NEXT MEETING ITS ALL ABOUT THE HUTT STREET CENTRE
for sure
Our Last Meeting
Venue: Damien on Fisher
Event: Rotary's Chariots of Fire
Guests: Jeevika Nagpal
Attendance: 21 members 1 guest The meeting opened at 6.35pm and closed at 8.10pm
President Trevor's Announcements
In his introduction, President Trevor, reflected that, while great to be in this fabulous country we should be encouraged to consider our farmers and those doing it tough in the drought.
He also introduced the evening, as an opportunity to catch up on several projects and programmes that have been in the club reportoire.
Trevor spoke of attending the Group Study Exchange farewell at Campbelltown Rotary club. The host clubs, host families and members were all given a mention. The team had a ball, enjoying the trip and will return to the USA as keen advocates of everything Australian.
Trevor also advised the club that our sponsored member of the outgoing team, Rose Linh Le, had to return due to illness in the family. She is hoping to return to Kansas. The club wished her well and expressed their sympathy.
Rotarians in Action
District 9520 Conference in Broken Hill. (457 attendees)
Valerie Bonython, was the first to speak and reflected on one of the speakers that had both inspired
and amazed. Jessye Campbell lost her father at the age of 9 months and this was followed in months by being diagnosed with tumours in both eyes. She lost one eye at that time and lost the other eye at the age of five. Despite these major setbacks she had achieved much and filled her life with many activities. She is a member of the Gondwana Singers, plays trombone and other instruments. More recently Jessye has been a Rotary Youth Exchange student to France, has mastered French and completed her talk with a rendition of a song in French.
Valerie said that there were many good speakers and the conference more than lived up to its theme to "Inspire, Connect and Transform".
President Trevor has also provided the following report and photographs from the conference:
I consider that the conference held at Broken Hill last weekend was probably the best I have attended – not that I have been to every conference since joining Rotary – I have attended six. I missed Jerry’s at Ballarat, which I am told was very good – in Peru at the time.
The organising team for Broken Hill brought together a fantastic group of key-note speakers and each one had an amazing story to tell:
:
Mayor Chagai (pronounced Mayooor) who escaped South Sudan and survived a three-month trek to Kenya. He arrived in Australia in 2006 with nothing but the clothes on his back. Today he is in charge of a youth group that has drawn passion from playing basketball. In Blacktown, Sydney, he founded “Savanah Pride” and has helped 100s arriving from Africa as refugees.
Wing Commander Bronte Martin, Director of Nursing (Trauma and Disaster) at the National Response Centre at the Royal Darwin Hospital. Bronte is also a designated Australian representative for United Nations Disaster and Coordination Teams. A truly remarkable woman.
Dr James Charles (PhD), the first Indigenous Podiatrist in Australia, who at the age of 14 left school not able to read or write and now teaching Aboriginal students as the Coordinator od Masters od Public Health at the Institute of Koorie Education.
Then, if James didn’t inspire conferees, what about Dr James Best, a Sydney based GP who took his 15-year-old son Sam, who has autism to Africa for six months on a back-packing journey to provide purposeful exposure to uncertainty in order to improve Sam’s life skills. Just an amazing story.
Jessye Campbell, blind at the age of 5, a Brighton Secondary High School student who has done, and can do everything, any normal sighted 18-year-old can do. In total disregard of her disability Jessye spent 12 months as a long-term Rotary exchange student in France. What an achievement for her and her host families.
Finally, I have to mention Brian Coffey, a Rotarian and District Governor from NSW, along with his wife Carol, brought Charlie, a boy living in Vanuatu for corrective surgery for club feet. Charlie was hidden by his family because he could not walk or talk. Through ROMAC he now does both and is accepted by the villagers where he lives. A story of dedication and of what can be achieved through Rotary.
Next year the District conference will be held at Mildura from 26th-29th March. Be there and be inspired.
Cows for Cambodia - John Peacham
John spoke with passion of his involvement with the charity, and his most recent trip to Cambodia. The presentation was punctuated with photographs of the trip. John familiarised those attending with the base project. This provides poor families in Cambodia with a pregnant cow which they have to look after. The calf when born, becomes the family's property and the cow is returned to the charity. The
long term aim is to provide 1000 cows to needy families. Each cow produces one calf each year and will be productive for 10 years.
There is a very low standard of living outside the major cities. Each year the charity finds a family in need of improved housing and builds a house pretty much consisting of one room and is built on stilts. The family are also given basic furnishing and other necessities.
Cows for Cambodia has also recently acquired land and built a farm, primarily to support the base programme of cows for families. In addition they have ventured in to other areas including goats, sheep and other farm animals, plus they now have a crocodile farm and fish farm. The target is for the farm to become self sufficient within two years.
Another area of diversity has been to build a number of classrooms which provide education to children, primarily in teaching English, but also includes the basic 3 R's. The charity funds three teachers and supports 400 children.
If this was not enough, while there, John was involved in the rice run. Locals donate funds to buy bags of rice at $35 each. These are then distributed to needy families.
Facebook - Rajat Nagpal aided by daughter Jeevika (photographer extraordinaire)
Rajat is our manager for the club's Facebook page. Rajat started the evening by taking a photograph of all attending which will appear on the website. Rajat also requested all members to tag themselves on the Facebook Cover Photo.
Rajat spent time explaining the importance of the page and gave background on the value that Facebook can bring. He highlighted the ability to build engagement on the internet's largest marketing website. Rajat is spending time building stories on the Facebook page. He needs photographs to support his activity and stories/articles for publication. There are currently 307 connections, the aim is to build to 500 by year end.
Future plans include a profile of a Rotarian, on video, each week, starting with a profile, positive stories about Rotary, and our club. He will build over time to include the Thrift shop and its marketing.
