Bulletin of the Rotary Club of Ocean Grove Inc.
www.rotaryoceangrove.blogspot.com
Volume 25 No 39
Notice for the meeting at the Ocean Grove Hotel, Tuesday 24th April, 6.00 for 6.30
Speaker Paul Featherby Subject Walking the Kokoda Trail
Chairman Margaret Campbell
Assistant Cashier & Thanker Bob Smith Greeter & Assistant Sergeant Tony Haines
Birthdays & Anniversaries 25th Anne Tyrrell 30th Richard & Heather Grimmett
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Notice for the informal meeting of as many of our members and their families as can attend the dawn service at the Ocean Grove Cenotaph, 6.15 AM, Wednesday, 25th April.
JohnCalnin has his regular team of chefs and barbeque boys all organized, but we need to give him and his team our moral support and the RSL people the tangible support they deserve. Let’s turn up in force!
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Notice for the meeting at the Ocean Grove Hotel, Tuesday 1st May, 6.00 for 6.30.
Speaker Christine Waite Subject VicRoads on the Barwon Heads bridge & other issues.
Chairman David Cooke.
Assistant Cashier & Thanker Suzy Mann Greeter & Assistant Sergeant Anne Brown
Birthdays & Anniversaries 3rd Charles Dawborn, Trevor & Moyra McArdle. 5th John Webb
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More about RI finances – [in US$] From the 2005-06 Annual Report.
Of your annual sub. of $175AUD, about $150 goes on compulsory commitments, including your subscription to ‘Rotary Down Under’, District levies and the RI annual membership dues.
The annul report lists the following RI per capita dues in US$, totaling US$43 per member, world-wide.
District Governors $6.46. Information Services $5.46. Directors, Officers and Committees $4.74.
International offices $4.64. Communications and Public Relations $3.98. Financial Services $3.82.
Membership Services $3.36. World Headquarters Administration $3.11. International Assembly $2.91.
Programmes and Meetings $2.61. Allother costs-net $1.91.
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We Australians are loath to part with our organs
The following is a shameful statistic. Our ‘Head-of-project’, Peter Hawthorne, has provided me with some extracts from a 49-page report. e.g.
• In 1989, there were 231 organ donors Australia- wide. [NSW max. with 86, Tasmania 2].
• In 2006, the total was 202. NSW, still the best, with 50, NT took the wooden spoon, with 2.
• In the nine years from 1975 to 1984, Aussie male donors beat the women 132 to 74.
• In the next nine years, 105 to 74.
By registering to become an organ donor, you could be making the greatest gift one human being can give another – the gift of life. There are almost 2000 people in Australia on organ transplant waiting lists at any given time. Some of them will die waiting. The Australian Organ Donor Register is Australia’s only national organ and tissue register, and serves as a lifeline to the people on those waiting lists Registering is the first crucial step.
Another distorted nursery rhyme My proof reader wants you to know that she disapproves of them all!
Mary had a little lamb
Her father shot it dead.
Now it goes to school with her,
Between two hunks of bread. Fair dinkum
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Solar ovens offer a breath of fresh air
Half of the world uses wood, coal, or other solid fuels for cooking – a situation that contributes to increased greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation, as well as severe respiratory problems caused by continued exposure to the smoke.
Rotary’s efforts to bring solar ovens to countries throughout the developing world are addressing these environmental and health issues and improving the quality of life for women who had been spending several hours each day gathering firewood.
Two enthusiastic proponents of solar ovens are Wilfred Pimentel of the Rotary club of Fresno, California, and his wife, Marie [an honorary member of the club] who have facilitated solar cooker projects through Rotary Foundation Matching Grants on behalf of District 5230. Their efforts are helping communities throughout Africa and in Turkey enjoy the benefits of solar cooking.
“Solar ovens do many things besides providing food and pasteurized water”, says Marie Pimentel. “They improve the self-image of the women we work with because they learn how to provide for their families.”
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Wicked wisdom
Longevity Uncommon extension of the fear of death
Luck Something we must believe in. For how else can we explain the success of those we don’t like
Man The only animal that blushes – or needs to.
Manager A person who looks after the visitors so everyone else can get some work done.
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Bits ‘n Pieces
• Wal Kelly has once again been the prime mover in the provision of a defibrillator, this time to the Ocean Grove Surfside Centre. Another will be presented to the Football/ Netball/ Cricket Club on next Thursday at 7.00PM . Please attend to represent our club.
• There will be a CPR refresher course at Bellarine Memories on Wed. 16th May, commencing 7.30PM. Register with Wal.
• Geoff Chandler won the footy tipping contest this week with 6/8. Alison George remains champ. 7/8.
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Water water everywhere, but bugger-all to drink
Guest speaker Alan McKenzie had a great fund of facts and figures on our water problems, and he appeared to have an excellent grasp of the solutions. Regrettably, he appears to be a lonely voice.
Contemplate a few brief, but disturbing facts;
• 94% of available water flows into the sea.
• Our Barwon Water region dam capacity is 99,000 megalitres. Our annual usage is 40,000.
• Our Corangamite region major lakes of Colac, Murdeduke and Modewarre have a combined capacity of 116,000 megalitres. We don’t bother trying to conserve that lot, and they are progressively polluted.
• Wurdeeboluc Reservoir is so badly diseased that it is virtually unusable, but we drink it!
• We should be tackling the need to trap water in times of flood, and reduce the enormous salt problem, but we don’t. There is a lot of buck-passing in the water conservation industry!!
