Only a week and a bit to go before the official function to mark the departure of the x-ray unit on its journey to Vanuatu.
5 April at Café Catalina, Broadwater Parklands.
We need the whole Club to get behind this event so if you haven’t as yet purchased your tickets, do so as a priority. Spouses and partners are also encouraged to attend.
Social meeting this Wednesday and refreshing beverages at the Benowa Tavern on Thursday, starting at 4.30 pm.
If you asked me what I enjoy most about Rotary, my answer would always be "the fellowship". But a close second would be "being surrounded by people who know more", experts in their chosen field of endeavour. Last Wednesday, our member Ashleigh Symes, who together with Charles Thomasson makes up our club's Wilsons Advisory Corporate Membership team, presented on Superannuation. A rather dry subject you might have thought. And the rainy weather provided a fitting background to "putting something away for a rainy day". Think again!
So you thought Super was simply a matter of your employer (or yourself, if you are self employed) compulsorily putting a fair whack of your income away, which you can't touch until you retire. Then, hopefully, you'll have enough money to buy food, pay for petrol, indulge in the odd dinner and a nice bottle of red, until you leave this mortal coil. Then, what's left of your Super will automatically, tax free, be inherited by your offspring... Hold it! Not so fast! You may be quite wrong.
In short: you should have been there to get the full benefit of Ashleigh's seminar. But she has given me permission to upload her key points to our website - see Download Files on the right. Keep in mind, they are just key points. You might be well advised to seek the services of a professional. Such as Ashleigh at Wilsons Advisory.
A big PR breakfast has been organised, designed to highlight one of our club's "real big" projects: the X-Ray Unit for Pentecost Island, Vanuatu. This is a Multi-Club project, which also involves the Rotary Clubs of Broadbeach and Gold Coast.
The event will be held at breakfast next week, on5th April 2023 at the Cafe Catalina on the Broadwater Parklands, Southport. We expect various dignitaries to attend, including federal, state and local government representatives. Several have already accepted, including our District Governor, Karen Thomas. As Mario advised, we have confirmation that the Vanuatu Minister for Health, as well as "our man in Vanuatu", Dr Richard Leone, will attend.
YOU MUST BOOK - https://www.trybooking.com/CGETL or scan the QRCode. This will be one of the most important meetings of the year for all members as well as associate membersand all volunteers who have tirelessly worked to bring this project to fruition.
(Photo by Trent Belling (l-r): Trent Belling, Nicole Bricknell, Dr Graham Sivyer, Greg Bowler, Mario Fairlie)
"We were woken up at 4.30 am to the sound of our camp leaders screaming various commands, including to rush outside and do a wall sit... in our pyjamas! It then went on to challenge both our physical and mental strength for the next TWO HOURS." Uttered by a teenager, you might think that sounds like a complaint... You are sooo wrong!
Chelsea and Zahra had only 5 minutes before having to rush off to school, but they certainly made good use of the time to relate their experiences of attending the recent RYTS (Rotary Youth Transition Seminar) camp, sponsored by our club. This is the very essence of Rotary Youth Service. The girls have given me permission to upload their speech to our website - see Download Files on the right.
Last week, our Honorary Member George Keily again delivered well over 500 pairs of prescription spectacles to Donations in Kind for despatch to Papua New Guinea. George's collection run from various optometrists and optical shops on the Gold Coast has by now yielded thousands of spectacles, all put to good use in a developing region of the Pacific. Well done, George!
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
“In politics lying has become an art rather than a sin.” Peter van Onselen, Journalist and Professor of Politics, University of Western Australia
"... it is exceedingly dangerous to assume that a new world war is inevitable. That would be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Once countries assume that war is inevitable, they beef up their armies, embark on spiralling arms races, refuse to compromise in any conflict and suspect that goodwill gestures are just traps. This guarantees the eruption of war. On the other hand, it would be naïve to assume that war is impossible. Even if war is catastrophic for everyone, no god and no law of nature protects us from human stupidity. Yuval Noah Harari - 21 Lessons for the 21st Century
Age comes at a bad time. When you finally know everything, you start to forget everything you know.