Over the few weeks we have been fortunate to be able to meet together in fellowship. Unfortunately the Covid 19 restrictions will affect us again and we go back to our Zoom meetings Wednesday nights at 7.30pm until further notice. Although we may be disappointed I do reflect that we are so lucky to have the technology to help stay in touch.
Our new Rotary year is here and we welcome our new Board – no big celebrations as yet – but that will occur when it is Safe to do so. I would like to congratulate all our wonderful members on another successful year despite the world wide challenges. Robert has been doing a fantastic job as President and I look forward to his leadership this year.
Our club recently celebrated a birthday for Adrian we wish him all the best.
At the meeting this week we had a great time of fellowship and next week those who want to come along in smaller groups are welcome. Please order your lunch and join us in the stables.
It has been a busy start to the year and we have applied for a few grants from various sectors including Rotary International, Bendigo Bank and a Community Grant – should we be successful we will have some amazing projects coming up.
The birthing kits project is in need of some help from the club with donations of cotton sheets, towels, garbage bags, small soaps, string, plastic gloves and scalpels. Leila has a working bee organised Saturday 25th June at 2pm at her house – if you can spare a couple of hours please come along. Many hands make light work so please come along. We have had a request to supply some as they are urgently required.
We are looking at a new premises for the Booksale where we can have a WEEK long event – we will have to abide by social distancing rules – more info to come…….
The mattress donation from Harvey Norman has been well received and many thanks to all those involved in the distribution.
We will require some helping hands soon with the PCYC to put together some packs for the needy due to Tyson Donohue obtaining a grant – a fantastic way to help other organisations support our community.
I have to say we have been a busy club over the last 12 months and it is surprising how many projects we have. Well done everyone I am so proud to be part of this club.
If you have a story, picture, saying or some news for the bulletin please let me know.
Oh Lord and Giver of all Good
We thank thee for our daily food
May Rotary friends and Rotary ways
Help us to serve thee all our days
Bring local colour and culture to our centenary. The R100 Baton Relay is an event to connect all Rotary Clubs across Australia and NZ with their communities.
Imagine Rotarians, local personalities, Councillors, community leaders, community groups and everyday people carrying the baton of service and passing it forward.
Energise your Club and create a celebration of 100 years of Rotary by planning an event – a Dinner, a Fundraiser, a Walk through Town or maybe a Fun Run. Involve your community in the planning, engage community groups and local businesses to be part of your group. Reach out to media to get your message out.
Your event is a fun way to build your network, build healthy fellowship and diversify engagement.
Be Proud. Be Bold. Be Involved. Be People of Action.
For more about this R100 Centenary Initiative, contact PP Linda Humphries R100@District9820.org
(If you have any comments or questions, please contact the editor)
Trivia remains to be so much fun......true form this week placing in the top 10.....We have a table booked every Wednesday evening - numbers are limited due to social distancing rules - please let us know if you would like to come along.....
Due to experiencing more changes along our COVID-19 journey currently, we have been told at yesterday's weekly club meeting that the number of seats now available for the Changeover on Fri 24th July, has been decreased to bookings of 10 people only. So unfortunately, that rules out most of the Club. An agreement was made by all members in attendance for all the Board positions to have a mini Changeover, just as a formality in attending some sort of Changeover (same date and times etc) as there are only 10 members on the Board. Board member partners would be another booking of 10 also on the night.
For those who have paid already and who now cannot attend (as per above), have the option of either a full refund, or keep in credit for the next function we have all together, or your payment can go towards your Rotary 20/21 fees. Please let Treasurer Johannes know your choice.
We will certainly aim to have a big function for all Club members and partners to attend as soon as we can proceed safely within the scope of COVID-19 restrictions.
Also, for those who were not there at yesterday's meeting, there is no formal weekly meeting next week as President Robert is reinstating the ZOOM Meetings for 7:30pm on Wednesday nights (with glass of Red at hand) until further notice. By all means Members can attend Wednesday's socially in much smaller groups.
Kind Regards
Greg Butcher Secretary AuD, MAudST, BA(Music), FTCL Rotary Club of Grafton Midday Email: secretarygmrotary@gmail.com Mobile: 0409 046 390
Andy is a champion in attracting young people to Rotary. His visionary leadership helped our district have the largest number of under 40’s in Australia and in Zone 8. He served as District Membership Chair in 2016 & District Public Image Chair 2017 to 2020. His innovative membership & public image campaigns enhanced our image and become Australia’s the largest growing Rotary district in the last two years. In 2018/19 he initiated and formed two new format Rotary clubs, Varsity Lakes and the Gold Coast Passport, the 25th passport club in the world.
