Firstly, on Wednesday, we get together at Edgewater Dining for our Club Changeover. We will celebrate Mario’s year as President, present our Club Awards for 2019/2020 and I will introduce the Board for 2020/2021.
Secondly, on Saturday, we will be packing a container of Wheelchairs bound for the Solomon Islands. This is not just any container however. 23 years after the first Wheelchair was sent to Fiji, this container will include the 10,000th Wheelchair to be shipped to those in need. This is a fantastic achievement by our club and the hard workers at the Project Shed and we should all be very proud. So many members of the club have been there from the start, but special mention must be made of Des La Rance whose vision, dedication and effort made all this possible. On our website's Downloads section you can read about ‘The Story of the Surfers Sunrise Wheelchair Trust’ as well as 'First 10 Wheelchairs to Fiji' – if you haven’t done so already please have a read.
Also special thanks to Larry Murray who has done a great job at the shed in recent years and Col Laurenson who has connected us with the Rotary Club of Honiara (and other clubs) in recent years and arranged shipping. Thank you to everyone that has contributed their time or their funds over the years.
We need your help at the Shed this Saturday from 8.30am to assist in packing the container. The Club will be putting on a Sausage Sizzle at 10am for a gold coin donation for all those that join us. If you haven’t been to the Shed, it will be a great day to come down and see for yourself the great work Surfers Sunrise does. Even if you just come for 30 minutes, every little bit helps!
I look forward to seeing you on Wednesday at Edgewater and Saturday at the Shed.
This coming Wednesday 15th July we have our Changeover Breakfast, at Edgewater Dining on the Isle of Capri. If you have not already booked, do it now - click on this link. The annual Changeover Report is on the website - see right hand side; of course there will also be some hard copies there on Wednesday morning.
And it won't just be any old Rotary breakfast: we will be joined by some high calibre dignitaries - check this: District Governor Andy Rajapakse and the newly elected Councillor for Division 10, Darren Taylor. And lots of our partners have already booked too!
All details are on the booking site. See you Wednesday morning! Don't forget to book- bookings close Monday night.Remember: opens at 07:15 for 07:30 start.
In "normal" times, the statement "we'll have more of the same we had in the last year" would not be the most inspiring articulation of a leader's vision. Unless one knows that the year just gone, under Immediate Past President Mario Fairlie, has been not "just good", it was "real good"! At our first 'formal' meeting for the new Rotary year, incoming President Charles Thomasson outlined his overall aims. There isn't much purpose me listing them here; much easier if you download his PowerPoint (see Download Section on the right), where all his individual goals are outlined.
But the major segments certainly bear mentioning specifically:
Rotary in Australia will this year celebrate its 100th Anniversary. This in itself is a major milestone, but we are going to combine this with
Delivery of our 10,000th Wheelchair: in August 1997 we delivered the first 10 wheelchairs to Fiji, which was filmed and broadcast on Channel Nine's 'A Current Affair'. Our aim is to get Ray Martin, who was that program's host at the time, to participate in a special event to celebrate this major achievement.
The 'Sleeping Sanctuary' (PODs) is a definite goer. The aim is to involve all the clubs in Cluster 7
The X-Ray Unit for Vanuatu, a joint project with the Rotary Clubs of Broadbeach and Gold Coast which commenced in the previous year, is destined to be delivered and installed in June 2021
Youth programs (RYDA, RYTS, RYPEN etc), including the 'Lutzy Award' will continue, and so will other programs such as the Excellence in Workmanship Award
Some old, some new ideas in relation to fundraising, membership retention and development will be employed
So, download the PowerPoint and look at the details. Be assured, there won't be any boredom for our members, certainly no such thing as "I don't have anything to do!". In other words: Be involved!
As reported in last week's bulletin, a 20' container was loaded to the rim with 29 hospital beds which originated from Brisbane Private Hospital. They are destined for Kirimati (also known as Christmas Island), a coral island in the Republic of Kiribati in the Pacific Ocean. Check out a couple of the photos of the current equipment there and tell me that they don't have a serious need for them!
OK, so besides the wheelchairs work they have the PODs as well as the X-Ray unit for Vanuatu projects running, so there certainly isn't a case for "nothing to do". But our brand new Bar-be-que needs to be tested before it is going to be used for many major events coming up in the next few months! From left: Bryan Tuesley, President Charles Thomasson, Ian Mayberry, Terry Donovan, Larry Murray. (Photo by Al Sirovs)
Peter Morgan was at the door, Ian Mayberry was both Chairman as well as Sergeant.
