A very interesting talk by Boré last Wednesday, reminding us of just how bad polio was. How amazing it is to know that Rotary has been instrumental in its eradication in this country and almost the entire world. We must keep up this great effort.
Cheers
Tim Goodall
Update on Mary.
This week Mary had a crack at surfing. She could have gone surfing last week outside Brendan’s caravan, but the water was a bit flat.
Grampians weekend 2020.
Book anytime from now on.
Parkgate Caravan Park
Halls Gap
Fri Oct 23rd - Sun Oct 25th 2020.
Mention our Rotary Club when you book for a group discount.
1800 810 781
Minutes.
Attendance: 30 members and Mary were in attendance according to Malcolm.
Knuckles set the wheels in motion with a goldfish joke before introducing our President. The Tickler informed everyone about the Inner Wheel Movie Night (see below for details). He also kindly offered to host our Christmas break up at his place on Friday 13th December. Bring a salad or nibbles, 6.30 for 7.00, more details to follow.
In reports;
James informed us that the Veteran’s retreat was very successful.
Lew announced the Polio breakfast was also a success, thanks partly to Doug’s late cameo.
Garry reminded members he is looking for volunteers to take part in our L2P/mentoring program.
Mary gave us an update on her week, including her weekend in the Grampians.
Lynchie reported that his horse, Southern France, would be running in the Melbourne Cup. His other horses, Vassa Blue and Physicality, will be pulling the CUB wagon.
Boré then gave us a fantastic report on his time in Africa treating young people with disabilities caused by polio. One of the great challenges with Rotary’s campaign to eradicate polio is that it is at risk of being a victim of its own success. As we rid the world of polio, we forget how devastating the disease is. We can lose sight of how important it is to stick at the task until we have completely eradicated this disease.
Boré’s told us about his time in the Rift Valley in Kenya several decades ago treating a huge number of polio victims. Boré has done amazing work and he should be very proud of it. His report described events many years ago, but was very timely reminder of the importance of what Rotary is doing in the world right now. We thank Boré for his wonderful presentation. We also thank the Rotary Club of Warrnambool Daybreak for hosting the recent Polio Breakfast. We also urge members to support out upcoming movie night (see below for details) which will also be a Polio fundraiser.
Cup Sweep.
The Compass has kindly set up a cup sweep this year;
Time travel part 1.
Some time ago we discussed the fact that, according to Einstein’s theories of special and general relativity, time is a variable. Not only is it theoretically possible to travel forward in time, but in some circumstances it would be unavoidable. However, travelling back in time does not seem possible, and there are three reasons for this. Firstly, under the rules of physics as we currently understand them, there is no way to travel back in time. Secondly, travelling back in time appears to be logically impossible because it sets up a series of seemingly unresolveable logical dilemas (for example one could to go back in time and murder one’s own parents). Thirdly, there seems to be a lack of evidence for it. If humans will one day discover how to travel back in time, why aren’t there time travellers from the future coming back to visit us now?
What is the relavance of this discussion in a Rotary club newsletter I imagine you asking. Well, our President was very keen for me to put this advertisement in the Central Spoke this week;
Time travel part 2.
When Boré came in this week and set up his movie screen, overhead projector and transparencies, your correspondent felt pangs of nostalgia. When Boré brought out the VHS video cassette recorder and plugged an old RCA A-V cable into the back of it, I was completely overcome. Boré certainly wasn’t about to plug his RCA cable into the HDMI socket on the Central Court’s TV however. Fortunately, Junior owns the world’s only remaining working video projector that will accept an RCA lead and broadcast in the VCR’s Composite Analog Video (PAL) format. For a person who grew up with VCR’s, it did occur to me that this might be the last time in my life that I ever saw a working VCR. In a world overrun with access to digital videos, it also occurred to me that it might be the last time in my life that I ever saw a video being played in any sort of analog format. Well done Boré. Who says you can’t travel back in time!
Boré’s travelling museum of technology fascinated members.
Mentoring program.
I believe there is a need for a mentoring program aimed at kids at risk not being captured by the Standing Tall program. I approached Francis Broekman with this and he agreed with me.
