Castello's Cucina, 123 Fisher Street, Fullarton SA
President John Peacham 0431 618 359
Next Week - The Pride of Workmanship Awards
Last Meeting
Venue: Castello's Cucina, Living Choice
Guest Speaker: Doug Castle
Guests: Robert Freak and his two lovely carers, Rachel Randel, and Briony Casburn
Attendance: 21 members 3 guests
Opening
Vera-Ann Stacee was this weeks guest invocateur, and those assembled were hushed in anticip ation. Was this going to be yet another gruelling oration listing a multiplicity or Rotarian values, with several pauses, laden with the tantalising prospect that we were reaching the end, only to be disappointed. Or was it going to be an inspired piece of charming rhetoric, remarkable in its brevity, that left us in entertained appreciation. Vera-Ann surprised on the upside and meeting got off to a promising start.
President John opened the meeting with some interesting information:
The Mitre 10 BBQ had raised $348, perhaps not a lot, but we had the opportunity to carry on about Rotary with some strangers. The participants were thanked for their efforts (you know who you are).
The working bee to clean up Robert Freak's garden was a successful and enjoyable event for those involved who were named and thanked along with those who came back the following day to load up the skip and farewell the rubbish.
The Rotary Club of Tailem Bend has its Music Hall event for 2023 on August 6 at 2pm and on August 9,11, and 12 at 7.30pm, at the very reasonable price of around $25 per head unless you're a child or really old in which case it's less. Those who have been before have enjoyed the experience, so perhaps a group would like to go together. Its been going for 40 years and this one is billed as the Grand Finale. The flyer says you can buy tickets at both the Tailem Bend and Murray Bridge news agencies but it doesn't say where the show is on.
The State Opera - Mark Taylor
Jerry Casburn introduced one of the many Mark Taylors who haven't played test cricket for Australia. This one is a born and bred Queenslander who has recently lobbed into Adelaide to be the Executive Director of Opera South Australia. His background for this position is somewhat odd, commensurate with the organisation itself, and the quirky combination is curiously fascinating.
Let's start with Mark himself. He's a Brisbane boy who went into teaching and was posted to the remote climes of outback Queensland as the back-up deputy in three remote one teacher schools. Located primarily in Stonehenge, a small community with three or four streets, a pub and school and not much else, Mark fitted in as a jack of all things in what was undoubtedly a character forming period. He was conscripted into sporting activities, but his heart was in the arts.
Along came Anna Bligh, Queensland's Premier who had a programme to inject arts into the regions. Mark got involved with various events including Project Puccini, where hundreds of amateur Queenslanders got involved in productions of La Boheme across the State, and a programme called 'Are you Lonesome Tonight' that combined opera with Country and Western music (that share the eccentric characteristics that they include songs that tell stories that inevitably end in tragedy). His address took us on a journey of presentations across Queensland where unlikely cultural and artistic endeavours attracted significant local support.
Now let's consider Opera South Australia. This organisation was a creature of Don Dunston, the quintessentially quirky Premier of our great State. It exists as a protected beast and the role of Executive Director reports directly to Cabinet with access to the Premier of the time. SA couldn't be more different to Queensland. Queensland is hugely decentralised with almost half the population outside of Brisbane, while 89% of South Australians live in Adelaide. There are 5.6 million people living in Qld and about 1.6 million in SA. Opera South Australia has a bugger all budget and operates out of suburban digs that are about to be demolished to make way for housing. And yet, it bats above its weight.
Perhaps the combination of the battler minnow Opera company in backwater State and the unlikely successful promoter of the Arts in outback Australia is a marriage made in heaven. Only time will tell!
Mark tells us that our revamped Her Majesties Theatre (or is it His Majesties these days, who knows or cares?) is the best Opera Theatre in the country. And our Festival of Arts is the best of its kind anywhere, drawing amazing productions from around the world that use home grown talent in production, staging and costume design when they get here.
This combination of the artistic son of a football focussed major State and a minor State with an artistic bent is worth watching. Mark was promoting the upcoming production of the Opera based on Macbeth because it's what's happening next, but he did suggest we get really enthusiastic about the upcoming production of Mozart's Marriage of Figaro. I think Sue and I might go. who'd like to join us?
Spots
Garry Taylor: promoted the Barbie movie being presented by the Young Friends of Unley Rotary this Saturday at 2 pm at the Regal Movie House, 235 Kensington Road. The cost is $35 including refreshments and the proceeds go to Shelter Box. You can book on the website and if Barbie isn't for you, you can make a donation.
Briony Casburn: reported that the Rotary Club of McLaren Vale will be donating $500 to the aforementioned event.