We welcomed visitors District Governor Andy Rajapakse, who presented President Charles with the President’s pin, depicting the theme for the current year. He gave a brief presentation referring to our club’s achievements and District personnel contributions, such as Mark Twyford who starts his second year as District Treasurer. Later on, Andy introduced his guest Johnny Bueti (RC of Burleigh Heads). Johnny, who is the CEO of Go Transit Media Group (they do all the advertising on the Light Rail, Buses and Taxis) wishes to transfer to our club. Welcome! Looking forward to seeing you at our meetings!
Honorary member George Keily advised that Apple Marketing had, so far, raised $5,640 for the Wheelchairs, with another roughly $1,000 still to come. George expressed his gratitude to Neil Thurlow for printing thousands of brochures.
After President Charles’ presentation (see separate article above), Franz Huber reminded all to book online for the upcoming Changeover Breakfast. We are also looking for guest speakers - please let’s hear about if you know somebody who is interesting! Larry Murray updated us on the happenings at the Project Shed, including last week’s loading of hospital beds destined for Kiribati (see article in last week’s bulletin). He also outlined his programs of the Project Shed for the coming year.
And there being some time – Ian Mayberry took advantage and ran a Sergeant’s session – first time in months: (former Sergeant) Andy Rajapakse: “because I can…” (District Governors might be exempt in other clubs, but not in Surfers Sunrise…) but Andy had been there before: he claimed to have nothing smaller than a $50 bill on him… ☺, Col Laurenson and Geoff Croad have an All Black Guernsey which is too small for them to wear, butAndy Bell might fit into it (only just - tight fit!) Graeme Isaacson can claim to be the first person to crack a wheelchair during testing… Mitch Brown: just love getting money out of a lawyer for a change… Peter Morgan: that moon boot looks like you had an elite athlete’s injury… Franz Huber got the blame for Ian having trouble to log onto the Zoom meeting last week (??), Ray Higgs, haven’t seen you at any of the Zoom meetings? Nor have we seen Gerald East!
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
Tomorrow's protests in Melbourne are against Fairy Bread. Police are expecting hundreds and thousands...
Gerald's post of the week:
For those of us who (like me) struggle with the English language, this is excellent: click on this link for 'An Ode to the English Plural' (Yes, it comes via the UK Diabetes Society...)
“Under such circumstances, to maintain the optimism and generosity of spirit that characterises Australians at their best would be a formidable challenge. Perhaps we will be spared this cup of suffering. Perhaps the contemplation of epic disasters might help Australians deal better with everyday problems. Almost certainly, preparing thoroughly for disasters which don’t eventuate will help prepare for those which do.” (Then Health Minister) Tony Abbott, in 2005, on why preparation for a Pandemic is absolutely essential.
If you had to sacrifice one gender of music to get rid of COVID-19, what would it be? And why would it be Country Music?
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.
This coming Wednesday 15th July we have our Changeover Breakfast, at Edgewater Dining on the Isle of Capri. If you have not already booked, do it now - 
In "normal" times, the statement "we'll have more of the same we had in the last year" would not be the most inspiring articulation of a leader's vision. Unless one knows that the year just gone, under Immediate Past President Mario Fairlie, has been not "just good", it was "real good"! At our first 'formal' meeting for the new Rotary year, incoming President Charles Thomasson outlined his overall aims. There isn't much purpose me listing them here; much easier if you download his PowerPoint (see Download Section on the right), where all his individual goals are outlined.
As reported in last week's bulletin, a 20' container was loaded to the rim with 29 hospital beds which originated from Brisbane Private Hospital. 
We welcomed visitors District Governor Andy Rajapakse, who presented President Charles with the President’s pin, depicting the theme for the current year. He gave a brief presentation referring to our club’s achievements and District personnel contributions, such as Mark Twyford who starts his second year as District Treasurer. Later on, Andy introduced his guest Johnny Bueti (RC of Burleigh Heads). Johnny, who is the CEO of Go Transit Media Group (they do all the advertising on the Light Rail, Buses and Taxis) wishes to transfer to our club. Welcome! Looking forward to seeing you at our meetings!
Andy Bell might fit into it (only just - tight fit!) Graeme Isaacson can claim to be the first person to crack a wheelchair during testing… Mitch Brown: just love getting money out of a lawyer for a change… Peter Morgan: that moon boot looks like you had an elite athlete’s injury… Franz Huber got the blame for Ian having trouble to log onto the Zoom meeting last week (??), Ray Higgs, haven’t seen you at any of the Zoom meetings? Nor have we seen Gerald East!
Andy Bell's post of the week (picture left)