Brophy Youth Services appears likely to adopt the “L to P” program from the Warrnambool City Council. We see this as an ideal opportunity to meld the mentoring with the driver training.
Brophy will identify suitable clients for the program. They will have their L plates and will have had some driver training so our instructor roles will not involve the initial driver training.
The board has given its support to this concept and it is anticipated we will launch in mid to late January, depending on completion of training of our volunteers. Brophy will conduct the mentoring training and I will coordinate the driving instructor training.
Francis and I see this as being an ongoing project of great importance. It will have small beginnings but we hope to expand it over time. We need volunteers, male and female. A few members put their hands up at our last meeting. We need 10 volunteers to commence. Please ask your partners or if you are aware of someone you believe would be suitable, please put them forward.
I should point out that we are not taking over the “L to P” program. The existing program will continue with the same volunteers. Our program is aimed at Brophy clients identified as in need of mentoring and/or contact with a potential role model.
If you would like to be a part of this program, or have questions, please contact me either directly at Rotary or on 0419 353 025.
Garry Askew
Cure Brain Cancer Foundation.
Hi there
My family is participating in the Walk for Brain Cancer fund raising event which Matt introduced us to last year. If you are interested in joining us you can click below to join Mattyo's Team using the Register option or donate to help find a cure for brain cancer with the donate option.
It only takes a minute and any money you can give (no matter how large or small) will go a long way to helping them reach our target.
Thank you, I really appreciate your support...
Regards
Brendan O'Neill
Central Rotary, Other Halves
Merry Christmas to all. This year we are going to keep in the Charter of Rotary - strive to make the world a better place through practical efforts.
You are Invited to:
My place, 266 Lava St, Warrnambool
On November 26th at 7pm.
Where we will celebrate Christmas and support “Women in Need in Warrnambool”
What we can do to Help? - A special Xmas Gift
You can donate; A new or good quality used large hand bag that we can fill and $20 or more.
From the donated money I will buy the essentials - pads and/or tampons, shampoo and conditioner, toothbrush and toothpaste, soap/body wash, roll on deodorant, ext. I will then deliver the filled bags to Emma House.
Emma House is a local not-for-profit organisation that provides critical support services for women and their children who have, or who are experiencing domestic/family violence. Emma House also provides outreach and court support services, accommodation options, assistance into the private rental market, intensive case management, and supportive counselling to women and children who have suffered domestic violence.
The night will be catered for (finger food and Alcohol) as we all will be busy filling our bags, at a cost of $30.
Could you please give your Donation of Money and $30 through your Husband/Partner to Tim or directly to Me, by the 12th of November. If you are unable to attend but would like to donate a bag and money, please do so.
Merry Christmas,
Di Goodall
0408 621 469
Swiss fast facts.
Basel is an important centre for banking worldwide. This is partly because Basel is the home of the Bank of International Settlements (BIS).
The BIS was set up in Basel in 1930 by the governments of the major powers to facilitate the payment of Germany's WW1 war reparations. Given that the war reparations were suspended in 1931 and cancelled in 1932, the BIS outlived it's original intended purpose almost immediately. The bank persisted for the next few years as a forum for central bankers to meet and discuss problems.
Ten years ago this week.
Past member Graham ‘Pinky’ Kemp loves shooting. Ten years ago, we discussed an article in a recent edition of ‘Fur and Feathers’ magazine;
Graham Kemp is the Dick Cheney of Australian shooting. Graham’s wayward shooting has done more to reduce the number of duck shooters in Victoria than all of Laurie Levy’s protests.
After last week’s article, Kempy has sent me a four page article from ‘Feathers and Fur’ magazine describing his last rampage in Africa. The author of the article explains;
‘Graham ‘Pinky’ Kemp first showed me how to shoot ducks many, many years ago and is the only man to have caught me sufficiently off guard to shoot me. Admittedly, this was a freak accident involving a bullet that shattered and sent splinters in all directions including into me.’
He went on to explain that when shooting with Graham, you would typically hear men yelling;
‘On your left’, ‘On your right’, ‘Overhead’. ‘Good shot’, ‘Sorry’.
