We were shown the facilities at the school by the Head of Department Creative Industries Dwayne Scicluna. The Facilities included wood, metal and plastic workshops together with specialised tools like Laser Cutting machines and CNC machines and a Four Axis Lathe. Design started in the classroom using CAD and other drawing programmes. All the machines and facilities gave the students a full “hands-on” experience and allowed them to access the required tools for their projects.
Larry and I were totally overwhelmed. This school has to be one of the most advanced I ever seen. Our reason for visiting was to look at the possibility of working together on some specific projects, particularly as the School is interested in being involved in community projects.
One of the projects we are presently considering is the Rotary Friendship Bench. Des La Rance has prepared a design. As usual, Des has done a fabulous design job. As soon as the Project Shed resumes activities, we would like to work towards building a prototype. This concept originally came from Past President Jo Gorman. She sent us the details and a photo (on right) and on investigation it looks to be a real possibility. It has been a tremendously successful in the UK. Click here for more details.
Due to the fact that, in essence, we are all trapped inside because of the Corona Virus (COVID-19), we are proposing that we use the ZOOM On-Line meeting system to talk and see each other. ZOOM is a software package that can be installed on our computers, Smartphones and/or Tablets (Apple or Android) to allow us to connect to each other via video. It is used extensively by Rotary clubs, including this District’s Rotary e-Club of NextGen Queensland, for their meetings. I have asked Franz to investigate our club using ZOOM for our regular meetings every two weeks. That would be at the time when we normal meet. I leave it to Franz to explain it all to you and how to set it up. [See separate story further on. Ed.]
The Mauna Hospital (Pentecost Island, Vanuatu) project is on hold until further notice.
Finally, I believe it is imperative that everybody tries their best to “self isolate”. Also, we have a lot of people out there in the community that don’t have very much and they will need our help. Rotary is about looking after humanity. Also remember, most of us are in the wrong age group and are therefore the most vulnerable.
As reported in last week's bulletin, the club's board has decided to suspend all club activities, including the activities at the Project Shed, for 28 days due to COVID-19. This decision very shortly afterwards was affirmed by a directive from Rotary International. This is the resolution:
Motion to suspend Club activities because of the COVID-19 virus pandemic Resolved that: Effective immediately the Club suspend for a period of 28 days all activities including but not limited to: a. the Project Shed; b. formal Club meetings; c. the Excellence in Workmanship Awards ceremony; d. the Gold Coast Ramble 2020.
Explanatory Note Because of the uncertainty surrounding the spread of the COVID-19 virus, government recommendations regarding social isolation to assist in limiting its spread and the fact many of the Club’s members and Shed volunteers fall within the cohort of those most at risk in the event of infection, the Board believes that in discharge of the duty of care owed to members and volunteers that Club activities should be suspended for 28 days.
Last Sunday, the Gold Coast Ramble probably was one of the last "physical" events of the Rotary calendar for a while. "Our" teams of Rosie Rocco (Action Heros - see photo left with Rosie's daughter Trinity and Lucas van den Elsen) and Ashleigh Symes (Surfers Stingrays - photo right, with Steven Symes, Richelle Roe, Jason Levy, Maddison Levy) came a very respectable 4th and 6th respectively. As Rosie reports: "We started off at a 70point disadvantage for not hitting our fundraising goal. Clawed our way up from 7th starting out to 4th in the end." I suspect that the same applied for Ashleigh's team. Great pity really, both supported a very deserving organisation - Rosie ran for the Australian Anti Ice Campaign and Ashleigh for the Orange Sky Laundry (they support the homeless people with a mobile laundry).
The Rotary e-Club of NextGen Queensland has been doing it for years: they are meeting On-Line, with members joining in from the comfort of their homes, the office, the airport lounge, really anywhere where one has access to the Internet. If your mobile phone plan includes some data, you don't even need Internet, just a mobile phone signal. Last year when your editor had the privilege of taking part in a Rotary Friendship Exchange to Seattle, almost all our group's meetings were conducted online, since members of the group were spread all over the place from Warwick to Lismore and the Gold Coast all the way to Wauchope on the NSW Central Coast.
