banner
President's Message
Mario Fairlie
member photo
Hi all,
Again, not much to report this week.
 
It is the first time that I have had such an impact from my last report…. one member…. sent me 4 emails. He was extremely helpful regarding the possible users for the POD’s. He also provided contacts of interstate people who may be interested in taking some of our wheelchairs. The other related to the Community Bench and the Project Shed’s future products:
 
His comments also included:
“The Community Bench it’s not a goer as:
(a) it encourages homeless activity.
(b) more a UK thing as they could have in the council allotments.
(c) The Gold Coast is not interested. Another member was on the mark when he said that possible use for these would be in a gated community and/or a rural area. As a long-term project not worthwhile in my view.”  
 
He added the following: “Possible product development at the Shed:\
(a) Bicycle towed chariots for children passengers are very popular and cost $1000 to $1500 each. Surely with all the bike parts not used, something could be developed and sold.
(b) An aerial plane tricycle (see pictures).
(c) Towable carts using all the spare wheels available.
(d) Collapsible wheelie walkers for easy loading into cars/planes. There are some made which have a main wheel in front and two wheels as an out-rigger (which folded in) with a bicycle style handles."
 
Appreciate your thoughts. We presently have time on our side to review what should be done as to new projects and products at the shed. Your input is important and would be very much appreciated.
 
Other historical issues to reflect on for our Club this year include:
  • Christmas Presents for underprivileged Children: Our members provide toys for children in conjunction with St. Johns Crisis Centre, Surfers Paradise.
  • Hosted Rotary Friendship Team from District 5020 – USA and Canada
  • Chinese New Year Dinner rather than a Breakfast Meeting in January. Doesn’t it feel like a long time ago?
  • Keith Lutz Award:  This is annual award sponsored by Surfers Sunrise Rotary and is part of our ongoing commitment to youth. It is very much treasured by each recipient at the Surfers Paradise Life Saving Club.
Rotary International Exchange Students:
  • Our Club this year is hosting Ayana Sadaka, from Japan. Ayana is still on the Gold Coast
  • Lucy Thorburn, returned from Minneapolis, USA. Lucy was sponsored by our Club to travel to USA for 12 months. Lucy is the recipient of “Junior Surfer of the Year” and received the “Keith Lutz Award” from our Club two year ago.
Chris Thurtell and Gerald East continue at this rather difficult time to manage the District International Exchange Students Programme. They are managing students that are still overseas, and overseas students that remain in Australia until the bans for overseas travel are lifted. I cannot believe the amount of time and effort that is required, particularly to comfort the concerns of the parents regarding the health and welfare of their children due to the Corona Virus pandemic.  Thanks Chris & Gerald.
 
The Club will continue in this extremely important role of being involved in Youth Programs.
 
The work at the Shed has been postponed for a week. Next week work will commence on the re-organisation. Your help would be appreciated. 3 hours on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday mornings.
 
The regular Rotary ZOOM Meeting is on at 7:30 am Wednesday morning. Look forward to seeing you all at the meeting.
 
Mario Fairlie,
President.
Stories
This coming Wednesday 13th May: Maggie Twyford

Maggie Twyford will join us On-Line, to present on her work as a volunteer at Misión México. She started her career as a Junior Officer in the Royal Australian Navy in 2012, with the majority of her time spent at the Australian Defence Force Academy. In 2016, after 4 and a half years of service, she embarked on a different career journey, working her way to a management position within the hospitality industry. In 2018 she made the decision to volunteer overseas for 5 months with an organisation called Misión México. Misión México is a children's refuge situated on the border of Mexico and Guatemala in a town called Tapachula. It provides a loving, secure family home for children of all ages who have been abused, neglected, orphaned or abandoned, and mostly from backgrounds of extreme poverty. She had hoped to return to Tapachula this year, as a permanent staff member of Misión México, however due to the current pandemic has had to work remotely.

The meeting will be conducted via Zoom. A link will be sent to all members. Friends and potential members welcome - please send a request if you would like to join.

So, whom would you consider to be the greatest?
On the weekend, the passing away of Little Richard made the news on just about all channels. ("Little Who??" I hear the younger ones among you yell out…) Well, let me tell you: he was one of the greatest! OK, I might be betraying my age now, but just to put you straight:  I don’t just listen to 50’s Rock ‘n’ Roll, I was a fan of Pink Floyd long before the Dark Side of the Moon!  Groan. Yup, another one from the Boomer period... Oh, well, still betraying my age then, I guess…  OK then, so whom do you think is the greatest entertainer of the last 100 years?  I would imagine your responses to be highly predictable and relative to your age:  Satchmo, Bing Crosby, Sinatra. JOK, Kamal, Barnsie, Farnham, Olivia, Kylie, Acca Dacca. Delta. Justin Bieber. SAINt Jhn …  
 
What the heck has all this got to do with Rotary?  Well, let me stretch your brain: excluding our founder Paul Harris and Arch Klump (the founder of The Rotary Foundation), whom would you consider the greatest Rotarian of the last 100 years?   ---??--- Having a blank?  But surely, in an organisation that covers over 200 countries and exceeds 1.2 million members, there must be somebody who pops up, who stands several heads taller than the rest?  Come on, quick!  We are an organisation that can organise the immunization of over 1 billion children and is within a whisker of reaching its target of eradicating Polio world wide. Surely we must have some all-time icons that are household names for everyone on the planet? 
 
