When you think ‘Public Servant’, what image comes to your mind?
Whatever it may be, it’s unlikely you’ll picture the image of somebody like Adrian Smith (picture above, left). After his former employer closed their major manufacturing operation in Brisbane [no, Henrietta, I won’t get you started. No politics in Rotary!], he decided to dedicate his body and soul to help seriously disadvantaged, homeless youth to regain traction in what we take for granted: participation in the everyday economy; more actually, participation in everyday society. His title is ‘Project Lead’ at Youth Outreach, a ‘Specialist Homelessness Service’.
Whilst we enjoyed a delightful cooked breakfast prepared by their charges, the 90 minutes we spent in company with the organisation’s dedicated leadership team, Chief Operating Officer Angela Sheeran, Vice President Jamie Preston, Pearl Kirikiri and Adrian Smith certainly were a bit of an eye-opener for most of us. The possible exception being our member Evan Mita, whose vocation at Mission Austraila is to help these people every day.
In addition to gaining a trade qualification, these young teenagers learn “normal” living skills, are helped in essential matters such as gaining a driver’s license, opening a bank account. Space does not permit a full outline of this organisation, financed by the Queensland Government. You can find it all on their website: https://www.homelessyouth.com.au/
Thank you, Ross and Evan, for organising this most instructional, as well as thorougly enjoyable Vocational Service visit.
(Photo, from left: Adrian Smith, Surfers Sunrise Rotary President Paul Seymour, Jamie Preston, three of the workers, Angela Sheeran, Pearl Kirikiri)
"Secret Service??" I hear you exclaim in disbelief. "Come on! April Fools Day was 5 days ago!"
Did you know that Milton Dick, the current Speaker of the Federal Parliament, will speak at the upcoming Tri-District Conference? The theme of his speech will be 'Reaching across Boundaries', which just happens to also be the theme of the conference itself. What boundaries? As a professional politician from Brisbane since an early age (he joined the Labor Party at 18, and has worked with or in politics his entire working life. Can't wait for the Question Time (if indeed there will be one...).
Rob recently transferred from another Rotary club to Surfers Sunrise. Here is a man whose life is a veritable journey from the “country traditional” to all the aspects of modern, professional, suburban life. A 4th Generation Australian, Rob went to Boompa State School (6 boys and 8 girls), then to boarding school at Brisbane Boy's College for 2 years. “We would sing ‘God Save the Queen’ at the beginning,” he said. This was followed by the Qld Agricultural College and working at the family farm. His family ran a dairy farm with some 120 milking cows. And, as was strongly recommended at the time, he joined the Army Reserve. “It was that, or you found yourself cleaning out the stables! Ours was a large family – my grandfather had 8 daughters. How come I’m calling all these people Aunties and Uncles? And that is how Queensland got going.” 
So, you happen to know the young teenager with potential leadership ability, but no opportunity to "awaken" it? 
Some of our volunteers travel a fair distance to join the team at our Wheelchair Shed in Arundel: Terry comes all the way from Jacobs Well. “So how did you find out about us?” I asked him. Well, it’s a small world after all: his daughter is a close friend of Des La Rance’s daughter! (For those of you who came in late: Des La Rance OAM is the man who, back in the mid-nineties, invented the concept of making ‘Rough Terrain’ wheelchairs by using discarded bicycles as raw materials, and he is still coming to work today!).
We understand his friends call him “Yinka”. Our RIPE (yes, another Rotary Acronym: Rotary International President Elect) hails from Nigeria, a member of Rotary Club of Trans Amadi. He has a long history with Rotary, starting as a Rotaractor in 1984 and then as a Rotarian in 1994. “One thing is for certain, preparing me for this role are my many years of engaging with Rotary — over four decades, he says. “Not many people who get to this position have that privilege.”
Our Wheelchair Project has world-wide renown for providing mobility to disadvantaged children in developing countries. That's "the big one". But it goes beyond that: As discarded bikes are dismantled, all the left-over components are separated into 'General Metal', Aluminium, rubber tubes and general waste. There isn't much of general waste left, but a 10 m3 skip is filled with metal about every two to three weeks, and the aluminium gets recycled separately. Here is a photo of our ute and trailer full of aluminium wheels, to take to the recyclers. The money earned is, of course, ploughed back into the purchase of materials, including consumables such as grinding wheels. We estimate that, over the years, in excess of 40,000 bikes have been recycled rather than going into landfill!
What great news to learn that both of you were awarded the Order of Australia medal. We are very proud to count you, Rock, as a member of Surfers Sunrise Rotary Club, and Joan a member of Innerwheel.
Last Monday's Surfers Sunrise Golf Day, one of our regular fundraising events, again was very successful, raising around $7,000. All proceeds to go towards our 'Rough Terrain Wheelchairs' project and to local charities. Regrettably, your Editor was living it up in Sydney, so wasn't there to take the usual photos. Check our Facebook page for some photos that were sent to me by fellow members - hopefully more to come.
At this morning's meeting, the 10th Annual Lutzy Award was presented to Noah Siladyi. The award is in memory of our late member Keith Lutz, who not only was a leading light in our club but was one of the major leaders and sportsmen of the Surfers Paradise Surf Life Saving Club.
On Saturday night, Channel 9's A Current Affair screened an update on our Wheelchair Project, 28 years after the first screening in August 1997. Click on this link to view it on the
As President Andy mentioned in his closing remarks, we always hear the mostly negative stories about "Today's Youth" and - regrettably - one hears so little about young emerging leaders who quietly beaver in their classrooms, the school library and slave over hot computers to qualify for the rather stringent requirements to be selected to attend the annual National Youth Science Forum in Canberra. Future leaders in their professions who well may make headlines when they publish their discovery some years hence. Considering that it is quite expensive (over $3,000, of which our club sponsors 50%), the event is usually oversubscribed and participants are selected purely on their level of scientific knowledge and in particular on aptitude. 
At the last meeting, our freshly baked President Andy emphasised that he wanted to put the Four-Way Test back into the forefront of our 
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 
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. 
A great way to start the day
Surfers Paradise, QLD 4217
Australia