We used 'Zoom', an app that is free of charge for up to 100 members, for meetings of up to 40 minutes duration. If more time is required, one simply starts another session. It is as easy as downloading the app and then wait for an email from the convener, which will include the link to join the conversation. It works with just about anything from a Smartphone, Tablet (iPhone or Android) or a Laptop, provided it has a reverse camera (which all models younger than 5 years have). Of course it also works with Windows or Apple based PCs. If running on a PC, you'll need a webcam with inbuilt microphone (about $60.00). And what's really great: you can get up about an hour later, munch your breakfast whilst the meeting progresses, and once we are used to it, we can invite guest speakers to join us online. We'll have a test meeting this week with a few people, the first "official" meeting will be on Wednesday 1st April 2020. And this is NOT an April Fool's joke! ☺ All members will receive invitations. If you would like to invite any guests to join us, let me know, I'll send an invitation to them.
My personal view is that it is important that we keep in touch with each other, particularly if Australia was to introduce similarly severe maximum number of people laws as they do in Europe (for example, Germany has decreed no more than 2 persons at once together). I have thus registered a private Zoom account for our club. Of course, I welcome any feedback or questions.
It might be a while before these are going to be used... Picked up a load of discarded bicycles from the Surfers Royale last Friday. Since all activities at the Project Shed have been suspended to protect our members and volunteers from COVID-19, they'll remain mothballed for the foreseeable time! But when it starts again, rest assured there will be sufficient materials for our volunteers for a couple of weeks or so.
Well, with the total shutdown of Rotary activities, there isn't really much to report on current happenings. So I thought I'd dig up a bulletin from 10 years ago (17th March 2010, to be exact). In those days, Rotary was at the cutting edge to urge the public to undergo Bowel Scans (since taken over by the Federal Government). To that effect we organised promotions, including one we had at Harbourtown Shopping Centre. As the headline states, there wasn't exactly a big run...
In view of all club activities being suspended for the next 28 days, there is no need to publish a Duty Roster for the time being... Watch this space as the situation is reviewed in 4 weeks' time!
Looking at the map for some weekend traveling and activities ideas. South Easterly direction looks promising...
“I am a humanist, which means, in part, that I have tried to behave decently without any expectation of rewards or punishments after I’m dead.” ― Kurt Vonnegut, God Bless You, Dr. Kevorkian
Surprise sex is one of the best things to wake up to. Unless you are in prison.
“Survival is optional. No one has to change.” Dr. W. Edwards Deming, American Engineer and Management Consultant.
"If you hear me talking to myself: I'm having a staff meeting." No longer the sign of an old codger having lost his marbles! Eerily becoming the new normal now, as people work from home where possible... ☺
One of the projects we are presently considering is the Rotary Friendship Bench. 
Last Sunday, the Gold Coast Ramble probably was one of the last "physical" events of the Rotary calendar for a while. "Our" teams of Rosie Rocco (Action Heros - see photo left with Rosie's daughter Trinity and Lucas van den Elsen
The Rotary e-Club of NextGen Queensland has been doing it for years: they are meeting On-Line, with members joining in from the comfort of their homes, the office, the airport lounge, really anywhere where one has access to the Internet. If your mobile phone plan includes some data, you don't even need Internet, just a mobile phone signal. Last year when your editor had the privilege of taking part in a Rotary Friendship Exchange to Seattle, almost all our group's meetings were conducted online, since members of the group were spread all over the place from Warwick to Lismore and the Gold Coast all the way to Wauchope on the NSW Central Coast. 
It might be a while before these are going to be used... Picked up a load of discarded bicycles from the Surfers Royale last Friday. Since all activities at the Project Shed have been suspended to protect our members and volunteers from COVID-19, they'll remain mothballed for the foreseeable time! But when it starts again, rest assured there will be sufficient materials for our volunteers for a couple of weeks or so.
