Past President Jill Elias opened the meeting at 6.30pm.
Welcome to our guest speaker, Dr Alan Harvey, and guests Colette James, Marion Cahif and Leighton Chadwick
The meeting was opened by singing the National Anthem.
QUESTION OF THE WEEK:
Who has played the most VFL/AFL games ever and what was the new record number?
Answer: Scott Pendlebury, 433 games.
Correctly answered by John Mackinnon
FAMILY AND FRIENDS:
• President Jonas – President Jonas is recovering well, but is going a bit stir crazy. He is looking forward to taking the meeting next week.
• Peter Marfleet – Peter is finding the stairs a challenge currently and cannot attend meetings. Please reach out to Peter to say hello.
• Scams – In the past week, we have become aware of two scam emails, one from “President Jonas” asking the Charitable Trust to pay a non-existent organisation and one from “Rotary International” asking for funds. Please be on the lookout for scams. The one from “President Jonas” was not from his usual email account address and did not provide any details of the amount owing.
• Geoffrey Thomas – Members may recall the very good talk given by aviation writer Geoffrey Thomas to the Club last year; we were lucky to have a speaker of such high calibre. John Murdoch reported that, unfortunately, Geoffrey had died last week from complications from surgery after a brief illness.
CLUB AND COMMITTEE REPORTS:
• Foodbank – Thanks to Anthony McGrath for organising the day at Foodbank lastweek. There were ten enthusiastic volunteers. It is a direct and tangible contribution our Club can make to a worthwhile organisation. Thanks to Anthony and Shelley McGrath, Ann Bray, Stephanie Fryer-Smith, Leon Lorenzen, Russell Hawkins, John Lindquist, Mark Khangure, John MacKinnon and John Murdoch. They packed up over three tonnes of fruit and vegetables. The next Foodbank opportunity will be on Wednesday 1 July 2026.
• Environment Committee – John Bolto reported that:
Ø the Container Deposit Scheme will soon be accepting wine bottles and other jars, containers and glassware not previously taken, new, stronger bags were given out by Susan for the collection;
Ø a Pollinator Garden Development will need volunteers at the end of June in Subiaco. Please register your interest with John or Mark Khangure, a detailed email was sent out on Monday to all members.
Ø The Men’s Shed at the Claremont Showgrounds is hosting a talk on Understanding Dementia on Wednesday 17 June at 1:30 pm. There are a limited number of places; please let John or any other member of the Men’s Shed know if you are interested in attending.
• Business Lunch – Put the Business Lunch into your calendar now, it will be held on Friday, 4 September 2026, at the Royal Perth Golf Club. This year’s speaker is Professor Jacques Eksteen, who will speak on critical minerals and metals.
BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES: The following birthdays were announced by Susan Watson:
Partners’ birthdays:
Catherine Cowan on 8 June 2026.
Gaye Fiegert on 10 June 2026.
ROTARY MOMENTS:
• Nigel Johnson - Richard Gorham wrote and read the following at Nigel’s funeral:
Nigel joined Rotary in May 1986, forty years ago. Over that time, the Rotary Club of Dalkeith has been a significant part of Nigel’s life and he was a great contributor to our Club. Nigel embodied Rotary’s motto, ‘Service above Self’. And he was our friend.
Nigel served as the President of the Dalkeith Rotary Club from 2009 to 2010 and he contributed to all aspects of our Club and Rotary life. For many years, Nigel was a volunteer at Foodbank, not only in the organised club volunteer days but regularly as a volunteer at the Welshpool distribution warehouse. And he was the stalwart of our annual Cans for Christmas programme, offering his home as the collection point. Each year, tonnes of food that we collected throughout Nedlands and Dalkeith were collated and sorted in Nigel’s garage, for distribution to Foodbank in the lead-up to Christmas.
For many years, Nigel was also the Treasurer of the Dalkeith Rotary Charitable Trust and he contributed greatly to the Trust's administration.
For his service to Rotary, the Club and the Trust, Nigel was awarded three Paul Harris Fellowships, in 2007, 2016 then again in 2025. A Paul Harris Fellowship is awarded for substantial contributions to Rotary’s humanitarian programs. It is Rotary’s highest honour.
We thank Nigel for his many contributions to Rotary over 40 years. Rest in Peace.
ACTING SERGEANT JILL SESSION:
Most members were fined as they were drinking wine or had the letter J in their or their children’s name, easy pickings for the Acting Sergeant.
GUEST SPEAKER:Dr Alan Harvey - introduced by Russell Hawkins
Alan Harvey was educated at the University of Cambridge and the Australian National University and moved to UWA in 1984. He is an Emeritus Professor and Honorary Senior Research Fellow in Human Sciences, the Perron Institute, Lions Eye Institute and the Conservatorium of Music.
He has published over 280 research papers and book chapters, mostly in the field of neuroscience. In 2017 his book “Music, Evolution and the Harmony of Souls” was published by Oxford University Press and his TedX Perth talk on music and the brain can be found on YouTube. He currently sings with the WASO Chorus and Perth Symphonic Chorus.
· Music is universal. There has been no culture which has not invented its own music. Music was thought to have originated tens of thousands of years ago.
· Alan spoke of the effects of music on humans. Music influences endorphins and it can reduce stress-related hormones such as cortisol. Music also can decrease blood pressure and produce oxytocin.
· Music is a social glue that binds communities together. It helps to change the brain structure and experiments on instrumentalists’ brains indicate that music helps to increase memory and assist improve auditory senses and listening ability.
· Thanks to Alan for an interesting and informative talk.
·REMINDER OF COMING EVENTS:
Monday 15 June 2026 – Diane Wilcox, Magic Coat Foundation.
Monday 22 June 2026 – Leon Lorenzen, Life Talk as incoming president.
Monday 29 June 2026 – Anita Bourke, CINI.
ROSTER:
Monday 1:5 June 2026
Jock Laurie Welcoming members and guests.
Paul Kestell Table duty.
Kevin Jackson Registrar 1.
Bruce Jeanes Registrar 2.
Craig James Introduction of guest speaker.
Susie Rich Pass the microphone.
THANKS:
Thanks to the Staff of the Nedlands Golf Club, Joel and Liz, for their service tonight and Chef Alvin for dinner.
WE RECOGNISE OUR VERY GENEROUS SPONSORS:
Lizzi Bee - supplier of flowers.
Dry Kirkness Chartered Accountants (Butler Settineri) – Club Auditors.
Accura Accounting & Advisory Services for providing Xero Accounting software and Sharesight Portfolio reporting software to the Charitable Trust.
Dirk Vanderstruyf from Euroz Hartleys.
MEETING CLOSE:
Past President Jill Elias closed the meeting by recognising the Rotary International presidential theme for 2025-26, "Unite for Good"
