A Big Week to Report
This week we not only listened to an excellent guest speaker at our meeting on Thursday morning - Mohammed Al-Khafaji from the Welcome to Australia Centre (see story below) - we also met on Sunday 5 June at the Kooyonga Golf Course for our Presidential Changeover.
Changeover
Unfortunately, President Miriam was unable to attend the Changeover Brunch at the Kooyonga Golf Course as she was undergoing treatment in hospital, so member and PDG John Campbell did an excellent job acting in her role for the proceedings.
Master of Ceremonies Rob McLennan welcomed members, partners, friends and family, and former Club members and their partners to the event. It was especially lovely to see Daryl and Di Wood, Peter and Sue Bayetto, Feisar Joya and Rob Brook returning to celebrate our 30th Anniversary.
Charter President PDG Tony Reade gave a great recap of our Club's history and the camaraderie and humour that our Club has been noted for over these years. Tony invited five of the attending Charter Members to join him at the lectern and relate their reason for joining the club, what job they were doing at the time of joining and what they gained from their membership with the Club.
PP Angus Tuck then gave the Toast to Rotary International ably responded to by member and PDG Katina Jones.
President Miriam's Report (read by PDG John Campbell) said:
When the Rotary theme for this year was announced “Be a gift to the world”, many in our club were confused as to the meaning of this.
With another Rotary year behind us, I can confidently say that it is absolutely clear that each member of the Rotary Club of Adelaide Light has been able to demonstrate their gift to the world. I am extremely grateful to the support shown by everyone in the Club in what has been a personally challenging year. I would like to pass my Thanks to each and every one of you.
It is clear that our club is resilient, we share the same values and we all enjoy being leaders. I cannot think of many other clubs that would have been able to cope with so many people acting in the President’s role throughout the year. What is clear is that we are a strong club and we can cope with change in quite a unique way. What a gift to the world indeed.
We are very proud that Yvette Reade was awarded the Irene Bell Award on International Women’s Day 2016 for her service to Volunteering through Rotary and other organisations. Well done Yvette.
To everyone in our club who was so kind when Mum unexpectedly died and for coming to the funeral at such short notice, your kindness and compassion will always be remembered.
As I sit here today in my hospital bed (once again) I am certainly with you in spirit at the changeover brunch. At my last calculation, I have spent more than 60 days in hospital since July last year – and it is time to stop counting!
Being able to contribute in a small way to our Rotary Club has helped me to gain a better perspective and keep the big picture of being of service close to my heart.
We have had a busy year, huge congratulations to Terry Rodoni for his commitment to fundraising and organisation of the weekly and monthly BBQ’s. This activity has certainly brought our club together and helped us to reconnect with each other at a deeper level. This has meant that the club has had extra funds to donate to many worthy causes throughout the year as well as sponsor two RYLA students Chelsea and Nibir.
Thanks to Yvette Reade who has done a great job of the annual report, Yvette, has picked me up for so many weeks and very ably folded the wheelchair into her car. Without the kindness shown by Yvette I would not have been able to attend many meetings. Yvette, thank you.
John Campbell, we have loved your commitment and drive for new membership for our club, culminating in the membership evening – well done and we look forward to some new members this year.
Treasurer Bruce McDonald continues to do an amazing job with the finances – thanks Bruce for your expertise and commitment over many years.
Julie Campbell, you have done a great job of getting your head around Club Administration – thanks for your patience in organising venues that has been stressful at times. We are very fortunate to have your expertise in providing us with such great support in organising the many functions including this changeover brunch.
John Wotherspoon organised two fantastic vocational visits to the film corporation and the Adelaide Oval. John, we also appreciate your commitment to youth and organising the RYLA students – thank you. The commitment to supporting our Rotaractors has been fantastic thanks to John Karran. Your mentorship of the group has helped them become a vibrant and active club. Well done.
The dedication shown by Angus Tuck to the Columbian Project is outstanding, Angus our thanks, the funds from our club has definitely made a difference to the community in Columbia. Angus, thanks for stepping in for our Club at all of the joint Group 1 Presidents meetings – your support is both acknowledged and appreciated.
Deb Wotherspoon – thanks for your amazing contribution to Community Service and the many and varied organisations that we have been able to get involved with. It has been fantastic to be able to provide support both financial and in kind to so many. Thanks for your dedicated service.
To our most capable MC Rob McLennan – you are such a fantastic leader and have done a great job this year making sure that are meetings are effective and efficient as well as all of us having some fun – thanks.
David Riggall, thanks for your amazing dedication to the Rotary Foundation – your insights are always greatly appreciated.
Dean Sullivan, thanks for the fantastic job you have taken on being such an effective secretary this year, your hard work has not gone unnoticed and I have greatly appreciated your support and guidance.
Di Lane, we greatly appreciate the work that you put in to getting the newsletter out every week (even when I am late sending you the report and photos!). We are definitely well informed on what is happening in the world of Rotary. We thank you for your ongoing commitment. The club has once again had many varied and interesting speakers thanks to the good work of Dr Phil Harding. We look forward to another year where our speakers continue to inform and inspire.
