Thanks to everyone that came down to the Shed on Saturday and packed the container for South Africa.
It all went relatively smoothly and we packed 224 Wheelchairs and some other items like books and clothes. In 2020 we have sent well over 450 Wheelchairs overseas which is a fantastic achievement by the Club and the Shed Volunteers. In light of all the great work the Club has done in 2020 and how full the December calendar is we are now going to hold off on having another Bike Sale until March/April next year rather than on December 12th as previously advised . This will give us time to have a break and enjoy the Festive Season!
As many of you know, President Elect John Chirio has resigned from the Club to move to the Sunshine Coast to be closer to his family. We are sad to see John go but we thank him for all his work over the last few years and of course we wish him and his family all the best for future. Hopefully we will have John for a few more meetings yet.
Past President Paul Seymour has accepted my request to become President in 2021/2022. I thank Paul on behalf of the Club for stepping in at such late notice and I’m sure he’ll do a great job with all our support. The Club AGM is on Wednesday 9th of December where the incoming board for 2021/2022 will be finalised.
The ‘Italian Long Lunch’ is on Thursday 10th December at Gemelli’s at Broadbeach. Thanks to Johnny Bueti for organising – please buy your tickets asap if you want to attend as it should be a fantastic afternoon and a great fundraiser for our Club.
This Wednesday, Farley S. Tolpen will be presenting on Mediation at our Formal Breakfast at the Surf Club. We will also be inducting some new Surfers Sunrise Rotarians so I look forward to seeing you all at 7am.
Farley S. Tolpen is the founder and CEO of The Mediation Experts, a Brisbane based dispute resolution organization. Farley is an international mediator, arbitrator, trainer and lawyer with over 35 years experience mediating, arbitrating and litigating. His areas of expertise include Workplace, Employment, Family Law, Estates, Workplace, Commercial and Business Law, Real Estate and Construction. He is currently a mediator for QCAT and Queensland Small Business Commissioner (QSBC) for retail shop and commercial leases and Covid19 issues.
He will speak on the topic of "Mediation - How and Why it Works". Farley advised that he will "make it interactive, with humour and some stories". Looking forward to it!
Many of you already know Kristen "KJ" Jewson (she prefers to be called "KJ"). Together with her fellow Rotaract members, she is a regular at the Project Shed, working on the Vanuatu project and she has joined our meetings on Wednesday mornings a number of times. KJ will hold the Surfers Sunrise flag at the upcoming Rotary Youth Leadership Award camp at the end of January 2021. This is the introduction she wrote:
I'm Kristen, better known to all as Kj. I'm 26, and am in my 7th semester studying Digital Media Production at the University of Applied Sciences in Bremerhaven, Germany.
My days currently consist of Work, Uni (albeit at 2am), and Rotaract. I'm president of the Rotaract Club Nordwest in Germany, a new member of the Rotaract Club of Burleigh Heads, and am involved in helping the newest club in the district, the Rotaract Club Gold Coast Makers come to life. Through Rotaract I currently have the chance to work on an international project with the Rotary Club Surfers Sunrise to build a hospital annex for clinic on Pentacost Island, Vanuatu.
Rotary has been a part of my life since I was 14, I've been to RYPEN, RYTS, Youth Exchange to Germany in 2012, and since then have become a member of Rotex and Rotaract. Due to unforseen circumstances (COVID) I am back in the country for the moment, and RYLA just seemed like the next step.
As I'm almost finished Uni, and now need to make the decision as to where I want to work and live in the world; I find myself at a crossroads, and think RYLA could possibly give me some clarity for the future, so I can't wait to go!
Last Saturday, the Rotarians of Surfers Sunrise, the Rotaract team from Burleigh Heads and of course our volunteers were out in force, loading a 40 foot container with wheelchairs, boxes of books, accessories, toys etc to the rim. It will be on its way shortly. Charmaine Wheatley from the Rotary e-Club of South Africa visited the shed and also briefly addressed the volunteers, providing an outline of how much of a difference their work makes to underprivileged disabled people on the African continent. (Photo, sent by Charmaine Wheatley (in front row in green vest), Des La Rance (front left), Kristen "KJ" Jewson, Rotaract (in funny hat), President Charles Thomasson and Col Laurenson (in orange vest). Col was run off his feet and he probably has repetitive stress injury on his index finger from dialing, and has added a couple more grey hairs after organising and coordinating the despatch of that container with his counterparts half way around the world... ☺)
“I’m legally blind…” Ron explained. Well, until you see the small tag he wears, you’d hardly notice; his severe Macular Degeneration certainly doesn’t diminish him being effective in his work! Born in England’s County of Kent, he joined the Merchant Navy and trained to become a Ship’s Electrician. Coming to New Zealand in 1965, he decided to remain and stayed there for some 28 years. Although he gained a New Zealand Certificate of Electrical Engineering, Ron also worked in Forestry Products, supervising a team of draftsmen designing and implementing two major plants, each employing some 50 electricians. By 1982 he became Divisional Manager, and ultimately moved to Equipment Sales. In addition to his professional achievements, Ron also built two of his own homes, from the design drafting, specifications, “I did it all, except the plumbing because one needed a licence for that!”
