Bob’s Blog
Hello Everyone
This Thursday we have a busy meeting with our Mad Hatters Dinner. Don’t forget to bring your groovy hat and money to support Australian Rotary Health’s research into mental health. We will also have a representative from Red Cross at the meeting to fill us in on their work. Peter Bull has also organised some fun ‘politically correct’ trivia for us.
Next year we will celebrate 60 years of Rotary in Narooma – not a bad effort for a small country town. We propose to hold a combined Changeover and 60th Birthday celebration on 11 August 2018. The Board is looking for members to help organise the celebrations, so if you would like to help out please let me know as soon as possible.
It was great to have Phil Armstrong with us last Thursday as District Governor Steve Hill’s representative. Phil has been a great friend of Narooma Rotary for many years and it is always a pleasure to have him visit. Laurelle has a full report of Phil’s visit elsewhere in the Beacon.
As we know, polio eradication has been a goal of Rotary for many, many years and although the task seems impossible at times we continue to make headway. The difficulty for us and other organisations at the moment is how do we eradicate the disease in counties such as Pakistan, where hostile militants often prevent health teams vaccinate children against the disease. There is a great story in this week’s edition of Rotary Voices; click here to read it.
Don’t forget the Early Falcons car rally this Sunday, the Narooma Motors event on 21 October and the Markets on 22 October, they are all great opportunities to raise funds to support local charities.
Have a great week.
Cheers Bob
The Week that Was
It was wonderful to have PDG Phil Armstrong as our guest last week representing DG Steve Hill. Phil said as this is Steve’s second year as DG, PDGs and AGs are trying to ease the pressure on him wherever possible. Steve still intends to visit us and Phil suggested we invite him to the Renewable Energy Expo, the Busking Festival or the Duck Race, all ‘unique Narooma events’ that are ‘community builders’. He praised Narooma Rotary; ‘it’s a very active Club that supports its community very well’ and really does ‘make a difference’.
Phil said Polio Eradication was Rotary International’s continuing first priority and also the District’s. ‘We’re so close with only nine cases so far this year, compared with over 350,000 new cases each year when Rotary first started the project,’ he said.
Phil also outlined DG Steve’s goals for the Rotary Foundation this year:
- Increase club contributions by 10%
- Increase individual contributions by 10%
- Each Club to honour a non-Rotarian in the community with at least one publicly presented Paul Harris Fellow.
- Host and promote a community event to support World Polio Day 23 October.
Phil also noted that Peace and Conflict Resolution is one of the Rotary Foundation’s six areas of focus. RI President Ian Risley (an Australian) and his wife Juliet have set up an endowment fund for future peace in the world; Phil is asking each Club to contribute $500.
During the Board’s earlier discussions with Phil:
- John Doyle outlined the work he and Frank are doing to try to establish a national database that lists where Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) are located. He asked Phil if it was something Rotary could take up nationally. Phil liked the idea and said he would take it further, hopefully to the get-together of DGs from across Australia.
- On district amalgamations; Phil said ‘it’s about numbers rather than geography’ and designed to reduce overheads.
- He also spoke about retaining members and attracting new ones.
Phil presented President Bob with two eucalypts on behalf of DG Steve, a token of RI President Ian Risley’s environmental goal to have every Rotarian plant a tree this year in their community. Phil did not leave empty handed; he won some eggs plus some limes on the chocolate wheel.
In view of Phil’s presentation, it was therefore very appropriate that John Rungen’s international toast was to the Rotary Foundation.
Cheque Presentation for Rang’i
President Bob presented Michael O’Connor with a cheque for $6,000 for the Friends of Rang’i; Rang’i is a small Kenyan village. This was part of the funds he raised associated with his feat walking the Bibbulmun Track in Western Australia. Bob said his ‘mind boggles’ at Michael’s drive, dedication and commitment to undertake this project which also raised $6,000 for polio eradication.
In thanking Bob, Michael acknowledged the wonderful support Bob Antill and Charmaine in particular gave him, and how amazed he was that a walk around the markets could raise up to $600-$700. ‘Hopefully this money will enable Rang’i to start a library,’ he said.
RYLA
Applications for the 2018 Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) are now open. RYLA is a six day residential program to enhance the personal development and leadership potential of young people 18–25 years. Our Youth Director Lynda Ord asks everyone to please keep a lookout for potential candidates and to let her know if you think of someone.
RYLA is 13-19 January at the Greenhills Centre, ACT. There is an early bird discount if we register someone by 31 October. Deadline is 30 November. Our last successful applicant Jacob Read (2016) described the experience as ‘life-changing’. He was a trainee with Eurobodalla Shire Council and was given paid leave to attend. Lynda said it is often difficult to find someone for RYLA because many who have just finished Year 12 have work commitments before going on to tertiary studies, while those permanently employed may find it difficult to get leave.
Our food van is being overhauled
John Doyle reported the food van has had some major work done to make it roadworthy. Tyres, springs and suspension fittings were replaced, brakes completely overhauled and wheel bearings replaced. The draw bar and fittings were shot blasted and repainted. The next work will be to the van’s electrical circuit and water system, work that will probably happen at Moruya.
Cheers Laurelle
Some Random thoughts for lexophiles, courtesy Peter Bull
To write with a broken pencil is pointless.
When fish are in schools, they sometimes take debate.
A thief who stole a calendar got twelve months.
A boiled egg is hard to beat.
When you’ve seen one shopping centre you’ve seen a mall.
Police were summoned to a daycare centre where a three-year-old was resisting a rest.
A bicycle can’t stand alone; it’s just two tired.