Don't forget to tag the photograph and to provide articles.
Rajat is also looking at starting and Instagram page.
Editor's Comment. How does Stephen Baker manage to be away when there is so much to report???
Spots
Leonie Kewe
n. Spoke on the very successful "Fish Tank" at Unley Council Chambers, towards which the club donated $1,000 of prize money. Two categories of entrant, 12-17 year old and 16-25 years old. There w
ere six entries to the 12-17 and three to the 16-25.
The winners of the 12-17 were Offolio ZON who were creating and marketing a mobile telephone cover that recharged using solar and kinetic energy.
The 16-25 category was wone by Local Threads, supported by \James Adcock and Kenji Ireland. They have developed a website providing ability for local businesses to market and sell product on which they take commission.
Valerie Bonython. Advised that the Pink Morning Tea will be held on Friday 11th of October 2019. The committee has been formed and is actively working on the programme. Bunnings have committed to allowing raffle ticket sales over eight days. Members were requested to sell one book of tickets each. The hope is to exceed the proceeds of $5,000 donated last year.
Pam Trimmer. Advised the club of a major donation to the Thrift shop of some 400 watches. Bob Mills is currently engaged in checking them out to ensure they are in good workin
The Finale
The winner of the cards was Valerie Bonython. Bob Mills also highlighted a number of anniversaries, before the meeting closed at 8.10pm, as follows:
Heather Kilsby Birthday 12th March
Reno Elms Birthday 16th March
Rhonda Hoare Birthday 26th March
Bob Mullins Birthday 28th March
Bob Mills Birthday 14th March
John Russell Inducted 13th March
David Middleton Inducted 31st March 1989
Bob Laws Inducted 31st March 1992
WOMEN IN ROTARY>>>>30 YEAR ANNIVERSARY>>>>>LEND A HAND
Rotary News
Rotaractors raise awareness of thalassemia
By Ali Raza, president of the Rotaract Club of Bahauddin Zakariya University, Punjab, Pakistan
We live in a society where people call themselves humans before they know the need of being human; where they wish for a long life before they wish for healthy life; and where they work for wealth before they work for health. But I believe being human means being responsible. And that includes not just shutting our eyes when segments of our society are suffering and need our help.
A year ago, I watched a video on Facebook about thalassemia, an inherited chronic anemia resulting from faulty hemoglobin production. In the video, a child with thalassemia is interviewed. Tears started rolling down my face as the child asked her interviewer, “is God angry with me?” and “why is Allah punishing me?” How do you answer a question like that?
Rotaract members talk to students about thalassemia
I knew that I had to do something. That day, I learned about Jehaad for Zero Thalassemia, an organization working to raise awareness of the disease and encourage blood donations. They were the ones who produced the video. I joined the organization and started working with them.
In January, I was invited to their annual convention at the University of Central Punjab in Lahore. I was blessed to be among people who had been working to help people with thalassemia for years. I watched that video a second time, and my eyes again filled with tears. But this time, I was filled with resolve to continue my efforts to raise awareness.
I came back to my Rotaract Club of Bahauddin Zakariya University in Multan, and we planned a thalassemia awareness campaign. We placed colorful posters with information about thalassemia all over the city. We distributed 1,000 pamphlets to students at the University and answered questions.
We also organized a seminar, “Jehaad for Zero Thalassemia,” inviting Dr. Ali Sajid Imami, a member of the Rotary Club of Multan Cantt, to share his expertise about the nature of thalassemia and how it can be detected, cured, and prevented. He also stressed our social responsibilities regarding the disease. Students asked many questions. Participants were given passes for a free test that detects thalassemia.
Dr. Ali Sajid Imami, a member the Rotary Club of Multan Cantt, leads a discussion on thalassemia.
During the seminar, I watched the same video a third time. But this time, instead of tears, I was filled with hope because we are successfully spreading awareness about this disease. Our work is not done. But we are taking steps to end thalassemia. It feels good to be a responsible human being, to make no excuses, and to work to make the world a better place. I look forward to working with my colleagues and encouraging others as we go.
Our Upcoming Meetings
Tuesday 16 April 2019 6 for 6.30pm at Damien on Fisher
Guest Speaker: Michael Francis Hutt Street Centre
Chair: Bob Mills | Set-up, Welcome & Attendance: Geoff Hill and Rhonda Hoare
Tuesday 23 April 2019 6 for 6.30pm at Damien on Fisher
Guest Speaker: Dr Luc's Program to Congo
Chair: Bob Mills | Set-up, Welcome & Attendance: Vera Holt and Alex Jonson
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: 13 April 2019
Early: Greg Mcleod & Chad Leader | Late: Wendy Andrews & Heather Kilsby
Week 3: 20 April 2019
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
The Tale End.……
Wonderfully British
In a train from London to Manchester, an American was berating the Englishman sitting across from him in the compartment ...
"The trouble with you English is that you are too stuffy ...
You set yourselves apart too much.
You think your stiff upper lip makes you above the rest of us.
Look at me: I'm me! I have a little Italian in me, a bit of Greek blood, a little Irish and some Spanish blood.
What do you say to that?"
The Englishman lowered his newspaper and replied, "How very sporting of your mother."
Your education is finally complete
- I was thinking that women should put pictures of missing husbands on beer cans.
- People seem to read the Bible a whole lot more as they get older. Then it dawned on me... they are cramming for their finals.
- Employment application blanks always ask who is to be notified in case of an emergency. I think you should write... A Good Doctor
- Why do they put pictures of criminals up in the Post Office? What are we supposed to do... write to these men? Why don't they just put their pictures on the postage stamps so the mailmen could look for them while they delivered the mail?
.....after months of special tuition in the facts of life there is no excuse for ignorance
