Some members rose to Glenn’s challenge of installing interesting backdrops for their Zoom meeting, with Glenn transporting us to Paris with a night image of Moulin Rouge and Andrew Suggett’s artistic ability was certainly on display with a large drawing of me as the Easter Bunny carrying a basket of eggs. Coincidentally, our Easter meeting scheduled for the Lady Bay was to be a children’s meeting and I was in the process of sourcing a bunny suit when the virus situation developed! Well done to both members for making our meeting a little more interesting.
Some others had attempts at providing backdrops with varying degrees of success, me included.
We will again have a Waffle with Wine meeting this Friday April 17 commencing at 7pm. Zoom have strengthened their security and you will need to record the meeting number and password to enter the meeting. Both will be displayed in the email I will send you. The meeting number and password will be specific to this meeting and not to be used for any other meeting links. Therefore it is best to delete the email after our meeting. If you have the Zoom downloaded on your computer, you can press the icon ‘join meeting’ and then add the meeting ID and password and wait to be connected. If you do not have Zoom on your computer, press the link in the email and when prompted add the meeting ID and password, again wait a minute to be connected.
Ian Harper has sent out a quiz via email which is a little challenging and should provide some fun at this week’s meeting when he reveals the answers and eventual winner of the quiz. A great idea Ian; if any other members have fun sessions they wish to circulate, please do so.
Board Meeting – The Board will meet next Tuesday April 21 via a zoom meeting that will commence at 7pm. Could all Directors please circulate their reports as soon as possible to other members of the Board? As the Zoom meetings on the free application are limited to just over 30minutes there will be no time for Directors to go into lengthy discussion on their reports. It is expected that reports will be read prior to the meeting and only questions pertaining to the reports to be raised which should facilitate a shorter than usual meeting time. If we run out of time I will send another link allowing members to rejoin a new meeting. Rotary is able to purchase a subscription to Zoom at a reduced rate which would allow a longer meeting time. This will be raised at the upcoming Board meeting as we develop our use of technology into the future. If members have any issues they wish to raise at Board level, please send me an email.
Activity in Isolation – Cheryl has had some members take up the offer of knitting blankets for packs to be circulated through BackPack 4 Kids, as seen by the photo of Ree Rundell happily knitting in isolation. I am repeating the formula sent by Cheryl for any members and their friends who would also like to participate in the project. Please feel free to send through any photos of your needles in action so that I can include in future editions of the Bulletin.
Cheryl is knitting for 0000-1year size/age. Others that want to participate may wish to choose another age group. When completed, please contact Cheryl who will advise where the finished products can go for packing/distribution.
Directions for sizes using 8ply wool as follows;-
4 mm needles - cast on 20 stitches for 10 cms
3.25 mm needles - cast on 27 stitches for 10 cms
For example a 55x70 blanket for newborn - cast on 110 stitches and knit 70 cms
Make sure the blankie is no bigger than 110x135 as it won't fit in the backpack.
0000 - 1 yr …….55x70 cms
1- 3 yrs ……..70x90 cms
4 - 6 yrs …….85x110 cms
7 - 10 yrs …….100x120 cms
11 - 18 yrs ……110x135 cms
Rotary Training and Club Qualification/grants – Last week I gave a reminder to members that training modules are on the Learning Centre in Club Central if you wish to undertake training and prepare for your roles in Rotary. I’m pleased to hear that Chris Preston has completed the required modules that qualify our Club in applying for grants. Well done Chris your time is very much appreciated.
Meals on Wheels Update – Andrew has had communication with MOW and our services will not be required during this interim period of Covid-19. As many employees have had their work situation altered as a result of the isolation guidelines, some have been redirected from their usual work duties to fill the Meals on wheels roster. When the situation eases we will again participate in the program.
Long Lunch 2021 – Jenny has informed me that she has booked Brother Fox at Deakin University for our next Long Lunch which is scheduled for Sunday February 28, 2021. As Jenny has expressed, this event will come on the heels of a very tough time for businesses during 2020 and may take the form of a celebration and networking event rather than an event that has a focus on fundraising. We will certainly be looking forward to this date envisioning we can all be together again.
Other Rotary News
Presidential Theme 2020-21 – The Presidential Theme for 2020-21 has been announced as “Rotary Opens Opportunities”. The incoming Rotary International President-elect Holger Knaack ‘is encouraging Rotarians to seize the many opportunities Rotary offers to enrich their lives and the communities they serve’. He also ‘encourages district leaders to create new club models and is calling for more women to undertake roles’.
Conference Presentations Online – The presentations scheduled for the District Conference in Swan Hill will be accessible online through the Team application. The presentations will be recorded and sent out to Clubs and subsequently all members. The first presentation on the Purple House was delivered by Sarah Brown in the past week and I have since emailed the recorded version to all members. As other presentations become available I will forward to you via email.
Selection District Governor 2022-23 – The District Governor Nominating Committee has completed the selection process for District Governor 2022-23 and has announced that Past President Kathy Rivett from the Rotary Club of Alfredton will be appointed.
Malaria Awareness Day will fall on April 30 and RAM Australia is running a social Media campaign to raise awareness and promote education around Malaria. In 2018 Malaria infected 228 million people resulting in 405,000 deaths (1019 daily) with 67% of deaths being children under 5years of age. If you want to be involved RAM are asking you to.
- Write ‘zero’ on a poster
- Take a photo of yourself holding up the poster
- Send the photo to the RAM PR and Media Coordinator – netania@monashrotaract.org.au
- Or, post it on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and/or LinkedIn tagging @RAM or #ZeroMalariaStartsWithMe
- RAM Australia will repost your photos and together we will build an online movement
Birthdays and Anniversaries – Congratulations to Jan Read who celebrated her birthday on Thursday April 16. Andrew Suggett will also celebrate his birthday on Monday April 20, so best wishes for the day Andrew, I’m sure Betty will be spoiling you.
Brags – Geoff Grec has revealed that his second grandchild is expected later this year in October. Congratulations to Geoff and his family on this exciting news.
Daybreak on Instagram – Peter Smid has been busy setting up Daybreak with an Instagram account. Instagram is a popular platform with younger community members and could be beneficial for Daybreak as we seek new members and to inform the general public what our Club offers. Peter is seeking photos from members showing how we are filling in our days during the COVID-19 lockdown, this could be walking our dogs, playing board games, reading books or dare I say cleaning the oven as I did this week! Please forward your photos to Peter and he will put them online.
Flu Injections – A reminder to all our members that the flu injections have arrived in the local Chemists and also in some doctor’s surgeries. The Chemist Flu shot costs $15 and is not quite as strong as the free flu shots the doctors supply.
Assistance – A reminder that our Club may be able to provide some form of assistance to those members and their families who may be overwhelmed by their isolation in the current situation. If you are unsure of how to order in food or other supplies or how to contact other services, we have members who could assist you in understanding these processes. Please call Glenn in the first instance on 0417 031 943 and if you can’t reach Glenn, Harpo can be contracted on 0427 941 198. Hopefully we can provide assistance or advice from afar rather than face to face.
Remember to touch base with those members and friends who may be feeling more isolated than you for a range of reasons; it may only be a phone call but may mean a lot more to them than you think. Stay safe and stay connected and more importantly at this stage of COVID-19, stay home.
Liza