Andy is a practicing international marketeer & public image professional. An active member of Gold Coast Central Chamber of Commerce and Australian Institute of Company Directors. Currently he is CEO of an international marketing company recruiting high school students from Australia, NZ, and Asia for leadership programs at Harvard University in USA. He is an Ex-Co member of Enterprise Asia in Malaysia, Asia’s largest entrepreneur network. He worked in twelve countries with three of world’s largest marketing & media companies. Prior to migrating to Australia seven years ago, as CEO he led a 650 strong workforce at Orange Electric, Sri Lanka’s largest manufacturer & exporter of electrical switches.
He joined Rotary in Sri Lanka when current Foundation Trustee Chair and Past RI President Ravi Ravindran was DGND. Andy was a charter member of Rotary Club of Colombo Metropolitan. After migrating, he joined Burleigh Heads Rotary that will celebrate 65 years in 2020. He has introduced 12 members to his club to help become the 5th largest in our district. Burleigh Rotary sponsor 2 Interact Clubs and a Rotaract Club.
Andy has held many club, district and regional leadership roles during his 25+ years in Rotary. A recipient of Rotary International’s highest honour to a Rotarian, the Service Above Self Award, he led a GSE team in 2006 from Sri Lanka to Denmark. Andy is a Major Donor to the Rotary Foundation, a PHF +6 & Paul Harris Society Member. He has spoken at over 100 Rotary clubs in 22 districts in 16 countries & at the UN and 1st Rotary Virtual Convention in June 2020. His one big goal is to grow our district to 1400 members by 1st July 2021! Andy will lead our district with confidence and enthusiasm into the 100th year of Rotary in Australia.
Around 300,000 women and 3 million newborns die each year from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. Most of these deaths occur in developing countries. To help address this, we provide an opportunity for Australian volunteers to fund raise for and engage in the assembly of Birthing Kits.
We partner with local organisations and health service providers that work in low-resource and emergency settings to improve maternal and newborn health outcomes. We donate Birthing Kits to approved organisations for distribution to pregnant women and maternal healthcare providers to help enable a safe and cleaner birthing environment. We also provide funding for collaborative and sustainable community development projects, supported by research and advocacy, for improved maternal and newborn outcomes.
It seems so simple. A little kit with six essential items that can help a skilled birth attendant deliver a baby safely. We’re talking about items as basic as a plastic sheet for a labouring mother to lie on, a sterile scalpel to cut the umbilical cord, and gloves for the birth attendant to wear.
But these items – all packed into little kits by volunteers here in Australia – are helping to save lives.
These women are then feeling empowered; knowing they’ll be able to give birth to their children safely. They’re the ones then fighting for lasting change in their communities.
A little kit. A world of difference.
We need your help with donations of cotton sheets, towels, small handsoap, string, gloves, large plastic bags.
Leila is having a workshop on the 25th June at Junction Hill - your help for a couple of hours would be of great assistance.
Rotary’s Centenary is a time of celebration! - a time to reflect on our past, and take pride in all that has been achieved. It is a time we play our part in the history of Rotary. Our centenary is also the time to lay the foundations for our future, as we still have much to do. The key project in our centenary year will focus on stopping the one in 16 children who die in 9 Pacific nations before the age of five.
Our President Robert Blanchard joined Rotarians across Australia on 10th July for virtual fellowship, as well as met our R100 Centenary Ambassadors, the Governor General and Mrs Hurley, as they launch our national centenary campaign. He witnessed the “Passing the Baton” ceremony. The baton that will carry the symbols of our centenary and will travel far and wide across Rotary clubs and Districts. He also had Josh Piterman (Australian Actor who plays the Phantom in Phantom of the Opera) in London! He sang "Music of the night" with music by John Foreman (Melbourne).
Robert said it was a fantastic performance to be part of.
JOKE CORNER
One for the golfers
One fine day, Jim and Bill are out golfing. Jim slices his ball deep into a wooded ravine. He grabs his 7-iron and proceeds down the embankment into the ravine in search of his ball. The brush is quite thick, but Jim searches diligently and suddenly he spots something shiny. As he gets closer, he realizes that the shiny object is in fact
a 7-iron in the hands of a skeleton lying near an old golf ball.
Jim excitedly calls out to his golfing partner: "Hey Bill, come here; I've got some trouble down here."
Bill comes running over to the edge of the ravine and calls out: "What's the matter Jim? Everything OK?"
Jim shouts back in a nervous voice: "Throw me my 8-iron! Apparently, you can't get out of here with a 7."