Trevor McGuirk: had an extended spot on our project on the Island of Malaita in the Solomon Islands. He showed us photos of the village and of the building of a structure to capture water for the village. It's an enormous structure in a small village and is due to be completed soon. This will bring the project to an end and there will be a full presentation to the club when this happens.
Various people: reported they had spoken to Stephen Baker who is now at home recovering from a procedure that remains a little bit mysterious. At any rate, he is on the mend, and will hopefully be walking amongst us again soon, although apparently in a more waif like condition than we are used to.
President John: reported that Oleh Bylik was likely to move from hospital to a nursing home and more details will be available in due course.
Finale
Wendy Andrews scored to bucks and Chris Davis scored the chokkies.
President John closed the meeting a bit late. He told a joke before doing so and that somewhat of a consolation.
After the disappointment of the cancelled the wine tasting last week, we had one this week and those who participated were impressed by the options on display,
The Burra Trip by Jerry Casburn
Briony , being an avid fan of Sir George Hubert Wilkins, wanted to go to Burra to find out more. Thinking, why not make it a road trip to share, started to make enquires.
Starting at the Burra information centre, connecting up with Kym Apostolides a local and expert on all things on George Hubert and more. Working together with Kym and Sue, a plan was formed. Putting it out there for her own members and friends of the McLaren Vale Club, Unley members also included. So many put their hands up to go, Briony and Jerry decided to do a reconnaissance trip , to make sure everything would go to plan.
The actual trip started on July 5th and went for two nights, finishing on July 7th.
Picture of the group (I could type in all the names but you won't know a lot of them and you don't need the names of the ones you do know. The Guide Kym id second from the right).
Day One…drive to Burra, brunch, 12 noon at the Info Centre to collect tourist bags and drive out to Terowie a ghost town. Yvette and Leanne there to greet and show us around. A bonus meeting Daisy the sheep (who thinks she is a dog), walking next to her master. Getting back to check into the delightful Paxton Cottages and
walking across to the Burra Pub for an excellent dinner and fellowship.
Day Two…A delicious, cooked breakfast, prepared by three local ladies in the historic Town hall. Kym, narrated, the amazing adventures of Hubert Wilkins ( his shortened name). Many never having heard of him, were astounded by this man’s achievements and equally concerned, why they hadn’t heard of him before and why he isn’t in the curriculum at schools.
Onto Mt Bryan, 20 klms to see the restored cottage, where Hubert was born, on top of a hill and in the midst of icy winds. Then, back to Hallet for coffee and cake , then Burra for a rest and then just out of Burra , to the Bon Accord Mine Museum. We saw one of 5 of the oldest quilts in Australia. Early 1920’s classic Fire engines and more. Back to the Burra Pub for another delicious dinner.
The last morning breakfast at the St. Just café and then everyone making their own way back home. The Casburns and Kennys via O’ Leary Walker wines to collect a sample of the suggested wine for this year’s Unley wine sales, coffee and then home.
New friends were made and new plans for the ‘Back to Burra ‘ trip 2024.
Attached are a few photographs. Missing were Graham Ey and Valerie Bonython who returned early as Graham was still in pan after major surgery and also Stephen & Beverley Baker as Stephen was still in hospital.
Rotary International News
What is a theory of change?
By Rotary International staff
You may have heard the term “theory of change” but not really known what it is. You may have even dismissed it as academic jargon.
But a theory of change is an important part of our Programs of Scale grant process because a well-thought-out theory of change can serve as an indispensable road map to successfully reaching a project’s long-term goal.
And since our Programs of Scale are all about large-scale, big impact, measurable results, a theory of change is an essential thing to develop.
There are many ways to illustrate a theory of change. But perhaps the easiest is to think of a theory of change as an explanation of how a program will achieve its intended impact and in what circumstances.
Let’s break that down further.
Putting it in practice
Think of “change” as the long-term impact you want to make in a community. Take as an example the 2022 Programs of Scale award recipient, Together for Healthy Families in Nigeria, which is aiming to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality rates by improving health seeking behavior and quality care for pregnant women, mothers, and newborns in Nigeria. For this program, the “change” is reducing maternal and neonatal mortality.
The “theory” part is meant to convey that you have a reason for taking the actions you are proposing to reach the change you want. In other words, you believe that certain actions (or outputs), given certain conditions (preconditions and key assumptions), will lead to outcomes that will ultimately contribute to the long-term goal – in this example, reducing maternal and neonatal mortality in Nigeria.
Here is what it looks like in our Nigeria example. Evidence from the World Health Organization shows that giving birth at a health facility rather than at home, can reduce maternal and neonatal deaths in Nigeria. Thus, an outcome for this program is to have more births at health facilities rather than at home.
