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Volume 25 No 40
Notice for the meeting at the Ocean Grove Hotel, Tuesday 1st May, 6.00 for 6.30.
Speaker Duncan Elliott from Vicroads Subject The Barwon Heads bridge & other issues.
Chairman David Cooke.
Assistant Cashier & Thanker Suzy Mann Greeter & Assistant Sergeant Bill Steains
Birthdays & Anniversaries 3rd Charles Dawborn, Trevor & Moyra McArdle. 5th John Webb
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Notice for the meeting at the Ocean Grove Hotel, Tuesday 8th May, 6.00 for 6.30.
Chairman Tony Haines
Programme A Speakers Our three sponsored students who attended the Rypen weekend at Millicent S.A.
Programme B Speaker Trevor McArdle Subject Membership
Assistant Cashier & Thanker James Turnbull Greeter & Assistant Sergeant David Tyrrell
Birthdays & Anniversaries 9th Lauree Fleay. 10th Rod & Carole Birrell. 11th Ann Magee.
12th Geoff & Jan Brentnell. 13th Jan Fox.
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It’s important to get our priorities right
The Victorian [and, I suspect, the Australian] media, has been greatly concerned, for at least the week after the earth-shattering event I am about to unfold, with two naughty footballers from separate professional teams located in or near Perth.
During the gargantuan struggle between their two teams, one protagonist uttered loud observations about the morals of an un-named woman. The other idiot, [and I use that term deliberately] took that reference to mean his daughter, the image of whom was tattooed on his left shoulder, and promptly proceeded to bash the utterer unmercifully, [mainly while he was lying on his back].
The basher was offered 5 weeks suspension and was flown the breadth of the country to appear before a tribunal. The abuser was threatened with a similar penalty for his reflections on the opposite sex. Well, they both got off scot-free, the basher because of mistaken identity [of the abused woman], and the abuser, also because of mistaken identity, [of the same abused woman]. The tribunal didn’t seem to mind that it was clearly thuggery on the one hand and a public denigration of women on the other.
During the same week as the media obsession with that FFF [Foolish Footy Fracas] an Ocean Grove amateur footballer was convicted in court, [which will remain on his record for life], and fined $1000 for verbal abuse through a bus window, of a passing pedestrian. One doesn’t have to be half-witted to follow AFL football, but it sure helps! AFL followers should read page 5 of last Sunday’s Age.
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RI Board and Rotary Foundation Trustee Decisions You can view the minutes at www.rotary.org.
At its November meeting, the RI Board reviewed proposed legislation to the 2007 Council on Legislation, clarified criteria for Rotarian Action Groups, and recommended that clubs establish a new club-level trainer position and implement a comprehensive training plan. In other action, the Board examined existing and proposed relationships with other organizations and agreed to pursue a co-operative relationship with the World Food Programme.
At their October meeting, the Foundation Trustees adopted steps to achieve the Future Vision Committee’s top priority of simplifying programmes and operations. The Trustees also set the length of planning and direct service missions under the Volunteer Service Grants programme at min.5 days and max .60.
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Distorted nursery rhyme no. 3
Jack and Jill went up the hill {
To have a little fun. { My proof reader has threatened to resign over that one.
Stupid Jill forgot the pill {
And now they have a son. [
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Laos joins Rotary world
The Lao People’s Democratic Republic, also known as Laos, has become the newest Rotary country with the establishment of a club in Vientiane, the administrative capital.
Chartered last 18th October with 35 members, that club has become part of RI District 3360. The Rotary club of Chiangmai Thin-Thai-Ngam, Thailand, sponsored the charter of the new club.
Laos is a landlocked country of 6.4 million people, bordered by Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Myammar, and China.
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The District Assembly
All of the e-mailees got Richard’s time table for the conference at Stawell, and the ‘hard-copyers’ will get it with this bulletin. The date is Sunday 20th May.
President-elect Alison has a prior engagement which we were warned about at least a year ago, but incoming office-bearers for 2007/08 as designated in the programme are urged to show support for Alison’s year by registering. A bus is available.
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A Bastard of a Place
That’s the title of a recent book about The Kokoda Track, written by a former soldier who was there in 1942. Our guest speaker, Paul Featherby, walked the 96.4 kms of the track last year, and his audio-visual accompanied talk was a great insight into a very significant feature of our history, more so because it was presented to us on the eve of Anzac Day.
The 39th militia battalion of about 500 men held back the jungle-warfare-trained seasoned Japanese force of more than 5000 for 13 precious days in August 1942. Generals Blamey and MacArthur denigrated these poorly equipped but incredibly brave Australian soldiers, pitted, in their ridiculous khaki uniforms, against a far superior and highly trained force in jungle green camouflage. A combination of their extraordinary bravery, and the success of the battle of the Coral Sea, almost certainly saved Australia from invasion.
Clearly, Paul was conscious of the history of the track and its immense physical barriers when he undertook this great adventure, and he told his story with simple sincerity and recollection of detail. We are grateful for
an excellent addition to our growing list of superb programmes. Well done,Paul! I don’t want to go there.
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This day tonight
• We had some interesting visitors tonight, including John and Eric, two American researchers who have been checking out Billie Steains pet mosquitoes.
• Suzy and Ben are ‘expecting’ in November. Watch that space!
• Alan Ollis likes being our Assistant District Governor so much, he is gunna do it again next year.
• Vic Harnath has agreed to head our bowel scan project.
• The Barwon Heads community gardens project looks like being a ‘goer’, [unlike the ‘wooden-headed’ municipal reaction to Geoff Chandler’s ideas for Ocean Grove], and we are going to be part of it.
• Tony Haines reports 10 students prepared to have a crack at the Junior Community Awards.
• Wal Kelly wants us to freshen up at the CPR course.
• Lauree Fleay is last week’s footy tipping champ. [6/8]. My proof reader managed 2.
