Our Last Meeting
Venue: Damien on Fisher
Guest Speaker: Club Assembly
Visiting Rotarian: Fay Reid (Mitcham)
Guests: Joan Reed (previous member)
Attendance: 24 members 2 guests
President Trevor's Announcement
Trevor welcomed our guests and reflected on national and world events. He advised of his attendance at the Australia Day Citizenship Ceremony at the Unley Town Hall where he spoke to the audience about the value of volunteering. Some 50 Australian citizens were freshly minted. He also welcomed Heather Kilsby’s return from family duties on the South Island.
Valerie Bonython chaired the meeting.
Pink Ribbon Morning Tea Donation to the Cancer Council SA:
Heather Kilsby and Emma McKee
Heather spoke of the success of the Pink Ribbon Morning Tea held in October last year. The money raised was topped up from project funds and a cheque of $5,500 was presented to the Cancer Council Community Fund Raising Officer, Emma McKee.
Emma took a moment to apprise the club of the activities of the Cancer Council of SA that operates entirely independent of Government surviving solely from donated funds. Last year the effort of countless volunteers and staff raised $8.7 million, a goodly effort. Around 27 South Australians are diagnosed with Cancer every day and Emma provided the cheery news that half of us will likely receive such a diagnosis before the age of 85. Fortunately, survival rates are now over 60% compared to 8% a mere twenty years ago. The Cancer Council assists in the areas of research, education and support. They employ nurses, and they also provide accommodation for country folk, and education about prevention and treatment. Their Beat Cancer Project is in its sixth year and has already funded 200 individual projects.
Behind the Badge: Mavis Martin
It’s always interesting to hear the life story of a member of the club and Mavis’s story is no exception. Raised in England by her strict grandparents, Mavis joined the workforce at age 16 undertaking office duties in a lawyers’ office. Seeking freedom from domestic strictures she decided to become a nurse because it required residential training. Despite this choice of career being made for all the wrong reasons, it came up trumps.
She moved to Oz in 1967 with a husband and two children and embarked on a long and successful career in Health, including nursing, midwifery, hospital management and education. Her final stint was working in a business owned by past member Kaylene Krantz involving training and the accreditation of trainers, where she eventually became the boss. She is now happily retired.
Group Study Exchange: Leonie Kewen
Leonie provided detailed information about the upcoming Group Study Exchange involving people from Kansas City Missouri. There are five people in the group including the leader, and unlike groups that we send overseas, some of the members are quite senior, the oldest being 61 (probably quite young by our standards). They arrive on 12th March and an active programme of activities and Vocational appointments has been planned. The group will be hand balled to the Murray Bridge Club on March 17th. Below is information about the programme and the people.
Club Assembly: President Trevor
At 7.45 the attention of the Club turned to the promised Club Assembly. President Trevor announced that this was a closed meeting of the club, visitors not invited, where no holds would be barred, and that scratching and biting were available options for participants. The doors were closed, although not barred. It was to be an assembly like no other I have attended in my long (and yet curiously unremarkable) membership of the club.
Things started normally with a Treasurer’s report. Pam told us we have $117,000 in the bank.
Patsy Beckett asked for a detailed breakdown of the accounts of the Thrift Shop that Pam promised to provide at a later date.
The net cost of the Carols was $6,333 and this information led to some vigorous discussion about the low level of Council subsidy, the extravagance of arrangements, the lack of public acknowledgement of our role in staging the event (service before self was ignored at this point), and whether this was a worthwhile event for the club to be involved in. A lively discussion, perhaps not the province of the normal Club Assembly but there was more to come.
Back to business (or some semblance of it). Dennis Liddle talked of the Jamboree shop. There were a total of 130 shifts and around half of these were filled by Unley. The total profit was $32,880 to be shared with some other clubs. Trevor advised that we made a blunder expecting to sell breakfast stuff and we’ve been stuck with stock. A clearance programme has been organised with creative work by Rajat Nagpal (see right) and the potential outlet being the Thrift Shop. The best before date is July so there is a long time to have a go at shifting it before giving the remainder away.
There were no other reports given.
John Peacham expressed disappointment about the lack of information about what the club was doing and asked if the minutes of the Board Meeting could be posted on the website.
Mavis, on fire after her Behind the Badge presentation, suggested the committees weren’t working and everyone was operating in the dark.
Valerie Bonython observed that this Club Assembly wasn’t like others, there should be Director’s reports.
Joan Reed observed that we were the same disorganised rabble we were before her departure (my words, not hers). She also advised that she couldn’t find anyone to tell that she was coming as phone calls weren’t answered or responded to.
Reno Elms weighed in with a call for a more traditional approach to Club Assemblies despite the fact they were often poorly attended. His attendance is a sign of his support for the process.
Trevor went on the defensive, advising of the amount of time he spends on Rotary, and feeling that his efforts were unappreciated. Don’t worry Trevor we all love you and what you are doing.
All morbidly fascinating!
My role is to report, not to editorialise, but what the heck. The members care about the club and want to know what’s going on. What was said at the meeting was said without rancour and was to make this point.
Rotary clubs do a ton of things and its only possible if the tasks are split up. The members delegate the ultimate decision making and financial control to the Board and the Board delegates what needs to be done to committees and individuals. A Club Assembly shouldn’t be confused with a Club Consultation (these are rare and should largely be avoided).