You may see that and think: we must build more health facilities! However, Rotary members in Nigeria know that building and equipping a new health facility alone will not lead to a reduction in maternal mortality. Why? They know that the clinic staff would have to be trained how to use the equipment – and pregnant women and their families would have to want to travel to and receive services at the clinic. If pregnant women are unable or unwilling to access the clinic, the quality of the staff and equipment at the clinic will not matter.
This is why many of the program actions are geared toward something different than building more facilities. Instead, they are intended to change behavior. These actions include improving the quality of care available at the health facilities, creating a referral system to encourage families to visit them, and increasing awareness of the maternal and child health services available at the facilities.
Actions lead to outcomes
One way the program raises that awareness is through meetings with traditional leaders to encourage them to think of safe childbirth as a community responsibility. Another is training health workers to get them to recognize when it’s necessary to refer women to health facilities for treatment.
In one of the program communities, Alhaji Ayuba Barau, a traditional leader involved in the program, holds regular community dialogue meetings with the men in the community to encourage them to not only contribute money for pre-natal services, but to accompany the mother for antenatal classes offered at the nearest health facilities. Additionally, traditional leaders work with health facilities to ensure quality services are provided. The attitudes in this community are shifting and there has been a gradual increase in families seeking care from health facilities.
A theory of change is not static. The Nigeria program began implementation in early 2023 and this program is continually monitored. If the outcome of more births at health facilities is not realized, the program team will revisit its interventions to understand how to modify it to be on track to see the overall impact.
Drafting a theory of change can be a great exercise and a tool to help your club or district achieve success in your next Rotary project.
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 4 August 2023
Upcoming Meeting
Tuesday 25 July 2023 6 for 6.30pm Jacks on Unley
Pride of Workmanship Awards - Chris Davis
Tuesday 1 August 6 for 6.30 Castello’s Cucina
Walking Sticks - Paul Taylor
Greetings Team: Trevor McGuirk and David Middleton
Tuesday 8 August 6 for 6.30 Castello’s Cucina
Aus Harvest - TBA
Greetings Team: Trevor McGuirk and David Middleton
Apologies and Meeting Enquiries to: Secretary Greg McLeod on 0417 811 838 or email to secretary@unleyrotary.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
Early: David Middleton & Nathan White | Late: Vera Holt & Rhonda Hoare
Week 4: 22 July 2023
Early: Stephen Baker & Judi Corcoran | Late: Jason Booth & Vera-Ann Stacy
Week 5: 29 July 2023
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 one is Saturday 29 July 2023.
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 31 July 2023.
The Tale End.....
With Opera in mind, these jokes about culture and being cultured.
I hate it when people act all intellectual…
and talk about Mozart … when they probably haven’t even seen one of his paintings
What is the most influential culture in the world?
Agriculture.
Does this joke makes sense in other cultures
A woman went out and did not return home. On the next day she told her husband that she had slept at her friend's house. Not believing her, the husband called 10 of her best friends and none of them knew what he was talking about.
A man went out and did not return home. On the next day, he told his wife he had slept at his friend's house. Not believing him, the wife called 10 of his best friends. 8 of them confirmed that he had spent the night there and the other 2 said he was still there.
The most admirable quality of Greek and Roman culture:
their ability to give terms to scientific phenomenon centuries before they were discovered.
There are several distinct cultural differences between Australia and America. For example, Americans are really offended by people swearing...
Conversely, Australians are really offended by schools being shot up.
A five year old introduces his four year old brother to the culture of kindergarten.
"You know what?" says the five year old, "I think it's about time we start swearing like the kids do at kindy." The four year old nods his head in approval. The 5 year old continues, "When we go down stairs for breakfast I'm gonna say "shit", and you say "you bet your arse", okay?" The four year old agrees with enthusiasm.
Mom walks into the kitchen and asks the five year old what he wants for breakfast, "Shit Mom, I guess I'll have some Cornflakes". For his efforts he gets a smacked bottom and runs off to his room crying.
The mom looks at the four year old and asks with a stern voice, "And what do YOU want for breakfast, young man?" "I'm not sure," he says, "but you can bet your arse it won't be Cornflakes."
one is a born and bred Queenslander who has recently lobbed into Adelaide to be the Executive Director of Opera South Australia. His background for this position is somewhat odd, commensurate with the organisation itself, and the quirky combination is curiously fascinating.
of icy winds. Then, back to Hallet for coffee and cake , then Burra for a rest and then just out of Burra , to the Bon Accord Mine Museum. We saw one of 5 of the oldest quilts in Australia. Early 1920’s classic Fire engines and more. Back to the Burra Pub for another delicious dinner.
