Guests: Graham Ey plus Rob's assistants Joanne and Eukumbeth
Attendance: 26 members 4 guests
Welcome
President John opened the meeting, reminded everyone that we won the quiz against Edwardstown last week, and introduced guest speaker George.
Guest Speaker: George Gouzounis - Ai in Aged Care
George Gouzounis is an aged care innovation specialist and national leader in artificial intelligence adoption in the sector. He coordinates aged care sector support at the Multicultural Communities Council of SA, chairs the national AI in Aged Care Workgroup, publishes theAgeFriendly.AInewsletter, and hosts a podcast for AI in aged care. His work focuses on using technology to improve services and outcomes for older Australians.
George asked how many members had used Ai......answer 7......only 2 at least once a week. He explained that it has potential for transforming aged care. It thinks like the human brain through word association, at supersonic speed.....very powerful.....but can 'hallucinate' if poorly programmed. Productivity for 84% of the working population could be much higher and save at least 2 hours per week. Its main uses are:
Research support
Content creation
Problem solving
Learning aid
but it is important to give context ie precise details of what you are on about.
George recommends ChatGPT.com which you can sign up for free or pay $30 a month if you are a stronger user. He provided an example of asking Chat how best to prepare a meal based mainly on carrots with soup, main course and dessert emerging. This was further expanded to get the recipes for the suggested dishes, incorporate changes for the unpalatable parts and create a shopping list. All quickly dispensed with simple prompts. His mother is a fan and she took a photo of one of her plants with blemished leaves and asked Ai for a cure......answer emerged.....bicarbonate of soda. His father-in-law successfully tested the feasibility of a hydro-generator in the Murray.
There are 2 key issues - selecting the right prompts and avoiding 'hallucination' :
Verify facts......can ask Ai to identify the source
Cross reference
Apply judgement
You can do a search, or a deep search. Ask it anything! But even when the background information and the prompts are of seemingly good order, there is still room for error....the 80/20 rule. And the cost to the user can be high if the Ai results are wrong and quoted as 'gospel'. As well as being wrong (hallucination) there is the issue of privacy (be careful with the prompts) and confidentiality (do not use personal or business information). To date the system is secure ie not hackable. When questioned why Ai rather than systematic searching should be used, George specified speed, ability to collate and huge time saving......Ai can, in a short time, do what previously would have taken days.
Ai is being used widely in industry and is being taken up in nursing homes in England. Scanning of patients for disabling conditions and the ability to link multiple health data bases is assisting early intervention....can even reduce dementia.
George was applauded for his lively and interesting presentation......it ticked all the boxes.....and the editor was impressed.....his cooking should improve immensely. The ultimate test of Ai would be to predict Donald Trump's next significant decision.......
Presidential Announcements:
At a recent Board meeting, it was decided to canvas a 6 month trial of our club meeting on the first and third Tuesdays of each month rather than every week. There seemed to be an even split amongst members on the principle of halving the number of meetings. John will initiate a secret ballot on the issue. Maybe do the Ai test on likely success of such change?
Moving trailors from the District Shed at Hove is a constant headache. Rob Freak has offered his double garage but it needs to be cleaned out a tad. John will canvas participation in a working bee.
Spots
Marie Rothe reported that Rhonda had received an invitation from Sean Hickey at Unley High School to attend their Cabaret on 29 May from 5.30pm to 8pm on 29 May. Cost is $5. Marie will be seeking support from members.
Stephen Baker will be away for 5 weeks.
Ross Smith and Garry Taylor recently attended a youth art exhibition at Carclew on behalf of our club.
Finale
Geoff Hill won the filthy lucre and Greg returned to form by knocking off the chocolates
The meeting closed at 8.23
Time to help the Salvos
ROTARY INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Rotary partnership launches lifeline for military families
By Raymond E. Foster, President, San Dimas Rotary Foundation
Raymond Foster, right, shakes hands with Lt. Colonel Kim in front of food collected by the San Dimas club to support military families.
Sometimes the most powerful projects start with a conversation – and a question. For us, that conversation happened between the Rotary Club of San Dimas, California, USA, and a local women’s club working on a project called Making Spirits Bright. Their goal was to provide Christmas gifts to the children of junior enlisted Marines. But as we discussed our contributions to the project, something far deeper became clear – many of these families weren’t just short on holiday cheer, they were short on groceries.
That discovery changed everything.
We learned that food insecurity affects thousands of military families across the United States. The numbers are staggering: over 22,000 active-duty military families, 213,000 National Guard and Reserve members, and 1.2 million veterans receive federal food assistance. Many major U.S. military installations have food banks specifically to support junior enlisted families.
This wasn’t a distant problem. It was local. And we realized Rotary could do something about it.
In 2022, our club launched the Satellite Rotary Club of Military Family Support, a single-issue, e-club focused entirely on combating food insecurity among military families. Built with intention and community in mind, our club meets online and organizes high-impact, boots-on-the-ground service projects.
That same year, we launched Feeding Military Families, our flagship initiative. We’ve delivered over 33 tons of food and supplies to military bases including Twentynine Palms, Camp Pendleton, Fort Irwin, and Los Angeles Air Force Base.
Volunteers from several organizations prepare for a food drive.
Each food drive is powered by a remarkable team. We’re consistently joined by over 80 volunteers, including members of Masonic Lodges, VFW Posts, American Legion Posts, Kiwanis clubs, and Women’s Clubs. That powerful coalition includes a growing number of high school students, Girl Scouts, and local business owners.
Everything we do is organized through our digital hub: www.feedingmilitaryfamilies.org. There, people can learn more about our upcoming drives, sign up to volunteer, donate, or just read stories from the field. It’s where our mission comes to life and where we invite others to join it.
What started with a conversation grew into a movement. One satellite club. One mission. Thousands served.
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 Friday 6 June 2025
Upcoming Meetings
Tuesday 20 May 2025 6 for 6.30pm La Scala Restaurant
Guest Speaker: Kevin MarzahnThe Cockle Train
Welcoming team: Bob Mills & Bob Mullins
Tuesday 27 May 2025 6 for 6.30pm La Scala Restaurant
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
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 scheduled is Saturday 17 May 2025
ALL the Bunnings Mile End Barbeque shifts are from 8am to 5pm
You can do a search, or a deep search. Ask it anything! But even when the background information and the prompts are of seemingly good order, there is still room for error....the 80/20 rule. And the cost to the user can be high if the Ai results are wrong and quoted as 'gospel'. As well as being wrong (hallucination) there is the issue of privacy (be careful with the prompts) and confidentiality (do not use personal or business information). To date the system is secure ie not hackable. When questioned why Ai rather than systematic searching should be used, George specified speed, ability to collate and huge time saving......Ai can, in a short time, do what previously would have taken days.
This wasn’t a distant problem. It was local. And we realized Rotary could do something about it.
