Our Meeting Nov 14th 2017

Todays Meeting.

We began with a detailed description from then Treasurer David Pyke of the state of the books for the year ending June 30th.

And the picture was very healthy.

Although the contents are a bit too detailed to include in this bulletin, Wollundry members can rest assured that their efforts are being rewarded and we will have quite a bit of money available to spread through the community. It is worth noting that simply by putting on the events such as Gears and Beers and The Food and Wine Festival we add greatly to the economy of the city both directly and indirectly, over and above the funds which we have to distribute. Great effort.

Sergeant Laurie Blowes gave Travis the box as a kind of farewell gesture. Travis unfortunately is taking his family back to Adelaide and will be leaving us before Christmas. Together they fined our venerable mayor, Greg Conkey caught in high heels, the media hogs David Byfield and John Egan, David Pyke for lousy jokes last week, Pat ingram for grandfathering twin little girls, Frank Fuller for his statement of total innocence, David Foster for the impudent enquiry! Laurie then became the Bill Shorten of the club “I’m not sure what Michael said, but I agree with him!!”

David Byfield put two recommendations to the Club on behalf of the  Projects Committee. 

Firstly that $600 be allocated to the Immune Deficiency Foundation to support children to attend a camp at CSU; the second that the Club donate $3000 to the Anglicare Christmas appeal. Both were carried unanimously.

Bob Willis showed us a unique Centurion money tower which the club is going to purchase  

for interested members. The idea is to collect a tower of $2 coins to make up $5o and then add that to our Foundation donation.

By way of explanation. The Centurian Club is made up of Rotarians who voluntarily donate $100 to the Rotary Foundation each year. Once that has hit $1000 US a member can award a Paul Harris Fellow to someone they feel worthy, or even accept that for themselves.

Wollundry members donate $50 to the Foundation as part of their subs. (This is a much simpler way to collect donations of $1 per week!!)

So we need only to add another $50 to become Centurians and join in the amazing work of the Foundation.

Bob also included the following information, which shows something of what that money can achieve.

You’ll see that by supporting this amazing charity we are in very good company. 

Its also worth noting that something like 95 cents in the dollar get to the people who need it!Polio 

Poliomyelitis (polio) is a paralyzing and potentially fatal disease that still threatens children in some parts of the world. The poliovirus invades the nervous system and can cause total paralysis in a matter of hours. It can strike at any age but mainly affects children under five. Polio is incurable, but completely vaccine-preventable. 

PolioPlus In 1985, Rotary launched its PolioPlus program, the first initiative to tackle global polio eradication through the mass vaccination of children. Rotary has contributed more than $1.7 billion and countless volunteer hours to immunize more than 2.5 billion children in 122 countries. In addition, Rotary’s advocacy efforts have played a role in decisions by donor governments to contribute more than $7.2 billion to the effort. 

Polio Today Today, there are only three countries that have never stopped transmission of the wild poliovirus: Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan. Just 37 polio cases were confirmed worldwide in 2016, which is a reduction of more than 99.9 percent since the 1980s, when the world saw about 1,000 cases per day. 

Our Challenge 

Our collective challenge as Rotarians is to assist in the final push to eradicate this disease once and for all. 

During this month of November, being the month in which we acknowledge and celebrate the works of our Rotary Foundation, it would be ideal to make our annual donation towards PolioPlus knowing that each of our Club or individual dollars will be matched 2:1 by the gates Foundation. 

Peter Clucas. noting that we won the Birdsville Best Responders this year has thrown out a challenge to the Club to have the title defended next year. Its on the first week in September. Put it in your diary. The group donated  $840 back to The Royal Flying Doctor Service after they had the landing fees refunded. Great effort.

Yep its Christmas Time Again!! The Club Party is at Paul and Carolyns home at Gelston Park Dec 10th

PLEASE LET PETER CLUCAS KNOW ASAP IF YOU HAVENT TOLD HIM YOU ARE COMING pclucas@bigpond.com

We had no guest Speaker, but instead had a Poets Corner.

Six of our members rose to share some really top poems with us. David Pyke gave us a great rendition of “The Man From IronBark”, and that was followed by a very shining Rick Priest who could not “Back a Trailer.” Mal Robertson spun a tale of woe and PC with “The Two Day Course’, while Michael Knight extolled the virtues of the “Older Man.”“Thank you for Waiting” from Peter Green summed up very nicely the way our rewards system has put us all in boxes, particularly with airlines. John Hawkins recalled some experiences with poverty that he had encountered, and then read a very short, poignant piece called “Face.”

The whole show was really excellent, and David Gilby, a special guest gave a thoughtful

response to the event. He promoted his new collection of writings as well which are available for $25. 

Hosts for District 5020 Exchange with 9700.