This week's Guest Speaker, Michael Sachsse, shared his experience of working in Afghanistan and posed the question “What does the future hold for Afghanistan”?
While working as an International Consultant for the United Nations, Michael has undertaken nine missions to Afghanistan between 2002 and 2011 during which he contributed to the establishing of the country’s national vocational education and training system. More recently he was engaged in the reform and restructuring of Afghanistan’s Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.
During his visits to Afghanistan, Michael saw the extreme difficulties to bring peace to that country due to the many tribal sectors and cultures, and as a result the future of Afghanistan will be compromised.
Thanks to PP Phil Harding for running last week’s meeting in my absence.
This week the Adelaide City Rotaract Club held a 5th birthday party to celebrate this milestone since it was chartered by the Rotary Club of Adelaide Light. To formally acknowledge the significant service work carried out by this Rotaract Club, the Board of Adelaide Light Rotary has decided to donate $50 ($10 for each year) to the Ian Riseley Forest project in the name of the Adelaide City Rotaract Club. This will enable 10 trees to be planted in their name and is particularly apt as they will be joining us for a working weekend at Calperum Station in April 2018.
District Governor Peter Schaefer has invited all Rotarians to consider a “Once in a Lifetime Opportunity” to apply for the role as District Governor 2020-2021. Please refer to his email 7/12/2017, sent to all Rotarians, for further information and how to obtain a job description and application form or I can obtain one for you.
Thank you to all Rotarians and friends who donated their time last weekend to sell Xmas Trees at Bunnings, Kent Town. One more weekend to go - as you know this is one of our main fundraisers for the year and we do need your support and we love it when Rob says his roster is full.
This week is the last week for donations of toys for the Salvation Army and $20 monetary donation for food hampers for the Moore Street Centres. Katrina Ball will be pleased to accept toys and money and will arrange delivery to appropriate organisations on our behalf.
Remember to continue inviting friends to our Film Night showing “Breathe” on Friday 12th January at 6.30pm at Palace Nova Cinema, off Rundle Street, Adelaide. $20 a ticket with all proceeds going to End Polio.
Thought for the week:
“Never look down on anyone unless you are helping them up”
Donations for Moore Street Centre Christmas food hamper and toys for needy children at Christmas.
For some years at Christmas time we have each donated $20 towards a food hamper for the Moore Street Centre and donated toys that we have delivered to the Salvation Army for needy children.
Please provide wrapping paper with the toys but do not wrap them as the Salvation Army like to wrap the presents themselves. In the past they have had inappropriate parcels provided for children.
Katrina Ball will be collecting donations at our meetings and Christmas function until 14 December.
Mike Stevens, District Chair of the NYSF, was a guest at our Club on December 7. He introduced the two students our Club is co-sponsoring. They gave a short talk about what they were hoping to achieve during their time at the forum.
Mike provided the following background information about the NYSF program.
"The National Science Summer School started in 1983 by the Rotary Clubs of Canberra. Its aim was to encourage high school science students to come to Canberra to study. In 1984, it changed to the National Youth Science Forum (NYSF). It is a not-for-profit organisation that runs a number of residential programs to encourage young people in their passion for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). I am beginning to add medicine and agriculture to these four because of their growing importance to Australia.
The flagship program is the NYSF Year 12 Program, which runs in January each year for students about to enter year 12. Since 1983, more than 11,000 young Australians have progressed through the NYSF Year 12 Program which is a 12-day residential program designed to give students a broader understanding of the diverse study and career options available in STEM and to encourage them to continue their studies in these fields. The program includes
visit science and technology related laboratories and facilities
go on site tours,
listen to lectures,
take part in workshops,
go to social events, and
participate in group activities that improve communication and presentation skills.
Participants also take part in sessions on entrepreneurship, critical thinking, how to work together effectively, and more. The focus is not solely on academic achievements, but on developing well-rounded individuals who have the skills and confidence to determine their futures.
The NYSF is run by youth for youth, with a certain number of participants being selected each year to come back and participate in our Student Staff Leadership Program in preparation to help run the program the year after they first attended.
Rotary is the Founding Partner of NYSF and today the 21 Rotary districts across Australia continue to conduct selections for the NYSF Year 12 Program on behalf of the NYSF. Rotarians support those students with part of the cost of the program and continue to encourage them after the program. Rotarians attend the sessions as Uncles and Aunties to provide pastoral care and first aid.
It has been a great pleasure for me to be involved as District Chair in the selection of the students this year. They will join some 550 other young people from across Australia on the Canberra campus of the Australian National University and in Brisbane at the University of Queensland. They will form lasting friendships and meet some of the leading practioners in the various STEM fields. Their experience will hold them in excellent stead into the future no matter what they do and they will be continually surprised at where and when they will meet other NYSFers".
For the benefit of members, we will aim to give the Duty Roster a few weeks ahead - see below.
Responsibility
14 December 2017
21 December 2017
28 December 2017
Chairperson
Rob McLennan
Barry Grear
&
Attendance
Angus Tuck
Yvette Reade
4 January 2018
Attendance
Richard Jarret
John Wotherspoon
Furniture/Hosting
Don Tindale
Phil Harding
Bottles/ cans
Rob McLennan
Dean Sullivan
No meeting
Rotaract roster
Not required
Not required
Bread roster
17/12 Richard Jarrett/
Carolyn Wigg
24/12 Richard Jarrett/
Carolyn Wigg
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. 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. Rotaract: Meets alternate Mondays at 6pm (for a 630pm start) at the General HavelockHotel in Hutt Street. Bread: Sundays, meet outside Romeo's, North Adelaide at 4:55pm
Members rostered for Thursday morning duty are asked to be in attendance by 6.45am
United in the spirit of Service we value truth, fairness and friendship; and we welcome the opportunity that Rotary gives us to contribute our talents and resources in support of others.
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.
Madge and Mabel, two spinsters, have just arrived in USA by boat, and one says to the other"I hear that the people in this country actually eat dogs."
"Odd," her companion replies, "but if we shall live in America, we might as well do as theAmericans do."
As they sit, they hear a push cart vendor yelling, "Hot Dogs, get your dogs here," and they bothwalk towards the hot dog cart.
"Two dogs, please!" says one.
The vendor is very pleased to oblige, wraps both hot dogs in foil and hands them over. Excitedly, the ladies hurry to a benchand begin to unwrap their 'dogs.'
Madge isfirst to open hers.
She begins to blush and then, after staringat it for a moment, leansto Mabel and ina soft brogue whispers:
