It was sad to hear of our Honorary Member John Ellemor passing away on Sunday. Our thoughts go out to John’s family and his many friends in Rotary.
The next 3 months are going to be amongst the busiest in the clubs history with over 20 Surfers Sunrise events, fundraisers and breakfasts. I am going to keep reminding you all every week until Christmas what we have coming up and to get involved where you can.
In just over 2 weeks (September 30th) we have the Lutzy Award to recognise a deserving young member of Surfers Paradise Surf Life Saving Club. The ‘Lutzy’ is presented in memory of our Charter Member Keith Lutz, who was also a major mentor and driving force in the Surf Life Saving Movement. Thank you to Ray Higgs & Graeme Isaacson for your efforts organising and to Andy Bell & Mario Fairlie for arranging sponsorship of the Surf Rescue Board that is awarded to the winner of the ‘Lutzy’.
In 4 weeks (October 15th) we will be supporting the Gold Coast Small Business Expo through the event setup and by organising the car parking as we have done in previous years. Expect to hear more from PDG Darrell Brown about this over the coming weeks along with supporting the Brisbane Business Expo on the 11th of November.
In 6 weeks (October 26th) we have the Surfers Sunrise Golf Day at Surfers Paradise Golf Club. Doug Lipp, Paul Smith, Ray Higgs and myself are in charge and we look forward to building on last year. We will be contacting you all very soon to ask you to play, sponsor or volunteer on the day.
The ‘10,000th Wheelchair Celebration and Big Bike Sale’ is 2 months away (November 14th). This will be a huge day for our Club and Associates. We will also have Parkwood Rotary Club and Broadbeach Rotary Club involved on the day as we celebrate Rotary, The 10,000th Wheelchair and all our current and past Projects. Karen Holland and Larry Murray have a team that has started planning the day but we will be asking for everyone’s attendance and involvement.
And hot off the press Geoff Croad has also arranged for a Bunnings Sausage Sizzle on Saturday December 19th – just in time for the pre-Christmas rush!
In addition to all of the above we will also have our Christmas Party, our AGM and of course our weekly meetings. If I have forgotten anything please let me know but as you can see there are plenty of ways to get involved so please put your hand up if you can help out.
This Wednesday we are at the Surf Club for a Formal Meeting where we will be hearing from Dr Serge Macanovic. See you there from 7am.
Dr Serge Macanovic is a local Health Care Professional. Larry Murray arranged for him to present on a variety of subjects, particularly those relating to Men's Health. His theme: 'Age is just a number'. See you at the Surfers Paradise Surf Club!
"I’m not really a sports person” was one of Bruce’s opening remarks, when questioned about his preference of sport. A bit later on, he revealed his passion: Theatre! Among other roles, he played the role of Samuel in ‘The Pirates of Penzance’ by Gilbert & Sullivan. Yes, for some 30 years, Bruce had various roles, “both on stage and off stage” at the Gold Coast Little Theatre and the Spotlight Theatre. But we are getting ahead of ourselves…
Born and raised in Palmerston North on the north island of New Zealand some 81 years ago, he underwent training to become a carpenter. In 1963, at 24 years of age, he married his sweetheart Maureen.
And then he off and went, by himself, to New Caledonia, to work for a French company, building houses for nickel miners… Before you get excited: just for 3 months, and with full consent of his bride. Shortly after his New Caledonia trip, they emigrated to this side of the ditch; for a brief time to Sydney, then to the Gold Coast where they have been living since. Bruce wasn’t just carpentering, he also drove fancy limousines for Japanese wedding parties and, for some considerable time, worked in Pest Control.
Meanwhile, Bruce and Maureen celebrated their 57th Anniversary. They raised a family, being blessed with two boys and ultimately with some 6 grandchildren. “I like observing people” he answered my question on ‘What makes you laugh more than anything else?’ – (hmm… I had better watch out!) For other pastimes, Bruce enjoys light opera, musicals, demanding plays and movies such as those starring Peter Ustinov. One of his favourite artists is Michael Crawford, and when pressed for an answer, he admits to a partiality to Audrey Hepburn as his favourite actress.
Now, if anyone again suggests that our volunteers at the Project Shed are ‘just elderly gentlemen’: eat your words!
It is with great sadness I report the passing away of our Honorary Member John Ellemor. He passed away peacefully, in palliative care, on Sunday. He was almost 93 years old. We are advised that, in view of COVID-19, no public funeral will be held, but a memorial service may be held in the future.