Club Assemblies are set pieces where each appendage of the club finds out what the other appendages are doing through a series of reports. The protocol is to ask questions after each report if you want more information. The Assembly isn’t a decision making or discussion forum. If a member isn’t happy with how something is being done, be it the Carols or the Thrift Shop or anything else, they should take it up with the people doing the job directly or get involved with doing it. At Assemblies it’s polite to simple keep your peace.
Getting through all this takes time and it is true that Club Assemblies can become an incy wincy bit tedious, hence their bad rap. But they are rewarding to those who attend who, if they are like me, end up astounded by how much we have achieved without anyone bursting a foofer valve. There is absolutely no reason why there shouldn’t be visitors, the more the merrier to find how much we do. They take a while though, and they should never be coupled with other programme items.
The meeting was a shambles really, but it could have been worse, it could have been the visit from the District Governor!
Spots
Judi Corcoran invited members to consider attending “Painting Brighter Futures for the Children of Sunrise”, an event that will help disadvantaged children in Nepal. Attendees will be making art or watching other do so while consuming canapes and wine. Friday 8th February, Burnside Town Hall, arriving at 6 for a 6.30 start and winding up at 11pm. The cost is $60 for everyone and an additional $30 if you’re painting. Call Judi 0401 242 859 if you interested in attending.
The Finale
Graham Becket won the card draw, no chocolates for anyone at this meeting. The meeting naturally ran overtime given the enormously ambitious programme and the late finish blemished President Trevor’s previously unblemished record. Slack has been given. At 8.15 there was a stampede for the door.
Upcoming Events
The Annual Bowls Match against RC Mitcham at Hawthorn Bowling Club on 26 February
Rotary News
As well as the programme for the meeting, over the meal President Trevor showed a short video, and for those who weren’t there (or those who were there but would like to see it again) below is a link. The video is Bono talking about Polio Plus. It seems that Bono is a person of importance, and so is what he thinks.
Our Upcoming Meetings
Tuesday 5 February 2019 6 for 6.30pm at Damien on Fisher
Guest Speaker: Julie Scott Angel Flight plus Andrew Chan NYSF
Chair: Bob Mills | Set-up, Welcome & Attendance: Judi Corcoran and Virginia Cossid
Tuesday 12 February 2019 6 for 6.30pm at Damien on Fisher
Guest Speaker: Collen Hanlon Grandparents for Grandchildren
Chair: Bob Mills | Set-up, Welcome & Attendance: Sorel Coward and Reno Elms
Tuesday 19 February 2019 6 for 6.30pm at Damien on Fisher
Guest Speaker: Julie Nunn Families4Families
Chair: Bob Mills | Set-up, Welcome & Attendance: Sorel Coward and Reno Elms
Apologies normally to: Jerry Casburn by e-mail
jerry@thecasburns.com.au or 0407 646 396
but until 9 March to Sorel Coward at
sorel@sorelcoward.com.au or 0408 406 558
Meeting Enquiries to: Secretary Greg McLeod on 0417 811 838 or email to unley.secretary@rotaryclub.org.au
Venue Set-up Enquiries to: Bulletin Editor Stephen Baker on 0403 687 015
Saturday Thrift Shop Roster
Early Shift: 10.00am to 1.00pm Late Shift: 1.00pm to 4.00pm
Week 1: 2 February 2019
Early: Vera Holt & Valerie Bonython (Jerry Casburn) | Late: Robyn Carnachan & Rachel Harding
Week 2: 9 February 2019
Early: Greg Mcleod & Chad Leader | Late: Wendy Andrews & Heather Kilsby
Week 3: 16 February 2019
Early: David Middleton & Nathan White | Late: Pam Trimmer & Ken Haines
Week 4: 26 January 2019
Early: Stephen Baker & Judi Corcoran | Late: Wendy Andrews (Rhonda Hoare) & Jason Booth
Week 5:
Early: Bob Mullins & Wendy Andrews | Late: Jerry Casburn & Reno Elms
Rotarians, who are unable to attend as rostered, please arrange a swap or as a very last resort contact: Pam Trimmer (T) 8293 2612; (M) 0415 238 333; e-mail: pamela.trimmer@bigpond.com
Bunnings Mile End Barbeque
ALL the Bunnings Mile End Barbeque shifts are from 8am to 5pm
Next Date: Monday 18 February
Morning shift: 8.00am – 12.30pm | Afternoon shift: 12.30 – 5pm
The next Mitre 10 BBQ (now first Saturday of each month) will be on February 2
The Tale End.……
Physicians were unable to reach a consensus: Should the U.S. build Trump's Mexican Wall?
The Allergists were in favour of scratching it, but the Dermatologists advised not to make any rash moves.
The Gastroenterologists had sort of a gut feeling about it, but the Neurologists thought Trump had a lot of nerve.
Meanwhile, Obstetricians felt certain everyone was labouring under a misconception, while the Ophthalmologists considered the idea short-sighted.
Pathologists yelled, "Over my dead body!" while the Paediatricians said, "Oh, grow up!"
The Psychiatrists thought the whole idea was madness, while the Radiologists could see right through it. Surgeons decided to wash their hands of the whole thing and the Physicians claimed it would indeed be a bitter pill to swallow.
The Plastic Surgeons opined that this proposal would "put a whole new face on the matter." The Podiatrists thought it was a step forward, but the Urologists were pissed off at the whole idea.
Anaesthetists thought the whole idea was a gas, and those lofty Cardiologists didn't have the heart to say no.
In the end, the Proctologists won out, leaving the entire decision up to the assholes in Washington!
