Last Wednesday, the Surfers Sunrise Rotarians, their partners and guests enjoyed a beautiful Christmas Dinner hosted by the Surfers Paradise Surf Life Saving Club. Lots of partners and friends, including our "Honorary Queenslander" Ross Augustine (RC of Frankston Sunrise) with his wife Coryn and granddaughter Alissa Lott (last year's Exchange Student to the USA). President Elect Charles Thomasson and his partner Angela brought their two daughters along (first time in decades we had children at our Christmas do!), David Orchid represented the Surf Club, accompanied by Jan Lutz, and Bryan Tuesley represented the volunteers from our Project Shed. With well over 50 people present, it was a truly social event, thus only very brief formalities: President Mario Fairlie, still a bit pale (he had only been discharged from hospital two days before), wished us all Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.But, without doubt, our current incoming Exchange Student from Japan, Ayana Sadaka (picture left) stole the show, wearing traditional Japanese dress, a Kimono! Doesn't she look breathtaking?
On the following Saturday, some of our members joined our volunteers at the
Project Shed at their Christmas Party. No, there were definitely no complaints that there wasn't enough food...! President Mario Fairlie briefly spoke to thank the volunteers for their sterling effort over the past year and foreshadowed a busy year coming up with the projected X-Ray Unit to be built for the 
Hospital on Espiritu Santo island of Vanuatu. Meanwhile, Al Sirovs updated the board with the latest total number of wheelchairs that have been shipped to date: Yes, almost 10,000! We'll need a bigger board very soon...