“There is a fountain of youth. It is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of the people you love. When you learn to tap into this source you will truly have defeated age.” Sophia Loren
Hello all. Well we’re at the end of our Youth Month - May. We’re still meeting via Zoom, but we are still connecting in some way with each other.
May our youth month has seen us have 3 Guest speakers talk to us via Zoom; Haruka Takagi our Japanese Youth Exchange Student, Brendon Quinn Principal of Condong School, and Nick Rackers form Missouri USA.
Brendon gave us inside information of how schools like his have been affected by the COVID -19 lock down. We all gained an appreciation of the difficulties that teachers have faced through this crisis in redeveloping their skills so our young people can continue with their education, both at school and at home. He also discussed the added stress in socially isolating students at school and the added precautions needed to keep our children safe. The simple things like every child having individual water bottles and the difficulty in achieving this, hit home with most of us. Thanks to Kayleen Butler and Summerland Credit Union, this looks like being solved.
Haruka talked to us about her hometown, her school, her favourite places and of course, food. She goes to an all-girls school in Japan which is very different to Australia. Weekends in winter she goes skiing with her family. The photos of the food had us all drooling and wanting to taste.
Nick Rackers talked to us about RYLA in the States and how it is run over there for a younger group. We felt Nick’s passion for this program and saw the testimonies from the young awardees. Like us here in Australia we are all bitterly disappointed that RYLA did not run this year. We all realise the importance of the Rotary Youth Programs for our Youth and the opportunities they offer. It would be great to be able to experience the RYLA program in the USA.
Thank you, Judy and Helen, for organising our Youth Month. Well done. It was interesting and fun.
Sophia Loren we’d all agree has aged beautifully .We all need to keep our minds fresh, use our talents whatever they be, for the betterment of others and let our creativity shine so that we can make a difference. Our Rotarians in our Club have a wealth of talent, ideas and creativity. We need to listen and encourage each other to share ideas and work together. The COVID -19 crisis is teaching us all new things. Let’s make it a positive and not a negative. If how we do things in Rotary is to change, lets embrace them and do it. Move forward and not lament the past. I think JK Rowling has a point -
“Youth cannot know how age thinks and feels. But old men (and women) are guilty if they forget what it was to be young”.
Haruka time to say goodbye. Our beautiful Japanese Exchange Student, Haruka, is leaving us on the 11th June to travel back home. Unfortunately, the Australian Safari for YEP students is cancelled until August 2021. Haruka’s parents would like her to come home and be ready to start the school year in Japan. Haruka has shown amazing character at how she has handled the ever changing COVID-19 landscape. She has not let the disappointment of disrupted planes spoil her stay with us. It has been a truly positive experience having Haruka as our exchange student.
Farewell Picnic and Pizza this Friday - Riverbank opposite the House of Gabriel, Tumbulgum, 4.30 pm onwards. Email has been sent out re this. $10 a head. RSVP Tuesday 2nd June to Mary-Ann please.
How cute were those 17 baby photos we showcased this week? Thank you to Judy and Helen for organising this and to Marissa for putting together these photos in a slide show with music for our meeting last Wednesday. It was a fun thing to do. As for guessing who they were?? The boys were easy!!!
This coming week sees the beginning of our Fellowship Month June. Cathy, Kaileen C and Annie are busy organising this month for us. It is the last month of our Rotary year and showcases how important the idea of Fellowship is in Rotary. There are many Fellowship groups in Rotary. Our Lionel belongs to the Motorcycle Group. There’s a Caravan group. Look on My Rotary to find out more groups plus read Rotary Down Under as well. There will be guest speakers talking to us about what Fellowship is.
Fees - invoices have been sent out.
Leaving Rotary? I hope not ! If you have decided not to continue as a Rotarian please let myself, Mary-Ann or Hayley know before the end of June .
Breakfast Meetings – At this stage we will be continuing to meet via Zoom until we get the okay from Adam and Casey at Johnny Franco’s.
This weeks’ Meeting ID and password has been sent to you all in a separate email earlier .
Meeting ID: 317 507 9242. Password : 403564
Again, if you can’t attend a quick text would be lovely .
Have a good week everyone . Still remember to keep socially distancing. Download the COVID safe app.
Best wishes and good health to those members not well. Take care all.
Yours in Rotary
Mary Lynch
