchange. Later as a Rotary Peace Fellow at Duke University and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2009-11, I began a process of learning about leadership that will continue throughout my life.
On the last day of 2018, I set sail for Antarctica with 89 other women scientists from 26 countries as part of Homeward Bound, an initiative that aims to heighten the influence and impact of women in making decisions that shape our planet. On board the former research vessel MV Ushuaia, we represented the largest female expedition ever to that continent.
I was completing a year-long program designed to strengthen the inner capacity of women to lead change and impact society. This new style of leadership emphasizes empathy, respect, and vulnerability. It also accepts that we make mistakes, but that we can embrace and learn from them.
Women at the South Pole
The trip allowed me to be part of a historic shift increasing the visibility and work of women at the South Pole. Research at the pole remained male-only through the 1960s, partly on the argument that facilities did not exist to accommodate women. But we are finally breaking this “ice” ceiling.
Antarctica is also special to me because it is a scientific preserve, a continent with no owner or country. It is regulated by the Antarctic Treaty signed by 53 countries that bans military activity. This environment of peace is a Rotary dream come true.
But Antarctica also suffers from climate change. While there, we experienced glaciers retreating into the sea and penguins suffering in the rare heat of a summer day. We heard humpback whales that must make migrations of thousands of kilometers to feed in the summer. We teared up when we saw a pod of 17 orcas traveling together and feeding their babies.
Climate change
Climate change undermines human rights in parts of the world. Those who have contributed least to the problem suffer the worst impacts. Rising sea levels create harsh storms that, coupled with poor infrastructure, threaten the safety of vulnerable families in their path. Droughts are combining with poor farming practices to threaten entire food systems, causing small farmers to struggle to feed their families. This is definitely not “fair to all concerned.”
Rotary has taught me to live true to my values and live the ideal of Service Above Self. In Antarctica, I reflected on the need to inspire others to make positive change. If everyone makes even one small change, we collectively can have a big impact. Men and women, we are stronger together, and by working to preserve our planet, we are working to save ourselves.
Our Upcoming Meetings
Tuesday 23 April 2019 6 for 6.30pm at Damien on Fisher
Guest Speaker: Jenny Weaver Dr Luc's Program to Congo
Chair: Bob Mills | Set-up, Welcome & Attendance: Vera Holt and Alex Jonson
Tuesday 30 April 2019 6 for 6.30pm at Damien on Fisher
Guest Speaker: Club Assembly and Behind the Badge
Chair: Bob Mills | Set-up, Welcome & Attendance: Leonie Kewen & John Kikkert
Tuesday 7 May 2019 6 for 6.30pm at Damien on Fisher
Guest Speaker: Dianne Farrell Cottages 4 Country Care
Chair: Bob Mills | Set-up, Welcome & Attendance: Leonie Kewen & John Kikkert
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: 4 May 2019
Early: Vera Holt & Jerry Casburn | Late: Robyn Carnachan & Rachel Harding
Week 2: 11 May 2019
Early: Greg Mcleod & Chad Leader | Late: Wendy Andrews & Heather Kilsby
Week 3: 20 April 2019 [Shut for Easter]
Early: David Middleton & Nathan White | Late: Pam Trimmer & Ken Haines
Week 4: 27 April 2019
Early: Stephen Baker & Judi Corcoran | Late: Rhonda Hoare & Jason Booth
Week 5:
Early: Bob Mullins & Wendy Andrews | Late: Jerry Casburn & Reno Elms
Rotarians, who are unable to attend as rostered, please arrange a swap or as a very last resort contact: Pam Trimmer (T) 8293 2612; (M) 0415 238 333; e-mail: pamela.trimmer@bigpond.com
Bunnings Mile End Barbeque
ALL the Bunnings Mile End Barbeque shifts are from 8am to 5pm
Next Date: Monday 29 April
Morning shift: 8.00am – 12.30pm | Afternoon shift: 12.30 – 5pm
The next Mitre 10 BBQ (now first Saturday of each month) will be on 4 May
Detmold BBQ on 9-10 May
The Tale End.……
The ultimate Brexit solution
The ultimate caving experience
Two Indians and an Irishman were walking through the woods.
All of a sudden one of the Indians ran up a hill to the mouth of a small cave.
'Wooooo! Wooooo! Wooooo!' he called into the cave and listened closely until he heard an answering, 'Wooooo! Wooooo! Woooooo!
He then tore off his clothes and ran into the cave.
The Irishman was puzzled and asked the remaining Indian what it was all about. 'Was the other Indian crazy or what?'
The Indian replied 'No, It is our custom during mating season when Indian men see cave, they holler 'Wooooo! Wooooo! Wooooo!' into the opening.
If they get an answer back, it means there's a beautiful squaw in there waiting for us.
Just then they came upon another cave.
The second Indian ran up to the cave, stopped, and hollered, 'Wooooo! Wooooo! Wooooo!'
Immediately, there was the answer. 'Wooooo! Wooooo! Wooooo!' from deep inside.
He also tore off his clothes and ran into the opening.
The Irishman wandered around in the woods alone for a while, and then spied a third large cave.
As he looked in amazement at the size of the huge opening, he was thinking, 'Hoo, man! Look at the size of this cave! It is bigger than those the Indians found. There must be some really big, fine women in this cave!'
He stood in front of the opening and hollered with all his might 'Wooooo! Wooooo! Wooooo!'
Like the others, he then heard an answering call, 'WOOOOOOOOO, WOOOOOOOOO WOOOOOOOOO!'
With a gleam in his eye and a smile on his face, he raced into the cave,tearing off his clothes as he ran.
The following day, the headline of the local newspaper read................
NAKED BLONDE IRISHMAN RUN OVER BY TRAIN!!!
Little Dilemmas
Why do peanuts float in a regular coke and sink in a diet coke? Go ahead and try it
I used to eat a lot of natural foods until I learned that most people die of natural causes.
How important does a person have to be before they are considered assassinated instead of just murdered?
Why do you have to "put your two cents in"... but it’s only a "penny for your thoughts"? Where's that extra penny going? (taxes)
