Well, I have been extremely busy at the Project Shed and have been very industrious on behalf of our club and the other two clubs involved in the Pentecost Island Hospital Project. As indicated last week, we are very thankful to Geoff Croad and Ben Illes for organising the donation and/or “mate’s rates” for the building material for this project. There is lots more to organise, including generating detailed plans for the site works. The villages indicated that they would carry out this work, which includes the building of a retaining wall, foundations and concrete slabs.
Also, in the last week, a meeting was held with the three clubs to start the planning for a Rotary International Global Grant. This was the first of many meetings and procedures that we will need to address, to ensure this project is a success and that we receive the money to purchase the equipment to professionally fit out the medical facility. The Grant will also include staff training. Without all this, the building we are manufacturing will basically be useless, therefore we need both to succeed.
The news on the POD (the Sleeping Sanctuary) is NOT good news. We developed the POD to allow homeless people to have a safe haven to sleep in at night. As you are aware, this was inspired by Councillor Dawn Crichlow for Rosies at Southport. Rosies were very excited about the possibilities, but the Gold Coast City Council would not allow them to use the Council Car Park at Southport for this purpose. The dilemma is that we applied to the Federal Government for a grant to build 20 PODs. We have the money, but we are unable to find any organisation capable or able to use them. Most organisations (such as Rosies and the Legal Centre) are on Council Land and thus require Council approval, and this has not been forthcoming. It has been recommended that I should attend the next Gold Coast Homelessness Symposium on 4th March to find a suitable candidate for the PODs. Also, we will be displaying the POD as well as our Wheelchair at the upcoming Rotary District Conference in Tenterfield.
If nothing comes out of any of these, we will have to cancel the project and return the funds to the Federal Government.
Next relates to something that most members of our Club may not be aware of: the Human Brain Research Project, Queensland Brain Institute (University of Queensland). Our Club has an administrative role in this project. The project is to support medical research into Parkinson's disease, Dystonia, Tourette Syndrome and other neurological disorders. More specifically, the project allows scholars and medical practitioners to undertake PhD studies and/or other research programs at the Queensland Brain Institute. This institute is a world leader in using deep brain stimulation (DBS) to revolutionise the diagnosis and treatment of Parkinson's disease and other similar neurological disorders. DBS involves the placing of probes in the brain to control electrical synapses and dopamine levels and makes use of computer brain imaging and 3-D processing. It does not cure Parkinson's but produces greater quality of life for up to 10 years. In essence, funds come from the Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS) and our club via Doug Lipp provides administrative and accountability support.
Isn’t amazing - just another thing that Rotary does in our community.
Finally, once again, we need to emphasize our involvement in the “Pride of Workmanship Awards” Please come along bring your wife, partner or best friends and be involved and enjoy the evening.
Paul Smith, one of our new Corporate Members (Bank of Queensland), will speak on being an entrepreneur for most of his life, being a Golf Pro, a Banker, a Funeral Director, a Player Manager, a Pig Farmer. Talking about versatility!
Pick up your breakfast in the bistro downstairs and take it to the upstairs venue to enjoy good fellowship before the meeting starts.
Come and play Crazy Whist - a fun family style card game. It is very easy to play, and we teach you if required (but applying some brains as well as luck helps!) Lots of fun, lots of laughter! Cash bar (beer, wine, soft drinks). Lucky Door Prize, prize for the winners, prize for last placed.
This is as much a social event as well as a small fundraiser (target $1,000), going towards the various Rotary projects, including many Youth camps, our club is running. Just $20.00 per person (pay on arrival). Ladies please bring a plate (cakes, biscuits, tarts, sandwiches etc); there will be a supper at the closure. Call some of your friends now and bring them along too! Please reserve your seats online (no fee charged): https://www.trybooking.com/BILYF
Essentially, at every table, two teams of two people each compete. Then, after each game, you rotate. Go to this link for a brief video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9v5UxlUg55Y.
Vocational Services chief Richard Smith is again organizing the annual Excellence in Workmanship Awards. Social dinner night of course, so make sure your partners know about it too, and all friends and guests are welcome. Eight candidates have been selected and thus nominations are now closed.
Together with the Gold Coast Rotary Club, on 22nd March 2020 we are staging the 3rd Gold Coast Ramble. This year it will start from Macintosh Island Park. Lets organise some teams of costumed Ramblers, exploring the streets and businesses of Main Beach and Northern Surfers Paradise. Teams endeavour to gain as many points as possible during the 2 hour period, however, it is primarily designed for participants to have fun, no matter their level of fitness or mobility. Yes, prams and wheelchairs welcome!
Participants can choose to support any of 7 charities: Australian Anti Ice Campaign, Baby Give Back, Bravehearts, The Butterfly Foundation, Orange Sky Laundry, The Prostate Foundation of Australia and the Salvation Army. Full details, and to register, please visit the website: www.goldcoastramble.org.au.
(Photo: last year's winners, Rosie Rocco and her team)
This year's event is going to be a real country affair! Go to the Conference Website http://www.rotary9640conference.org.au and check out what's happening. There you find the program, a brief summary of all the Keynote Speakers, and of course you can register. But of course, one of the big attractions of attending a conference is always the deep feeling of Rotary Fellowship. Being in the country, formalities will be kept to a minimum. You have an opportunity to meet, eat and drink with other Rotarians and their partners from other places in the District, you'll meet overseas people, Exchange Students. But I know, you are all quite shy... Not to worry! So far, our club has 9 people registered, so if worse comes to worse, you can always talk to one of us... ☺
Here is just one of the speakers I certainly wouldn't want to miss: Bernie Shakeshaft. Bernie didn’t quite fit in as a kid. He struggled with his schoolwork and was often caned by his teachers. As an adult, Bernie went to the Northern Territory to become a jackaroo. While working on vast cattle properties, he picked up skills as a tracker from some of his Aboriginal co-workers.
Later, Bernie got into youth work, and today he runs a youth service in Armidale, Northern NSW. At BackTrack Youthworks Bernie welcomes kids who are a bit like his former self. He meets teenagers falling into a life of petty crime, and sometimes incarceration. As soon as they show up, they’re given full responsibility for a working dog....
Duty Roster - note: subject to change. Please check every week:
New duty: Fellowship / Project Shed. What does it entail? There are two aspects to this:
a) At the club meeting, your job is to ensure that all members, in particular new members, visitors and guests, and in particular the Guest Speaker, are welcomed, are introduced to other members and are comfortable. If required, explain the usual procedures, e.g. when we have our meal, when the speaker is expected to be at the rostrum etc.
b) This person is also to attend the Project Shed on the following Saturday, as the representative of our club and to assist in the general management.
In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is.Attributed to Yogi Berra, Albert Einstein, Richard P Feynman, Benjamin Brewster et al…
I walked into a library and asked where I could find some books on Paranoia? The librarian leaned towards me and whispered"Pssst..... they're right behind you...!"
So what if I don’t know what Armageddon means. It’s not the end of the world.
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Together with the Gold Coast Rotary Club, on 22nd March 2020 we are staging the 3rd Gold Coast Ramble. This year it will start from Macintosh Island Park. Lets organise some teams of costumed Ramblers, exploring the streets and businesses of Main Beach and Northern Surfers Paradise. Teams endeavour to gain as many points as possible during the 2 hour period, however, it is primarily designed for participants to have fun, no matter their level of fitness or mobility. Yes, prams and wheelchairs welcome!
Here is just one of the speakers I certainly wouldn't want to miss: Bernie Shakeshaft. Bernie didn’t quite fit in as a kid. He struggled with his schoolwork and was often caned by his teachers. As an adult, Bernie went to the Northern Territory to become a jackaroo. While working on vast cattle properties, he picked up skills as a tracker from some of his Aboriginal co-workers.
