Our Last Meeting
Venue: Damien on Fisher
Event: Club Assembly
Attendance: 24 Members
President Trevor's Announcements.
Death of honorary member Sheila Evans.....Trevor called on Mavis Martin. Sheila suffered from a heart attack last weekend. Her funeral mass service will be held at St Paul of the Cross Monastery,15 Cross Rd, Urrbrae, at noon on Tuesday 10 July. Anastasia Sheila Evans was born on 24 January 1942 and was inducted into Rotary on 10 February 2004. Sheila, a JP, was President of the club 2011/12 and awarded the Paul Harris Fellow in 2014. In the Australia Day honours of 2003 she was awarded an OAM for her initiative to build a women's shelter and her fierce advocacy for women. As Mavis noted....she now has the best seat in the house. One minute's silence followed. Vale Sheila
Club Assembly.....amalgamation of Districts 9520 and 9500
Trevor explained that to meet the challenge of declining Rotary membership in developed countries, Rotary International had instigated the reduction of 545 districts to 350, and in Australia it would be from 21-13. The proposed merger of 9520 and 9500 is one of the first of its kind from which lessons will be learnt both in Australia and overseas. A paper had been circulated to all members of the two districts explaining the aims, expectations and processes for amalgamation with the three key theme headings being structure, communication and membership. The first District Governor for 9510 will be David Jones from Mitcham. He then threw the meeting open.
A range of comments were received:
- The proposed area model inserts a new layer in the hierarchy and could push up costs.
- There is a concern about this structure with 7 mini silos being erected, operating quite differently to the current Groups.
- It would have been useful if member/club consultation had preceded the formulation of the discussion paper...…...the composition of the steering committee should have included young dynamic professionals...……..no new ideas have flowed.
- While no member put forward a better model, there was concern that it missed the point.....the main emphasis should be on gaining more members and achieving greater recognition among the general public....better use of social media was raised.
- It would have been great to see a marketing program.
A break was taken for the meal during which Trevor bribed us with maltezers.
The general consensus was that we have limited influence on what happens at District and that:
- We as a club should do our level best to make the most of our opportunities to improve membership, do good deeds and advance Rotary involvement...….what happens at District is not overly relevant to meeting our obligations.
- New opportunities are arising to broaden our membership base and initiatives like referral partnerships to interest a wider range of people, including young professionals, bears examination.
- The good news is that our club will never be required to host a District Conference and a visit by the District Governor is increasingly unlikely
Ed. Bottom line is that a proposal has been presented with its inherent flaws and challenges. It is important that whatever structure and communication system is put in place is predicated on achieving our goals as expressed above.
Trevor's belated announcements:
- There will be a review of toasts as previously agreed
- Bob Mills will be chairing all meetings and a member will be chosen to give the vote of thanks and liquid nourishment for the guest speaker
- Squares are to be abolished...……...Heather Kilsby won the last of its kind
- Next week we have Peter Christopher as our guest speaker and it is likely there will be a number of guests and potential members joining us.
- There is an urgent need to establish numbers for the visit to the Art Gallery on Friday 13 July.
Spots
Jerry Casburn (unaccustomed as he is) declared that our club had qualified for a Presidential Citation for its efforts during 2017/18, and he is looking for more Calperum participants for the weekend commencing Friday 13 July...…..glad he is not superstitious.
Wendy Andrews was delighted that the grant of $5000 to modernise the Baptist Care kids shelter last year had attracted further support for a mural funded by the Friends of the Women's and Children's Hospital. Importantly, Unley's efforts had received praise in the press release.
Leonie Kewen announced that the search for SA Police Officer of the Year 2018 had commenced and 9 nominations had been received to date
Pam Trimmer request for help to fill her Thrift Shop roster tomorrow was answered by Valerie.
Sorel Coward emphasised the need for action against malaria in PNG, one of the worst affected countries in the world.
Chair Bob Mills called anniversaries this month including the inductions of Marlene and Robyn. Notable is that Geoff Hill joined Unley Rotary on 7 July 1977 (41 years ago). David M has been happily married for 39 years.
The Finale
The meeting closed at 8.06 which means Trevor failed his first timeliness test and even worse did not have time for happiness.
PHOTO GALLERY
We have 'parents' Jerry and Briony at Clara Scheele's send off at RC Mitcham last Wednesday, and the highly skilled Birthing Kit assembly team in action tonight.
This may be a misinterpretation but I think Jerry and Trevor are keen to take the plunge in the icy Glenelg waters on August 5...…….all they need is plentiful support to raise funds for RC Glenelg. However if there is an Unley member who would like to show outstanding courage, Jerry & Trevor would be happy to be replaced. All sponsorship is welcome.
Rotary News
My journey to Hiroshima: reflections on memory
Rotary Peace Fellows from International Christian University in Tokyo, Japan, visit the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima.
By Lorena Rodriguez, 2017-19 Rotary Peace Fellow, International Christian University, Tokyo, Japan
Last March, I visited Hiroshima with other Rotary Peace Fellows from International Christian University, hearing stories from survivors of the atomic bomb. Thanks to the Rotary Club of Hiroshima, we also saw the Peace Memorial Park and Museum. Hiroshima is full of stories told and illustrated in various ways: in the images, monuments, poems, and human and nonhuman survivors. All these stories made me reflect in different ways about my commitment to memory and peace.
