I trust all Gold Coasters took advantage of our long weekend.I especially took in the Sunshine Coast and hinterland and got a good insight of how great Queensland is and with minimal lockdowns.[Ahem... of course, some of us worked our fingers to the bone, scrubbing original Darling Downs soil off 70-odd desks and 160 chairs and heaving them into a container which seemed to have shrunk to half its size... ☺☺ Ed.]
We will aim to have two special breakfast meetings this Rotary year: the first one on 29th September will be held at the Project Shed. Firstly, provided that the NSW border reopens, our District Governor Jeff Egan will visit us (what an opportunity to showcase what we do to the District) and - just as important - we have invited two very generous donors (arranged by Neil Thurlow) of a big load of made to measure cardboard in which our wheelchairs are packed. The second meeting is a joint meeting with another Rotary Club. More details to follow.
Other events going on around us include
Queens Birthday Bike Ride (30/70/105 Km on 3 October 2021 leaving and returning to Jimboomba – details to be provided shortly
Ashmore Rotary Club High Tea 25 September 2021 at Greendays Restaurant – an invitation was sent to all members
Congratulations on the new "cause-based" club – The Rotary Club of Koala Lovers, chartered by Rotary International – further details to follow
I encourage any Rotarian who has a contact for guest speakers to contact myself or Franz to discuss.
Bridget and her colleague Elizabeth Saddozai will join us via Zoom from Brisbane. Their organisation, Aged Disability Advocacy (ADA) Australia is a not-for-profit, independent, community-based advocacy and education service with almost 30 years’ experience in informing, supporting and representing the interests of older people and people with disability in Queensland. This information session will discuss the support available to people with a disability who want to share their story with the Disability Royal Commission. It will also discuss our general Aged Care advocacy through Commonwealth funded aged care programs + their general disability advocacy for those under 65 requiring support.
Last Saturday, a sizeable team of members, Rotaractors and volunteers assembled at the Project Shed. The task: to pack a container, destined for the Solomon Islands, with some 75 wheelchairs, as well as about 57 school desks and 186 chairs, plus lots of other paraphernalia such as bags full of hospital linen and boxes of books squeezed into the gaps. The school furniture was driven down from a Toowoomba State School. Prior to loading, a small army of cleaners, armed with a pressure cleaner, buckets and rags washed off thick layers of outback dust that had settled on the desks and chairs...
Mid-morning, we gathered for our usual coffee and cakes. One of our newest volunteers, Gaye Miles (she had only this week been discharged from hospital) rolled up with a bucket full of delicious hot scones, complete with butter and jam. No leftovers there, let me assure you! Good on ya, Gaye!
Some four hours later, the container was packed and Angus 'Onion King' Miller had a nice sausage, bacon & egg roll ready for us all. Some might say that there must be better ways to spend a Saturday morning bathed in glorious weather. But those who were there would agree: what great fellowship we had, all while making a big difference to a lot of disabled and disadvantaged children in the Solomon Islands. A big thank you to all who helped.
Photo above (by 'KJ' Jewson) shows the crew (most of them anyway...) in front of the completed container. There are more pictures in the Photo Album section on the right.
Confirmed: the new date is set for 15th September 2021 (let's hope we are not getting another lockdown!).
All pre-booked tickets have been retained, but of course, you mightn't have been able to participate on the original date, or you may want to invite some friends to come along. Here is the link to book: https://www.trybooking.com/BTFCL. Choose from the menu when booking: Poached or fried eggs, bacon or sausages, and if you prefer a vegetarian meal: a bowl of Acai with toasted granola, shredded coconut and fruits. Bookings close on Sunday night, 12th September.
Please feel free to contact Franz if you require further information.
We had to postpone it again, it's now on Thursday 7th October 2021, from 12:00 pm (the current COVID rules would only allow maximum 60 people). All people who have booked have been notified. All tickets have been sold out, but if any cancellations were to come in, Johnny has a waiting list. If you want to be on that list, please contact him directly.
There will be plenty of Italian style Christmas dishes. Johnny has secured a major sponsor: My Carte, and a number of corporate tables have been sold as well. The price includes all food, unlimited wine and beer, entertainment. All proceeds go towards the X-Ray Unit and Blood Analyser for Vanuatu. Note: COVID restrictions impose an upper limit of just 120 attendees.
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
Free marriage tip: don't ask your wife when dinner will be ready when she is mowing the lawn.
The truth is that fullness of soul can sometimes overflow in utter vapidity of language. For none of us can ever express the exact measure of his needs or his thoughts or his sorrows; and human speech is like a cracked kettle on which we tap crude rhythms for bears to dance to, while we long to make music that will melt the stars.Gustave Flaubert, Madame Bovary.
I went for a job interview and the manager said "we are looking for someone who is responsible."
"I'm you man" I replied, "in my last job, whenever anything went wrong, they said that I was responsible..."
Bridget and her colleague Elizabeth Saddozai will join us via Zoom from Brisbane. Their organisation, Aged Disability Advocacy (ADA) Australia is a not-for-profit, independent, community-based advocacy and education service with almost 30 years’ experience in informing, supporting and representing the interests of older people and people with disability in Queensland. This information session will discuss the support available to people with a disability who want to share their story with the Disability Royal Commission. It will also discuss our general Aged Care advocacy through Commonwealth funded aged care programs + their general disability advocacy for those under 65 requiring support.
Last Saturday, a sizeable team of members, Rotaractors and volunteers assembled at the Project Shed. The task: to pack a container, destined for the Solomon Islands, with some 75 wheelchairs, as well as about 57 school desks and 186 chairs, plus lots of other paraphernalia such as bags full of hospital linen and boxes of books squeezed into the gaps. The school furniture was driven down from a Toowoomba State School. Prior to loading, a small army of cleaners, armed with a pressure cleaner, buckets and rags washed off thick layers of outback dust that had settled on the desks and chairs... 
Confirmed: the new date is set for 15th September 2021 (let's hope we are not getting another lockdown!). 