Yes, of course there would be.  Hundreds and thousands of them. It’s just that they are not there for their own glory.  There is no big media, no Spin department, no Grammy or Aria Awards.  Is it relevant of whether a Rotarian is a fan of Opera, old crooners, Metallica, Muse or Funk?   Not at all.  But, to paraphrase Past Rotary International President Sir Clem Renouf: if you are a Rotarian, you have an organisation behind you that gives you, an ordinary person, the opportunity to do more with your life than you ever dreamed possible.
Snippets of last week's meeting 080520
On-Line Zoom meeting.  We had apologies from Gerald East and Karen Holland. Might have been a "social" meeting, but - amazing! - the entire hour was taken up by earnest discussion of club business! ☺
 
President Mario Fairlie welcomed all members and our guest, Charmaine Wheatley (Rotary e-Club of South Africa). He briefly elaborated on the 'Community Bench', one of the potential projects and his upcoming meeting with Wheelchair Trust Chair Larry Murray and Des La Rance in relation to the Project Shed activities.
 
About 3 years ago, Charmaine was instrumental in getting a container load of wheelchairs distributed on the "dark continent". She gave us a brief outline of her club (they recently added 7 new members). Since it is an e-Club with members throughout the world, her On-Line meetings start at 2:00 am! She also enthused about one of the recipients of a Surfers Sunrise wheelchair who is now riding it to coach kids at Soccer training!
 
Peter Morgan has a potential "client" for our wheelchairs in the international aid agency Caritas. Charmaine also brought to our attention the possibility of getting a "last leg" container at a substantially reduced rate or even free. (Following up with our Logistics guru Col Laurenson: expect about A$800 - freight to Johannesburg approx US$3,500).
 
Community Bench: President Mario elaborated on a note received from Col Laurenson in relation to the Community Bench and its installation in the Gold Coast region.  However, it is our understanding that the installation and ongoing maintenance of these would be taken care of by Jo Winwood's organisation; our club would not be involved - we would only manufacture them and sell them to Feros Care.
 
President Elect Charles Thomasson indicated that we'll still have a Change-over lunch. He'll try to find a venue where social distancing can be observed. Also, this year's Golf Day is scheduled for about September/October, COVID regulations permitting.
 
Larry Murray elaborated in more detail about the proposed re-organisation of the Project Shed. Principally, the changes involve the moving of the Shelving Racks to the side walls and have work benches in the centre area. See Des La Rance's draft plan below.
 
The meeting concluded at 08:35 am.  A video recording is available for 1 month; the link was sent out to all members.  If you would like to receive the link, please email the Editor.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Inspirations - well, sort of... 130520
"On hearing ill rumour that Londoners may soon be urged into their lodgings by Her Majesty's men, I looked upon the street to see a gaggle of striplings making fair merry, and no doubt spreading the plague well about. Not a care had these rogues for the health of their elders!" Samuel Pepys Diaries - London 1664
 
Andy's post of the week:
"As one door closes, another one opens." Lovely man, terrible cabinet maker.
 
Neil's posts of the week:
The end of Stay at Home orders doesn't mean the pandemic is over. It means that they currently have room for you in the ICU.
Police arrested two men in Kempsey. One was drinking battery acid, the other was eating fireworks. They charged one and let the other one off.
 
Gerald's post of the week:
Click here for it: British comedy sketch of a (pretend) British Admiral being interviewed on the procurement of Aircraft Carriers. And just as the 'Yes Minister' series was very close to reality, in view of our current kerfuffle on procurement of Submarines, possibly quite topical for Australia...
 
It is of overall importance to have a plan; if it is not the best plan, it is at least better than no plan at all.  General Sir John Monash
Download Files
1000 Notes of Friendship Project
The Story of the Surfers Sunrise Wheelchairs Trust
Why Join Rotary?
Upcoming Events
Angie Bell, Federal MP
On-line, by invitation only
May 27, 2020
7:15 AM – 8:30 AM
 
John Chirio - Man behind the Badge
On-line, by invitation only
Jun 24, 2020
7:15 AM – 8:30 AM
 
View entire list
Photo Albums
Surfers Sunrise Rotary Golf Day Nov 19
Our YE Student from Japan - Ayana Sadaka
Surfers Sunrise 'Sleeping Sanctuary'
Lucy Thorburn in Minnesota
X-Ray Unit for Hospital on Pentecost Island
Executives & Directors
President
 
President Elect
 
Vice President
 
Secretary
 
Treasurer
 
Director - Club Administration
 
Director - Service Projects
 
Director - Membership
 
Director - Public Relations
 
Director -The Rotary Foundation
 
Director - Youth Services
 
Director - Fundraising
 
Director - Special Projects
 
Coordinator-Vocational Services
 
YEP Club Protection Officer
 
Coordinator - International Service
 
Deputy Sergeant at Arms
 
Director - Corporate Membership
 
Fellowship and Social Program
 
Chair - Wheelchairs Trust
 
Liaison - Wheelchair Trust
 
Sergeant At Arms
 
Coordinator - Community Service
 
Coordinator - Social Media
 
Vanuatu Program
 
Attendance Officer
 
Webmaster & Bulletin Ed
 
Subscribe to Bulletin
Subscribe to our eBulletin and stay up to date on the latest news and events.
Bulletin Editor
Franz Huber

Surfers Sunrise Corporate Members

Phone 07 5509 5502
Suite 224, Level 2 Oracle South
17 Elizabeth Avenue
Broadbeach  QLD  4218
 

105 Scarborough Street
Southport  QLD  4215
(07) 5558 5055

 
ClubRunner Mobile