Born at Bendigo Base Hospital Victoria, 2nd July 1944. Started primary school at Eaglehawk north primary school February 1949. My Father came home from the Army in 1950 and the family moved to West Footscray. I was enrolled at Argyle Street Primary School West Footscray and finished in 1955. Started secondary schooling at Footscray Technical College in 1956. During this year the college organized an excursion for students to attend the Olympic Games for 6 days in Melbourne, very enjoyable especially the swimming and the track and field events. At the start of 1957 i was transferred with 28 other students to the new Tottenham Technical School, great fun being the senior students in form 2.

Started work in late January 1960 as an Electrical apprentice at the Herald and Weekly Times. The main thing i remember was being picked up at about 2am by one of the delivery trucks the morning President John F Kennedy was shot.

In June 1966 i joined the Royal Australian Navy as a seaman/ weapons mechanic. During the next 6 years traveling to just about every country from the east coast of Africa to the west coast of the USA. I was a crewman on HMAS Stuart, the escort ship for HMS Britannia for the royal tour by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip in the late sixties. A highlight of that tour was playing cricket against a Cairns side in a combined side from HMS Britannia and HMAS Stuart in which Prince Philip played, he made 29 runs and took 2 wickets. Unfortunately i was also on HMAS Stuart doing exercises in the South China Sea during the midnight watch when the Australian carrier HMAS Melbourne cut the American destroyer USS Frank E Evans in half.

Upon discharge from the navy in 1972 i moved back home to Glenelg South Australia and worked in my wife's family buisness until 1978 when my first wife passed away. Lynette and I were married in Adelaide in 1981. I purchased a VIP Lawnmowing Franchise in 1983, and then purchased the Master Franchise for South Australia in 1988.

We moved to the Gold Coast in 1998 where I purchased the Management Rights for the complex Summer Waters, Cotlew st East, Southport. The night we were moving into our unit it was pouring rain and our new next door neighbour bought out coffees and cakes, turns out that our neighbour was none other than Frank Adorjan. Frank invited me along to Surfers Paradise Rotary Club where i became a member until the grumpy old men saga in 2002. Along with quite a few other Surfers members I moved to Broadbeach Rotary Club serving as President 2006-- 07.

I played most sports, mainly Australian Rules Football, Cricket and Golf. My hobbies now are Fishing, driving my hand built sports car, camping and traveling in my caravan. My sons Sean and Kendall live and work on the Gold Coast and i have a granddaughter Tahlia 17 months to Sean and Tania.

Our annual Christmas party will be held at Burleigh Golf Club on Tuesday 20 December.

Full details have been emailed direct.

We have received an invitation from Tauranga Club to join them the formal presentation of the ophthalmology equipment to Marine Reach and the naming of The Rotary Foundation Ophthalmology Clinic aboard MV Pacific Reach on Sunday 5 February 2017. Broadbeach and Kasaoka and our respective Districts joined Tauranga in a Global Grant to fund this project.

Our Rotarian friends from Tauranga are planning a full weekend of activities and have also extended an invitation to members of our joint Sister Club, Kasaoka Japan.to attend.

Immediate Past President Bill Rex and Neil Jones will be representing the club along with Carol Allan whose late husband was the driving force behind the sister club agreement.

If you are interested in joining them please contact Neil Jones who will keep you advised as the program for the three day weekend is formalised. 

 

 

Kasaoka Club has advised us that they will be holding celebrations over the weekend of 1/2 April 2017 to commemorate its 60th anniversary and will be extending invitations to members from Sister Clubs Tauranga and Broadbeach to join them. President Bruce has already indicated he, Louise and their daughter will attend. President Elect Alain has also indicated he and Kerry are likely to attend along with President Nominee Pauline Armstrong. In total we have expressions of interest from 15 potential travelers.

While we don't yet have full details, now is the time to begin some firm planning and we need to know how many members are interested in joining the Broadbeach travel group.

Tauranga is already well advanced in planning its travel itinerary and are keen for Broadbeach members to join them at some stage apart from the two days in Kasaoka. 

Neil Jones is coordinating arrangements for our club so please let him know as soon as possible if you are interested and whether or not you wish to travel independently or as part of a Broadbeach Rotary group. A meeting of interested parties will be convened in early January.

 

Don,t miss the opportunity attend DG Michael's conference to be held at Ballina over the weekend 5-8 May 2017.

There is a very varied program with some exceptional speakers and excellent social activities.  Full details are available on the District Website and registration will commence soon.

Don't miss this opportunity to join fellow Rotarians in a weekend of fellowship and learning - book your accommodation now.

