Past President Jason van Straalen opened the meeting at 6.30pm.
Welcome to our speaker, David Tucker from the Rotary Club of Crawley, and to guest David Manion, who is Steve Halbert's guest.
The meeting was opened by singing the National Anthem to the tuneful accompaniment of Ann Bray. PP Jason gave us nine out of ten.
QUESTION OF THE WEEK:
How long was the 2024 Vuelta a Espana?
Answer: 3,265 kilometres
Correctly answered by Bruce Fiegert.
FAMILY AND FRIENDS:
Peter Panek spoke of his taking part in the Ranger Challenge and is bicycling to Ellenbrook and back to raise funds for Save the African Rhino Foundation. An email with details was sent to all members. Please sponsor Peter’s ride at the link https://www.givenow.com.au/cr/2024-wildlife-ranger-peterp
BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES: The following birthdays and anniversary were announced by Susan Watson:
Members’ birthdays:
Stuart McCoubrie 83 years old on 17 September 2024.
Steve Halbert 66 years old on 20 September 2024.
Ray House 85 years old on 25 September 2024.
Partners’ birthdays:
Rebecca Robertson on 18 September 2024.
Katrina Hopkins on 29 September 2024.
Anniversaries:
Mark and Edith Khangure 52 years on 23 September 2024.
CLUB AND COMMITTEE REPORTS:
ROTARY MOMENTS:
MetSO concert—On Sunday, MetSO held another wonderful concert at Churchlands Senior High School. Many Rotarians attended and enjoyed the music, which featured two young singers. Ann Bray puts so much energy and enthusiasm into MetSO, and she should be congratulated for producing such a high-class event.
Mathilda Hontoir – Our Rotary Exchange Student has let us know that she has settled back into life in Belgium and sent photos of a recent trip to Copenhagen. Mathilda started a management engineering course at the University of Namur this week, for which she is both excited and nervous. See link https://portal.clubrunner.ca/13400/Documents/en-us/22384ccb-d2ad-4e49-81f3-a68eee3ec119/1/
Nan Walker spoke of the Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner event happening on Saturday 16 November, an email with details was sent to all members last week. Nan said that there had been a healthy response already; please let Nan know if you are able to participate as a guest or a host on email nan.dalkeith@outlook.com
There will be a family fun day being held by the Rotary Club of Perth on Saturday, 12 October, from noon to 3 pm at the Glassy Junction, 251 Adelaide Terrace, Perth, for $35 per head, raising funds for Glaucoma Australia. Please book on https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1284225
In April, Past President Jill spoke of attending a Rotary Club of Murrumbidgee dinner meeting in Canberra. The major fundraiser for Murrumbidgee is the painting of gnomes at Floriade each year, for which they make approximately $25,000 per annum. Painting a gnome is a ‘thing’. At the Murrumbidgee evening the gnomes for this year’s Floriade were unveiled and PP Jill had an advance peek. Here are photos from Floriade this week of some of the painted gnomes. KISS forever!
SERGEANT SESSION:Special Guest Sergeant Graeme Sansom. The following members were fined:
Ann Bray and Nan Walker for their colourful fashion sense which brightened up the room;
Richard Ranshaw for an arrival tax;
Susan Watson for scoring a front row seat at the MetSO concert;
The wine table;
Steve Halbert for having a birthday.
GUEST SPEAKER:David Tucker – introduced by John Murdoch
The Bicycles for Humanity project started in Calgary in Canada in 2005. Since then over one million bicycles have been sent to Africa. The project aims to transform lives, one bicycle, two wheels at a time.
The Western Australian arm of the project was started in 2011 and is a registered charity. Since 2011, nine thousand bikes in 24 containers have been sent to Africa, and 1,500 have been sent to remote community schools, PCYCs and groups in Western Australia and the Northern Territory. It is a 100% volunteer organisation. Its headquarters workshop is in Midvale, and Rotary Clubs run regional workshops in Geraldton and Esperance and at the Claremont Showgrounds Men’s Shed.
Michael Bisset has been instrumental in helping with the local arm of Bicycles for Humanity. Bikes can be dropped off at the Claremont Showgrounds Men’s Shed, where they are repaired if necessary. Bicycles from Western Australia are prized because no work needs to be done on them once they arrive in Africa; they are in safe and working condition, which is not always the case for other bikes sent from elsewhere.
450 bikes per container are sent to various African locations and sold for a small amount. Profits are invested in community projects. Employment opportunities are created for people who learn how to repair bicycles. Bicycle Resource Centres have been set up in South Africa at Ladysmith, Kimberley, and Ingwavuma, with other centres planned. The bicycles provide sustainable transport to work and school, health workers have further outreach, and food and water can be provided to more communities.
The containers cost $15,000 each to send. The Dalkeith Rotary Charitable Trust recently donated $5,000 to the latest container sent to Howick in South Africa.
From 12 to 20 October, David and Richard Gorham, amongst others, will be cycling from Perth to Esperance to raise funds for Bicycles for Humanity (WA) Inc. The riders are looking for sponsorship, which can be given at the link https://www.givenow.com.au/cr/esperanceeventure
Thanks to David for speaking about the Bicycles for Humanity project.
REMINDER OF NEXT ROSTER:
Monday 30 September 2024
Susan Watson Welcoming members and guests
Richard Ranshaw Table duty
Michael Snell Registrar 1
Graeme Sansom Registrar 2
Peter Panek Introduction of guest speaker
Peter Webb Pass the microphone
REMINDER OF COMING EVENTS:
Monday 23 September No meeting public holiday.
Monday 30 September Alex Tibbitt, Australian. Wildlife Conservancy.
THANKS:
Thank you to the Staff of the Nedlands Golf Club, Claire and Matt, for their service tonight, and Chef Zamry for dinner.
WE RECOGNISE OUR VERY GENEROUS SPONSORS:
Lizzi Bee - supplier of flowers.
Dry Kirkness Chartered Accountants (Butler Settineri) – Honorary 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 Jason closed the meeting by recognising the new Rotary International presidential theme for 2024-2025: THE MAGIC OF ROTARY.
