Thursday saw a very successful evening at Bunnings Southport. A huge thank you to the Project Shed A-team of Bryan, John, Don and Al as well as Mark and Doug for their assistance. We successfully raffled two bikes as well selling a couple of bikes raising some worthwhile funds for the Wheelchairs.
Friday saw another very busy and successful Bunnings sausage sizzle. A big thank you to all especially Geoff Croad and Angus Miller.
Saturday I had the pleasure to attend the Project Shed Christmas Party and also meet some of the wives and partners behind the Project Team. A great morning and greatly deserved by all who attend the Project Shed, again thanks to Larry and his team for the organisation.
This Wednesday is our Christmas Breakfast at Edgewater and I look forward to seeing you all there. As this is our last meeting for the year, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all my fellow Rotarians, Rotaractors and volunteers for your assistance and fellowship over the first half of my year as President and wish you and your loved ones a joyous festive season.
Last Wednesday, Sophia Seumahu briefly introduced herself at our breakfast meeting. It is important to note that a place on the National Youth Science Forum (NYSF) is very hotly contested - it is considered one of the big prizes to be won if you are a fan of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). Congratulations, Sophia!
Sophia will go into Year 12 next year at Kings Christian College. There is no doubt that she is VERY enthusiastic about STEM - almost bubbling with the joy of expectation, the anticipation of meeting or having direct online conversations with a STEM enthusiast's equivalent of a rock star... Her speech was delivered fluently - not a single 'like...', 'uuhmmm...' one normally expects from a young person (as well as from some not very young either! ☺).
Read her well-structured and informative speech - it is in the Download Section on the right. Sophia will be doing a full presentation on her experiences on 2nd March 2022.
(Photo: Sophia with her father Ben (left) and PDG Darrell Brown, our District's Chair of Youth Programs.)
Nobody needed to be bored or in search of something to do over the past few days: On Thursday night, we were invited to participate in a Bunnings Community Event. We "waved the flag" and exhibited our very special 10,000th wheelchair, sold a couple of bikes and one of the children's bikes was raffled off. See photo left of the happy winner, flanked by President Paul Seymour and District Treasurer Mark Twyford.
Then on Friday, our "Minister for Everything" Geoff Croad organised another Bunnings Sausage Sizzle (amazing how many people buy a snag on a Friday! 😊). Many thanks to all who helped on the day: Brian Pearson, Uwe Seifert (RC of Broadbeach and one of our volunteers at the shed), Gaye Miles (the lady who brings scones to the volunteers on Saturday morning), Al Sirovs, Mario Fairlie, Franz Huber, Angus Miller, Andy Bell, Paul O'Neill, Adrian Crowe and special occasion: Doug Lipp brought along two of his grandchildren to help. Getting the next generation involved in serving the community. Good on ya!
This was followed on Saturday morning with the big Christmas Brunch, held at the Project Shed, organised by Wheelchair Trust Chairman Larry Murray, in appreciation of our volunteers' hard work during the year.
Col Laurenson was at the door, Graeme Isaacson was chairman. We had apologies from Ashleigh Symes.
President Paul Seymour welcomed all members as well as our guest speaker Sophia Seumahu and her father Ben Seumahu. (See separate article above and Download files for Sophia’s presentation about her upcoming attendance at the National Youth Science Forum).
Paul outlined the upcoming events (Bunnings Sausage Sizzle, Project Shed Christmas Brunch etc – see separate articles).
After the Annual General Meeting chaired by Secretary Mitch Brown (refer to minutes available only to members – Clubrunner login required), various club business was discussed:
Ian Mayberry reminded all that he’ll again deliver Christmas presents to St John’s Crisis Centre – bring presents unwrapped to the Christmas breakfast at Edgewater Restaurant. Charles Thomasson also run a money collection for those who’d rather get Ian to buy the presents on their behalf.
Larry Murray elaborated on happenings at the shed: We have a new association with a Mens Shed near Wooloongong NSW. We have “an order” for a 40’ container of wheelchairs to South Africa in the new year, and on 12th January 2022,180 Degrees Consulting will visit our club to outline their proposal to help us with the promotion of our web and social media presence. A quote has been received, organised by Geoff Croad, for a concreting job at the shed so that the pallet lift can be used outside. Larry also expressed his thanks to Andy Bell and Advent Security for the installation of the security system and movement detection cameras at the shed. Andy Bell brought up the idea of our volunteers manufacturing coffins as the pre-manufacturing of the Mauna Health Centre building nears completion. Charles Thomasson will bring in new club T-Shirt samples soon, and Treasurer Doug Lipp confirmed that next year’s membership fees for the first half year of 2022 will remain the same as this year’s.
District Youth Director PDG Darrell Brown invited all to come up with candidates for next year’s Youth Programs RYTS (Year 11-12), RYPEN (16 – 17-year-olds) and RYLA (18 – 29-year-olds). Click here to go to the District website’s Youth Services page for details.
Duty Roster - note: subject to change - please check every week. Note: Fellowship duty also is expected to be at the Project Shed on the Saturday following the meeting
<<----- When Emergency Department nurses are in charge of Christmas deco-rations...
*** Advice Needed ***
The Children keep finding their Christmas presents that I have hidden around the house. Someone suggested I put them up the attic so I did so last night. Literally had no sleep as all I could hear was them crying and moaning about spiders, the dark and wanting to be let back down. Any suggestions please?
The majority of minds are no more to be controlled by strong reason than plum pudding is to be grasped by sharp pincers. George Eliot.
This year's Christmas Breakfast will again be at the Edgewater Restaurant (where we had it last year).
Last Wednesday, Sophia Seumahu briefly introduced herself at our breakfast meeting. It is important to note that a place on the National Youth Science Forum (NYSF) is very hotly contested - it is considered one of the big prizes to be won if you are a fan of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). Congratulations, Sophia!
Nobody needed to be bored or in search of something to do over the past few days: On Thursday night, we were invited to participate in a Bunnings Community Event. We "waved the flag" and exhibited our very special 10,000th wheelchair, sold a couple of bikes and one of the children's bikes was raffled off. See photo left of the happy winner, flanked by President Paul Seymour and District Treasurer Mark Twyford.
Then on Friday, our "Minister for Everything" Geoff Croad organised another Bunnings Sausage Sizzle (amazing how many people buy a snag on a Friday! 😊). Many thanks to all who helped on the day: Brian Pearson, Uwe Seifert (RC of Broadbeach and one of our volunteers at the shed), Gaye Miles (the lady who brings scones to the volunteers on Saturday morning), Al Sirovs, Mario Fairlie, Franz Huber, Angus Miller, Andy Bell, Paul O'Neill, Adrian Crowe and special occasion: Doug Lipp brought along two of his grandchildren to help. Getting the next generation involved in serving the community. Good on ya!
This was followed on Saturday morning with the big Christmas Brunch, held at the Project Shed, organised by Wheelchair Trust Chairman Larry Murray, in appreciation of our volunteers' hard work during the year.
<<----- When Emergency Department nurses are in charge of Christmas deco-rations...
