Saturday, December 3

Vol: 35 No: 22

November Theme: Rotary Foundation Month


Lookout Reserve Maintenance Roster: 20/11/2016 – 3/12/2016 – Adrian Schmidt,
4/12/2016 – 17/12/2016 – Hans Franken

Report of Meeting: 29/11/2016

- Board Meeting notes: -  *** there will be no Rotary meetings on 20/12 and 27/12 – Christmas break! *** Members please alert your partners!
- Annual raffle ticket selling for the Ballarat South Car raffle is planned for 10/1/2017, followed by a meal at the Kings.
- A picnic in the Ocean Grove Park with the Surfside Probus Club being planned for 17th January 2017 has been cancelled.
- There will be a partners outing to the old Fyansford Paper Mill on 15/12/16. See recent Email for details. Leone Clay is the organiser.

Guests: RDA representative, Robert Hutt and SDA representatives, Ann & Grant
Ann & Grant SDA
Lawrence.
Guest Speaker, Peter Duras and supporters Geoff & Ann Hillis. Partner, Trish Emselle.
The guests from RDA & SDA were presented with cheques for $3,000 each. These funds were part of the proceeds from the Art Show.
International: There will be a Robbie Burns Supper on 24/1/17. The cost will be $35.00
Community: Items for a DIK Collection should be
Robert Hutt RDA
delivered to John Wynn late on Monday for delivery on Tuesday.
Foundation: Centurian donation boxes are available from Gerry Spencer.
Fundraising: The will be another Sausage Sizzle at Bunnings in Leopold on 20/12/17. Volunteer times will be confirmed.
Market: Roster has been circulated. Please note your time for duty.
Health: Martin Geerings is home from a short spell in Hospital and is resting quietly.
Youth: Tiffany is moving to her next family. Members are asked to consider including Tiffany in outings or entertainment during the school holidays. See Ann Hodgkinson if you can help.
Social: - The seniors Christmas Party will be held on 6th December. Invitations have been sent to 143 people. Eighty-three have accepted so far.
The required number of volunteers is available.
- The Club Christmas Dinner will be held on 13/12/2016. A 50's/60's theme is proposed. Appropriate gear and memories of the time are required. This promises to be a fun event.

Guest Speaker: Peter Duras.                          
Peter Duras
Peter was a Sport Physiotherapist who tended two football teams as well as his extensive involvement with the Olympic and Commonwealth Games movements. His duties have involved far ranging travel and associated activity. He is also an avid collector of Olympic Memorabilia.
It is sixty years to the day (27/11/1956) since the Melbourne Olympics were held. Peter listed many of the famous stars that competed on that day. A journey through the History of the Olympic concept was outlined.
776BC heralded 1200 years of unbroken conduct of the Ancient Games. These were held four yearly and were seen as a religious festival. War stopped during the event. They were very competitive and great fame for the winning athletes and for their cities was the prize (apart from a simple Olive leaf wreath). One event only was held initially with more being added in following years. Speed and strength was the main focus with running, long jump, boxing, pankration, wrestling, and chariot racing being the areas of competition. The athletes were all male and they competed in the nude. No women were allowed in the audience, if they were present death was the penalty. There were games for women known as Herion Games.
The games were abandoned in AD393 because they were seen as a pagan ceremony and subsequently Olympia decayed. In 1776 the concept of the games held in peace and friendship was rediscovered at Olympia. Through the work and promotion of William Penny Brooks and support of Baron Pierre de Coubertin the Modern Olympic commenced at Athens in 1896. Australia was represented by Edwin Flack and is one of only three countries which have competed in every modern Olympic games, the others being Britain and Greece.
The games of 1900 and 1904 held in Paris and St Louis were a 'farce' as events could continue for extended periods of time. Rational organization was implemented and apart from the Cultural Gold Medals, which were awarded between 1912 and 1948, the format has continued to the present day. The games of 1938 were to be a propaganda event by Germany until Jesse Owens proved Hitler's concept of a supreme Aryan race was in doubt. The games were abandoned during WW2. In subsequent years many athletes competed and won medals with severe disability, perhaps the birth of the Paralympic games.
Peter obviously has great knowledge and fondness for his subject and perhaps he instilled a little of that into his audience.

Thank you, AG