Vol 28 NO. 48
1st June, 2011
Notice for the meeting at Club Grove, Tuesday 7th June, 6.00 for 6.30
Subject ‘Thoughts from the floor’. Chairman Margaret Campbell
Programme chairman Trevor McArdle has corrected me on my interpretation in last week’s bulletin of what he had in mind for our first winter meeting for 2011, and I think his e-mail to me last Sunday spells his ideas out so well, that I will use his exact words; “An opportunity for members to comment on the club’s activities over the past twelve months. Have we had a great year? Could we have done something differently? Is there something we should look at next year? Suggestions for improvement for incoming President Marg. and the new board. It is intended to be a positive approach to next year’s club direction and activity. What about the car raffle for instance now that Fordie and Wal are not doing it any more etc? Will we expand the market over winter? Will the art show be enough as our major fundraiser?”
Assistant Cashier & Thanker John Paton Greeter & Assistant Sergeant Bill Walton
Birthdays 11th June Wilma Andrews
Notice for the meeting at Club Grove, Tuesday 14th June, 6.00 for 6.30
Subject The prostate Enigma Speaker Mr Richard Grills [Geelong urologist & surgeon]
Chairman John Dodgshun Assistant Cashier & Thanker Colin Brown
Greeter & Assistant Sergeant Coral Barker Birthdays 14th Marion Walton 16th Geoff Ford, Jan Brentnall
We will be joined for this meeting by the members of RC Queensciffe. If you plan to bring guests, please register on our hotline by mid-day Monday. President Noel has advised that there are still members who do not attend and have not apologised. They will be expected to reimburse the club for the price of their meal. This is a long-standing requirement!
6th June marks the 67th anniversary of the allied landings on the beaches of Normandy
Millions of words have been written about that most momentous day in the history of the second world war, and I remain fascinated by the sheer size of the allied landings on five invasion beaches spread along more than twenty miles of the Normandy coast. Australian armed forces played little or no part in this huge effort as we were understandably experiencing our own problems with the Japanese. About 7000 ships of all shapes and sizes took part including over 700 warships. D Day stole the limelight from all other features of WW2 in June 1944, but the British and American troops fighting fierce battles in Italy, must have been a bit ‘put out’ at not being recognized as the liberators of the first European capital city to have been recaptured by the allies. Rome fell on 4th June, 1944, well before Paris. German field commanders bravely ignored Hitler’s instructions to raze both Rome and Paris to the ground, to the enormous future benefit of the civilized world.
Cocktail lounge, Norway: ‘Ladies are requested not to have children in the bar.’
Some notes from the history of Rotary
We all know that Paul Harris was the founder of Rotary, and the first Rotary club was Chicago. That was February 1905. But Paul was not the first President of Chicago Rotary. That honour went to Silvester Schiele, a co-founder of Rotary. In that year, Also in 1905, Albert Einstein expounded his ‘Theory of Relativity’.
The National Association of Rotary clubs was formed at the first Rotary convention in 1910, and Paul Harris was elected President for the next two years, thereby effectively becoming the first President of what was to become Rotary International.. One hundred years ago, Norwegian explorer Raold Amundsen discovered the South Pole and a few years later, a visiting Rotarian left behind a Rotary flag. Sixty years ago, the original Rotary Foundation goal of $2,000,000 was reached [on 9th May].
Doctor’s office, Rome: ‘Specialist in women and other diseases.’
Old, Male, Inflexible, Elitist, Exclusive, Secretive
These are a few of the responses that non-Rotarians consistently gave in recent Rotary International focus groups when asked what they think of when they hear the words ‘Rotary International’ or ‘Rotary club’. The participants were professional women ages 30 and above, and men ages 30-45, prescribed by independent market research firms to include individuals who would satisfy rhe requirements for Rotary club membership.
The purpose of this research was to learn about attitudes regarding volunteerism and networking among men and women of this age demographic as well as to gain insight into their awareness and perception of Rotary. The results show that while general impressions of Rotary are positive, there is an overwhelming lack of understanding about what Rotary is and what Rotarians do. Most individuals did not view themselves as potential Rotarians even though they maintained the professional requirements for membership.
The above are extracts from a RI publication in Nov.2010 titled ‘The Membership Minute’. Frankly, my first reaction was that it was more likely to be a general reaction to the word ‘Freemasonry’ , and I think ‘Rotary’ in our area has a far more favourable reaction from the public at large. Freemasonry is several centuries older than Rotary, but even less widely understood.
Dry cleaners, Bangkok: ‘Drop your trousers here for the best results.’
Notice Board
- Our new website was launched last night and is www.rotaryoceangrove.org.au
- Charles Dawborn, a Rotarian for the past 51 years, has resigned.
- Committee reports are due with the secretary by the middle of this month.
- Geoff Brentnall visited the Nth. Geelong HQ of the DIK project with a variety of goodies last week, and learned that OC Anton van Dornik will lead a team of Rotarian volunteers to Papua NG for a building project in mid-August for 2.5 weeks. If you would like to tag along, phone Anton.
- Judie Greer was delighted to report that our protégé Jesse Ross was one of a select number of Geelong region students to be awarded the Premier’s High Achievers Award for excellence in 2010 VCE results.
- John Paton was announced the top footy tipping awardee [for the third time] and heads the ladder with Rod Greer. Project head Alex Magee modestly reminded us that he is third!
- The current issue of ‘OG Voice’ devotes most of page 5 to funding for the local Ambulance service, and recognises our Phil. Ellis, a.k.a. Phil. Edwards, as the spearhead for the fundraising campaign.
In a Nairobi restaurant: ‘Customers who find our waitresses rude ought to see the manager.’
It’s all about guts, good humor and tenacity of purpose
Last night’s meeting chairman David Tyrrell was proud to introduce as our first of two guest speakers- past student Andrew Leesom, one of our recent RYLA delegates, and a charming and determined young man who has managed many physical achievements despite losing a leg below the hip at the age of six. He spoke enthusiastically about his RYLA experience and his many skills including his current occupation as a crane driver!!
On the main road to Mombassa, leaving Nairobi. ‘Take notice; when this sign is under water, this road is impassable.’
An ‘Abia’ is an Arab dress worn in public and unrelieved black, but WOW, did Troylene Henderson look good in it!
Troylene, our second guest speaker, and former Kerang resident according to Peter Hawthorne, was a Gordon Institute delegate recently working in the United Arab Emirates, lecturing to a work force of up to 8000 in a pilot training programme specialising in the cleaning industry. An environment of almost 95% males, working a 12 hour day, 6 days per week, and in temperatures of up to 50o, the Arab women lead a secluded life, but the abia shields a very westernised body . All drinking and washing water is desalinated and the pay rates are not dissimilar to ours.
Did you read the top article on page 3 of yesterday’s [31st May] Addy? If you didn’t, you should!
The article was headed ‘400 properties at risk’, but when you read in the first few lines that they were referring to commercial properties, you may have thought “I don’t have one of those”, and skipped to the photo of the baby giraffe on the same page! On the other hand, if you got to the text in column 5, you will have observed that 600 residential properties in the area will be at risk of inundation, Point Lonsdale will become an island, and the region between Pt. Lonsdale and Ocean Grove would be nearly entirely submerged. [Their words, not mine!] The article focuses on the year 2100, and a local rise in sea levels of 1.1metres. We will all be dead by then, but let’s focus for a moment on the ‘1.1 m’ reference. Begola Wetlands’ little lake is about 1 metre above current sea level. That means that the residents of the homes currently occupied by the Greers and the Foxes will overlook the sea in about 90 years.
John Fox, 1st day of winter, 2011
