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Posted by Franz Huber
on Dec 13, 2015 |
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Doug Lipp (for Tania Laird) was at the door, Neil Thurlow (for Graeme Isaacson) was Chairman and Andy Bell (for himself) was Sergeant.
We had apologies from Tania Laird, Graeme Isaacson, Terry O'Shea and Jason Price.
The meeting started off by conducting the Annual General Meeting in near record time (see separate article about this).
President Paul Seymour greeted all members and visitors David Baguley (incoming District Governor Elect Nominee for 2018/19), Jo Gorman (guest of Andy Bell), Mark Twyford former President of RC of Parkwood, guest of Franz Huber) and our Guest Speaker, John Duthie, director of the ETC company.
Ray Higgs brought us up to date on the 'Lutzie' Award in honour of our late member Keith Lutz: Ray and Chris Thurtell had a meeting with Surfers Paradise Life Saving Club. The award, which will be open to 14 - 18 year olds, will be a special Surfboard, valued at some $1,700. It is also planned to provide an appropriate Award Certificate.
Youth Service Director Chris Thurtell reported on the previous weekend's Youth Exchange Camp: all Incoming, Outgoing and Rebound students met. Our Isabelle Franich (France 2014) was also in attendance. Chris also reported that Martina Missarelli's family will be over here in early January 2016 - see separate article about "inofficial" breakfast on 6th January at Domani's on Tedder Avenue, Main Beach.
Wheelchair Trust Chairman Daryl Sanderson had a meeting with an Employment Company about the School for Samoa project of Helensvale High School. It stands to reason that a grant of approx $10,000 will buy the materials (timber etc). Grafton Rotary Club will be saving old bikes for us, but the question is how to transport them? Beaudesert Special School also has bikes, however, in this instance, our old collaborators, the Palen Creek Correctional Centre, will pick them up as they bring their finished wheelchairs back... And Apple Marketing has already contributed some $5,000 from phone calls on their Christmas Appeal for wheelchairs. Well done, Apple Marketing!
Christmas presents for Anglicare: Ian Mayberry urges all members to provide a present, as we have traditionally done for decades, for Anglicare. Note, for 0 - 14 year olds, new and unwrapped.
DGN Darrell Brown reported on a recent review he conducted in his capacity as District Governor Nominee. Of interest: some 30 years ago, approx 40 people were involved. Now there are just 7, and only 14 clubs are prepared to host. Darrell acknowledged that our club's Youth Service Director, Chris Thurtell, will be incoming Youth Exchange Chairman at District level commencing 2016/17. Congratulations, Chris!
President Elect Simon Brook is looking for people who would like to host the inbound GSE Team from Pensylvannia: 11th to 15th May 2016. Contact Simon directly.
Secretary Peter Morgan is trying to find the Blood Pressure machine we "used to have". [Rumors that this has anything to do with the stress of being the chief legal officer of Suncorp are totally fabricated...] However, it would appear that it didn't work properly anyway, so we might as well write it off and perhaps get another one, if we really need one?
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Posted by Franz Huber
on Nov 15, 2015 |
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 Sergeant Andy referred to "a certain Sporting Event", whereby the Kiwis experienced a thorough thrashing by the boys in Green and Gold. This, according to Andy, was simply a gesture of goodwill. And anyone who does not believe this, pay up! Individually, President Paul simply copped it for being a South Effrikan, Pope Des La Rance was spotted at "a particular establishment at Nerang"... Daryl Sanderson: we are still waiting for that article about Wheelchairs to appear in the Finnish press! [Daryl had an article from the Glenn Innes Examiner though, although not as exciting as Finland...] Ian Mayberry, nice shirt! Do you normally use it as a chess board? Tania Laird, you stood me up twice! Simon Brook, where've you been? We really missed you! DGN Darrell Brown, we all know that Simon is suspected to be your love child. But your socks today are rather tame... Mario Fairlie, our "Medical Miracle": how are you going? [Mario is well!]. And then, Mario cross-fined your bulletin editor Franz Huber, for getting the story of his speech the previous week all wrong...
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Posted by Franz Huber
on Nov 16, 2015 |
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OK, it was somewhat short notice (3 hours plus one night) after our Program Organizer Terry O'Shea found out that District Governor Anne Egan was unable to visit us as originally planned. Still, I hope that you all enjoyed it!
Australian Bush Poetry has for a long time been one of my most favorite pastimes. Some 40 years ago or so, I heard famous Australian actor Jack Thompson recite part of the last stanza of Banjo Paterson's 'The Man from Snowy River'. Of all things, it was for a TV commercial to promote the (then) early beginnings of the Clean up Australia campaign:
And down by Kosciusko, where the pine-clad ridges raise
Their torn and rugged battlements on high,
Where the air is clear as crystal, and the white stars fairly blaze
At midnight in the cold and frosty sky,
And where around The Overflow the reed beds sweep and sway
To the breezes, and the rolling plains are wide....
... don't rubbish Australia!
In Australia, the art is well and truly developed. Sure, everyone has heard and read the old masters: in addition to Banjo, for example, "In the days when the world was wide" by Henry Lawson, "An old Master" by C.J. Dennis. If you go to this link: http://www.poetrylibrary.edu.au/ you will find an index of about 300 major authors, and that doesn't include the "modern" ones such as Grahame Watt, Col Wilson (aka Blue - The Shearer), Bob Magor and certainly does not include that most prolific writer by the name of 'Anon' or 'A. Nonimous'... But the index also includes classic writers who were born overseas, such as the Scotsman Will Ogilvie. His work "The Last Muster" is one of the most evocative poems I know:
All day we had driven the starving sheep to the scrub where the axes ply
And the weakest had lagged upon weary feet and dropped from the ranks to die
And the crows flew up from the rotting heaps and the ewes too weak to stand
And the fences flaunted red skins like flags and the dour drought held the land
A segment of Bush Poetry that is often sadly overlooked, yet is hugely enjoyable, is the many parodies of major works that exist. Many are written by the ubiquitous 'Anon', such as 'The Man from Kaomagma' (not recommended for children or purists) or Rob Charlton's 'Clancy of the Overtime'...
Whilst I would not for a moment want to compare myself to any of the masters, I enjoy writing the odd ditty myself. It is actually quite an absorbing hobby, in particular if the subject is something to make a bit of fun of. Some of my fellow Rotarians have been the "victims"... But, no, I would not consider anything to be of a level to be published!
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Posted by Franz Huber
on Nov 16, 2015 |
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 One of our most popular members and "Minister for Everything" will celebrate his 70th birthday this Friday.
And he doesn't look anything like it!
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Posted by Franz Huber
on Nov 15, 2015 |
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 Last Thursday to Saturday, our members manned the stand at the Runaway Bay Shopping Centre, "rattling the tin" for Polio Plus. Final results have not yet been established, but the total should be sufficient to immunize in excess of 500 children.
Thanks to the people who manned the booth: Geoff Croad (numerous sessions), Tony Bird, Angus Miller, Barry Lea, Mario Fairlie (several sessions), Gerald East (several sessions), Paul Seymour, Darrell Brown (several sessions), Andy Bell, