Our guest speaker this week was Sam Hamilton, an entertainment industry professional involved in both the music and film industry in Europe, the United States and Australia.
Sam started out with Polygram in January 1978 as the National Promotions manager launching campaigns for Bon Jovi, Demis Roussos, John Mellencamp, Kiss and Elton John.
Over the years he has worked as a music journalist and is a former record company executive for Decca and Polygram. In Film and Television industry in Australia he worked for the Ten Network Australia and other media companies. Since those hectic years in the industry, he has spent some years as a university lecturer and is the author of the book 'Selling The Circus'.
He mentioned that he is a good friend of Billy Connolly, who was actually managed by Elton John’s manager. He related a story of when Billy first came on tour to Australia and arrived about six weeks before his first show, to give him time to familiarize himself with Australian politics, issues and general character. Then a day before the first show, Billy stated that he was going to prepare for the show and ended up writing just four points on a sheet of paper. Billy’s shows always have a starting point and then just ‘wander’ on to whatever happens to ‘pop up’ in the conversation.
Because of this casual approach there is no way of knowing exactly how long his shows would go for. On one occasion it ran one and a half hours over, and on another occasion it ran two hours over and patrons had to catch taxis home as normal transport services had already stopped.
On one occasion, Sam was travelling to Sydney by car with his family and to reduce boredom was playing a variety of CDs like the Goons, Hancock’s Half Hour and of course Billy Connolly. When Billy’s CD was playing his little four year old son said, “Dad, if you don’t like hearing swearing, why do you listen to Billy Connolly’s shows”?
Sam went on to discuss events surrounding Michael Jackson and commented that as soon as he heard that Michael had died, he expected that someone would go to goal for it. This was because it impacted on so many people and organisations that someone would be held accountable. This was particularly so as deposits would have been paid for stadia, support crews would have hired, etc. and all expenditure would have been covered by insurance and the companies were not going to just pay out without looking for someone else to be found guilty. As history shows, Michael’s personal physician was ultimately convicted as a major player in Michael’s death.
Sam went on to say that most of the big bands or groups of that time used to travel with a large entourage including their own medical doctors to ensure that all of their needs were met.
He related other stories about the antics that the members of the various support groups to the performers got up to. He then mentioned that one of the more uninhibited organisations that he dealt with was a recording company called Casablanca, which was ultimately bought out by Polygram.
Members enjoyed hearing his stories of the wild and famous performers and suggested that Sam be invited back to tell some more.
President’s thought for the week, “Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” George Bernard Shaw
This year's Hutt Street Centre "Walk a Mile in my Boots' is on Friday, 5th August. This will replace our normal meeting on Thursday, August 4th. So far we have 16 people registered - last year we had 20 participants. It would be great if we could surpass this number this year.
"Walk a Mile in my Boots" is the Hutt Strett Centre's official National Homelessness Prevention Week event designed to assist around 6,000 people who experience homelessness in South Australia each year.
This year they are focussing on Martin, who had a good life in Perth working in labour and construction for over 30 years. In 2016 Martin was hit with the news that he had developed Parkinson's disease. Aside from the devastating effects of the disease on his personal wellbeing, he knew instantly that this would ultimately affect his ability to work.
In 2015 when Martin was out of work in Western Australia, he was excited by the prospect of a job lined up through a friend in South Australia. Martin pulled together the last of his savings, packed his van and hit the road with high hopes for his future. When Martin arrived on site to this promised work, he was confronted with the reality of his yet to be diagnosed condition when he failed his pre-work medical exam, meaning that he would devastatingly lose this opportunity.
"The biggest physical challenge, forgetting the health side of things, is the weather. In winter, condensation builds up inside my van, and I feel it on the top of my blanket on cold mornings."
Because no person who is homeless should ever feel they are walking alone, please join in walking one mile on a cold, winter's morning to find something to eat, a hot shower and a friendly face. By doing this you are sharing with the homeless community that you're there to help and support them; they are not alone.
if you have not already indicated that you will be participating in this event, could you please let me know that you will be able to attend. Could you also please give me your $25 for registration at next week's meeting so that I am able to give this to the Hutt Street Centre. If you registered at yesterday's meeting but did not pay the $25, could you also please bring that along to next week's meeting. I need to go into the Hutt Street Centre before the event and pay for our registration.
I look forward to walking with all of you, plus a few dogs, on Friday, August 5th.
As flagged at the District Changeover, the District Membership Committee has come together with the District Management Team to address the issue of declining membership in our District. To this end, a Membership Summit will be held to begin the process of addressing this vital issue.
We are asking that Club Presidents and Membership Directors make every effort to attend.
All Rotarians interested in Membership are welcome to attend. Please enrol via the online link below.
Any issues or other communication, please contact: District Secretary Jeff Cluse – email secretary16-17@rotary9500.org or 0417 573 696.
Please enrol online – the link is
http://e.mybookingmanager.com/9500
The seminar is free and morning tea will be provided.
