Rotary Club of Greater Geraldton Newsletter Issue Date: October 16, 2024
Meeting Highlights
With Doc being late and forgetting he was on the door, and after a dodgy invocation from Jim, President Hugh got the meeting underway by welcoming guests!
Announcements
- PP Jo Clarke: The Radio Auction has achieved $66K in pledges so far, and calls have finished. Great job to the crew who assisted, with a special shout-out from Hugh to Russell and Barry. Hi has been overseeing like an osprey from the East and is delighted with our progress. A roster will come out soon for us to indicate where we can help on the day.
- Pete Sukiennik: Thanked Jim, Barry, and all the helpers who made this year’s Landour races such a success again. We have 12 new friends of Rotary with a total of 33 traveling there! Hugh added his appreciation from the club as well.
Guest SpeakerOur Guest Speaker, Rohan Prowse from Fusion Australia, was introduced by PP Don. Rohan is the Geraldton Community Lead with Fusion, which aims to assist the homeless and research the causes of family violence and break the cycle of fatherlessness.
Rohan believes Geraldton is the best place to live and raise a family, so a number of big picture and targeted initiatives are in train.
Friday Circulars: A weekly email listing training, events, and other opportunities that contribute to individual and communal wellbeing for those living in the Midwest and Gascoyne Regions. Currently, it goes out to over 1,100 people.
- Started by Kate Rickerby as a tool for suicide prevention, its aim was to break down silos and improve community networking. Due to her ill health and subsequent sad passing, Fusion (i.e., Rohan!) took it on.
- 3 years on, it is an important part of Rohan’s week!
- Details:
- Text email, listing training, events, opportunities in date order.
- Advertising – not in traditional form, not just organizations, but anything they have to offer.
- Remove flowery language, present without fear or favor – list.
- Gathering other people’s information – offered freely.
- Many organizations send it around to all of their staff!
Rohan’s Take-Home Message
Encourage people to care for others and care for themselves.
Doc expressed appreciation from the Club to Rohan for his presentation.
Club Transformation Workshop
President Hugh attended the Club Transformation Workshop (CTW), convened by Rotary Pacific in Sydney last weekend, 12-13 October. 84 Clubs from across Australia, with 5 from Rotary WA met in groups to listen and plan the way forward for Club Transformation.
A Club Fitness Coach was appointed to each group and our coach is
PDG David Barton. Each group will prepare a Club Fit For Purpose (FFP) plan to be implemented during the next 18 months.
Hugh outlined some of the key aspects from the Workshop including the current status and net loss of members Australia wide and the need for transformation. Engaging with Community and understanding needs is very important.
Membership is critical and meeting the value proposition associated with time, finances, family and work is fundamental to attracting new and retaining existing members. We must be seen as a means for enabling younger people to meet their community needs and aspirations.
A draft Fit For Purpose (Strategic) Plan will be circulated soon.
IBEX
report with Norway's Sofia Underland:
Inbound Exchange Student Sofia Underland: Our Rotary Exchange student Sofia was away on a two-night orientation in Perth and on an Outward Bound course.
Sofia is fresh back from her adventures and we are looking forward to seeing her.
Hugh said she was becoming more confident with the language and culture.
President's Report - Hugh Lavery:
Australia’s worst naval disaster occurred on 19 November 1941 when HMAS Sydney II was lost following a battle with the German raider HSK KORMORAN, in the Indian Ocean off the Western Australian coast. Geraldton was the last port visited prior to her demise. The loss of the SYDNEY with its full war complement of 645 sailors remains etched in the nations psyche. The KORMORAN was also sunk, but 317 of its crew of 397 survived. The fate of the Sydney remained one of Australia’s greatest wartime mysteries until the location of the wreck in 2008.