Rotary Foundation named World's Outstanding Foundation for 2016

Photo Credit: Rotary International/Alyce Henson

The Association of Fundraising Professionals has recognized The Rotary Foundation with its annual Award for Outstanding Foundation.

The award honors organizations that show philanthropic commitment and leadership through financial support, innovation, encouragement of others, and involvement in public affairs.  

“We are honored to receive this recognition from the AFP, which gives us even more reason to celebrate during our Foundation’s centennial year,” says Rotary Foundation Trustee Chair Kalyan Banerjee. “The continued strong support of Rotary members will help us keep our promise of a polio-free world for all children and enable the Foundation to carry out its mission of advancing world understanding, goodwill, and peace. We look forward to another 100 years of Rotary members taking action to make communities better around the world.”

“While almost everyone is familiar with Rotary, not everyone may realize just how much of an impact Rotary and The Rotary Foundation have had on countless people and communities across the globe,” says Jason Lee, AFP president and CEO. “On behalf of the entire charitable sector and people around the world, all of us at AFP are honored to be able to recognize The Rotary Foundation as our 2016 Outstanding Foundation.”

AFP’s committee of judges cited Rotary’s comprehensive campaign to eradicate polio as a major driver of the selection. They also mentioned that Rotary applies a methodical, purposeful approach to support a wide variety of causes, from providing clean water to educating the next generation of peace professionals.

 

This Award should add to our confidence in directing our charitable dollar to The Rotary Foundation

Sergeant Kevin began the proceedings and invited Graham Sivyer  to present   the Club's Toast for the evening.

In recent times, the Club has recognized the efforts of hard working Rotarians within our Club. Graham's toast, was “To Presidents past and present who had guided the Club through challenging times.” A well received toast.

 

As this was a Fellowship Evening—President Bruce made a short address.

 

It was followed by an invitation from Brian Pearson to attend a ROMAC movie evening on Monday 5 December.

  

David O'Dwyer's comment about ladies being in the kitchen brought an instant rebuff from the ladies present, among great hilarity.  Shame David!

 

The fines box was the largest container of all times—intended to hold lots of funds toward Prostate Cancer Research.

 

Another top night— with Chefs Grahame Werrell and Noel Hodges proving their talents.

 

 

Unfortunately your editor overlooked taking any photos but to make up has been busy attending our various fundraising efforts this week to bring you some photos of Rotarians and Friends of Rotary at work for your club and enjoying the Inner Wheel Club's Christmas Breakfast at Emerald Lakes Golf Club on Sunday.

 

  

Pauline, Harold & Ian at the Friday Sizzle  Sat Bookshop Volunteers George & Kym

 

Christine & Neil Bookshop Sat pm shift     Bill, Les & Harold at the Car Boot Sale

 

Alex & Marie, Ian Noel, Christine & Kay   Harold & Helen with Carol Allan & Patsy

                                                            Baumann

While I was dining in the restaurant of a large hotel, I heard a loud crash. A waitress had dropped a whole tray of coffee cups, plates, and dishes. Being only a couple tables away from her, I felt a stinging pain in my hand where I was cut from the shattered debris. I was immediately escorted to the hotel doctor.
"What happened?" he asked.
I said, "I was attacked by a flying saucer."
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My sister didn't do as well on her driver's ed test as she'd hoped. It might have had something to do with how she completed this sentence: "When the ___ is dead, the car won't start."
She wrote: "Driver."
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A police recruit was asked during the exam, 'What would you do if you had to arrest your own mother?'
He answered, 'Call for backup.'
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Daughter: How was your day, Daddy?
Dad: Pretty busy. Lots of meetings and deadlines.
Daughter: DEAD LIONS?!

Kid: What did I earn for being good?
Parent: My love and affection.
Kid: (cries) I don't want that!

Daughter, 10: Mum, what's a metaphor?
Mum: My life is a train wreck.
Daughter: I know, Mum ... But what's a metaphor?
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The psychiatrist told Fred he was going to drop some ink on a blotter and he wanted Fred to explain what the random designs meant to him.
“That’s Marilyn Monroe in the nude,” said Fred deciphering the first blotch.
“That’s Maria Sharapova taking a bath,” he described the second.
He said the third splattering of ink was the Spice Girls all singing while naked.
“The trouble with you Fred,” said the Dr with some satisfaction, “you are obsessed with s*x!”
“What, me?” exclaimed Fred.  “It’s you who’s drawing the filthy pictures”
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Q: Who do you call when your calculator dies?
A: The mathemortician.

Q: what do rich cats have in their refrigerators?
A: Automatic mice makers.

Q: Do you know the punishment for bigamy?
A: Two mothers-in-law!