NEXT WEEK WE ARE REALLY NETWORKING WITH THE UNLEY ROAD ASSOCIATION
We are also making a big effort for the annual gift giving of Christmas toiletries for the Salvos.
Last Meeting
Venue: Damien on Fisher
Guest Speaker: Zip...just fun
Guests: Rtn Oleh Bilyk
Attendance: 17 members 1 guests
The get-together with Unley Traders had been transferred to next week which meant that the AGM will now be held next year, and this meeting a touch of laissez faire.
President Nathan opened the meeting and explained that his recent absence was due to participation in the Adelaide Car Rally and changing his domicile ....and lived to tell the tale with both.
Jerry with snippets and a contest
Unley City Council
Ken Haines, Greg McLeod and Jerry and Briony took the newly acquired BBQ to provide food services at the recent celebration. Council provide $300 for being there to support them and we took $546 in sales. We spent $370.33, which included 2 gas bottle refills and steak for steak sandwiches, plus baps which will be used at the Unley Road Traders event on Tuesday 14th. The nett profit was still $475.16 including this additional expense. Note that Greg has his mask firmly affixed to hide his identity while Ken knows (almost) that these outdoor settings are free of mask restrictions.
Calperum Connections Graduation
Patsy and Graham Beckett, Valerie Bonython, Graham Ey, Jerry Casburn, from Unley. Judith Lamb and Briony Casburn, from McLaren Vale. Attended the graduation of students from Calperum. The students undertook Cert2, 3 and Diplomas, in a variety of subjects associated with Land Management and the Environment. This was the first time this has been achieved.
The graduation was attended by a number of dignitaries Tim Whetstone, local State MP, Dick Cuttle representing Rotary’s Calperum Committee and our team.
A great achievement and one the club should be proud to be associated with.
Chris Davis, who is Covid distancing, provided a series of watercolour prints from a collection of former Unley Alderman Norm Davis, his father. The collection was published by the City Of Unley to commemorate the opening of the Civic and Community Centre. The assembled crowd was challenged by Jerry to identify each. After a slow start when no-one nailed the first one, namely St Ann's Place, Parkside, the quiz kids picked up a highly error prone pace.....St Raphael Church, (Parkside), Glen Osmond Primary School, Annesley College, King William Road, Goodwood Rd, Unley Court House (which Greg knew well), St Augustine's Church (which we all knew), Town Hall (also a winner), Unley Road, Earl of Leicester pub, and little known Thornber House in Unley Park.
As can be seen, Jerry was most concerned re the lack of knowledge about Unley's famous landmarks
Spots
Stephen Baker reminded that each year Unley Rotarians give generous donations of toiletries to the Salvos to fill the stockings of struggling families and individuals. This year there will be a collection point at the get-together with the Unley Road Association next Tuesday. Those who cannot be there are being asked to drop their donations off at the Unley Salvos, 70 Marion St, Unley. Please leave them unwrapped.
Trevor McGuirk related how a lady in the Gawler Probus club, which he had addressed about the Kids of Cusco, got involved with her Alice Springs family and raised $250 in lieu of Christmas presents. Trevor's small thank-you package to Alice Springs cost $11.55 through Australia Post.
Two weeks ago he, Fay and Rhonda visited Unley Primary School on casual day....the kids had raised $2279 towards the Solomon's project. Over $3000 was contributed last year. The recent donation is to cover school fees owed by poor families.
Jerry Casburn explained that the Christmas dinner at Barzaar in a fortnight required prepayment of $42pp and would comprise a 2 course meal with drinks on arrival. There will be a contest for best Christmassy clad person. Mistletoe is banned while Covid prevails.
Reno Elms would appreciate assistance with the wrapping of presents under the tutelage of Margaret Blake from 10am most mornings and with looking after the Giving Tree in the Shopping Centre. Roster details are available from the office. Last year family festivities were held on Christmas Eve with 80 people attending and the Christmas luncheon attracted 180 people, a number of which had to be looked after on Unley oval due to Covid constraints. A similar program is planned for this year.
Reno presented a certificate of appreciation to the club for its support.
Finale
Damien and his staff were given a standing ovation for their service during the year. The extra course of Christmas pudding and ice-cream went down particularly well.
Nathan closed the meeting at 7.49......alas without a thought for the week!
By Jeremy Opperman, Rotary Club of Newlands, Cape Town, South Africa
Editor’s Note: Jeremy Opperman is a member of Rotary’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion taskforce and a regular contributor to this blog on issues related to disability inclusion.
Like countless others I imagine, I watched the compelling events to celebrate the birthday of Archbishop Emeritus and Nobel Peace laureate Desmond Tutu, or as he is also fondly known, “The Arch.”
What struck me almost immediately was how the messages from the internationally respected leaders departed from the usual gushy sentimental birthday tributes so loved by celebrities. After short heartfelt tributes to their dearest Arch, South African Professor Thuli Madonsela; Graça Machel, widow of two heads of state (Nelson Mandela and Mozambique’s Samora Machel); and Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland and past UN Special Advisor on the Environment, all leapt straight in with some serious no holds barred truth telling.
Global challenges such as corruption, crime, climate change, and poverty were the order of the day. No mincing of words or diplomatic fluffiness. Just hard facts and straight talking.
I know some people were surprised and even disappointed, expecting perhaps a glamorous biopic of the Arch, made the more memorable by the presence of such deservedly vaunted personalities as the above larger than life three women and also including the Dalai Lama, a great friend of the Arch.
But I loved it!
The truth telling reminded me of a little controversy I witnessed recently while attending a high-level organisational strategy discussion. Essentially, is it wise or appropriate to highlight past mistakes and to regretfully acknowledge an organization failing in the past? The context in this instance was Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). It was interesting that not everyone agreed with the idea, preferring rather to downplay the past and highlight future inclusive practices. When asked, I categorically agreed that disclosure and acknowledgement of past failing was essential if you wished for change in matters of diversity and inclusion. I used the analogy of getting directions to visit someone.
The first thing they will ask when directing you is, “where are you coming from?”
It is normal for people to feel uncomfortable when they face up to the past if they wish to progress in an unfamiliar area. The problem all too often lies in people’s genuine or wilful ignorance of issues making up the status quo. This must be confronted with hard facts to jolt them into realising that change is paramount, simply because it would be totally unacceptable to continue with the status quo. In a word, the truth. The sluggish uptake of DEI in so many organizations and societies can absolutely be attributed to both wilful and genuine ignorance. It is essential that this be met with facts and realities to create a working baseline upon which you can drive practical change.
Which is why in my work as a diversity practitioner, I spend a lot of time on dispelling myths and showing the facts and realities of the situation. How else would they know for instance that within South Africa, 65% of children with disabilities don’t go to school; or that there are only 400 special schools in the country and that less than 70 of those go all the way to Grade 12; or that less than 1% of people with disabilities are employed; or that there is near total inaccessibility of public transport; or in the world, less than 6% of books and media are accessible to people with print handicaps such as being blind.
These realities are not stated to solicit pity, they are used to wake us up and to demand change just as Thuli, Graça, and Mary called for change with regards to poverty, corruption, and the climate crisis.
As long as it’s the truth, I applaud truth telling.
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 January.
Upcoming Meetings
Tuesday 14 December 2021 5.30 for 6.00pm Unley Soldiers' Memorial Gardens
Event: Unley Road Association Networking Event - no charge
Come bedecked in Rotary apparel
Tuesday 21 December 2021 6.00 for 6.30pm Barzaar Restaurant 166 Unley Rd, Unley
Event: The Club's fabulous Christmas dinner All Christmas dazzle welcome
Set-up and Welcome.......Jerry Casburn & Judi Corcoran
Early: David Middleton & Nathan White | Late: Pam Trimmer & Vera Holt
Week 4: 25 December 2021 Shop Shut
Early: Stephen Baker & Judi Corcoran | Late: Jason Booth & Rhonda Hoare
Week 5:
Early: Bob Mullins & Wendy Andrews | Late: Jerry Casburn & Paul Duke
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
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 18 December
ALL the Bunnings Mile End Barbeque shifts are from 8am to 5pm
We have been allocated the last Monday of each month.....next one is Monday 27 December BUT have also been assigned Sunday 26 December 2021
The Tale End.....
A loving moment
A woman was in town on a shopping trip. She began her day finding the most perfect shoes in the first shop and a beautiful dress on sale in the second. In the third, everything had just been reduced by 50 percent when her mobile phone rang.
It was a female doctor notifying her that her husband had just been in a terrible car accident and was in critical condition and in the ICU. The woman told the doctor to inform her husband where she was and that she'd be there as soon as possible. As she hung up she realized she was leaving what was shaping up to be her best day ever in the boutiques. She decided to get in a couple of more shops before heading to the hospital. She ended up shopping the rest of the morning, finishing her trip with a cup of coffee and a beautiful chocolate cake slice, compliments of the last shop. She was jubilant.
Then she remembered her husband. Feeling guilty, she dashed to the hospital. She saw the doctor in the corridor and asked about her husband's condition. The lady doctor glared at her and shouted, 'You went ahead and finished your shopping trip didn't you! I hope you're proud of yourself! While you were out for the past four hours enjoying yourself in town, your husband has been languishing in the Intensive Care Unit! It's just as well you went ahead and finished, because it will more than likely be the last shopping trip you ever take!
For the rest of his life he will require round-the-clock care. And YOU will now be his carer!'
The woman was feeling so guilty she broke down and sobbed.
The lady doctor then chuckled and said, 'I'm just pulling your leg. He's dead. Show me what you bought.'
Unley City Council
Chris Davis, who is Covid distancing, provided a series of watercolour prints from a collection of former Unley Alderman Norm Davis, his father. The collection was published by the City Of Unley to commemorate the opening of the Civic and Community Centre. The assembled crowd was challenged by Jerry to identify each. After a slow start when no-one nailed the first one, namely St Ann's Place, Parkside, the quiz kids picked up a highly error prone pace.....St Raphael Church, (Parkside), Glen Osmond Primary School, Annesley College, King William Road, Goodwood Rd, Unley Court House (which Greg knew well), St Augustine's Church (which we all knew), Town Hall (also a winner), Unley Road, Earl of Leicester pub, and little known Thornber House in Unley Park. 
Reno Elms would appreciate assistance with the wrapping of presents under the tutelage of Margaret Blake from 10am most mornings and with looking after the Giving Tree in the Shopping Centre. Roster details are available from the office. Last year family festivities were held on Christmas Eve with 80 people attending and the Christmas luncheon attracted 180 people, a number of which had to be looked after on Unley oval due to Covid constraints. A similar program is planned for this year.
Editor’s Note: Jeremy Opperman is a member of Rotary’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion taskforce and a regular contributor to this blog on issues related to disability inclusion.
