Lots of activity this last week at the shed. As Larry reported at the meeting on Wednesday the 40 Foot container was delivered (see separate story below).
Alex and Belinda Matthew fromAB Crane Hire for the free lifting the Container off the truck and into the yard ready for use.
On Friday of 3.5 tons of timber, destined for the Vanuatu project, was the delivery (picture right). A very big shout out to Ben Illes for his help. Des & Ray moved all the timber into the shed on Saturday.
Next week we start with the work at the shed to re-organise the front section. However, with the arrival of the floor joist timbers & the other structural timber some work may also start on the building for Vanuatu. Working bees have been organised for Wednesday, Friday & Saturday between 9-12 each day for the next several weeks. Appreciate if you can make for at least one morning a week.
Next Monday we have the next Board Meeting planned. If you should anything that requires to discuss by the board, or needs approval, please contact me.
The regular Rotary ZOOM Meeting is on at 7:30 am Wednesday morning. Look forward to seeing you all at the meeting.
Some young people, to get a “challenging overseas trip”, go for a week to Bali. The more adventurous ones go to London. Our Guest Speaker Maggie Twyford, after 4 ½ years as a Junior Officer in the Australian Navy, decided she needed something a bit more outside the square. So she volunteered with Misión México, in Tapachula (population ~320,500), a border town close to Guatemala. The mission was founded in 2000 by Pam and Alan Skuse, a couple from the Sunshine Coast. Designed not to be an institution but a family home, Misión México caters for about 30 – 40 children and young adults on a permanent basis. Most of the children are orphaned or, in Maggie’s eloquently understated expression, “can’t be adopted”. The organisation includes a Community Outreach program, Education Scholarships, Life Skill Training, Work Training, English and swimming lessons. Plus ‘Misión Surf’ – yes, a surfing school. Their funding is entirely based on donations, which go directly to the organisation.
Just why would one choose Misión México? “They encourage long term volunteering and they are inexpensive compared to others (3000 Pesos, or about A$300) over 5 months, which includes accommodation and meals” Maggie explained. Further, the organisation doesn’t participate in the problematic industry of “Voluntourism”. Voluntourism? A modern term for ‘normalising’ access
to vulnerable children, emphasising a ‘saviour complex’, creating attachment disorders. Most importantly, Voluntourism takes the focus away from sustainable local development. In other words, the aim is that the community is not dependent on continued overseas funding and support to survive. Voluntourism also has a potential of children being exploited, since regular checks, as are normal in Western countries (e.g. Blue Card), don’t necessarily exist in developing regions. Thorough checking and testing is carried out to ensure the people who come to volunteer are indeed suitable to work with children. They also have a number of child protection policies in place.
The minimum period is for 8 weeks; Maggie stayed there for 5 months. “Volunteering is a little bit like Baby Sitting”, Maggie explained, “you wake them up, make breakfast, get them to school… … they come back from school, have dinner and you get them to bed.” [for those of you who had children, sounds familiar, doesn’t it? ☺ Ed]
Numerous programs are conducted with the children, even from a very young age on. Activities can also be quite physically demanding, such as climbing a volcano that is some 13,600 feet (over 4,000 metres) high… “It was to get the girls out of their comfort zone…” Maggie elaborated. Yeah right! I’d say most people would be out of their comfort zone!
So, what are the challenges from the volunteer’s point of view? Well, in addition to the obvious cultural differences, there are no ‘Western Privileges’ (think no “safe” water, not to mention air conditioning). No safe water? Well, here is a project for one of the 32,000 enterprising Rotary Clubs on the globe! But the major challenge is the experience of working with children who have experienced trauma. And of course, there is the language: how quickly can you learn Spanish..?
I keep coming back to one of my pet expressions: don’t get me started talking about “today’s youth”. The example Maggie has set proves that youthful enterprise and community service is alive and well!
Last Monday, at the Project Shed an additional 40 foot container from Sinclair Containers was installed, for the principal purpose of temporary storage of goods while the shed is re-organised (see last week's bulletin). A special big Thank You! to AB Crane Hire,who provided one of their humongous mobile cranes at no charge to lift the container off the truck and place it in position, and Diesel Services Queensland, who transported it free of charge. Very much appreciated!
We met On-Line via Zoom. Apologies were received from Gerald East and Paul Seymour.
President Mario Fairlie welcomed all members and our Guest Speaker, Maggie Twyford (see separate report above).
After Maggies' presentation, discussion was open, primarily on the happenings at the Project Shed, the pro's and con's of the Community Bench, alternative products we could make. Wheelchair Trust Chairman Larry Murray elaborated on the upcoming working bee starting Wednesday 20th May, with the primary purpose of moving goods and shelving around to create more space for work benches. We recently took delivery of a 40' container, which will be used for temporary storage. Further discussion was on the subject of raising funds via the recycling of bottles, cans and containers. Geoff Croad's residential complex has so far raised some $1,400.
President Elect Charles Thomasson advised that there won't be any 'physical', e.g. on-site club meeting in the foreseeable future, however, once the maximum number of patrons is expanded to 20 people, we will of course consider this. On this theme, District Treasurer Mark Twyford advised that there won't be any 'physical' District Functions before December. Secretary Mitch Brown indicated that a Board Meeting will be held On-Line on Monday, 25th May. President Mario foreshadowed that we will organise a Big Bike Sale about a month before Christmas. The meeting concluded at 08:35 am.
(A Zoom recording of the meeting can be viewed online. If you require a link, please email the Editor.)
Left: Neil's post of the week. [Groan! Enough to drive you to drink! Ed.]
Gerald's post of the week:
Many of you know that your Editor has a very deep fondness for Bush Poems. Here is the link to one of the better ones: Bill Kearns - Entrapment. Enjoy. But WARNING: the story may conjure painful graphic images in your mind!
There are two types of people in this world: Those who can extrapolate from incomplete data.
Andy's post of the week:
My wife is threatening to leave me because I change clothes every half hour. I said "Wait! I can change!" [Leave Robbie's clothes alone, Andy! ☺ Ed.]
The more emphasis that is placed on the rights of minorities, and the need for affirmative action to enhance those rights, the more is the concept of democracy – and the rights of the majority – in danger of being weakened.Prof Geoffrey Blainey, Australian Historian, Sir John Latham Memorial Lecture, 1993.
On Friday of 3.5 tons of timber, destined for the Vanuatu project, was the delivery (picture right). A very big shout out to Ben Illes for his help. 
Some young people, to get a “challenging overseas trip”, go for a week to Bali. The more adventurous ones go to London. Our Guest Speaker Maggie Twyford, after 4 ½ years as a Junior Officer in the Australian Navy, decided she needed something a bit more outside the square. So she volunteered with 
regions. Thorough checking and testing is carried out to ensure the people who come to volunteer are indeed suitable to work with children. They also have a number of child protection policies in place.
Last Monday, at the Project Shed an additional 40 foot container from 
Left: Neil's post of the week. 
