Two years ago, U.S. Rotary members in Maine set out to improve the education system in Bikaner, Rajasthan, an Indian city near the border of Pakistan.
The Rotary Club of Kennebunk Portside chose Bikaner because club member Rohit Mehta was originally from the area and had connections there. Mehta put the club in contact with Rotarians in India to provide desks for four government-run schools.
But when community leaders returned with a request for more desks, the Maine Rotarians decided they had to think bigger. The Rotary Foundation had rolled out its new grant model, which required that the...
Enjoying calm winds and peaceful Pacific waters, Seung Jin Kim dove off his 43-foot sailboat, the Arapani, to swim with some dolphins nearby. The serenity that day near the equator was a stark contrast to the 60 mph winds and 23-foot waves he had to fight around Cape Horn, the southern tip of South America. But Kim, a veteran sailor and member of the Rotary Club of Seokmun, in Chungcheongnam, Korea, expected such challenges when he set out in mid-October on a 25,600-mile journey around the world. In addition to fulfilling a lifelong dream, Kim is using the trip to raise awareness and funds...
After the first cases of Ebola reached Liberia's capital, Monrovia, last June, local Rotary members feared that the city's limited health care system wouldn't be able to contain the highly infectious, often-deadly disease.
Those fears were realized when infections quickly multiplied, underscoring the speed with which Ebola can spread in an urban center. It was the first time the hemorrhagic fever had threatened a major city since it erupted in West Africa last March.
Now, after months of crisis-level response, and with the number of new cases declining, club members are looking to the long...
Despite his longstanding interest in polio eradication, polio was not on Joe Pratt's mind as he prepared for a mid-April 2012 climb of Mount Everest, the highest mountain on earth. But that changed in late 2011, when the resident of Nottingham, New Hampshire, USA, participated in a polio immunization project in Pakistan with fellow Rotary member Steve Puderbaugh.
Moved by the efforts of the Pakistanis to battle the crippling disease, and by the vulnerability of the young victims, Pratt reset the focus of his climbing adventure. Pakistan is one of three countries where polio has never been...
Members of the Rotary Club of San Francisco Evening meet at a wine bar after work, share a social outing, and promote all their activities on social media like Meetup and Facebook.
As the first evening club in the city, it has attracted many young professionals from Silicon Valley tech firms whose work schedules keep them from joining a more traditional club that meets for breakfast or lunch. But more than that, the evening format has helped the club grow by 30 percent since it received its charter in mid-2013.
Danielle Lallement, who was its charter president, says the club has been...
Club Information
Welcome to our Club!
Service Above Self
We meet Tuesdays at 6:15 PM
Warrnambool Football Club
Cramer Street
Warrnambool,
Victoria 3280 Australia
Acting President Michael Boyd informed members of the sad loss of Pat McLeod, a staunch friend of Rotary and partner of our Club member and Paul Harris Fellow, Keith McLeod. Our thoughts at this special time are with Keith, Lyn, Jon, Lee and Paul and their families.
Members should also be aware that Phillip Ross has had a medical scare but appears to be recovering well in the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne.
Welcome to our RYLA participants from 2015 Matt Reynolds and Rachael Ryan, and also to Jessie Sheppard and Jakob Stennett who attended RYLA last year. The presentations by all four young folk were inspirational and I support Ian Cairn's comment that their presentations were a highlight of our Rotary year. These young people are evidence of the impact of RYLA on their lives and it was especially pleasing to hear from Jessie and Jacob who have focused their efforts onto goals set during the RYLA week. The presentations give our Club confidence that our ongoing support for RYLA is making a difference.
Our Club has been successful in its application for a defibrillator to be based at the Warrnambool Football Club. Anne Adams would like several members to join her at the launch on 20 May.
The vote to determine the future invocation and toast will be delayed until May 12, when members will be able to resolve our future procedure via a secret ballot (probably also via email or through the bulletin for those not present at the meeting).
Thanks to all members who have completed their collections for the Dinner Auction (only 3 weeks away). Collection of items to be completed this week, so please bring your items in or drop them off to Terry at BBQ's Galore. Rachael will help you with tickets and Svet needs support through your donations to the wheelbarrow raffle and wine cellar (items to be delivered to meetings on 12 and 19 May).
