April Theme: Magazine Month
Lookout Reserve Maintenance Roster: 23/4/2017 – 20/5/2017 Gill Morgan,
21/5/2017 – 17/6/2017 Martin Geerings, 18/6/2017 – 15/7/2017 Peter Hawthorne.
Report of Meeting: 18/4/2017
Visitors: Meridith O'Neill, (prospective member.) Tony Wheal - Guest Speaker.
Kianne Mitchell-Falce and Celeste, her mother.
President:
******There will be no meeting on ANZAC Day. ******
- The next Bunnings' BBQ will be on Sunday 21st May.
- There will be a combined Board Meeting on May 2nd for outgoing and incoming directors at the Greers.
- There will be a Disaster Aide Conference on 5 – 7 May. See Judy or Fred if interested.
Treasurer: There will be a District Assembly in Ararat on 7/5/2017. See the district homepage or contact Pearl.
May is BowelScan Month
The District Governors partners project has raised $21,498 that will be used to fund 8 full scholarships in nursing in our district.
Community: - Three more volunteers are needed to help with the Community Breakfast after the Dawn Service on Anzac Day. See Hans Franken if able to help. Cooks and helpers are needed at 5.15am and front of house should appear at 6.45am.
- Noel reported - A survey of litter on the beach will be undertaken as part of the recognition of Earth Day on 22/4/2017 between 10am – 12noon. Meeting place is the main beach near the dressing shed. The Club will provide a BBQ in the Rotunda at the beach. Helpers would be very welcome. Please see previous communications from Secretary Fred.
Foundation: The gold coin ($2.00 per week) collection boxes are still available. The boxes will be collected in early May.
International:
The Shelter Box contents were displayed at the Market on Easter Monday. Donations received were $332.00.
Market: The market was busy and well attended. Thirteen stall holders who had paid for their sites did not materialize which was disappointing.
The gold coin donation (Rotary Foundation) was $831.00.
Raffle: $130.00, BBQ $720.00, Site fees $935.00. Corn Toss $70.00 and the BBQ raffle $1000.00 (this is the combined takings from the market at Drysdale.)
Many thanks were extended to Graeme and Sandy Chamberlain especially, for their work in organizing the market for the last two years. Graeme (Coogs) thanked all those members who helped and mentioned especially the help and support he has had from Sandy.
Please return BBQ raffle stubs to Adrian or John Paton.
Health: - Gerry Spencer at The McKellar Center went for a visit at Easter to Torquay. His progress is slow and he is back in The McKellar Centre again for further treatment.
Youth: One student Kianne Mitchell-Falce attended the RYPEN camp. Kianne briefly spoke about the camp and expressed her thanks for Rotary support. She is a student at St. Ignatius College in Geelong. She enjoyed the camp with its many activities and experiences. Kianne was particularly pleased with the information so readily available and given to the participants. Communication post camp has been excellent.
DIK: There will be a collection in early May from the school and linen from Eng Ho's laundry. See John Wynn if you have anything to add.
Footy Tipping: It's on again. Please pay Alex as soon as you can. The leader is Geoff Ford at present.
Guest Speaker: Tony Wheal, "Anzac Remembrance."
Tony is currently the treasurer at the local RSL. He served in the Vietnam War as a helicopter pilot in no. 9 Squadron, from 30/4/1969 – 1/5/1970. His aircraft was a Huey, able to 'fly fore-ever and seemingly bullet proof.' The area of operations was from Vung Tau to Nui Dat. His unit was highly organized with intensive firepower and cargo aircraft that had to be carefully loaded and managed so they could fly provided support. These forces supported the foot patrol unit soldiers who generally operated in isolation but were in contact with the helicopters for extraction should this be necessary. Extractions were very dangerous and if the helicopters were not able to land in a strategic place ropes and a winch was used. An extraction needed 5 personnel.
Part of his area of operation included Psychological War Operation/Information Speaker Missions. This caused great discomfort to the aircrews because of the noise. Sniffer Missions designed to pick up the smell of humans (monkeys too) were used to detect the enemy. When their location was found the Gun Ships operated.
Medical evacuations generally saved lives but were not used at all times. Teams from the US Army were used during the day with Australian services used at night.
The US Army used Agent Orange over vast areas of Vietnam. Australian forces were operating in some of these areas of deforestation. Studies into the health of Vietnam veterans has been very slow but they have demonstrated effects on soldiers including Motor Neurone disease, many forms of skin diseases, multiple sclerosis and cancers. The effects on children conceived after of return of soldiers has not been well followed up and requires further study.
This talk certainly provided much food for thought and reflected the futility of the desire for power by some that has not really changed throughout the ages.
Something brighter and better about humankind, from John Calnin
Bree Fanghauser who has been the receptionist at the Ocean Grove Neighbourhood centre recently applied for a job in America at a Summer Camp. She submitted her resume and completed an interview on line. In her resume she had a photo of her receiving the Rotary "Pride of Workmanship Award". The person deciding on the applicants saw this and as she was a Rotarian herself and President of her club appointed Bree with the comment that anyone who received this award must be very public oriented and extremely suitable for the position.
Bree leaves for the US in May to commence her new career.
"This makes me proud to be a Rotarian." - John Calnin, President Elect
Thank you,
AG.