Then, come 1995, on a holiday to Australia, he decided to stay. Moving over here with Lyn, his partner of now 35 years, he bought - - a Convenience Store! Well, just to be different!
But it’s not all work: in his spare time, Ron enjoys music: “just about all except rap” he said. Elton John, classical music, ballads... [Ballads? One guesses, as a former Merchant Navy man, he’d know a few of them! Aren't they called Shanties? ☺ Ed.] In his younger days, he was a member of a Church Choir. Obviously, with his disability, reading is out. Not really: Audio Books are the answer. Sports? Yes, he plays Indoor Bowls. So here is proof: don’t let a disability stop you being productive and enjoying life!
Mario Fairlie, who oversees this major project, received a cheque from two Rotarians from the Broadbeach Rotary Club: Russ Hutchinson and Brian Pearson donated a combined $1,500 towards our X-Ray Unit for the Pentecost Hospital on Espiritu Santo island, Vanuatu. For those of you coming in late: this is a joint project of the Rotary Clubs of Surfers Sunrise, Broadbeach and Gold Coast. All pre-manufacturing and pre-assembly of the building is carried out at our Project Shed in Arundel. Thank you, Russ and Brian! Photo shows Mario Fairlie handing the cheque to Treasurer Doug Lipp for banking.
Johnny Bueti, whose grandparents immigrated from Italy after WW2, is certainly no stranger to the delights of Italian Cuisine. He is organising 'The Long Italian Lunch', as a fundraiser for our Rotary Club. In his previous editions, he would have some 150 people there, but due to COVID restrictions limited it to 80. It will take place on Thursday, 10th December 2020. Click on this link to book! Download the flyer - see Download Section on the right.
Remember Mark Twyfords youngest daughter Maggie, who presented at our Club on Misión México via Zoom earlier this year? (That’s her on the right – click on this link to read the story again). Maggie continues to be involved with the Mission. This November will also mark the charity’s 20th anniversary. To celebrate, they are holding their biggest ever global event; the Move for Misión México - 20/20/20 Challenge: 20,000 kilometers on foot, bike, in the water, any way you can think of while working together to raise £20,000 for their education program. All money raised will go towards Mision Mexico's Education Program.
To support this event, Mark has enrolled in the Challenge with the aim ofraising $AUD 1,000.00, committing to riding a minimum of 500Km in the month of November. You can track his progress here: https://www.strava.com/clubs/704802. Mark also will provide us with a weekly total: As of today 16/11/20, he has cycled 466 Km and walked 69 Km (together with Tanya and (separately) your Editor. So far the tally is $1,100.00! He hopes to rope in a couple of more Riding Rotarians to make up another 500Km over the month. If you wish to support financially, please click on this link, and also advise Mark on mark@bradendmdtaccounting.com.au so he can update his website. Alternatively, you can direct deposit to an account - send him an email and he'll send you details. A tax receipt will be issued once funds are received.
Put it in your diary now: our Christmas Breakfast will be on Wednesday, 16th December. This year, we'll have it at the Edgewater Dining and Lounge restaurant (where we had our Changeover in July). More details in next week's bulletin.
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
Is your name Aphasia? Because you leave me speechless!
Hmmm... perhaps not...
If in 2050 the United World Government agrees to tax Google, Amazon, Baidu and Tencent in order to provide basic support for every human being on earth… … how will it define ‘basic’? … what does basic education include: just reading and writing, or also composing computer code and playing the violin? Just six years of primary school or everything up to a PhD? Yuval N Harari, ’21 Lessons for the 21st Century’
Doing 5 sit-ups in 5 minutes mightn't sound like a lot, but there is only so many times you can hit the snooze button!
Diesel Services Queensland and AB Crane Hire recently provided a truck and a huge mobile crane at no charge to lift a 40' container into our Project Shed area at Arundel. Thank you! Click on the links to go to their website.
One of our sponsors for the 'Lutzy' Surf Rescue Board being presented this Wednesday.
Farley S. Tolpen is the founder and CEO of 
“I’m legally blind…” Ron explained. Well, until you see the small tag he wears, you’d hardly notice; his severe Macular Degeneration certainly doesn’t diminish him being effective in his work! Born in England’s County of Kent, he joined the Merchant Navy and trained to become a Ship’s Electrician. Coming to New Zealand in 1965, he decided to remain and stayed there for some 28 years. Although he gained a New Zealand Certificate of Electrical Engineering, Ron also worked in Forestry Products, supervising a team of draftsmen designing and implementing two major plants, each employing some 50 electricians. By 1982 he became Divisional Manager, and ultimately moved to Equipment Sales. In addition to his professional achievements, Ron also built two of his own homes, from the design drafting, specifications, “I did it all, except the plumbing because one needed a licence for that!”
Remember Mark Twyfords youngest daughter Maggie, who presented at our Club on Misión México via Zoom earlier this year? (That’s her on the right – 
<--- Gettisburg Address for Schoolies..
