Bulletin of the Rotary Club of Ocean Grove Inc.
Joint winner of the Lange trophy for best membership growth.
Sole solver of the mystery of the white glove.
www.rotaryoceangrove.blogspot.com
Vol. 26 No. 43
May 27th, 2008
Notice for the meeting at the Ocean Grove Hotel, Tuesday 3rd June, 6.00 for 6.30
Subject A Club Assembly Chairman President Alison
Assistant Cashier Noel Emselle Greeter & Assistant Sergeant Rod Bush
Birthdays & Anniversaries Absolutely none
Notable World Events in the week ahead, [that was]
A number of significant events occurred during this week, [over many years past], but I am committed to just one, and that has to be the collision involving the HMAS Melbourne.
Most of the 272 men on board the USS Frank E Evans were asleep at 3.15 a.m. on June 3 1969. A short time before, the Australian aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne signaled the smaller American destroyer to take up position behind the carrier. Despite having well-rehearsed procedures for such a manoeuvre, The Frank E Evans moved across the path of the carrier. It was later found that an inexperienced officer had been left in charge.
Unable to avoid the collision, the Melbourne ploughed into the smaller vessel, slicing it in half. The front section sank in less than nine minutes, 73 of the 111 men dying. Only one man drowned in the stern section, which was secured to the carrier by cables.
A court-martial and the enquiry that followed found Captain Stevenson of the Melbourne not at fault and a series of commendations were given to the crew. Yet the U.S. government promoted the belief that it was an Australian-caused accident, to avoid political fallout.
************************************
Notice for the meeting at the Ocean Grove Hotel,, Tuesday 10th June, 6.00 for 6.30
Subject ‘My life’,[condensed to 5 minutes] You get gonged out if you go over time!
Speakers Heather Wallace, Bruce Gilbert, Marion Walton, Vic Harnath and Bill Walton.
Chairman Trevor McArdle
Assistant Cashier Ken Fleay Greeter & Assistant Sergeant Wal Kelly
Birthdays
11th Wilma Andrews 14th Marion Walton 16th Geoff Ford, Jan Brentnall
Notable World Events in the week ahead, [that was]
On 10th June 1940, Italy declared war on France and Great Britain, joining Germany. Italy proved to be a bit of a ‘damp squid’ when it came to warfare.
On 11th June 1509, King Henry VIII married Catherine of Aragon, the first of six wives.
On 12th June 1942, Anne Frank received a diary for her thirteenth birthday.
On 13th June 1981, Queen Elizabeth 11 was riding at the Trooping the Colour ceremony in London when a teenager fired six blank shots at her. She steadied her horse and carried on! That’s our Liz!
On 14th June 1789, the 19 survivors of the mutiny on the Bounty reached Timor after 6400 kms in an open boat.
On 15th June 1215, King John signed and sealed the Magna Carta.
On 16th June 1960, Alfred Hitchcock’s terrifying film Psycho opened in New York.
Here endeth 7 pieces of completely useless but otherwise fascinating information.
**********************
A few Rotary facts
At the last count, there were 32,841 Rotary clubs in the world. After 50 years, there were 8400. After three years, there were only 2 – Chicago and San Francisco. The current rate of increase is huge, but over the 103 years of Rotary’s existence, there has been an average of 319 new Rotary clubs established every year!
The first Rotary club meeting was in Chicago on 23rd February 1905.
The first Rotary club chartered outside USA was in Winnipeg, Canada, 1910.
The first outside North America was Dublin, Ireland 1911.
The first Rotary club in a non-English speaking country was in Havana, Cuba, 1916.
The first in Asia was in Manila, Philippines, 1919..
South Africa, [Johannesburg] and Australia, [Melbourne] both commenced in 1921.
The first RI motto was approved at the second Rotary Convention, held in Portland, Oregon in August 1911, - “He profits Most Who Serves Best.”
**********************
Few things are more satisfying than seeing your children have teenagers of their own. Geoff Chandler.
Rotary World
The mission of Rotary International, a worldwide association of Rotary clubs, is to provide service to others, to promote high ethical standards, and to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through its fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.
*********************
This Day Tonight
We have been presented with a very nice certificate of appreciation from the Queenscliff Seafood Feast. I will try to get you a copy, but just in case I can’t, we helped raise $85,000 for the Good Friday Appeal.
We have purchased our 3rd Shelterbox for $1,200. RC’s in Oz have supplied over 800 in just 8 months!
Alex Magee enthusiastically announced the arrival, tonight, of his grand-daughter, Giselle.
Those of you who are committee chairmen are required to get your written annual report to secretary Rodney Greer, within two weeks.
Marion Walton reported on a successful WB at the Surfside Primary School last Monday.
Hans Franken told us that there are two rooms at our chosen motel still available for the 2009 District Conference at Ballarat.
*********************
In the whole of Aus.,there are only three Rotary districts with a ‘Preserve Planet Earth’ committee.
Your bulletin editor found that the most surprising of many facts presented in power-point style by guest speaker Suzanne Bosorth-Baines tonight. Our history only dates back 238 years of white settlement, and our predecessors had no written means of preserving history, but for us to be so neglectful of our heritage is a reason for us to hang our collective heads in shame.
Suzanne has been a member of the RC of Highton-Kardinia for 11 years and is currently vice-president, but her membership of the D9780 ‘Preserve Planet Earth’ committee was her reason for being with us tonight.
She spoke of Cultural History, restoration of significant man-made features in our communities, the environment and the urgent need for the preservation and storage of archival material were just some of the subjects she touched on. Jan and I were recently in Shanghai, a city of 13 million, One of the most prominent and easily recognizable features of that huge city is the excellently preserved 1920’s riverside boulevard known as the ‘Bund’. It was a Sunday afternoon, but there were thousands of locals and tourists enjoying a touch of history. What are we doing about ours?
Thank you Suzanne for an excellent address. Our Margaret Campbell is set to join your committee.
