Great meeting last week with both Federal MP Angie Bell and District Governor Andy Rajapakse visiting us and giving excellent presentations. We also had quite a few visitors including Dean Castell from our Corporate Sponsor BOQ Southport. I’d like to say a big thanks to Franz for organising such high quality speakers not only last week but throughout the year. [Allowing myself an additional biscuit with afternoon coffee, in lieu of patting myself on the back... ☺ Ed.]
The District Conference is just under 2 weeks away on Saturday 15th May at Twin Towns, Tweed Heads. It is a one-day event starting at 9am. Click here for more information and booking details.
I mentioned last week that Surfers Sunrise is in good shape from a membership and financial position. This doesn’t mean we can get complacent though – we still need to be active not only in our meetings, projects and fundraising but also in attracting new members. We now have 3 Corporate Members; InvincAble, BOQ Southport and Wilsons Advisory. Each Corporate Members can supply 2 Rotarians and 2 Associates. Do you know a local business we should invite to join Surfers Sunrise? Or maybe your business could become a Corporate Member and therefore introduce others in your company to all the benefits of being a Rotarian.
See you Wednesday morning at 7am for a Social Meeting at the Surf Club.
“You changed my world!” Angie enthused after outlining her early life experiences, being sent to Denmark as a Rotary Youth Exchange Student. [OK, you can now slowly come down off your high, but it’s nice to know that Rotary had a major influence in her career… ☺] She was nominated by the Rotary Club of Gawler (a suburb of Adelaide). But visualise: You are aged 17, you arrive in a non-English speaking country, you are hosted by a family where no one spoke English… Does this qualify to be put into the category of ‘being thrown in at the deep end’ or what? Studying to play the Tenor Saxophone, Angie came to the attention of famous Jazz Musician Don Burrows and scored a scholarship to study music at the Conservatorium. The resulting grounding is most unusual indeed for any member of parliament: she became a Professional Musician! But learning never stops: some 25 years later, she went back to Uni to study for a Business Degree.
There would be so much material to talk about. Angie selected her travel to Bangladesh in January last year, on behalf of the ‘Save the Children’ fund, visiting refugee camps. “I witnessed a small girl chopping off the nails of chicken feet to supplement the food in her mum’s wok” she graphically outlined the experience. The problems faced are immense. The camps total around 1.1 million people, some 750,000 recent arrivals alone people who escaped persecution in Myanmar. To accommodate the camps, virgin jungle is torn up, in the process seriously threatening the survival of wildlife, such as the Indian Elephant.
On the local scene, Angie works closely with Ministers Stuart Roberts and Karen Andrews on the ‘Re-imagine Gold Coast’ project. Space does not permit us to elaborate, but find out all about it: click on this link to download it all from Angie’s website.
In summary: Isn't it refreshing indeed to listen to a Member of Parliament who can fluently put some words together, speak freshly and coherently “off the cuff” and, most importantly, who talks sense!
Our Logistics Guru, Col Laurenson sent me this photo, with the comment that the 20' storage container will be used "to hold ckd building until ready..." Explain "ckd"? "Completely Knock Down". Eventually, when we are able to travel on-site to erect it, we'll transfer it to the shipping container, together with all the other gear such as roof and wall panels, doors, hardware etc.
On Saturday 15th May 2021, our District 9640 will hold its Conference at Twin Towns Conference Centre. In view of the COVID situation, the format is a one day event. This brings the cost down to just $60.00 per head ($20 for Rotaractors and $10 for Interactors) which includes morning tea break and Lunch.
Among the hugely interesting keynote speakers is Jason Browne (via Zoom), Public Image Co-Ordinator, Zone 28 & 29, Pennsylvania State University Rotary Club, on "Can we make M&M's in Rotary?" Click here for more information and to book.
Note: Officially, bookings closed on 1st May, but if you hurry, you might still be able to slip in...
Darrell Brown was at the door (for Simon Brooks), Ray Higgs was Chairman and Andy Bell was Sergeant. We had apologies from Gerald East, Richard Smith, Graeme Isaacson, Mario Fairlie, Simon Brooks and Larry Murray.
President Charles Thomasson welcomed all members, our special guest speaker Angie Bell MP, visitors DG Andy Rajapakse, "Honorary Queenslander" Ross Augustine (RC of Frankston Sunrise), Catherine Palin-Brinkworth (RC of Gold Coast), Ann O'Connor, Kristen 'KJ' Jewson and Dean Castell (guest of Paul Smith, and proposed to be the second Corporate Member of the Bank of Queensland). Charles highlighted the recent feedback and thanks we received from South Africa relating to the recent container of wheelchairs despatched there. He also updated us on the status of the new website for our Wheelchairs Trust (almost done, thanks to Craig Parker, Rotaractors KJ Jewson and Matt Haywood) and the X-Ray Unit for Vanuatu project.
Following Angie Bell's address (see separate report above), DG Andy Rajapakse complemented our club for the work we do: "Your club is one of trhe most amazing clubs in our team" Andy massaged our ego... He specially mentioned District Officers from Surfers Sunrise: Mark Twyford (District Treasurer), Doug Lipp (District Finance Officer), Ray Higgs (former Peace and Conflict Resolution Chair). Worthwhile mentioning: the district added 32 new members just this month! Andy presented a copy of the '100 Years Rotary in Australia' book to President Charles.
PDG Darrell Brown confirmed that we are assisting the Tamborine Mountain club by supporting two RYPEN (Rotary Youth Program for Enrichment) candidates, plus adding one of our own, Malia McMahon, nominated by the Surfers Paradise SLSC (picture right).
Secretary Mitch Brown held the fastest election in history: Darrell Brown will represent our club at the business section of the upcoming District Conference, while President Elect Paul Seymour promised to have exact details of the Changeover Luncheon by the end of the week.
In short: we'll have a dedicated website for the Wheelchair Trust, the Project Shed, the volunteers, seeking donations, and all the stuff we do.
We are looking for photos relating to our Wheelchairs, various buildings we put up over the years etc etc. If you have any, please upload them directly to a shared Google Drive KJ has set up for this: Click here - it's dead easy - simply drag the photos from your folder into the 'Drop files here' field. Note: You need to log in with a Google (as in Gmail) account.
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
We may like to think politics is a battle of ideas and that the best idea wins out. But that's not true in most elections. Most elections are about the worst ideas losing, not the best ideas winning.Chuck Todd, US (NBC) Political Journalist
Kids today don't know how easy they have it. When I was young, I had to walk 9 feet through shag carpet to change the TV channel.
"Darling, I think you may want to have a hearing test."
"AND WHY THE HECK WOULD I NEED A HAIRY CHEST AT MY AGE??"
Government is weaker today because the public it serves is quicker to anger, and because the Opposition has realised the safest way back to power is opposition, not policy renewal. No mandate need be respected because the Opposition can trust the media to set impossible standards for government to meet.George Megalogenis, Balancing Act: Australia Between Recession and Renewal, 2016
“You changed my world!” Angie enthused after outlining her early life experiences, being sent to Denmark as a Rotary Youth Exchange Student. 
PDG Darrell Brown confirmed that we are assisting the Tamborine Mountain club by supporting two RYPEN (
