The first part of this message is just the very best news in that Bob Harrison, who has just had an operation that had the potential of permanent disability has come through largely unscathed. Wiggling toes, feeling in his back and movement. Seven days ago that was not the prognosis. Good on you Bob for getting through that hurdle which bodes well for the treatment of lymphoma. And boy what a positive lady Gloria is. Good luck to the Harrisons as they get Bob through this latest health challenge - we are thinking of you all.
Speaking of thinking about people- we are still to decide on our service projects for this year but we have lots to choose from. Drought stricken farmers are a natural choice. As are the homeless youth on the Gold Coast - largely in that situation through no fault of their own - with the biggest cause Domestic Violence. Can you imagine that? And then we have the Indonesians in the midst of their earthquake catastrophe. It was wonderful to see our peers at Sub Station 33 tonight on the TV- making solar powered lights from e-waste for those suffering on Lombok and shouting out for help.
So, please give some thought to what you would like to see as our focus this year- by the time we have our Club Assembly at the end of August, Id like you to vote on whats important to you. There a few corporate and government grants out for organisations like ours. We just need t tell them what the need is, how we would help, how much money we would need and what we would do with it. Beats shaking a tin- but we will need to describe a real cause.
We had a great casual meeting last week - with possibly more constructive conversations had than in some of our formal meetings. Just because these meetings are in a less structured setting, don't think they aren't of value and please do come along - there are giggles and some serious stuff too.
Franz will be sending out a calendar for formal meetings [sent this afternoon - you should have it by now!] in which you will each be asked to help arrange speakers. You all know someone interesting so please - ask them to come and talk to us. Better speakers- better meetings. Better meetings, better Club.
In the words of Past President Andy Bell- "just sayin'". See y'all Wednesday for a formal meeting at SPSLSC.
Julius Czerny (almost) died. So he decided to do something about teaching life saving: he developed a board game,, 'Super Lifesaver' with the specific purpose of teaching kids (and for that matter adults) about how to go about it.
New: We are trialling to order A la Carte! So, if you prefer something lighter, fancier, more sophisticated, even Vegan... just come in a bit earlier (say, 06:50 am) so your meal will be ready in time for a start at 07:15. Please pay at the counter, then pay a surcharge of $10.00 at the door, as we used to do in the "olden days". The menu is in the Download section on the right. Of course, you still can have the buffet breakfast too.
See you for Breakfast at the Surfers Paradise Surf Life Saving Club!
Most people would not even be aware that Donations in Kind (DIK) exists. Yet, this organization, a division of Rotary World Community Service (RAWCS) is doing so much "paddling beneath the surface", it is simply astounding. Just have a gander at these statistics for the Northern Region of DIK, provided by our member Col Laurenson, who is in charge of that region: "In the period from July 2017 to July 2018 we have loaded the equivalent of 74 x 20 foot containers (TEU) with an estimated value of $5.25 million. Plus, a 1 x LCL ('Less than a Container Load') shipment. Separately to this we loaded 3 x 40', 2 x 20' containers of our own equipment for storage, ie 8 x TEUs. This was necessary because our lease on the premises at Durack could not be renewed and no suitable premises could be found. Of these we shipped That's a total of 74 TEUs! That’s over 2,575 cubic meters which never went to land fill."
But more importantly: Would this have made a huge difference to the people at those destinations? You bet. Goods ranged from clothing (including pallet loads of school uniforms) to hospital beds, scanners, baby cribs, books, school desks and chairs, crutches, computer equipment, just to name a few. And - give yourself a pat on the back, fellows and volunteers who work at our Project Shed: tons of our wheelchairs!
(Picture above: Students in Kimbe, PNG at their newly installed desks. right: Book sorting at the former DIK warehouse. Photos by Ted Horsbrough)
He rarely stops, doesn't he! Our Wheelchair Trust Chairman Daryl Sanderson, together with the capable assistance of Des La Rance ran a display stand at last Saturday's School Fete of the Assisi Catholic College. He even raised some donations! Interestingly, the Principal of the College, Mr Michael Laidler initially commented to Daryl that, when a Principal in Burleigh Heads, he attended a presentation of some organization which made wheelchairs there. In Burleigh Heads?? Turned out that, once he met Des La Rance, he realized that it was indeed the same guy he had in mind...! ☺ (Photo by Daryl's daughter Dannye McFaul, who is, by the way, the President of the College's Parents and Friends Association. Talking about Apples not falling far from the trunk...)
In addition to the hive of activity we had at the Project Shed last Saturday week (see last week's bulletin), Wesley Mission has also been hyper-active with Qantas blankets that PDG Darrell Brown organised: 1,000 were collected by the team from the STARH Project (Supporting Those at Risk of Homelessness) and distributed at the recent Homeless Connect day held at Carrara Stadium. Photo above: Tanya & Bonita from Wesley Mission (pictured left), were in charge of another project there at the same time: Pets...! Picture right: pallets of blankets ready for distribution at Carrara Stadium. (Photos by Mark Twyford)
Talking about Rotary - People of Action... Following my post on the weekend, featuring an article published in the Weekend Australian newspaper, Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS) has setup a Farmer's Relief Fund which has Deductible Gift Recipient status. This makes any donations over $2.00 fully tax deductible. Named the Rotary Australia Relief Fund, it is managed and supervised by RAWCS. Being a Rotary fund, it also means that 100% of donations go to farmers; Rotary deducts no fees. The National Farmers Federation, Channel 9 and Rotary in Australia will work together to raise much needed funds.
Duty Roster - note: subject to change. Please check every week:
New duty: Fellowship. What does it entail? Your job is to ensure that all members, in particular new members, visitors and guests, and in particular the Guest Speaker, are welcomed, are introduced to other members and are comfortable. If required, explain the usual procedures, e.g. when we have our meal, when the speaker is expected to be at the rostrum etc.
“In America the latest thing is “transgender bathrooms”. We all knew politics were crap. Now we discover that where we take one is a political issue. P J O’Rourke in ‘How the hell did this happen’ – an analysis of the 2016 Presidential Elections.
Julius Czerny (almost) died. So he decided to do something about teaching life saving: he developed a board game,, 'Super Lifesaver' with the specific purpose of teaching kids (and for that matter adults) about how to go about it.
Most people would not even be aware that 
That's a total of 74 TEUs! That’s over 2,575 cubic meters which never went to land fill." 
He rarely stops, doesn't he! Our Wheelchair Trust Chairman Daryl Sanderson, together with the capable assistance of Des La Rance ran a display stand at last Saturday's School Fete of the Assisi Catholic College. He even raised some donations! Interestingly, the Principal of the College, Mr Michael Laidler initially commented to Daryl that, when a Principal in Burleigh Heads, he attended a presentation of some organization which made wheelchairs there. In Burleigh Heads?? Turned out that, once he met Des La Rance, he realized that it was indeed the same guy he had in mind...! ☺ (Photo by Daryl's daughter Dannye McFaul, who is, by the way, the President of the College's Parents and Friends Association. Talking about Apples not falling far from the trunk...)
collected by the team from the STARH Project (Supporting Those at Risk of Homelessness) and distributed at the recent Homeless Connect day held at Carrara Stadium. Photo above: Tanya & Bonita from Wesley Mission (pictured left), were in charge of another project there at the same time: Pets...! Picture right: pallets of blankets ready for distribution at Carrara Stadium. (Photos by Mark Twyford)
