Bulletin of the Rotary Club of Ocean Grove Inc.
www.rotaryoceangrove.blogspot.com
Volume 26 No 5
July 31, 2007
Notice for the meeting at the Ocean Grove Hotel, Tuesday 7th August, 6.00 for 6.30
Subject Stories from a Chinese University Speaker ‘Lily’ Vice Professor of accounting at the university
Chairman Richard Grimmett
Assistant Cashier & Thanker David Cornwell Greeter & Assistant Sergeant Phil Edwards
Birthday 8th Carole Birrell. [ also Ronald Biggs 1929, John Laws 1935 and Roger Federer 1981]
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Notice for the meeting at the Ocean Grove Hotel, Tuesday 14th August, 6.00 for 6.30
Subject Barwon Prison Education Speaker Wayne Chrimes
Chairman Hans Franken
Assistant Cashier & Thanker Ken Fleay Greeter & Assistant Sergeant John Dodgshun
Birthdays & Anniversaries
15th Hans Franken [also Napolion Bonaparte 1769, Samuel Coleridge Taylor 1875, & Princess Anne 1950]
17th Norm Elliott [also Sam Goldwyn 1882, Mae West 1893, and Jim Courier 1970]
18th Moyra McArdle, Geoff Chandler [also Max Factor 1904, Roman Polanski 1933 & Robert. Redford ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..1936]
Please note that B’s & A’s are recorded in the week following the advertised meeting. . ******************************
Around our club
• PresAl flew to Scotland last week via Singapore and Dubai for the annual conference of Soroptimists International. She is currently attending the conference at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre in Glasgow until Thursday of this week, then off to the Isle of Arran for two days.
• Bruce Gilbert was visited in the Geelong hospital last Friday by our social editor, having undergone open heart surgery. He was due to go home last Saturday, just 5 days after surgery, but there were a few complications with his asthmatic condition, and he came home today.
• There was a Community Service Committee working bee at the Stephanie Alexander gardens in the grounds of the Surfside Primary School last Saturday morning, attended by Colin Brown, John Calnin, John Dodgshun, Phil Edwards, Ken Fleay, Tony Haines, Vic Harnath and Bill Walton. Also in attendance were a traffic control officer, [we had to enter by a circuitous route] and a photographer, [there’s always a bludger at any working bee!]
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A man walks into a bar with a slab of asphalt under his arm and says, “A beer please, and one for the road.”
“Dear Mum & Dad,
Our scoutmaster told us to write to our parents in case you saw the flood on TV and are worried. We are OK. Only one of our tents and two sleeping bags got washed away. Luckily, none of us got drowned because we were all up on the mountain looking for Adam when it happened.
Oh yes, please call Adam’s mother and tell her he is OK. He can’t write because of the cast. I got to ride in one of the search and rescue jeeps. It was neat. We would never have found Adam in the dark if it hadn’t been for the lightning. More next letter, I have to go to the toilet. Love, YKW xx”
RotaryWorld
The mission of Rotary International is to support its member clubs in fulfilling the Object of Rotary by:
• Fostering unity among member clubs
• Strengthening and expanding Rotary around the world.
• Communicating worldwide the work of Rotary, and
• Providing a system of international administration.
And on club size distribution;
A RI survey indicates that 80% of clubs have 50 members or less; only 3% have more than 100.
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Those who get too big for their britches will be exposed in the end
There is magic on our Begola Wetlands
In the spring of 2006, our two resident black swans brought four little cygnets into the world- a world of rapidly receding water in our wetlands. Mum & Dad abandoned the babies to a tiny puddle after a month, but they didn’t survive. We think the four-legged foxes got them. Those parents came back after the first decent rains, and cried out for the brood, but eventually tried for a family again. Five little balls of fluff appeared in late autumn this year and thrived in a lake full of goodies, despite the extreme cold. After three months, they had been taught to fly by Dad, who started the lessons by repeatedly flapping his wings while all five teenagers together watched from the edge of the lake.
Dad would fly at very low level, the full 150 metres length of the lake, and then paddle back to do it all again.
This Monday morning, I watched from our balcony as all five launched themselves into flight, and accompanied by Dad, did two complete, majestic circuits of the lake before flying off to a new life. Dad landed once again to join his lady, just as she emerged from her reed island with six new babies in tow! Call it anthropomorphic if you wish, but Jan and I call it magic. The two generations, born within a span of four months, and only two days apart, were kept separated by their parents. No other adult swan has been permitted on the lake in eleven years. They both get very agro. with strangers.
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This day tonight
• Sarah Browne & Amy Egan were confident and personable speakers on ‘Youthfest’ tonight. I have been asked to do a press release so I will distribute that when it is completed..
• DG Ric urged us to become Centurians or sustaining members within the banner of the Rotary Foundation, [Every Rotarian every year], but he also presented us with a white glove, to be returned at the Swan Hill district conference, commencing 29/2/2008. The challenge, is to find a purpose!!
• David Tyrrell’s son Luke has been chosen to be one of only 40 student delegates to a week in Canberra this month. That’s 40 out of the whole of Australia.
• Tim Kemp reported on a possible joint international project with Southampton R.C. to finance a toilet block for a needy school of thousands in a third world country. Also, Monday 13th August is the next DIK pickup – ACU’s, books, household goods, but no clothes. We aren’t good at this. Only 17 Rotary households have responded so far, after several calls for support.
• Rod Greer reported that our Rotary district is currently experiencing an inbalance with exchange students, [more ‘in’ than ‘out’], and there are fewer taking up Rylah opportunities. McKillop Homes is seeking volunteer families for foster homes.
• Peter Hawthorne wants your blood and your organs. Read tonight’s hand-out “Sign on to save lives”. Don’t assume you are registered because you have a sticker on your driver’s licence. Check on 1800 777 203.
• Fred Andrews wants you to pay your o/s sub and Marg. Campbell wants your ideas for speakers.
