I have just arrived home from Pindara Hospital. You do really appreciate your home. Apologies for not been able to be around for the past 4 weeks. My back surgery seems to have been a success. The recovery time is 3-6 months.
Last weekend was the Bunnings BBQ which was extremely successful. The participation by the members was fantastic. I understand, the takings are the largest we have ever received for a BBQ. A very big thanks to Geoff Croad who organised everything with Bunnings. Let’s hope were can do another one in the new year.
2020 will see the start of our project in Vanuatu coming in reality. I understand all the clubs are ready to give the funds to start the process. However, first I will be asking Des La Rance (Mister Wonder Man) to come up with a bill of materials. This we will circulate between the Clubs to see if anyone with their contacts can find suppliers that may be prepared to donate the materials or give large discounts. So, lots of work to do in the new year and we will need your help and assistance.
Remember
This Wednesday 18th December 2019. Christmas Dinner Party (not breakfast)
Ian Mayberry will be asking for you to buy a small present for a child for Christmas (do not wrap it). We give every year to Anglicare for the underprivileged children. Otherwise if you give him the money, he will purchase the toys. The alternative, as the Sargent at Arms, Ian may extract the money in one form or another. Don’t forget to bring your present!
Looking forward to seeing everyone on Wednesday night.
By now, you should have booked. For the first time, this year we'll have a Christmas Dinner rather than a Christmas Breakfast. The Surfers Paradise Surf Life Saving Club has agreed to set aside the upstairs Restaurant (where our "formal" meetings are held) for us. This will be a purely social event - no club business.
This Wednesday 18th December
Time: 6:00 pmfor 6:30 pm start.
Online booking is now closed. We have a marvelous list of well over 50 attendees, including several visitors: former member Rosie Rocco and her daughter Trinity, Jan Lutz, Dave 'Orchy' Orchard from the SLSC, "Honorary Queenslander" Ross and Carol Augustine from Frankston Sunrise are coming with their granddaughter Alissa Lott (our Youth Exchange Student to the US last year) as well as our current YE student from Japan, Ayana Sadaka. And for the first time in decades (about 1989, if I recall correctly), we'll have a Christmas Party with young children [but I promise you, they'll be very well behaved! ☺ Ed.]
If you haven't already made arrangements with Ian Mayberry, bring a present (unwrapped) along to be given to Anglicare for disadvantaged children. Alternatively, donate $10 (or more) to Ian for him to buy one for you. See you there!
Well, picture this: They were queuing up... Already by quarter to 12, we had run out of sausages and needed to arrange for Geoff Croad to rush out to get another Esky full, together with more of -- well, just about EVERYTHING. Paul 'Springbok' Seymour ended up playing traffic cop, directing people to "pay ova' haa, then move ova' thaa to pick up yoa' saozage.." [he is ideally suited for this too. Ed.]
As President Mario notes in his message, this was the biggest ever. And what was, from the organizational point of view, also very nice: including our YE student Ayana and her host Silvia Fairlie (see picture, front row), we had some 20 people all up helping. And they were needed too! Special thanks to 'Minister for Everything' Geoff Croad who made arrangements with Bunnings and organized this all, and of course all the helpers (too many to list; you know who you are.)
At the last board meeting, approval was given to sponsor two RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Award) Candidates for the upcoming seminar 14 - 19th April 2020. Our club will sponsor $550.00 of the total cost of $650.00 per person to attend this superb training camp.
What is RYLA? It is a premier youth leadership development program for people aged 19-28. During a week long camp designed to promote proactivity, personal and professional development through a range of inspirational speakers, team building exercises and leadership training. The development of communication and presentation skills, problem solving, conflict resolution, self-confidence and self-esteem are key objectives of this program. RYLA is one of those “once-in-a-lifetime” experiences which truly has a lasting impact on your life. The high intensity seminar is filled to the brim with Australia’s leading inspirational and motivational guest speakers, who give up their time purely based on the benefits they see every year for those attending.
RYLA helps young people, the future leaders of the Australia to realise their full potential and ignites their passion for life. Whether you have a sister or brother, a son or daughter, a niece, nephew, cousin, friend, colleague or even an acquaintance within the age bracket, who you think may benefit from a week of personal discovery, professional development in an uplifting and infectiously positive environment, I urge you to send them along. It will be the greatest gift you could give. Need more information? Click here.
Wheelchair Trust Chairman Larry Murray asks me to post a request for more bicycles to be donated to the shed. Yes, I know, we had to knock them back only a few months ago. Meanwhile, we have properly tidied up the area. Numerous skippy bins of unsuitable bikes and bike parts were sent to Sims Metal for recycling, the tyres went to Molectra for recycling, some bikes were restored in preparation for the next 'Big Bike Sale' and those frames that are suitable to be used for wheelchairs have been stripped off.
So, could you please spread the message: We need some more bikes! They can be dropped of at our Project Shed any Saturday morning, 07:30 am till 11:30 am. Drop us a message.
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.
We should be careful to get out of an experience only the wisdom that is in it and stop there; lest we be like the cat that sits down on a hot stove. She will never sit down on a hot stove again and that is well; but she will never sit down on a cold one anymore either. Mark Twain
Last year, I asked Santa for the most awesome person ever for Christmas. Next day I woke up inside a box...
If a statesman is one who looks to the next generation and a politician one who looks to the next election, a political consultant must be one who looks to the next tracking poll. James Carville, American Political Commentator
By now, you should have booked. For the first time, this year we'll have a Christmas Dinner rather than a Christmas Breakfast. The Surfers Paradise Surf Life Saving Club has agreed to set aside the upstairs Restaurant (where our "formal" meetings are held) for us. This will be a purely social event - no club business.
Well, picture this: They were queuing up... Already by quarter to 12, we had run out of sausages and needed to arrange for Geoff Croad to rush out to get another Esky full, together with more of -- well, just about EVERYTHING. Paul 'Springbok' Seymour ended up playing traffic cop, directing people to "
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Wheelchair Trust Chairman Larry Murray asks me to post a request for more bicycles to be donated to the shed. Yes, I know, we had to knock them back only a few months ago. Meanwhile, we have properly tidied up the area. Numerous skippy bins of unsuitable bikes and bike parts were sent to 
