banner
President's Message
Andy Bell
member photo
Report is going to be a little short this week as I am getting washed away one minute and slow cooked the next in beautiful downtown Brunswick Heads where my darling Robby and I are holidaying with friends. Well drinking copious quantities of wine and playing golf actually. “No one is ever holy without suffering.” ― Evelyn Waugh, Brideshead Revisited. What? Oh, you said Brunswick Heads? Hmmm... Sorry... Ed. ☺]
 
It has been reported that the Pride of Workmanship dinner went very well. My sincere thanks go to all especially Richard for putting it together and Ian for stepping into the breach as President in my absence. 
 
We have had some complaints regarding our Club Banner and I would like to have a short open discussion about this on Wednesday. Don't forget to register for the District Conference. 
 
Life is too short to drink bad wine and eat bad food. Just sayin...

Siànte. 
Andrew Bell
President, 2017-18
Stories
This Wednesday: Guest Speaker: Ross Eastgate OAM
This coming Wednesday 13th December, we'll have Ross Eastgate OAM, the current President of the Surfers Paradise RSL Club.
 
Ross graduated form the Royal Military College, Duntroon in 1968 and moved to the Royal Australian Corps of Signals in December 1971 and in his military career served in PNG, the Middle East, Bougainville and East Timor.
 

Ross was awarded an OAM in 2000 for his service to veterans and their families.

His latter career has been in journalism and he is presently a columnist, features writer and... wait for it: the beer editor at The Gold Coast Bulletin.

This Wednesday: Christmas Breakfast at Sheraton Mirage
This year we will again have our traditional Christmas Breakfast in style, at the Sheraton Mirage on Seaworld Drive, Main Beach. Just thinking of their buffet makes my mouth water...  Bring your partners and guests along too!
 
When:  Wednesday, 20/12/2017, 07:15 start
Where: Sheraton Mirage Resort, Terraces Restaurant
              Seaworld Drive, Main Beach  QLD 
Cost:     $32.00 per person
 
You can park inside - just drive past the Versace to the next Round-about, come back and take take the ramp down to the hotel's car park.
Meet Alissa Lott, our 2018 Youth Exchange Student to the USA
Update: Alissa has arrived in Minnesota! Looking forward to her first report.
 
At last Wednesday's meeting, Matt Lott introduced his charming daughter Alissa to the club. Alissa has been selected to represent our club in Janesville, Minnesota for the 12 months starting end of January 2018. She is (was) a student at Emmanuel College, and naturally, she is very much looking forward to the experience. "To be given the chance to live in another country and culture and become a member of their community is a truly unique experience and I am so, so grateful for you giving me the opportunity to participate in this program". And what are her expectations (other than having a good time of course!)? Only a couple, she said: Go into the exchange with as an open mind as possible, be ready to try everything and become part of the community. Alissa epxects that it will "allow me to get out of my comfort zone". [you can bet on that! Ed.]
 
We are very much looking forward to receiving your reports, and don't forget, your Surfers Sunrise Bulletin Editor is always looking for quality material to publish! So, let's hear about it! ☺
RYDA recognizes Rotary for our services
Recently, Larry Murray and Geoff Croad went up to Brisbane to be presented with an award from RYDA (Rotary Youth Driver Awareness), in recognition of the ongoing volunteer work Rotarians do to assist throughout the year. In total, some 50,000 High School students undergo this one day training every year.  The "rose between the thorns" is Hannah Olsen, the program's Queensland Coordinator. Well done, fellows!
Last week's Guest Speaker: Warren Luff
"Some people want to be a Race Car Driver. Some people want to drive Racing Cars." Warren "Wazza" Luff's closing remarks would hit the nail on the head. The latter doesn't necessarily care about the glitz and glamour, and they are usually the ones that indeed make it to the top ranks.  Warren had a slightly unfair advantage though: his dad teaches race car driving, and so he got access to his first race car at the ripe old age of nine... "A phone book under the bum and a pillow in the back" he quipped. A slight drama evolved though when the manager of the race track perceived that there was a "driverless car doing the circuit" and came out to investigate...

Warren, whose most recent claim for the glamour and headlines includes second place at this year's Bathurst 1000, commenced his career on the tracks of Western Sydney - Warren Park and Eastern Creek. Where for most families Christmas is probably the most important day of the year, not so for
the Luff family: It is/was the Bathurst 1000! And it is expensive. "Outside of perhaps Yachting and Race Horses, the most expensive sport".  Thus, the only way is to get sponsorship. 
 
