Theme: Literacy Month.
Lookout
Reserve Maintenance Roster:
25/3/2018 - 7/4/2018 Dick
Clay.
Report
of Meeting: 27/3/2018.
Guests: Gary Newton and
Dallas Dalton – Guest Speakers, Pippa Paton and Ross Cutler.
President:
- Some investigation will be
done to follow up the provision of pets for disabled persons and how the club
may be involved.
Fundraising:
- ‘Ride the Bellarine’ is on Sunday, April 15th.
See John Paton if able to volunteer as more needed as the route has changed due
to road works.
Raffle tickets for the donated
BBQ issued to members must be returned next Tuesday.
Market: Many hands on
deck will be needed for the Market on Easter Monday 2/3/2018. The roster has
been finalized.
Foundation:
The
Centurian program will be finalized soon. See Rod Greer or Vic if you wish to
donate $100 to this very worthwhile annual giving appeal.
Social:
- 17/4/2018 – Drive in Movie.
There will be 4 movies of varying lengths shown at Bill Steains. Food will be
supplied. BYO drinks
- 17/5/2018 - Car Rally.
Youth:
The
RYLA program will be held this year.
- The Graham Bath Community
Development Award program is well underway for this year The Primary Schools
have been contacted and visited. There are 61 students interested.
Vocational: There have been several
letters of thanks from recipients of the awards presented last week.
Footy
Tipping: Rod Greer was the winner this week.
Guest
Speakers: Dallas Dalton and Gary Newton.
 |
| Gary Newton & Dalice Dalton |
He travelled with a group and
worked in India with Rotary administering polio vaccine to young children. It
was in ‘Visag’ working with sufferers of polio the he developed the dream of
building a rehabilitation centre for them. The lack of facilities for those
with severe disabilities was very confronting for all the members of the group.
Gary briefly outlined the
effects of polio on the community before knowledge was obtained in the early
days of the disease. Homes, churches, schools, families and individuals were
ostracized and quarantined and animals were destroyed as they were thought to
be the source/carriers of the disease. Today there is great knowledge about the
disease in all its aspects and the vital resources available to achieve the
most independent, useful life possible.
Today the disease is almost
forgotten but for those who are affected form the largest single disability
group in Australia. It is rare these days for new cases to be diagnosed thanks
to Rotary, WHO and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Dallas contracted polio when
she was 3 years old. Her area of quarantine was Indented Heads. She travelled
to India with Gary where she participated in several activities in Delhi and
other areas. Dallas spoke of her experiences with feeling and was amazed that
despite the filth, poverty and suffering the people appeared cheerful and
happy. She was involved in administering polio vaccine drops from a roadside
booth on Polio Awareness Day. It was the aim of the organization to administer
173 million doses at that time.
Dallas stressed the importance
of vaccination as it has allowed millions of people to walk and live a useful
normal life. Through the deep involvement of Rotary and other organizations the
disease has almost been eradicated with only 8 cases reported in 2017. (In
Pakistan.)
Both speakers expressed the
hope that Rotary will assist with the development of rehabilitation centres in
Australia.
A REMINDER THAT APOLOGIES ARE NECESSARY! IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO
ATTEND A MEETING. THOSE WHO DO NOT CONFORM WILL BE SENT A BILL, AS THE CLUB HAS
TO PAY IF NO APOLOGY IS REGISTERED.
Thank
you: A George.