John, a consumate inventor and industrial designer, joined Surfers Sunrise Rotary in 1992 after "retiring" to the Gold Coast from a very successful business career in Victoria. Around that time he was awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship. He is best remembered for his continued active participation in all our projects and was instrumental in organising the inaugural Education Expo on the Gold Coast in the early nineties. He was also recognised as one of the very few Rotarians worldwide who could boast 100% Attendance over a period of 50 years! This would have involved hundreds of 'Make-up' visits to various clubs throughout the world.
It's been decided: this year's Golf Day will be held on Monday, 26th October 2020. Projected to be held at the same location as last year, the Surfers Paradise Golf Club on Fairway Drive. We'll need both volunteers to man the course, and of course we need participating teams.
Two of my most favourite composers of classical music, Roger Waters and David Gilmour released this album over 40 years ago. [Classical? Yes, Henrietta, of course I’m serious! - - OK, let’s compromise: ‘modern classical’. Crikey! Must be getting old..!]
September is Rotary International’s ‘Basic Education and Literacy Month’. You now have an image in your mind, don’t you? And I bet that that image is something like a “developing country” classroom full of highly attentive, smiling kids with perfect teeth, sitting on the floor, or at best on old school benches and an early 20th Century style blackboard (possibly donated by Rotary). Correct? Last week, Vandy S Kamara demonstrated to us that just one man with serious determination can make a massive difference (see report above).
Now, I don’t for a moment suggest that those Rotary programs, which supply material, financial support and sometimes human resources, are not worthwhile. Are they ever! There is only one way to improve the lives of the impoverished people regardless of where they live and that’s Education. Starting with basic literacy and numeracy, it is indeed the only way. With Rotary’s concept of having a partner at the recipient’s end, our efforts also have a much higher chance of success. This generally is the policy of The Rotary Foundation, as well as – closer to home – the rule of Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS).
But what about right here? the largest national peak body for adult and community education, Adult Learning Australia, published an OECD survey that found some 44% of adult Australians “lack the literacy skills required in everyday life. Of these, 1 in 7 (14% !!) have literacy levels which are so low they struggle with everyday tasks.” With numeracy skills, it is even worse. Is it because we are not spending enough of our taxes on Education? Personally, I don’t really think so. It goes much deeper than that. [Disclaimer: This is the author’s personal view and may not represent that of Rotary. Ed.]
It is not Rotary’s task to set Education Policy. But perhaps we could become involved in old fashioned Community Service. Remember? "In the olden days", Community Service used to be a Club Directorship all by itself. And perhaps we could arrange (or cooperate with) local adult learning projects, to the benefit of (now) adults who recognise the errors of their younger days?
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
"I have no doubt I shall, please Heaven, begin to be more beforehand with the world, and to live in a perfectly new manner, if — if, in short, anything turns up." Wilkins Micawber in Charles Dickens' David Copperfield
Ok, September is Rotary International's Education & Literacy month. But...
Education is important. But opening the pubs is importanter.
Schools should switch to teaching ‘the four C’s – Critical Thinking, Communication, Collaboration and Creativity… … most important of all will be the ability to deal with change, to learn new things and to preserve your mental balance in unfamiliar situations.Yuval N Harari, ’21 Lessons for the 21st Century’
Diesel Services Queensland and AB Crane Hire recently provided a truck and a huge mobile crane at no charge to lift a 40' container into our Project Shed area at Arundel. Thank you! Click on the links to go to their website.
"I’m not really a sports person” was one of Bruce’s opening remarks, when questioned about his preference of sport. A bit later on, he revealed his passion: Theatre! Among other roles, he played the role of Samuel in ‘The Pirates of Penzance’ by Gilbert & Sullivan. Yes, for some 30 years, Bruce had various roles, “both on stage and off stage” at the Gold Coast Little Theatre and the Spotlight Theatre. But we are getting ahead of ourselves…
It is with great sadness I report the passing away of our Honorary Member John Ellemor. He passed away peacefully, in palliative care, on Sunday. He was almost 93 years old. We are advised that, in view of COVID-19, no public funeral will be held, but a memorial service may be held in the future. 
It's been decided: this year's Golf Day will be held on Monday, 26th October 2020. Projected to be held at the same location as last year, the Surfers Paradise Golf Club on Fairway Drive. We'll need both volunteers to man the course, and of course we need participating teams. 