And how would you like to race the famous Nürburgring in Germany? No problem - you can.  As long as the car your are driving is registered and meets German Autobahn regulations, just pay your money and you're off! Only problem is that, if you ARE a racing car driver, you have to expect "someone with a Volkswagen Campervan in on the middle of the road as you come over the next hill"!  Interestingly, Warren admitted to having "a terrible sense of direction" and thus, to learn a complex track such as the Nurburgring presented him with some serious challenge. There were 180 cars in the race, and they get them on the road in the method of a Rally Start, e.g. in stages.  Still, he finished a credible second in his class. In 2002 he switched to V8 Supercars and indeed this year again got to the podium with second place.
 
And what does a race car driver do when he is not racing? He is a Stunt Driver at Movie World! And he tops it up by speaking to Youth about Road Safety. Yes, it stands to reason that the youngsters are more likely to believe a man of his calibre that the road is a dangerous place.
Read more...
Samoa Project featured in Murdoch press
La Rance alluded to it at our meeting a couple of weeks ago, but I didn't have an image to show you. But our 'Mr Reliable' Bob Harrison came to the rescue... You can download an image of the full article - go to the Download Section on the right.  
 
Read the full transcript, click on the article in the Download Section. It includes a correction - the reporter got the name of the Rotary Club wrong...
Snippets of last week's meeting 061217
Rosie McIntyre was at the door, Ian Mayberry was Chairman  and Tania Laird was Sergeant.
 
We had apologies from Des La Rance, Simon Brook, Gerald East, Mario Fairlie, Charles Thomasson, Daryl Sanderson, Jo Gorman and Darrell Brown.  
 
President Andy Bell welcomed all members and our guests Alissa Lott and her father Matt, as well as our Guest Speaker, Racing Driver Warren Luff. Andy emphasised that members should visit our Project Shed more frequently, even if only for a cuppa at morning tea time.  Our volunteers there, now officially 'Associate Members', much welcome members of the club visiting.  He also confirmed that the Christmas Breakfast will be at the Sheraton Mirage on 20th December 2017.  More details, including cost, to be advised.
 
Franz Huber briefly outlined his experiences at the RYTS (Rotary Youth Transition Seminar) dinner on Tuesday night. In brief: unbridled energy, very obviously huge fun for all participants... and ... very loud!! One wonders whether the fact that the Tyalgum Ridge Retreat is out of Mobile Phone Range and thus there is no texting, no mobiles hanging on everyone's ears has anything to do with it? [I'm betraying my age, I know... Ed.] See next month's edition of the District Newsletter for a full write up.
 
Col Laurensen referred to the article in last week's bulletin regarding George Keily and Heather Barnard's presentation for their efforts in collecting pre-loved spectacles for DIK (Donations in Kind).  Is DIK one of the best kept secrets in Rotary? 
 
Secretary Mark Twyford briefly referred to the renewal of the lease for our Project Shed with the Gold Coast City Council: Originally, we were expecting a 15 year lease, however, the formal documents still only show a 5 year lease. This is due to a specific policy ruling at the Council in relation to the control of Obnoxious Gases which does not permit a longer lease. However, we understand that renewal after 5 years should be a foregone conclusion provided the premises are used in the way it is intended.
 
Project Director Rosie McIntyre has been involved with the Mudgeeraba Special School: in order to demonstrate the practical aspects of Engineering, the school uses our wheelchairs as a good example who innovative design can lead to something useful being created from what other people may consider to be rubbish. Rosie also briefly referred to the Awards ceremony at the Coomera College and retrospectively presented Doug Lipp with a Certificate of Appreciation.  All the certificates were designed and printed by Neil Thurlow and his design elves at Accent Print & Copy.
 
Ian Mayberry will again invest the 'Coffee Club' money (about $400) into presents to be given to the St John's Drop-in Centre.  As we have done in the past, members are encouraged to also provide some presents.  Please DO NOT WRAP them.
 
Chris Thurtell, in his capacity as the District Chair of Youth Exchange, introduced Alissa Lott and her dad Matt. See separate article on Alissa's presentation. He has received another report from our outbound student in Germany, Kieran Power - the year is almost gone! He'll be back about the same time when Alissa will head off to the USA.  They recently had a "whole country exchange" when the incoming and outgoing students were matched by country of origin/destination.
 