When we were walking through the Peace Memorial Park we encountered the “Monument in Memory of the Korean Victims of the A-bomb,” a tower which stands on a large turtle-shaped base. The top of the tower is a crown engraved with two dragons and a register of the names of over 2,500 Koreans who were killed when the bomb exploded. The inscription on the monument says “Souls of the dead ride to heaven on the backs of turtles.” The monument was built in 1970 but only brought inside the park in 1999. Koreans comprised more than ten percent of the Hiroshima A-bomb victims, and many of them were discriminated against before and after the bombing.
Seeing this monument made me realize the importance of collective memory. In Japan, the narratives of the A-bomb talk little about the experiences of Koreans, their struggles, and their place in rebuilding Japan from the ashes. Allowing for multiple experiences can help us discover other collective identities that have been hidden after conflict and improve our understandings of our relationships with the others.
A-bombed trees tell a story
On our second day, we listened to ANT-Hiroshima describe their “legacy of the A-bombed trees” project. After the atomic bombing, it was said that “nothing would grow again in Hiroshima for 75 years.” However, within about a two kilometer radius of the hypocenter are 160 trees, comprised of 31 species, which survived the atomic bombing and are registered as “hibakujumoku” (A-bombed trees). These trees served as evidence of life and hope for the human survivors. I saw how today the A-bombed trees continue to stand and to grow with the marks of burn scars on their trunks, illustrations of what those trees “saw” before, during, and after the A-bomb.
Seeing the trees and hearing from the survivors who founded the project, I had my second reflection, how we often leave out the “unspeakable” experiences of other species in our histories. Nature is also a victim of war and conflict. Its narratives are seeds of peace for future generations who will read the horror through its scars.
After my visit, I did more research about social movements in Japan and I found that many local initiatives among survivors not only support nuclear disarmament, but are against nuclear energy. Survivors of atomic radiation are also strongly opposed to modifying Article 9, in which Japan “renounces war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as a means of settling international disputes.”
The role of collective memory
I believe the collective memories of victims of nuclear events should have a prominent place in the dialogues and debates on matters like nuclear energy and Article 9. Peace starts by rejecting means of violence and by honoring the spirit of pacifism.
As a Colombian and Rotary Peace Fellow, I think that memory can reveal forms of structural violence, resulting from dynamics of injustice and power, that are not readily connected with the actors of a conflict. Memory reminds us that society as a whole needs to take steps toward diplomacy, dialogue, and community building. I am deeply grateful to the Rotary Club of Hiroshima for the opportunity to visit Hiroshima. My experiences have shaped my understanding of peace and resilience, and have given me different viewpoints that I will share in my future as a peace ambassador.
Source
Tuesday 10 July 2018 6 for 6.30pm at Damien on Fisher
Guest Speaker: Peter Christopher - The City of Adelaide Clipper
Chair: Bob Mills | Set-up, Welcome & Attendance: Sorel Coward & Reno Elms
Friday 13 July 2018 Assemble prior to 6.30pm at the Art Gallery on North Terrace
Vocational Visit: Colours of Impressionism
Cost of entry to exhibition $22pp. Food available for purchase.
Tuesday 24 July 2018 6 for 6.30pm at Damien on Fisher
Event: Christmas in July...… guest speaker Clare McAdam - Xmas Pageant
Chair: Bob Mills | Set-up, Welcome & Attendance: Ken Haines & Rachel Harding
Apologies to: Jerry Casburn by e-mail jerry@thecasburns.com.au or 0407 646 396
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 July 2018
Early: Vera Holt & Jerry Casburn | Late: Robyn Carnachan & Rachel Harding
Week 2: 14 July 2018
Early: Greg Mcleod & Chad Leader | Late: Wendy Andrews & Heather Kilsby
Week 3: 21 July 2018
Early: David Middleton & Nathan White | Late: Pam Trimmer & Ken Haines
Week 4: 28 July 2018
Early: Stephen Baker & Judi Corcoran | Late: Rachel Harding & Rhonda Hoare
Week 5:
Early: Bob Mullins & David Pisoni | 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 30 July
Morning shift: 8.00am – 12.30pm | Afternoon shift: 12.30 – 5pm
The next Mitre 10 BBQ will be on Saturday 14 July
The Tale End
A simple truth
This is for music lovers only
A tourist in Vienna is going through a graveyard and all of a sudden he hears music.
No one is around, so he starts searching for the source.
He finally locates the origin and finds it is coming from a grave with a headstone that reads: "Ludwig van Beethoven, 1770- 1827".
Then he realizes that the music is Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and it is being played backward!
Puzzled, he leaves the graveyard and persuades a friend to return with him.
By the time they arrive back at the grave, the music has changed.
This time it is the Seventh Symphony, but like the previous piece, it is being played backwards.
Curious, the men agree to consult a music scholar.
When they return with the expert, the Fifth Symphony is playing, again backwards.
The expert notices that the symphonies are being played in the reverse order in which they were composed,
The 9th, then the 7th, then the 5th.
By the next day the word has spread, and a crowd has gathered around the grave.
They are all listening to the Second Symphony being played backwards.
Just then the graveyard's caretaker ambles up to the group.
Someone in the group asks him if he has an explanation for the music.
"I would have thought it was obvious,” the caretaker says.
"He’s decomposing."
