PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
President John Hunt welcomed everyone to the meeting, and especially guest speaker Terry Hoy from South West Health Care, Rotarian Robert Coffey and his guest Rotarian Jethro Oluwabusola Oulwafemi, from Rotary in Nigeria. Jethro attended PDG Brian Trenery’s conference at Deakin in 2012 and spoke on his experiences with Polio Plus in Nigeria. He is keen to settle in Australia and may visit us again in the near future.
Also welcomed was Exchange Student Fabio, who was busy collecting donations for the Exchange Students’ Conference project.
Fabio has had a busy week at school with his debutante ball (see photo of Fabio and partner), and visited Rotarian John Reid in hospital. He is looking forward to his Exchange Students Safari Australia, and will welcome some family visitors in June.
Each year at district conference the exchange students raise money for a charity of their choice. This year the funds raised are going towards building an accommodation facility at the Noorla Yo Long camp, home of the Rotary Youth Program of Enrichment (RYPEN) for secondary college students. The students theme is “another brick in the wall” At conference, the students will have a large brick wall displayed, and they will be asking for $5 per brick. Each brick you buy will have your name on it with the chance to win prizes. One prize will be drawn here next week. “another brick or brick's in the wall next week.
President John expressed the club’s condolences to Rotarian Terry O’Neill on the sad passing of Terry’s mother and thanked Fabio and those Rotarians who supported Terry during the week.
Being April 1, President John had heard about new time zones to be introduced in different parts of Victoria, and seemed quite confused!