Meeting underway with Bob Urquhart playing on the Bell and Kevin Green’s toast to Oz with the addition of KC III !
Guests, Brenton Wellington and our visiting Scot, David Stuart!
Important information and upcoming events to note -
<--- President Hugh
Announcements
Our next Meeting is July 10th at the Golf Club. Wayne Hosking will be our featured Speaker on the Hubcap Project.
If you haven't done so already, you can pay for Breakfast here --->Register and Pay for Breakfast We are trialing the Trybooking system and all indications are positive. Give it a whirl ...
Pres Hugh welcomed the mob, demonstrating the “Mind Map” for the meeting! (I am sure there is a diagnosis for this! -ed)
We were reminded of the joint evening meeting with the Batavia Club on July 22 with our District Governor, Pat Schraven travelling up from Perth. This will be a Dinner Meeting and Members are encouraged to bring their Partners along.
Sofia Underland, our new exchange student from Norway, arrives at the end of the month, with host families locked in except for Christmas and New Year.
Hugh was also encouraged that our attendance is up to 83% of available members, taking into account Members on Leave of Absence.
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT CAMP - The Blokehood Project - a transformative Leadership camp for young men aged 14-17 between 5tth -7th July run by Brenten Wellington
After the camp a Recognition and Closing Ceremony was held on Sunday Afternoon at Point Blank Fitness.
Your support means a great deal to the young men as they begin this transformative chapter in their lives. We will invite Brenten Wellington along to speak to the Club and provide a brief glimpse into the work we will continue bringing to the greater community of Geraldton.
Our FINES session was brief, the Doc the maim offender confessing to wedding anniversary stuff ups and Jim presenting him with a pool noodle to protect the offending carport pole that took out $3K worth of side mirror from his Prado!
Bob Symington promoted the importance of the Radio Auction (November 3, 2024). This is our primary fundraiser, and we all need to pitch in to get those pledges. [Pres Note] We are going well so far, more work to be done and we will be looking for some assistance.
The Rotary 4 Way Test Speaking Competiton (Hugh Lavery) - Our Club has registered for this event and will be sponsoring studentsa from Geraldton High Schools. Currently Nagle Catholic College has indicated they have two students preparing for the competition. Expression of interest have been sought from other High Schools. I am looking for credentialed adjusticators from Rostrum or Toastmasters. Let Hugh know if you can help. The Club Heats will be held at a Club meeting in late July.
Our next exchange student, Sofia Underland from Norway, has three host parents in place: (Kiera) Foster Family, (Raelene) Mariani Family and Zane (Chris Kerr) D'Mello Family. We need one, or two, more host family (mid December - mid- April) - contact Hugh sec.rcgg@iinet.net.au , if you can help.
Sofia is due to arrive in late July and will initially be hosted by the Foster Family (Kiera and Josh). Jo Clarke will be the Student Counsellor/Mentor. Please contact Hugh if you, or someone you know, is interested in Hosting for a 2–3-month period.
Bob Hall was inducted into the Club, though his proposers Russell and Grant were away! PP Geoff Wood performed the induction charge, and Bob was welcomed by Pres Hugh and all and sundry!
GUEST SPEAKER
Viki introduced Bob Hall as our Speaker today!
Bob has a long Aussie ancestry, a descendant of a convict farm hand who was sent to Geraldton in 1854 and the Hall family, responsible for building the railways in the Midwest!
Bob entered the WA Police Force 37 years ago and moved up to Geraldton 27 years ago so his wife Maeva could commence work as an occupational therapist here. His main work was with the Lecturing Branch, particularly promoting safety to children giving talks in the schools. The story of “Constable Diddle-Hopper”, the crying policeman, was delightful!
Whilst being a police officer, Bob and Maeva brought up three kids in Geraldton and have six grandchildren. He became a well-known and long-standing member of the City Council for 21 years. Bob outlined some of the highs and lows, from the “Flag Pole” to the apprehending of some of Geraldton’s notorious offenders.
Pres Hugh did something a little different, breaking the meeting into table discussion groups, to discuss membership, Friends of Rotary and roadblocks to membership. Each table gave a Summary of their discussions
Kevin Green on membership: Open to our “Friends”! If each member brought one new one, we would double in size!
Barry Dring: Membership; Consider “associate” type membership for people who want to help but can’t commit to meetings.
Viki Fennell: Obstructions and roadblocks: Red tape can be off putting to prospective members. Time and finances can be an issue. Young people tied up with family and establishing careers.
Our FINES session was brief, the Doc the maim offender confessing to wedding anniversary stuff ups and Jim presenting him with a pool noodle to protect the offending carport pole that took out $3K worth of side mirror from his Prado! //////////
Photos: Doc's Wing Mirror, Jim Dillon with the Noodle and the two Stewart/Stuart, Terry and Dave (Scotland)
Guest Speaker No 2 was Brenton Wellington who has established the Transformative Growth Institute. This holds camps in a farm setting (ie large shed!) for 14–17-year-old boys.
Brenton described how he grew up in Broome and lost his way with high school pressures and with little direction, not understanding what it was to be a man. He had no role models and fell into fun. Alcohol and partying. He was studying to be an Engineer and emotional difficulties with a breakup from his partner. He realised he had not been shown how to regulate emotion, and his life changed with the help of a life coach.
Brenton has now gone on to helping young men himself through his program, The Blokehood Project, to teach Mature Masculinity and runs three-day camps to teach buys what it means to be a man.
Apologies for not presenting in person. Thanks for getting zoom working to enable the sharing of the incoming World President Stephanie Urchick's address:
Hugh's message echoes Stephanie's in making our meetings irresistible and engaging. Have conversation, connect, learn and get involved in the Community. It is important that we become a more diverse membership.
Rotary International has recently developed an Action Plan for the future and it includes the following
EXPAND OUR REACH
As Rotarians, we’re committed to embracing and exemplifying diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in everything we do at Rotary. We have revised our DEI statement, which now reflects our stronger-than-ever commitment to being an organization that values, respects, and welcomes everyone who interacts with us. Now we’re developing a comprehensive plan of action with achievable, measurable, and meaningful DEI outcomes for Rotary. I strongly encourage you to read and follow Rotary’s new DEI Code of Conduct, which points the way to creating more just, open, and welcoming communities for all people.
In 1998 the Rotary Club of Geraldton (now Greater Geraldton) embarked on an ambitious journey to build a memorial on Mt Scott in Geraldton, dedicated to the 645 sailors lost at sea when the HMAS Sydney II was sunk off the Mid-West coast during World War II. The HMAS Sydney II Memorial is by far the largest and proudest project the RCG has undertaken.
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. “LEST WE FORGET”
<--- President Hugh
Bob Hall was inducted into the Club, though his proposers Russell and Grant were away! PP Geoff Wood performed the induction charge, and Bob was welcomed by Pres Hugh and all and sundry!
Bob entered the WA Police Force 37 years ago and moved up to Geraldton 27 years ago so his wife Maeva could commence work as an occupational therapist here. His main work was with the Lecturing Branch, particularly promoting safety to children giving talks in the schools. The story of “Constable Diddle-Hopper”, the crying policeman, was delightful!
Kevin Green on membership: Open to our “Friends”! If each member brought one new one, we would double in size!
Guest Speaker No 2 was Brenton Wellington who has established the Transformative Growth Institute. This holds camps in a farm setting (ie large shed!) for 14–17-year-old boys.
President Elect'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.