Last week's Sergeant: Tania Laird
Tania started off as "Ms Nice": Rosie McIntyre - so much work behind the scenes with the Samoa project: Well done! Somebody got referred to the Salvation Army - not sure if that had anything to do with their sartorial elegance or not... Col Laurensen: not everyone knows what certain sayings, such as "Don't look into a horse's mouth" mean or where they come from! Chris Thurtell, hope Maree is coping ok? Doug Lipp had one of his horses winning... Franz Huber: I have real trouble understanding what you are saying! [that's ok, my wife sometimes doesn't understand me either... ☺] Peter Morgan for something or another... [I really have trouble understanding that Kiwi accent! ☺ Ed.] Andy Bell, would you like to make up your mind: is it the Marina Mirage or the Sheraton Mirage we are having our Christmas breakfast at? Al Sirovs, what happened? Daryl and Des are no longer joining you?? Neil Thurlow, long time since - nice to see you again! Mitch Brown, the Vegemite Kid? 
Duty Roster
Duty Roster - note: subject to change.  Please check every week:
 
Date
Chairman
Door
28th Feb 2018Charles Thomasson Graeme Isaacson
7th March 2018 Peter MorganChris Thurtell
14th March 2018  Mario FairlieJim Blackburn
21st March 2018Doug LippBob Harrison
28th March 2018Rosie RoccoGerald East 
04th April 2018Daryl SandersonFred Hamblen
Inspirations - well, sort of... 131217
Can Car Racing make you a Millionaire?  Yes, but only if you already are a Billionaire.
 
A good political speech is not one in which you can prove that the man is telling the truth; it is one where no one else can prove he is lying. (Sir Humphrey in Yes Minister)
 
The best thing about this time of the year is watching the people who make home made gifts start to panic.
 
 
ClubRunner
14th February 2018
Bulletin Editor
Franz Huber
  • This Wednesday:
  • Pride of Workmanship Awards: Evening meeting
  •  
  • Last week's Guest Speaker: Charmaine Wheatley
  • Two Baton Bearers from Surfers Sunrise
  • Snippets of last week's meeting
  • Last week's Sergeant, Ian Mayberry
  • Roster for the next 4 weeks
  • Inspirations (well, sort of....)
 
Upcoming Events
Weekly Meeting - upcoming District Conference
Pavilion Restaurant, Southport Surf Life Saving Club
Mar 07, 2018
7:15 AM – 8:30 AM
 
Weekly Meeting - Sabrina Kellmann - GC Hospital Foundation
Pavilion Restaurant, Southport Surf Life Saving Club
Mar 14, 2018
7:15 AM – 8:30 AM
 
Charmaine Wheatley presents at The Shed
The Project Shed
Mar 24, 2018
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
 
Download FIles
Transcript of Gold Coast Bulletin article on Samoa
Gold Coast Bulletin features Samoa Project
Template: Together we inspire
Template: Together we connect
Donations in Kind Northern Region - CILTA Award
Andy Bell answers 33 Questions
District Conference 2018 Organization Chart
Why Join Rotary?
Executives & Directors
President
 
Immediate Past President
 
President Elect
 
Vice President
 
Treasurer
 
Secretary
 
Director-Club Administration
 
Director-Service Projects
 
Coordinator-Vocational Services
 
Director-Membership
 
Director-Public Relations
 
Director -The Rotary Foundation
 
Director-Youth Services
 
YEP Club Protection Officer
 
Deputy Sergeant at Arms
 
Sergeant At Arms
 
Director-Fundraising
 
Chairperson-Wheelchairs Trust
 
Coordinator - Social Media
 
Program Manager-Guest Speakers
 
Webmaster & Bulletin Ed
 
Subscribe to the Surfers Sunrise Bulletin
Subscribe to our eBulletin and stay up to date on the latest news and events.
Photo Albums
Melbourne Cup 2017
Help! 3000 wheels to be unloaded!
Simon Brook leads our team at the Rotaract Trivia Challenge
Working Bee at The Shed 03 June 2017
School for Phuket, Thailand
Surfers Sunrise Changeover 2015
Surfers Sunrise Charter - 23. February 1987
House of Hope - Samoa
Our YE Student in Germany sent us some photos
Wheelchairs
Rotaract Trivia Night 15 April 2016
Pre-school, Mata'afa Village, Samoa
Kieran Power's photos from Germany
30th Anniversary of Charter 22/02/2017