Visting Rotarians: ADG Di Clements, PDG Graeme Dodsworth, PDG Malcolm Lindquist, and plenty of others
Welcome all.
Antoinette Lindquist, (Brownhill Creek), Don Will (Eastwood), Peter Griffiths (Hyde Park) and Peter Dry (Mitcham) opened their respective meetings.
Guest Speaker Kym Taylor
ADG Di Clements introduce Kym whom she had met at Angaston Primary School where Kym was teaching Year 4/5. She had previously been a principal at Coober Pedy. Kym was infected by the polio virus in 1961 whilst living in Brisbane. Di was struck by the resilience, determination and positive attitude displayed by Kym who had worked her way through many adversities.
Kym was born in May 1950 and vaccinated against polio at an early age. But this did not save her from the virus. There are two main types of polio, namely non paralytic and paralytic. In the first case the polio virus can remain dormant in the body for something like 20 years. In the second case, the virus commonly attacks the spinal cord. Kym's left leg was paralysed and shorter than her right. Mobility requires a walking aid in the form of a leg brace.
People with disabilities like polio go through major tests.....physically, emotionally and financially. At school she reacted badly to bullying by fellow students and retaliated by kicking and scratching. With helpful advice from her dad she became more confident and less reactive by embellishment (good story telling) and leaning to laugh at herself.
Whilst she set her sights on being a pre-school teacher and failing that, working in retail, her limp counted against her. In Darwin she managed to snare a part-time job working in a hospital kitchen and volunteering in the Salvos bookshop of an afternoon. When advised by a doctor that she would be in a wheelchair by age 40 she decided to move to Melbourne where she took on volunteering work and enrolled at University. In 1997 Kym graduated as a teacher from the Underdale Campus in SA as a primary school teacher.
Quality of life depends on healthy choices in working, eating, sleeping and taking breaks when pressure builds. The most frustrating challenge has been with the leg brace. Last year she took weeks of sick and long service leave to manage because the brace provided did not fit properly. The braces from Germany are made of unforgiving carbon fibre and need to be millimetre perfect which her last two haven't been. If the next one is unsatisfactory she is heading to Germany for a proper fitting.....cost of $10,000 but worth every cent. It has become too exhausting using crutches, and the option of sitting home and watching day time TV instead of earning a living is unpalatable. There are currently 1000 polio sufferers under treatment in SA hospitals.
Kym is self sufficient. She has travelled widely overseas and even climbed Uluru rock. She counts herself among the most fortunate of people to have achieved and enjoyed as much as she has.
Her story is one of sheer guts, buckets full of optimism, and unfailing faith in her own ability. Kym was thanked by a standing ovation.
SPOTS...…..never let an opportunity go begging!
Don Will of Eastwood made a number of announcements: that this is their 1334.5 meeting and official meetings are interspersed with coffee get-togethers; his club is committed to community involvement [Friends of Rotary Club of Eastwood FORCE]; has involved itself with a Live for Kids project which is making prosthetic hands from bottle caps; is providing backpacks for kids who have been the victims of domestic violence; Health of the River; and Walk for Mental Health at 9.30am on 13 October at Woodside....all welcome with cost of $25.
He delighted that Unley had spawned a granddaughter club through Eastwood.....the Male club in the Maldives. Need to put Maldives on the bucket list!
Antoinette Lindquist of Brownhill Creek announced that this was their club's 1933 meeting, currently has 20 members and holds fortnightly meetings. A major achievement was cooking 2000 sausages at the zoo for the Variety Club bash. The club is supporting girl's and women's literacy and micro-financing in Nepal through RAWCS. There will again be a Melbourne Cup luncheon on November 5.
Peter Dry of Mitcham in opening his club's meeting 2911 reported that they will be holding a business breakfast in September. There is no excuse for failure to visit their relocated Book Shop at 598 Goodwood Rd, Daw Park.
Barbara Adams sold the Wohlers raffle with aplomb and stated that this was the best shop (Richmond Rd) in Adelaide...and she would know.
Margaret Blake of Hyde Park announced a film fundraiser for the Salvos featuring Overcomer on 22 August.
Leonie Kewen advised that the SA Police Officer of the Year 2019 presentation ceremony will be held at the Royal Adelaide Show at 11.45am on September 6....attendance of members is being subsidised.
Valerie Bonython reported that the annual Pink Ribbon High Tea will be held 10.30am on 11 October at the Adelaide Town Hall.
Finale
There were two anniversaries for club members, namely the induction of Bob Mullins on 11 August 1981 and John Peacham celebrating a birthday tomorrow. Fittingly the fabulous Wohler raffle was won by our guest speaker Kym. Club representatives closed their respective meetings. Happiness prevailed!
Rotary News.....Dick Smith's $1m donation
Compassionate Matched Grant Funding
In January 2017, Rotary Australia Benevolent Society RABS announced its Compassionate Grants program to help Australians in need.
As a result of a $1,000,000 donation to Rotary by Dick Smith, grants were assessed by RABS and funds distributed to disadvantaged Australians identified by local Rotary Clubs or Rotary Districts as being in need within their local or wider community.
The entire donation from Dick Smith has now been allocated and applications for new projects have closed.
