Opportunity doesn't knock, it presents itself when you beat down the door!.. and that's exactly what we're doing. Don't pack away your tongs and aprons (i said tongs, not thongs 😂) because as we roll into the festive season we got more snags to cook! [What's wrong with wearing thongs? Last time I looked, President Simon himself was wearing them. On the weekend. On his feet, I mean... ☺ Ed.] You know, once upon a time I thought BBQ's at Bunnings were for old Rotarian's to run, but I'm coming to realize a sausage sizzle is so much more. It's fun, it's fellowship, it's fundraising and most importantly, it's becoming a large part of our weekend culture. Ask anyone what is synonymous with Bunnings they'll tell you it's a good sausage sizzle! So clear your diary for the 18th of December, dig our your Santa apron and be quick to 'snag' a spot on the roster!
Speaking of rosters, there are still a few spots spare on the polio collection in November... Wowsa, It's November already! So much to do, so little time left in the year!
This Wednesday, District Governor Michael Irving and his charming wife Roz [you did wonder what the Plus sign was all about, did you?] will join us at Surfers Sunrise. See also more details of what you can expect in President Simon's message above. Many of us have heard Michael speak before, last time at our club when he presented on his experience in a Research Team on Antarctica. Michael's professional career includes multiple Vice Chancellor positions, including one at a Middle Eastern (Oman) University. This is going to be good!
Perhaps, had Pastor Neale Collier (on left with President Simon) been my school priest (yes, in one of his previous lives) my own view on religion might be different. [By the way: the views of the Editor may not necessarily represent the views of the management...]. Neale's effervescent enthusiasm cannot be anything other than infectious. With expressions such as "the Gold Medallist of Illiteracy" (he described the level of school kids in Vanuatu not in Queensland), his presentation very quickly gets his audience involved. Neale's has had a 10 year involvement with Vanuatu's schools. For the past two years, he has heavily involved himself in a project to install School Libraries on Espirito Santo, the large island to the north of our northern Archipelago nation.
Lets face the raw facts: Until his efforts, most "schools" (quotation marks deliberately) had, at best "a small pile of readers", not really all that suitable be used to develop literacy. After some 18 months of Neale and his team's efforts, 8 students progressed to grade 8: 7 to Hog Harbour High, 1 to Matevulu College. The strong on the job assistance of Thompson Paul, the local Education Officer on Santos, would also help considerably to push things through with the local authorities.
Once our own Vanuatu School Project comes to fruition, there is no doubt that we'll again call on Neale's expertise in that region to smoothen the implementation.
Daryl Sanderson was at the door, Chris Thurtell was Chairman (for Darrell Brown, who was in DG training in Sydney) and Andy Bell was Sergeant.
We had apologies from Peter Morgan, Neil Thurlow, Darrell Brown, Tania Laird and Tony Bird.
President Simon Brook welcomed visitors Norm Casey (Rotary Club of Montrose & District, VIC), Robyn Gowland (Guest of Jo Gorman), our regular Rosie McIntyre (it's only a matter of days now, Rosie!) and, after several months, we welcomed our "Honorary Queenslander" Ann O'Connor back again! Welcome back, Ann! And of course, our guest speaker, Pastor Neale Collier.
Simon expressed his thanks to the people who helped at last Saturday's working bee to unload a container full of wheels at The Shed (see last week's bulletin and photos in the Download section). Surfers Paradise Club's Race Day on 8th October: correction from last week's bulletin: the cost per table (of 10) is $700, not $500 as reported. Can we still get 10 tables? And three of our members are booked in for Outback Links:Mark Twyford, Darrell Brown and Simon Brook.
Larry Murray brought us up to date on the School for Vanuatu project: together with Mario Fairlie, he conducted an assessment of the financial situation. Due to the pull-out of Tursa Employment, some $40,000 needs to be raised in materials and money. Mario Fairlie however emphasised that the project is still on the rails: grants are available from other clubs, the District as well as Global Grants. Further, we have a list of other Work for the Dole companies who can be approached, and even Tursa is not necessarily out; they might be able to allocate funds in a future budget.
Wheelchair Trust Chairman Daryl Sanderson welcomed a group of special guests last Thursday, a group of Friendship Exchange visitors from Italy. Banners were exchanged... see picture on right. Daryl also added his thanks to the helpers on Saturday, lamenting the fact that instead of 3,000 wheels promised, only 2,965 were counted... However, Daryl was prepared to allow for the discrepancy to be written off to lack of counting skills... He also announced that Helensvale High School has re-started their Samoa School project, raising another $5,000 towards it. They currently stand at $21,000.
