June Theme: Rotary Fellowship's Month
Lookout Reserve Maintenance Roster: 21/5/2017 – 17/6/2017 Martin Geerings, 18/6/2017 – 15/7/2017 Peter Hawthorne
Report of Meeting: 6/6/2017.
Visitors: Alan Keyse and Janet Alexander - Prospective Members. Zoe Taylor and Claire Bower from Bellarine Community Health.Martin McKay, Garry Higgins (Guest Speaker), Thea Butterfield and Bob Butterfield from Maryborough Rotary Club. Friend of Rotary – Trevor Brian.Tiffany Shah, our Exchange student will return to our club to complete her exchange. Her parents will be visiting her in July and it is hoped they will attend our meeting on 18th July.
President:
- RI Torquay is hosting an event with Cadell Evans on 12/7/2017 Cost is $100.00
- A move of the summer market to Ingermells Park is being considered.
- Rotary Leadership Institute Lectures are on again. Applications have been received from Marion Walton and Gill Morgan. There will be three sessions, August, October and February.
- RI Queenscliff are holding their Leggo bricks show on 10-11th June. Volunteers are needed. All volunteers must have a current Working with Children Certificate.
- The BBQ at the new Coles in Drysdale on 3rd June was a success.
- The changeover dinner for the DG will be held at Mt Gambier on 26th June.
- The changeover dinner for RI Grovedale will be on 21st June at Mercy Rice Village, Marshall.
- The Club change over dinner will be on 27th June at the Bowling Club. Please see the invitation sent by Sec. Fred and reply ASAP, as catering requirements are needed.
- An Appeal – Does anyone know the whereabouts of the stands upon which the small banners are displayed? The Collendina Hotel, David Tyrrell and Rod Birrell have been checked.
- The Board has approved and adopted the RC of OG Child Safe Standards document and Code of Conduct. These documents are available on the Club website.
- Following discussion and recommendation the Board has decided to raise Annual Dues to $210. The dues cover RI subs, District dues, Rotary Downunder subs, Social Club (Bowling Club), and Badges and Regalia.
- Membership fees for partners who are Rotary members will be $105.
- The Board moved to donate $500 to 'Operation Cleft Palate', which is an initiative of RI Box Hill.
- Mention was made of the tragic death of Mathew Bates, a well-known local young man.
Reports:
Secretary: Please hand in Committee reports to Fred ASAP as assembly of the Annual Report is underway.
Publicity: Please let Marg Campbell know if you have any suggestions for speakers at a meeting.
Gill Morgan reminded people to keep in touch in the year ahead with items of interest.
Fundraising: Volunteers are needed for the manning of the gates at the Geelong and District Finals matches. This is a good fundraiser for the Club. See Peter Cullen for more information.
Social: The Japan tour will be opened to other clubs from 1/6/17.
Footy Tipping - Please pay Alex as soon as you can. The winner this week was Coral's son. Alex is leading the competition at the halfway point.
Guest Speaker: Garry Higgins, RI Maryborough. "Say No To Violence"
The program was commenced three years ago in a very small way as the community and Rotarians had to be convinced that they had the skills that could be effective in assisting the victims of Family of Violence. The statistics showed that of 79 municipalities Maryborough had the worst figures. A plan was formed with a mission statement written in plain English so all members of the community could understand the aim. Members of community groups, e.g. police, schools, health services, churches, and volunteer organizations as well as the local council became involved. Awareness of the program was commenced through an extensive poster distribution exercise that showed that violence was not only physical it was often psychological causing great mental stress to all the family. Garry outlined some amazing statistics: it is the leading cause of death of women under 40 years, one in four women will experience violence at some stage in their lives and many children who are involved will commit crime and often leave home couch surfing or sleeping rough. The impact on the community was enormous so it was realized that the program must be driven from the community up and not by services down.
The reporting of incidences has risen but this is thought to be good as the victims are gaining confidence and feel safe to report. A legal service has been established and funded and for children literacy and school attendance has increased. Health care workers are also being trained to help.
There have been many challenges but persistence and advocacy has enabled the program to grow and succeed not only in the district but Australia wide. They have been invited to report to the Royal Commission. The Victorian Government has contributed 2.5 million dollars and most agencies are working together to achieve the ultimate aim of no deaths of women and no witnessing of violence by children. If this can be achieved then the program will have succeeded.
Gerry showed a very affecting video "The Elephant in the Room" with a list of all the names of women in Australia who have died as a result of family violence since September 11th 2001.
It is hoped that the saying "A woman, a dog, a walnut tree, the more you beat them the better they be" (Aesop 615 BC) can be totally eradicated and forgotten in the language very soon.
Thank you,
AG.
