Ange’s Chat
This Thursday is our film night at the Kinema for World Polio Day with the Narooma premiere of Ride Like a Girl. I hope to see you there, maybe even dressed up for the races.
Last Thursday we were delighted to have John James as our guest speaker to talk on the current scientific consensus about climate change. John has been studying the statistics for over 40 years and said there is irrefutable evidence we are heading for huge upheavals in the near future with the rate of CO2 levels in the atmosphere accelerating at an alarming rate and our ecosystem collapsing. He believes the South Coast is one of the few parts of Australia that can escape the worst predictions. His message was powerful but also positive. He believes community organisations must start now to prepare and seek solutions. See Bob’s report below.
Other things to mention:
Busking Festival: Our Board decided on 10 October to invite sponsors, service organisations and others to a community meeting on 14 November at the Golf Club to discuss how Narooma could continue to host the 2020 Busking Festival in the absence of so many of our key Rotary Busking organisers who will be away for next year’s event. That event is still planned.
Presidents meet: Last Monday I met with our ADG Alan Russell, Moruya President Marion and Batemans Bay President Pam to report on our respective Club activities. We also discussed the Rotary Christmas races on Sunday 22 December, the combined clubs’ get-together on Wednesday 26 February in Moruya to celebrate Rotary International’s birthday, and our annual Cinders Trivia Trophy with Moruya on Thursday 5 March which we will host.
Christmas Party: Chris is trying to organise a venue for our Christmas Party; the choice of venue depends on numbers. I realise it is early, but if you haven’t already done so, please let her know if you are attending and, if so, if you are bringing guests.
THIS WEEK
We host the Narooma premiere of the film Ride like a Girl at the Kinema this Thursday, World Polio Day, instead of meeting at the Golf Club.
It’s a wonderful film about Michelle Payne, the first woman jockey to win the Melbourne Cup, so come dressed for the races. We’ll have prizes for Fashions on the Field, judged by David and Rachel McInnes who will dress up in style. David and Rachel are also organising the raffle.
We join Rotary Clubs around the world on the 24th in holding events to focus on raising awareness and funds to help eliminate the paralyzing disease polio (see update on polio status later in Beacon).
Drinks and nibbles at 6.30. Ange will do a brief intro at 7 followed by the raffle draw, then the 10 minute YouTube clip about the history of Polio by Rotary International President Mark Maloney, and then the film.
The Week that Was
Our 12 Narooma Rotarians were joined last Thursday by a truckload of guests to listen to our guest speaker John James. We also welcomed Derek Anderson and his wife Fran from Moruya Rotary.
We were fortunate to have John as our guest speaker. He is a renowned architect with an interest in physiology and a passion for the environment. In introducing him, I briefly outlined his significant involvement in architecture, especially early Gothic architecture and the environment.
John spoke about the threats of Climate Change and his belief that we are now entering a critical time where the impacts of these changes may have a catastrophic impact on the world as we know it. He indicated that although governments supported the goals of the Paris Agreement, there seems to be little or no effort to actually put in place strategies to meet agreed targets. He also indicated that the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere continues to grow at alarming rates and that politicians cannot do what is required to bring these dangerous levels under control.
John felt that if the threat of Climate Change was to be addressed, it must occur locally with communities working together. In all a very sobering address. If you want to know more about John, check out his website by clicking here. Bob Aston
Renewable Energy Expo
Our Expo committee met last Thursday and it’s all systems go for our Expo on Saturday 2 November, 10am to 4pm in Narooma Sport & Leisure Centre. The Expo committee thanks everyone who put their names forward to help on the day.
The committee is delighted with the response from exhibitors. They include South Coast Green Energy, Micro Energy, Solahart Far South Coast, Shoalhaven Solar, Simmark, SHASA, 350.org, All Solar & Electrix, Heavenly Heat, Sunny Afternoons and Energy Options. Also on show will be e-bikes (Moruya Bikes), battery operated power tools, and some options for caravaners and campers. Narooma High’s Roborebels will also be showing their junior and senior robots.
We received good coverage of our Expo media release last week in both online and hard copies of Narooma News, Bay Post, Moruya Examiner and Independent, as well as the Beagle Weekly, with Town and Country Magazine presumably this week and a feature the following week.
Out and About
Bega’s Bad Taste Silent Auction success
Bega Rotarians last week enjoyed a fun night at their Annual Bega Rotary Silent Auction complete with a ‘Bad Taste’ dress code. They raised about $2,000 for the club. Participants were very generous with lots of goodies and great wines to be purchased, with plenty of gazumping. The ‘Bad Taste’ dress prompted much laughter, including the organiser Dorothea’s fantastic 1950s ‘home keeping outfit’ complete with hair rollers and apron.
Moruya’s Small Farms Field Days
Moruya is organising Small Farm Field Days at Moruya Showground on 20/21 March 2020. Their working party consists of Allan Veness, Peta Thompson, Pauline Gleeson, Phil Armstrong, Keith Armstrong and Col Jay. Moruya’s newsletter reports progress is good but much remains to be done, like find more exhibitors (they already have about 34), invite sponsors, and assign tasks to members. The site at the Showground is mapped out, paper work has been sent to potential exhibitors and some bookings have been confirmed. The Antique Tractor group will provide working entertainment.
Update on polio’s current status
When Rotary and its partners launched the Global Polio Eradication Initiative more than 30 years ago, polio paralyzed 1,000 children every day. Since then, thanks to this initiative, the number of cases has dropped by 99.9%, from 350,000 in 1988 in 125 countries to 33 cases of wild poliovirus in 2018 in just two countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
With polio nearly eradicated, Rotary and its partners are trying to sustain this progress and continue to reach every child with the polio vaccine. Without full funding and political commitment, this paralyzing disease could return to polio-free countries, putting children everywhere at risk.
Rotary has committed to raising US$50 million each year to support global polio eradication efforts. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged to match that with $2 for every $1 raised, for a total yearly contribution of $150 million.
NEXT WEEK
A quiet but busy dinner meeting to finalise arrangements for the Renewable Energy Expo just two days later. It will also be a chance to discuss the community meeting on 14 November about the 2020 Busking Festival.