President Jonas Edner opened the meeting at 6.30 pm.
Welcome to our guest speaker, Alan Jones, and Geoff Cahif’s guests, Marion Cahif, Chris and Dale Scovell.
The meeting was opened by singing the National Anthem.
QUESTION OF THE WEEK:
What are the Portuguese words for please and thank you?
Answer: Por favor and obrigado/obrigada (handy to know for the Brazilian dinner, brush up your Portuguese language skills now on Duolingo)
Resposta correta do Sr. Kevin Jackson.
FAMILY AND FRIENDS:
Anita Bourke AM – congratulations to Anita on her AM award in the Australia Day honours, for significant service to the community and to radiology. Ann Bray gave Anita a bouquet of flowers, which were presented to Anita by President Jonas at the meeting.
Happy volunteers at SCGH sorting medicines.
The family barbecue 19th January.
CLUB AND COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Club Services – Craig James asked the members to check their inboxes for information about two events:
Brazilian dinner to be held on Monday 23 February, 6 pm for 6:15 pm at Moose Café, Bay View Terrace, Claremont. $70 per head, BYO or cash bar. Bookings are essential to attend. https://www.trybooking.com/DJHGO
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner – to be held on the evening of Saturday 7 March, please let Craig know if you are interested in attending or hosting, his email is Craig.James50@outlook.com
Bicycle Count – Peter Panek spoke of the bicycle count to be held from 7 am to 9 am on Tuesday, 3 March. Please sign up if you are able to volunteer. Peter’s email is ppanek@merit-group.com.au
Golf Day – David Miller spoke to the meeting about the annual fundraising golf day, with funds to go to the Angelman Foundation. This year, the event will be held on Friday, 10 April 2026, at the Nedlands Golf Club. It is $100 a head to enter. Please contact David on miller@iinet.net.au to enter.
BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES: The following birthdays and anniversaries were announced by Susan Watson:
Members’ birthdays
Michael Snell 27 January 2026 78 years
Hugh Stowell 28 January 2026 62 years
John Hopkins 1 February 2026 76 years
Partners’ birthdays
Di Wilcox 26 January 2026
Mary-Jo Lindquist 29 January 2026
Bethwyn Miller 1 February 2026
Michael Elias 7 February 2026 turning the big 6-0
Carolyn Murdoch 8 February 2026
Anniversaries
John and Carolyn Murdoch 28 January 2026 42 years
David and Bethwyn Miller 1 February 2026 46 years
ROTARY MOMENTS:
Grandcarers – Lindsay Dry told the meeting about his involvement over the years with Grandcarers WA, formerly known as Grandparents raising Grandchildren. The Charitable Trust has donated $10,000 recently to Grandcarers, to be used for ten grandchildren entering high school this year. This Sunday Lindsay will represent the Trust at an afternoon tea for donorswhen the children will be presented with certificates.
SERGEANT JASON SESSION: The following members were fined by Sergeant Jason:
Ø Susan Watson for smuggling back a bucket of sand from Egypt;
Ø John Lindquist for bringing a penguin back from Antarctica;
Ø All the departing and arriving travellers;
Ø Jill Elias for being triggered by the word boxes after helping to move her mother back into her home two years after the fire there;
Ø Anita Bourke for her AM.
GUEST SPEAKER: Alan Jones introduced by Jill Elias
Alan has been principal of Christ Church Grammar School for ten years. Before that, he was the vice principal of the Hutchins School in Hobart and also taught at Mentone Girls Grammar School, Haileybury College and Huntingtower School in Melbourne. Alan has a physics, chemistry and maths background and had not aimed at obtaining leadership roles.
· Alan spoke of his passion for education and how learning styles differ between boys and girls. The pedagogy and curriculum must be tailored at CCGS for how boys learn, and the school offers a diversity of subjects that appeal to a broad number of students.
· Alan introduced the On Queenslea Drive programme for year 9 boys when throughout the year they enter the boarding house for three weeks. In year 10 they go on Venture, a ten day programme where the students walk hundreds of kilometres on the Bibbulmun Track. Another opportunity taken up by 35 – 40 boys each year is to undertake an exchange to another country. By the time boys leave CCGS they can cook five meals, sew, iron and do their own laundry.
· There are no phones allowed on campus, which is greatly supported by parents.
· CCGS is an open entry school but nevertheless in 2025 24 students attained an ATAR of 99%+ and the median was 93+. The school teaches 1,800 boys and it has a long waiting list. Thirty boys learn at the Peter Moyes Centre within the school, the centre caters for students with developmental issues. Some boys are fulltime at the centre, some are in classrooms sometimes.
· In any school there must be opportunities for socialisation skills to develop and to that end, Alan has created an aquatic area jointly owned by MLC and CCGS, there are play dates between the lower primary children of both schools and there are a number of students who take subjects at the neighbouring school.
· Thanks to Alan for educating us on Christ Church Grammar School.
REMINDER OF COMING EVENTS:
Monday 9 February 2026 – Dr Grey Coupland, Pocket Forest Project
Monday 16 February 2026 – Libby Rockfield, Dress for Success
Monday 23 February 2026 – Brazilian dinner at Moose Cafe, must book via Trybooking
ROSTER:
Monday 9 February 2026
Geoff Cahif Welcoming members and guests
Neil Wilkie Table duty
Michael Snell Registrar 1
Kim Smith Registrar 2
Susie Rich Introduction of guest speaker
Richard Ranshaw Pass the microphone
THANKS:
Thanks to the Staff of the Nedlands Golf Club, Claire and Tom (who is serving us at Rotary for the first time) , 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:
President Jonas closed the meeting by recognising the Rotary International presidential theme for 2025-26, "Unite for Good"
