Angie Bell MP, “our” member for Moncrieff, the federal electorate that spans from the Spit in the north, west to Nerang and south to Miami, has become a popular regular speaker at our club. “I am a product of Rotary” Angie stated, opening her talk. Why? In her teenage years, she was selected to participate in the Rotary Youth Exchange program, and sent from her home in Gawler (Adelaide) off to Denmark for 12 months. In her considered opinion, this had a profound impact on her future life and career. Elected to parliament in May 2019, today she is the Shadow Minister for Youth, Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education, among a number of other positions.Naturally, as a member of the Liberal Party, Angie touched on her party's policies, details of which can be downloaded from the party’s website. However, in view of Rotary’s strict policy of remaining politically neutral (with which I’m in full agreement), no details should be mentioned in this report. On the local scene, Angie formed the ‘Moncrief Community Cabinet’ and the ‘Gold Coast Youth Cabinet’. Both are designed for a simple and straight purpose: to hear the views of representatives, “real” representatives, of her community. Coming up again on the last weekend this month, for several years now she has organised ‘Impact Gold Coast’, a Youth Summit, which will again together 200 young people, representing various demographics from across the Gold Coast.
For our club, Angie was instrumental in helping us to obtain several grants; a major one was to enable the purchase of a new electric forklift for our project shed. Thank you, Angie, for the work you do for our community and the nation at large.
(Photo: Angie Bell MP with Past President Doug Lipp)
Bookings will close soon, so why not book now while it is front of your mind? Without doubt, this is the premier event of our District for this Rotary year, with some top shelf keynote speakers: 
Some claim it's because of Angus Miller's secret method of chopping the onions, some think it's because of the secret recipe of our sausages. Some even claim it's because the good-looking Rotarians that are sizzling, serving and taking our client's money... But they keep coming back for more, and just look at the smiles of two of our valued customers! 
Bikes, bikes, bikes! Recently, our untiring volunteers Bob Heffernan and Brendan Aspery filled up our tandem-trailer to the rim with bikes they collected from one of the Hi-Rise buildings up Harbour Town way. No flies on ya, Bob and Brendan! BTW, Bob, love the "True Blue Aussie" blue outfit! But aren't you meant to wear worn out RM Williams boots to go with it? 
How good is it to have another young volunteer helping at our wheelchair shed: Brendan is just 52 years old!
A number of the guys at the shed yesterday assisted in the loading of 18 beds and 18 mattress which Del Cole and her son Davin provided the truck to collect the beds. This morning they delivered them to Alexandra Hills to be loaded into the container for shipment to Fiji. Thank You Del & Davin. 
ROTARY Surfers Sunrise Christmas delivery of bicycles for disadvantaged children was organised and delivered by Santa Mario Fairlie with helpers Al Sirovs, Geoff Croad and Rick Parry (photo by Al Sirovs). Well done, and thank you all, including the team at the shed who worked hard to restore the bikes!
Just before Christmas, Al Sirov's sent in a selfie with (from left) Bryan Tuesley, President Andy Bell and Fundraising Director Ross Augustine: work in progress installing the new sawdust vac system at the project shed. It will be good to get rid of the masks. Good on ya, fellows!
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 
Congratulation, Geoff Croad, on winning (yet once again) our club's top award! Well done, and well deserved. (For those of you who are not familiar with our system: This award is voted on via a silent ballot by all members of the club. Geoff won it this year with a clear majority).
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. 