To John Campbell, thanks for ably helping out at the Changeover function and (once again!) stepping in to the President’s role. It is greatly appreciated.
I would like to thank all club members for their continued support, the board for their commitment and leadership and wish incoming President Don Tindale a fantastic year “Rotary Serving Humanity”
With much gratitude and many hugs, Miriam Silva
President Don, in accepting the Presidency, said "I would like to thank Miriam Silva in her absence for accepting her nomination as President for the past Rotary year, at the 11
th hour after I had to withdraw with health issues. This was in addition to the numerous boards she already serves on.
Then unfortunately, and ironically, Miriam has had to delegate leadership of the Club to a rotation of past Club presidents because of a serious health episode, which has severely restricted her Rotary and other activities.
Fortunately, our Club members are resilient and have managed to continue on even with changing leadership. This demonstrates the quality and strength of the membership of our Club and their ability to accept change.
Society is continually changing - who would have thought 20 years ago that we would have Twitter, Facebook, snapchat etc. and that the whole face of employment would change the way that it has. Rotary too has recognized the need to change if it is to survive for the next 100 years. As a result, Clubs around the world are looking at making changes to the format and frequency of meetings, and the obligation of members to service and projects.
Our Club is in the midst of reviewing all aspects of its operation to improve our prospects of encouraging younger people to join and help us meet our objective for the upcoming year of “Rotary Serving Humanity”, as declared by the Rotary International President Elect John F. Germ.
I look forward to working with the Club’s leadership team to achieve our strategic goals for this year.
Thought for week: "Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future." John F. Kennedy
Photo 1: MC PP Rob McLennan
Photo 2: Charter members l-r PP Andrew Black, PP Don Tindale, Charter President Tony Reade, PP Barry Grear, David Rowe and former member Daryl Wood.
Photo 3: PP and Assistant Governor Group 1 Angus Tuck
Photo 4: PDG and PP Katina Jones
Photo 5: President Don receives from John Campbell a citation from KR Ravindran President of Rotary International for 2015-16 congratulating our Club on its 30th Anniversary, as well as an "Induction Charge” on becoming the President of the Club.
Photo 6: To celebrate the Club's 30th Anniversary, PDG Tony Reade - who was both the Provisional and then Charter President of the Club 30 years ago - was presented with an Honorary Member Award for his services to the Club.
Photo 7: Each Rotarian at the Changeover was presented with a "South Australian Volunteer Certificate of Appreciation" signed by Minister for Volunteers Zoe Bettison, as well as a specially labelled bottle of Shiraz commemorating our 30th Anniversary (photo shows Charter Member Andrew Black with his booty). Past members and friends who attended were also presented with a commemorative bottle of Shiraz.
Photos 8 & 9: Attendees at our Changeover.
Guest Speaker
For Mohammad Al-Khafaji, watching TV and seeing an 8 year old child holding a sign stating "Sink the Boats" was anathema to him. What he thought was required was compassion and knowledge about the refugees who were trying to seek asylum in a land without persecution and excessive judgement.
He wanted to be part of a program that welcomed people into his adopted land with open arms and willingness to listen to their stories.
So five years ago when the Welcome to Australia Centre was formed he volunteered to be part of it - and is now the new Chief Executive officer of this organisation dedicated to welcoming Australia’s new arrivals, no matter where they came from or how they got here.
Mohammad is also on the board of management of Multicultural Youth of SA (MYSA) and is the Youth Chair of the Federation of Ethnic Communities` Councils of Australia (FECCA). He is dedicated to creating a welcoming Australia and is committed to giving new arrivals the same welcome he received when he arrived in 2003.
Born in Iraq, Mohammad came to Australia via Syria in 200 as a refugee with his family through UNHCR when he was 13. He is passionate about changing the national conversation around asylum seekers to a positive one through education and grass roots movements.
The Welcome to Australia Centre now has three programs:
- the Welcome Centre which aims to be a safe place of refuge where every-day Australians and people of asylum seeker, refugee and new arrival background are given a space to interact and build relationship. They provide support through programs such as English classes, social programs to practice conversational English, and community dinners, as well as volunteer opportunities, food and furniture donations, emergency relief, social support, school holiday programs, free internet cafe and printer, and most importantly, friendship and welcome.
- "Walk Together" when tens of thousands of Australians come together in cities all around Australia to say "Welcome" in their city (the next Walk is scheduled for Saturday 22 October 2015), and
- "Welcoming Cities" which is a new project designed to help foster a culture of welcoming and inclusiveness in cities around Australia.
Their website at www.welcometoaustralia.org.au is filled with wonderful information about how you can join, donate furniture, volunteer or read some of the background stories of people who have benefited from belonging to the Centre. The Centre's address is 100 Drayton Street, Bowden and they meet every second Thursday at 7.00pm (ie 16 June, 30 June) for social meetings.
As a young boy, Mohammad still remembers the kindness given to him and his brothers and sisters, newly arrived in Adelaide before they were due to head to Sydney as a family, but their welcome in Adelaide was so heartfelt - Mohammad still remembers being presented with a shoebox of goodies! - that the family decided to live in Adelaide. And Adelaide has greatly benefited from their families' decision to stay.