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This year's District Conference is just one month away. It will be held at the Ballina RSL Club on the 18th May 2024. See full details on the District Website www.rotary9640.org.
As usual, top keynote speakers. For example: Detective Sergeant Damian Loone (picture), who was in charge of the (in)famous Lynnette Dawson (ref The Teacher's Pet podcast). Click here for the list of speakers and the program.
You must register (separate registrations for the day program (includes morning/afternoon tea, lunch and all day coffee/tea) and the Saturday night dinner. https://www.trybooking.com/CPAFU
They are the first volunteer couple at our project shed: Damian responded in December last year to an advertisement on Seek Volunteer, and his partner Nait recently decided to join him on Saturday mornings. What a refreshing addition to our team at the project shed!
Recently we received a heaped trailer load of kids' bikes, donated to us by one of the schools in the northern Gold Coast, where they had been abandoned over a period of a year or two. Our volunteers lovingly refurbished them to make them ready to be donated to worthy recipients. Some went to St Johns Crisis Centre in Surfers Paradise, and recently, some members from Donations in Kind - Northern Rivers, based in Lismore, picked up a trailer load of for distribution to disadvantaged families in the Northern Rivers region. 'On ya, fellow Rotarians!
Sergeant Cherie McLean is the Youth Club Program Manager of the PCYC. She runs a multitude of programs, including programs to assist youth, particularly disadvantaged youth. Other programs include RUBY (Rise Up Yourself), a free strength training program for women who experience Domestic Violence.
“I am a product of Rotary” Angie stated, opening her talk. Why? In her teenage years, she was selected to participate in the 
At last Wednesday's meeting, President Doug Lipp announced tremendous news: Our club's Fundraising Director Ross Augustine was successful in raising a grant from the Queensland Gambling Community Benefit Fund of over $28,000. This will allow us to purchase a desperately needed replacement for the old forklift at our project shed. Ross even negotiated with the supplier that they'll pay for the freight (around $350.00)!
At the recent Annual General Meeting, Andy Bell was elected (by secret ballot) to the position of President Elect 2024-25. Congratulations, Andy!
We need a few more regular volunteers at the project shed. Do you have a half day (or two) a week to spare? Or do you know somebody who would enjoy the fellowship of fellow volunteer workers at the shed, re-purposing discarded bicycles into wheelchairs? Well over 11,000 have been shipped so far, but the need is constant.
Last week, the project shed sent off the 11,015th wheelchair. Just on 3 years since we celebrated the 10,000th wheelchair in September 2013. The Photo on the right is our regular project shed worker Al Sirovs pointing out the number on the world map. The photo above shows some of the regulars, taken this morning. The wheelchair displayed is not exactly the 11,000th (that one is already on the way), but nobody needs to know... Third from left is Des La Rance OAM, who invented the concept and delivered the first 10 to Fiji in August 1997, 20 years ago! - See report in the 
Surf Life Saving Club. A committee of the SLSC nominates the winner, selected not necessarily because of his/her surfing skills (but that is certainly no detriment!)
The Doug Waller Trophy 'for outstanding service to Rotary and our club' went to Mario Fairlie, in recognition of his ongoing commitment to our club, particularly the X-Ray Unit for Pentecost Island.
The Quiet Achiever Award went to our Youth Service Director Ashleigh Symes, in recognition of her very active promotion of our youth programs. Ashleigh was unable to attend, with an excellent reason: she had only very recently given birth to their daughter Ruby (see artricle below). Charles Thomasson collected the cup on her behalf.
The Fellowship Pokal went to Larry Murray, in recognition of his tireless work to re-shape our project shed and managing the volunteer workforce there.
Finally, the big moment: the Rotarian of the Year award, which is voted on by the members. This year, Ross Augustine was a clear winner, in recognition of his very successful efforts to get funds into our bank accounts. Ross also had substantial input into organising with Angie Bell MP a $20,000 Federal Government grant towards the purchase of a Ute for our project shed.
Wow! Two ROSE (Recognition Of Significant Effort) awards were presented to our club at the District Conference. This is a new award designed (I assume) by District Governor Karen Thomas, presented this morning. I admit I wasn't even aware of the awards, not to mention their presentation.
So, keep your soft drink bottles, stubby bottles, aluminium cans, milk cartons etc. As a general rule, most drink containers between 150ml and 3L can be returned for a refund under Queensland's container deposit scheme. Containers should be empty, unbroken, the lid removed and display a 10-cent refund marking on the label. Something like the image (right), but many others are simply marked as suitable for recycling. Note: they must NOT be crushed. See image above what is and what is not accepted. For details of what can / cannot be returned for cash, and where the locations are, 
In the olden days, for a new member to join a Rotary club the unofficial rule was, expressed in simple terms, he should be "somebody who is in a position to hire and fire". Yes, 'he'. Thankfully, around 1987, the 'he' was expanded to also include the fairer sex. There were lots of other rules too, for example, weekly attendance at our meetings was considered to be just about essential. 
What a superb morning last Saturday at our Project Shed, where we celebrated the 10,000th Wheelchair manufactured. For any of our readers who are not familiar with the concept: parts from recycled bicycles, marine plywood, solid rubber BMX wheels and... LOTS OF VOLUNTEER HOURS equal a wheelchair which can be manufactured for $100! Give yourself a pat on the back, but particular recognition must go to the principal movers and shakers who started and carried this project through: Des La Rance, Daryl Sanderson and the late Keith Lutz and Bob Harrison. Jan Lutz was there, but regrettably, Gloria Harrison was unable to join us, but for a good reason: her grandson debuted on that same day, playing Grade 1 Cricket in the Queensland Premier League. Howzat! Bob would be proud on both accounts. 