This promises to be another enjoyable meeting with funds raised going to ARH. Matty Stewart will once again do a phantom race call. Our Tuesday meeting on 5 May is cancelled. Instead, on Thursday 7 May, a combined meeting is to be held at the Mid City Motel at 7:00 am. Please let Anne Adams know as soon as possible if you plan on attending.
WHEELBARROW RAFFLE
Donations are needed for the Wheelbarrow Raffle at the Dinner Auction. Plants, garden items, food, wine etc. Please give your contribution to Svet Lineham who is doing the Wheelbarrow Raffle this year.
CAMP QUALITY
John Nisbet reported that 22 families have used the cabin since opening in October.
DEFIBRILLATOR
Members are needed to attend a training session on Wednesday 20 May for 30-40 minutes. Let Anne Adams know if you can attend.
RESIGNATION
Peter Walsgott has sent notice of his resignation from Rotary.
ROTARY DOWN UNDER
This magazine can now be received online.
ROTARACT
Rotaract Changeover dinner is on 15 July at Images and they are holding a Trivia Night on 17 July.
Rachel Furnell introduced the four RYLA speakers: Rachel Ryan and Matt Reynolds who attended the gathering at Kangaroobi this year, and Jessie Sheppard and Jakob Stennett who attended RYLA last year.
First to speak was Rachel Ryan: Rachel said she had asked herself, “What am I going to do for 6 days at Kangaroobi, with 42 strangers?” The first night was fun and games – we were comfortable. On day 2 we formed small groups and explored leadership and what we would like to achieve in life. Rachel said she knew where she wanted to go in life, but did not know how to get there. Day 3 was Goal Setting Day. We wrote down our goals. Can they be achieved? On Day 4 everyone was asked to confront the barriers to achieving their goals. Rachel said her biggest barrier was self–doubt. Can I change this? On Day 5 she said that she could see helping others and being the best person she could be, would be her goals. She was not going to let doubt get in her way – she would start by making a small difference when she got home. She would donate blood, even though she hates needles. Rachel said by Day 6 (and last) day she felt she had learned more about herself at the RYLA camp, than in the 21 years she had lived. She added that the RYLA program is really life changing and thanked Rotary for the opportunity to take part in the program.
Matt Reynolds: Matt said he saw RYLA “as an opportunity to do something for myself.” He said he did not know what to expect. Could he be a leader? He added, when we were asked to write down what we hoped to achieve, I thought I should I quit and go home! Matt said RYLA changed the way he sees things and he realised his future is in his own hands. He thanked Mike Boyd for getting him involved in RYLA and our Rotary Club for supporting him.
Jessie Sheppard: Jessie attended RYLA last year. She said she learned to set goals and use what she had learned. She said she gave up smoking, got fit and now her asthma is gone. She has gained knowledge in banking and marketing and has become involved in Rotaract activities such as Trivia Nights, Standing Tall, has helped with Show Gates, and uses social media to keep in contact. She thanked the SouthWest Credit Union and our Rotary Club for supporting her RYLA experience.
Jakob Stennett: Jakob was in Year 12 when he attended RYLA last year. He said he looks at things differently since attending the camp at Kangaroobi. He worked hard to get good Year 12 results (and achieved that). He has been accepted for a Tertiary Course. He works at the Whalers Hotel and the Aqua Farm and has been introduced to Rotaract. Jakob thanked our Rotary Club for giving him the opportunity to take part in the RYLA Program.
Bob, a 70-year-old, extremely wealthy widower, shows up at the Country Club with a breathtakingly beautiful and very sexy 25-year-old blonde-haired woman who knocks everyone's socks off with her youthful sex appeal and charm and who hangs over Bob's arm and listens intently to his every word. His buddies at the club are all aghast.
At the very first chance, they corner him and ask, 'Bob, how'd you get the trophy girlfriend?'
Bob replies, 'Girlfriend? She's my wife!'
They are knocked over, but continue to ask. 'So, how'd you persuade her to marry you?'
Its official! Our DG for 2017 - 2018 is Ray Herbert RC Mt Gambier West. Congratulations to Ray and Diedre.
