President Jill Elias opened the meeting at 6.30pm.
Welcome to guests Marion Cahif and Past President Dr Puravi, from Klang, Malaysia.
The meeting was opened by singing the National Anthem.
How many islands are there in the Indonesian archipelago?
Answer:
Over 17,000 islands.
Correctly answered by John Mortimer, who had a number of answers from various sources, but the numbers averaged out to 17,000 so was paid the bottle.
FAMILY AND FRIENDS:
- Peter Marfleet was proud to announce that his grandson was the winning cox from Hale in the Head of the River on Saturday.
- Dr Puravi told us that his Rotary Club in Malaysia is the fourth oldest. Its charter was in 1930. He was President of the Club in 1980 and it has 24 members. Dr Puravi has been a member of Rotary for almost 49 years.
BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES: Susan Watson announced this week’s birthdays and anniversaries:
Member birthdays:
Peter Robertson 53 years old on 31 March 2024
Ron Wilson 79 years old on 4 April 2024
Partner Birthday:
Susie Davis 27 March 2024
Anniversaries:
Peter Panek and Jomay Verrier 30 March 2024 6 years
CLUB AND COMMITTEE REPORTS:
- David Miller asked all golfers and their friends from outside the Club to sign up for the Annual Golf Day to be held on Friday 19 April at Nedlands Golf Club. More teams are needed, usually this event raises over $3,500, please support the event by signing up friends.
- John Bolto announced the winners of the footy tipping round, his son-in-law won the round this week and is also currently head of the leader board.
- Anthony McGrath is in negotiation with Foodbank as to which dates are mutually convenient for the year ahead and he will send an email shortly asking for volunteers for the first date.
- Jonas Edner is organising the volunteers for the Science and Engineering Challenge to be held at the Claremont Showgrounds from Monday 29 April to Friday 3 May. An email will be sent to Club members shortly asking for volunteers.
- Anita Bourke has arranged for members of the Club to attend Ronald McDonald House in Nedlands at 3pm on Wednesday 10 April. Please contact Anita should you wish to tour the facility. There is also the opportunity to cook for the families. All details were sent out in an email recently.
- The 40th anniversary dinner will be held on Monday 22 April at 6pm at Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club. The event costs $65 per head which includes a two course meal and bottled wine on the table. Pre-dinner and other drinks may be bought by credit card or EFTPOS only, no cash. Dress for gentlemen is jacket and tie. Please invite past friends of the Club and partners to this event. Booking is through Trybooking https://www.trybooking.com/CQHVK cut and paste the link or click on the link through the email sent on Friday. If there is an issue booking through Trybooking please contact Jill on jandmelias@hotmail.com or 0402 117 908.
- There will be a tree planting at Genesta Park on Wednesday 24 April at 10am to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Rotary Club of Dalkeith. Afterwards there will be a morning tea at the Nedlands Golf Club. Every member is encouraged to come along and please let past members and other friends know about the tree planting and morning tea.
ROTARY MOMENTS:
- The MetSO concert was fabulous on Sunday, well done to Ann and her team in organising it and to the orchestra for their work in presenting such an interesting programme.
- Thank you to the many people who contributed to the avalanche of goods given to Grandparents Raising Grandchildren last week and to those who donated funds. Many thanks to Jason for lending his van and to Nancy and Janet from Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation for giving us the high quality items they cannot sell, and especially Marion Cahif and Anita Bourke for their support and from their friends and networks for collecting so many items and buying clothes that each had to do a separate trip to Warwick to deliver it all! Below is an email from GRGWA:
Hi Jill
We loved seeing you and Anita last week. Thank you, and everyone who donated to us at GRG.
We passed the items on to our members on Friday whilst giving them their hampers.
They were absolutely delighted and want me to pass on their gratitude to all of you.
Everything was fabulous and we enjoyed our cake at morning tea today.
We are so happy you are part of our group we appreciate all you do for us.
Thank you, Rotary Dalkeith x
Kind Regards,
Loryn Cummings 🌻
Warwick Branch President
GRGWA
SERGEANT: Jason van Straalen fined the following members:
- Susan Watson for having a letter published in The Post;
- John Hopkins for leaving at three-quarters time at the Eagles match;
- Kim Smith for changing Jonas’ nationality from Swedish to Dutch and turning Stephanie into Fryer-Rice;
- Jonas Edner for answering his mobile phone at the golf club;
- Bruce Fiegert for an expensive reticulation bill.
GUEST SPEAKER: Neil Wilkie – introduced by Susan Watson
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- Neil had a mate, Clem Edwards, who fought in the Vietnam war. After his return, Clem won a raffle at a veterans’ lunch, which consisted of four port jugs with the faces of four Vietnam VC winners. After Clem’s death a few years ago, his widow suggested Neil should be the recipient of the jugs and Neil spoke about each of the VC winners depicted.
- First Neil explained that the Victoria Cross was first introduced by Queen Victoria in 1854 during the Crimean War. The medal is a Maltese Cross with ‘For Valour’ on the front. 1,348 VCs have been awarded, of which 96 have been awarded to Australians.
- Warrant Officer Kevin Wheatley was awarded the VC posthumously. Warrant Officer Wheatley displayed magnificent courage in the face of an overwhelming Viet Cong force which was later estimated at more than a company. He had the clear choice of abandoning a wounded comrade and saving himself by escaping through the dense timber or of staying with Warrant Officer Swanton and thereby facing certain death. He deliberately chose the latter course.
- Major Peter Badcoe was awarded the VC posthumously, for his courage and leadership on 23 February, 7 March, and 7 April 1967. Major Badcoe's conspicuous gallantry and leadership on all these occasions was an inspiration to all, each action, ultimately, was successful, due entirely to his efforts, the final one ending in his death.
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- Warrant Officer Rayene Simpson's repeated acts of personal bravery in the withdrawal operation which he instigated resulted in many soldiers being saved. He was an inspiration to all Vietnamese, United States and Australian soldiers who served with him His conspicuous gallantry was in the highest tradition of the Australian Army.
- Warrant Officer Keith Payne was awarded the VC for his gallantry is saving over 40 men, many of whom were wounded, by finding isolated troops and leading them to safety under heavy enemy fire, even though he had been seriously wounded by a grenade.
- Thanks to Neil for this enlightening history of these four VC winners.
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REMINDER OF NEXT ROSTER:
Monday 8 April 2024
John Bolto Welcoming members and guests.
Michael Bisset Table duty.
Michael Snell Registrar 1.
Neil Wilkie Registrar 2.
John Lindquist Introduction of guest speaker.
Kent Warburton Pass the microphone.
REMINDER OF COMING EVENTS:
Monday 1 April No meeting, Easter Monday
Monday 8 April David DeVos, ANZAC Me and Your ABC
Monday 15 April Vocational Awards
Monday 22 April Anniversary dinner at RFBYC
Wednesday 24 April 10am tree planting at Genesta Park then morning tea at the Nedlands Golf Club