2. The Matchmaker
The Matchmaker - the fun-filled comedy that inspired the hit musical Hello Dolly!
Generous Group Discounts apply by contacting our Ticketing Officer Judy Chapman at icare@internode.on.net
or 8299 9155. We are also happy to offer your organisation a promo code DOLLY which will give you $10 discount when booking online for Adult and Concession tickets.
Broadcast on 1197AM 5RPH Adelaide each Tuesday 7.30-8.00 pm. From each Wednesday the broadcast program can be heard on-line at www.rphadelaide.org.au/Webcast.html
2/8/16 - Dr Michael O'Callaghan, Repatriation Hospital
"Supporting the War against Prostate Cancer"
9/8/16 - PP David Cockshell, RC Gawler Light
"Donations in Kind - The Old RAH Project"
16/8/16 - Imogen Walters, Rose Park
"To Moscow with the Bolshoi Ballet, Helped by Rotary"
23/8/16 - PDGs Ed King & Peter Ochota
"Rotary for the 21st Century - Options for Change"
30/8/16 - Rtn Richard Heathcote, RC Brownhill Creek
"Carrick Hill - a Unique Treasure"
4. Training News
(check District website for details)
Want to revitalise your Club; learn about Poll Everywhere and how to use it; engage all of your Club members in a membership drive; or encourage someone in your Club. Come to the next RLI Course on October 22nd & 23rd
5. District Insurance
The District Insurance Summary 2016-2017 and the D9500 Certificate of Currency 2016-2017, have been uploaded to the District Website.
6. Service Club Week
(9th - 15th October 2016)
The Association of Community Service Organisations Inc. invites all South Australian Service Clubs to:-
Nominate Projects for the 2016 Premier's Service Club Awards.
Nominate an Outstanding Individual for the Heide Taylor Community Service Medal.
Nominate an Outstanding Young Person for the Allan Sloan Young Citizen Community Service Prize.
Nominate and Participate in the Schools Community Service Award.
Attend the Premier's Awards Presentation Luncheon, to be held on Sunday 9th October from noon at the Glenelg Golf Club. Display your Club Banners and Community Service Projects.
Celebrate Service Club Week by holding a Club Event.
Celebrate in the Mall in that week, more details to follow.
Substantial prize money is made available by a grant from the Premier’s Community Service Awards 2016.
For the benefit of members, we will aim to give the Duty Roster a few weeks ahead - see below.
Responsibility
28 July 2016
4 August 2016
11 August 2016
Chairperson
John Campbell
Miriam Silva
Attendance
John Wotherspoon
No meeting
Angus Tuck
Attendance
Graham Smith
David Rowe
Hosting
Deborah Wotherspoon
Chris Dibden
Furniture
Barry Grear
Richard Jarrett
Furniture
John Karran
Julie Campbell
Invocation
Miriam Silva
Fred Field
Bottles/cans
Andrew Black
Dean Sullivan
Graham Smith
Rotaract roster
Not required
Not required
Not required
Bread roster
31/7 David Riggall/
David Rowe
7/8 Graham Smith/
Carolyn Wigg
14/8 Graham Smith/
Terry Rodoni
Member's Corner
Chairman: Meet/greet speaker for the meeting; introduce and thank speaker. Preparation:- find details about the speaker prior to the meeting. Attendance: Set up reception table (attendance sheet; members list – re -payments; guest welcome sheet; money; wine raffle sheet); register member payments/ apologies/ guests. Hosting: Set up name badges display; welcome all at the door; ensure speaker and guests are introduced to appropriatepersons. Furniture: Flags; banner display; raffle balls; collection boxes; Rotary theme banner; gong and hammer; lectern position before and returned after the meeting. Computerset up – Connect to projector. Switch on. Hold function key & press F5 twice. Invocation: Recite Rotary or other invocation relating to Rotary and fellowship. Bottles/cans: Collect bags of bottles/cans at meeting and take to recycle centre for refund, pass refund and empty bags to David Rowe at next meeting. Members’ Corner: write for the Newsletter on a topic of your choice, particularly during the 3 weeks you appear here on the roster, but also anytime you have something to say. Rotaract, Church, Bread roster: Roster is for the Sunday/Monday after the meeting date. Rotaract: Meets alternate Mondays at 6pm (for a 630pm start) at the General HavelockHotel in Hutt Street. Church: Sundays, 5.30pm at Pilgrim Uniting Church, 12 Flinders St (Park via boom gate in Flinders St. from 5pm). Bread: Sundays, meet outside Romeo's, North Adelaide at 4:45pm
Members rostered for Thursday morning duty are asked to be in attendance by 6.45am
For good food, for good fellowship and the opportunity to serve through Rotary, we give thanks
Rotary Club of Adelaide Light Mission Statement
To be recognised as the Service Club of Choice in the Eastern Precinct of Adelaide because we are a Friendly Breakfast Club that appeals to a broad range of busy people who want to make a difference to local and international communities.