Projects granted funding met RABS criteria for registration, which are that the project provides direct relief to people in need. If the intended recipients are disadvantaged, the relief should target that disadvantage. The concept of disadvantage is unlimited and could have arisen from sickness, suffering, distress, misfortune, disability, destitution, helplessness or poverty, any aspect of the negative side of the human condition. The criteria are not prescriptive but are to be used as a guide to determine the disadvantage. Only NEW projects were eligible for consideration.
In addition to meeting RABS criteria, Compassionate Grants were only approved where the project funds were to be directed to people in need or to benefit a section of a community rather than the community as a whole. A project should arouse compassion within the community.
Priority for grants was given to those whose disadvantage has arisen from an “ad hoc” event over which the disadvantaged had no control, such as an accident, assault, medical condition etc.
Grants matched club’s fundraising on a dollar for dollar basis subject to the following:
Qualifying projects had to have a minimum value of $2,000 (ie a minimum grant of $1,000) and each Club or District was limited to two grants in any calendar year, subject to a maximum grant total of $10,000.
Sample projects where person or group was potentially disadvantaged under the above criteria:
- Provision of a modified family motor vehicle for a 6 year old with cerebral palsy
- Modifications to a home to assist access and functionality for a quadriplegic
- Financial assistance for a seriously injured sportsman’s family
- Ongoing support for non PBS medicines for a sufferer of Lymes disease
- Provision of a specialised bed for a person with Parkinson’s Disease
- Supply insulin pumps to three children with juvenile diabetes
- Provision of improved prosthetics for an amputee
- Assistance to a family who lost everything in a fire
- Provision of financial assistance to a young family whose mother drowned
Grants were not available as a contribution to other community groups for discretionary expenditure or to assist in running their programs.
Dick Smith and Rotary
Dick has previously given a significant amount through Rotary towards the eradication of the once widespread disease polio. This project has run for thirty years and is nearing completion, polio is now isolated to a few small enclaves in remote regions. Dick joins the likes of world-renowned philanthropist Bill Gates as a major supporter of Rotary and its various programs worldwide. On this occasion, the donation by Dick and Pip will be administered by the Rotary Australia Benevolent Society, for the benefit of local individuals and communities. Dick highlighted the fact many Australians suffer personal hardship, whether through accident, illness or misadventure. He considers Rotary one of the most trusted and respected charities in the world.
AND DICK SMITH HAS DONATED A FURTHER $1M TO ROTARY
Our Upcoming Meetings
Tuesday 20 August 2019 6 for 6.30pm at Damien on Fisher
Guest Speaker: Susan Curley from Zahra Foundation
Chair: Valerie Bonython.....Set-up, Welcome and Attendance: Wendy Andrews & Stephen Baker
Tuesday 27 August 2019 6 for 6.30pm at Damien on Fisher
Guest Speaker: Disaster Aid
Chair: Valerie Bonython.....Set-up, Welcome and Attendance: Graham & Patsy Beckett
Tuesday 3 September 2019 6 for 6.30pm at Damien on Fisher
Guest Speakers: Vera Holt on Consulate Duties and Stephen Baker on canal boating
Chair: Valerie Bonython.....Set-up, Welcome and Attendance: Graham & Patsy Beckett
Meeting Enquiries to: Secretary Vera Holt on 0412 071 208 or email to unley.secretary@rotaryclub.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: 7 September 2019
Early: Vera Holt & Jerry Casburn | Late: Robyn Carnachan + (John Peacham)
Week 2: 14 September 2019
Early: Greg Mcleod & (John Kikkert)| Late: Wendy Andrews & Heather Kilsby
Week 3: 17 August 2019
Early: David Middleton & Nathan White | Late: Pam Trimmer & Ken Haines
Week 4: 24 August 2019
Early: Stephen Baker & Judi Corcoran | Late: Rhonda Hoare & Jason Booth
Week 5: 31 August 2019
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 19 August
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 1 September
The Tale End.……
Disorder in the American courts........some more actual recordings
ATTORNEY: Were you present when your picture was taken?
WITNESS: Are you shitting me?
_________________________________________
ATTORNEY: So the date of conception (of the baby) was August 8th?
WITNESS: Yes.
ATTORNEY: And what were you doing at that time?
WITNESS: Getting laid.
____________________________________________
ATTORNEY: She had three children , right?
WITNESS: Yes.
ATTORNEY: How many were boys?
WITNESS: None.
ATTORNEY: Were there any girls?
WITNESS: Your Honor, I think I need a different attorney. Can I get a new attorney?
____________________________________________
ATTORNEY: How was your first marriage terminated?
WITNESS: By death..
ATTORNEY: And by whose death was it terminated?
WITNESS: Take a guess..
____________________________________________
ATTORNEY: Can you describe the individual?
WITNESS: He was about medium height and had a beard
ATTORNEY: Was this a male or a female?
WITNESS: Unless the Circus was in town I'm going with male.
_____________________________________
ATTORNEY: Is your appearance here this morning pursuant to a deposition notice which I sent to your attorney?
WITNESS: No, this is how I dress when I go to work.
______________________________________
ATTORNEY: Doctor, how many of your autopsies have you performed on dead people?
WITNESS: All of them.. The live ones put up too much of a fight.
_________________________________________
ATTORNEY: ALL your responses MUST be oral , OK? What school did you go to?
WITNESS: Oral...