Chris Thurtell, who is now District Chair of Youth Exchange, was in Sydney to attend a training conference on International Youth Exchange. Lots of new stuff, including that from now on, Rotarians involved in Youth programs not only need a Blue Card, but also need a Criminal Record check. DGE Darrell Brown is there in a parallel course training incoming District Governors as well. To sum it up in 2 1/2 words: "Layers of Bureaucracy".... On a more positive note (that's the way you want to look at it): advice has been received that a Youth Exchange Student from France will arrive next week, but hasn't got a host club or family yet... Can we organize to host her for the first quarter? Watch this space! And very positive: remember Jessica Webber, the young lady who was our inaugural awardee from the Surfers Paradise Surf Life Saving Club? She is totally on board with our Youth Exchange Program, running a seminar and lunch for incoming YE students on the 10th and 11th September.
The Rotary Club of Surfers Paradise is again organizing a Charity Race Day on the first day of the Spring Racing Carnival, Saturday 8th October 2016. It will be held at 'The Dome' at the Gold Coast Turf Club. Our club has supported the event last year. Can we again get some 10 tables together? Cost per table is $700.00 (Note: correction from last week's typo). Contact Fundraising Director Tania Laird.
Poor ol' President Simon Brook... he'll never be able to live down having left the Sergeant out of his muster of board members at the changeover luncheon... [your Editor's suggestion of a bulk fine to cover the remaining 40 weeks was flatly rejected...]Mario Fairlie - Health Report? Yes, a bit of a sore knee... Ray Higgs, what is that you are wearing? A Hot Cherry jumper? And Jo Gorman has a pink bag which matches that jumper perfectly! That is how rumors start! Gerald East, you must be wearing what I call 'magic trousers'. How do you manage to keep them up? Angus Miller drove in this morning with a brand new car - sporting Olympic Rings (only four of them)... Chris Thurtell, similar to President Simon, will never hear the end of his jet ski exploits... Mark Twyford, assigned to be at the door a couple of weeks ago, was late. He managed to leave his keys in the car... Doug Lipp for something or other [sorry, was too fast - did one of his horses win again??] "Pope" Des La Rance, with Pastor Neale present, you could consider this to be some sort of opposition! Daryl Sanderson have moved up with the fashionistas, he is now wearing an armband... [it is to monitor his health status, he says...] Mitch Brown (also known as 'Frodo'), wearing so much jewelry on his hands, he had to take it off to count the money today... Paul Seymour, crikey: South Effrika beaten by Argentina! And 35th in the Olympics, and two of the three medals won by a bloke running in a woman's event...! And then, there was a certain game on last Saturday between an Australian and a New Zealand team...
The RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Award) team is putting on a beach day on Saturday 10th September at Burleigh Heads. Download the flyer from the download section on the right. This is a tremendous opportunity for prospective RYLA awardees to meet with the team, and have some fun at the same time! All welcome.
RYLA is the premier Youth Leadership program in the district. for young people 19 - 28 years olds. It will be held from Saturday 21st to Friday 27th January 2017. More information on the website: http://www.ryla9640.org/
Interested in RYLA? Contact our Youth Services Director Tania Laird - see Committee list on the right side
"Every eye is an eye, when you're doing the surgery there that is just as important as if you were doing eye surgery on the prime minster or the king."
Fred Hollows.
Parliament of the country is the repository of the sovereign will of the people, and its successful functioning is a joint responsibility of both the government and the Opposition.
Pratibha Patil, President of India 2007 - 2012
[I don't know whether Ms Patil managed to bring her view to success in the Indian Parliament. But wouldn't it be nice if our representatives in Canberra could heed her advice and just agree on something. Ed.]
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The major official visit of the year:.jpg)
Perhaps, had Pastor Neale Collier (on left with President Simon) been my school priest (yes, in one of his previous lives) my own view on religion might be different. 
The RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Award) team is putting on a beach day on Saturday 10th September at Burleigh Heads. Download the flyer from the download section on the right. This is a tremendous opportunity for prospective RYLA awardees to meet with the team, and have some fun at the same time! All welcome.
