We had 32 participants at our Zoom meeting this morning, with Stan Hendy as our Chairman. Our members seem to be managing really well with the technology, helping us to maintain contact with each other.
Carol McCooke, one of our Friends of Rotary, and a tireless organiser and worker for the Timor Leste Knitting Project, joined us online for the first time. Carol gave us a most interesting story of her involvement with two Bendigo female GPs who have started a project, Gowns For Doctors, to sew badly-needed surgical gowns for other GPs and hospitals, both in Victoria and interstate. Further details are mentioned below.
Our guest speaker this morning was our own Julia Grace,
with her life history condensed into around 15mins!! Whoa!! Julia, what an interesting life you have led up to this point, and thank you very much for your story and high-tech presentation.
Chairman Stan varied the meeting a bit this week, deleting the Four Way Test, and replacing it with the Rotarian Code of Conduct. I was one of a number of us who were unaware of this code, and so I have reproduced it here as a reminder for us to consider its aims. Toni.
Gowns for Doctors
Carol McCooke was invited to give us a short presentation of this very worthwhile programme she has been involved in. It was first mentioned in The Age two weeks ago, and also featured on the TV show “The Project”, last week. The program was started by two female doctors in Bendigo who were:
unable to get enough PPE (personal protective equipment) for the use in their medical practice, and
saw environmental issues caused by the wasteful practice of discarding disposable single-use gowns in landfills around the world.
Two bolts of fabric, 40 metres in all, which were not required in the foreseeable term, were donated from our supplies in the THE RANCH. These were sufficient to make up 35 gowns. The fabric is of very good quality, sufficiently robust enough to withstand industrial washing many times. Each gown should survive well over 100 washes, and last around 6 months.
The programme now has around 100 sewers who have produced a total in excess 1000 gowns. Boxes of gowns have been distributed to various sites in Victoria, with some being sent across to the Burnie Hospital in Tasmania.
Thanks to Carol and her team who have made a significant contribution to Gowns for Doctors, as well as all the other contributors who have donated fabric, and shops that have given discounts on fabric for the programme.
Those wishing to see the Gowns for Doctors team and “The Project” presentation, can go onto the Gowns for Doctors Face Book page.
Club Secretary: Geoff Michell has done a wonderful job in updating our Constitution and ByLaws in line with the new District requirements.
A special Board Meeting was conducted via ZOOM on Tuesday evening which ratified both documents; these also take into account our clubs’ particular means of operating. These documents will now be circulated to all members for perusal and comment. A special meeting of the club to accept the Constitution and ByLaws of the RC of Bendigo Sandhurst will take place on Wednesday, 3rd June, at 7.30am.
Treasurer: Peter Elliott updated us on our financial situation with such information as: -
the RDU magazine costs. As from the 1st July, 2020, the price of our magazine will be $34.00 per member if sent “online”. There is a charge of an extra $10.00 if a member requests hard copies.
The outstanding money due for Australia Day celebrations from the City of Greater Bendigo, has now been received.
District 9800 is reviewing their fees and trying to decrease these for clubs; the board will subsequently review members fees once further information comes to hand.
President Elect: Ted Gretgrix attended PETS Training (President Elects Training) via Zoom meeting last Sunday, and gave us a short summary of the program.
Change Over will occur on the first Sunday of June which is. There is potential for a couple plans to be drawn up depending on the isolation requirements caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Changeover at the Lake View Hotel
Groups of 10 people at 6 homes with the groups connecting with ZOOM (that is if some restrictions are lifted).
Telephone Tree: - This initiative to maintain contact and engagement with members appears to be going well. Adrian will continue to update the list as required, so for any changes or amendments please contact him on: adrian.schoo@flinders.edu.au; or 0414 816 928
Guest Speaker
The speaker this week was Julia Grace who did a Member Presentation. Julia was born in Brighton and raised in a single parent family with her brother and sister. Her life has presented a wide range of very interesting experiences including:
She started in Real Estate but her real passion is music. Members enjoyed some actual footage of her singing in a local production at Echuca.
She has performed with June Bronhill and was mentored by Joan Hammond while singing Elvis songs at Karaoke when the opportunity presented.
Julia took up a part-time job as a chauffeur to help bay the bills between productions. She drove for a number of celebrities including Bob Hawke and Cliff Richard. All were very pleasant and she enjoyed this work.
After a stint in the Army Reserve Julia has completed a Nursing degree. She has worked at the Royal Children's Hospital and has had experience in Intensive Care. She is currently working at Simpkin House.
Julia intends to audition for local productions and become involved with the Bendigo Theatre Company.
Members were amazed at the diverse range of experiences which Julia has embraced during her journey in life. Her passion for the Arts has shaped her identity and enabled her to contribute to the community in so many ways. Thanks Julia for sharing with us and for the preparation and variety you included in your presentation.
( That's the short version, a photo and CV follow)
Julia Grace -Rotary Presentation Thank you fellow Rotarians and visitors. Today is a very special day for me and what a privilege it is be here today to talk about my life. You are all a very special people.
FAMILY I was born in Brighton in 1958 which makes me 26 if you are dyslexic or nearly 62 as the case may be. My father was a boiler maker welder and my mother looked after the home.
I also have a brother who is 2 years younger and lives in Williamstown and an older sister living in England who I occasionally get to see.
My parents separated when I was four years of age, so I was brought up by my father in a single family environment.
SCHOOLING
I attended South Yarra Primary School and later Richmond High School Melbourne where I never studied and barely got through. This was the e because I was picked on for being different and the other kids sensed it.
Following the end of high school in 1975, I decided I wanted to be a Real Estate Agent, so I undertook a cadet ship with Richard Ellis in Melbourne for l8 months and I also studied for a Certificate of Real Estate at RMIT at night.
SINGING
Plans to be a real estate agent came to an abrupt end in 1978, as I had started to learn to sing and I was in a professional production of HMS Pinafore with Denis Olsen and June Bronhill, which I enjoyed very much. I also sang with the Australian Opera Chorus in Wagner’s "The Flying Dutchman"- along with some other companies. I also sang in the Pirates of Penzance.
After this I decided to take my singing seriously as I was doing well in Eisteddfod Competitions like South Street at Ballarat and Dandenong Arias. 30 years later I sang in The Phantom of the Opera with the EMTC in Echuca two years ago, which brought back great memories.
VCA I auditioned for the Victorian College of the Arts in 1979 and I was successful. I was trained by the legendary Dame Joan Hammond who took me under her wing. She was a true artist and we became great friends. I will always miss her. Little did she know I was singing Elvis Presley songs like “Can’t help falling in love” and “Blue suede shoes" in my spare time.
In order to get through the college financially, I drove Taxis some nights of the week "usually Friday and Saturday- and occasionally during the week, to make ends meet. I do not know- how I survived most of the time, although College was free then so that helped. I was also a private chauffeur in my spare time, driving celebrities like Bob Hawke, Cliff Richard and others like Elton John and Phyllis Diller. I drove Mercedes, Rolls Royce and Stretch Caddies long before they were fashionable.
Following graduation in I983 I sang with the Lyric Opera of Queensland in a Verdi Opera Il Trovatore (The Troubadour) After this opera I was pretty burnt out and broke so I became a student nurse.
NURSING
I started my nursing training in 1983 at the RCH where I loved it I gave my all at the Children's and stayed there until I graduated in 1986. From there I went to the Alfred Hospital and I got a shock looking after big people after the RCH.
Over the years I studied many degrees including a Master of Nursing and a Graduate Diploma in Health Services Management and worked in many areas of nursing including, Intensive Care, Renal Nursing, Surgical and Medical Nursing and also Aged Care. Since this time I have been working in acute nursing and now l work at Simpkin House which is a part of Bendigo Health.
MILITARY NURSING
I joined the Australian Army Reserve in 1986 and became a Commissioned Nursing Officer rising to the rank of Captain. I taught young troops how to care for soldiers medically in the field until 2003 when we parted company.
ROTARY Having joined Rotary I hope to put my life and nursing skills to good use with Rotary here at home and possibly overseas at some future time.
A cure to sausage deprivation syndrome! I guess we'll all need to go on a retraining program....
The autumn greenhoods are out. Worth strolling through the bush and brush up on photo skills 😊
HOW HAS COVID-19 IMPACTED OUR COMMUNITY? COMPLETE A SHORT SURVEY
The Greater Bendigo COVID-19 Relief and Recovery Committee, chaired by Mayor Cr Margaret O’Rourke, has launched a community survey to measure residents’ views about the impact of COVID-19 locally.
The quick 14-question survey aims to capture data around local issues, needs and future opportunities to provide support.
Survey responses will inform the continued development of a Relief and Recovery Plan for Greater Bendigo, which is an evolving document that is designed to adapt to meet community need.
Mayor Cr Margaret O’Rourke said while the committee had a good understanding of the broad impact of COVID-19 locally, insight into individual opinions and experiences would ensure a more targeted approach to helping the community recover.
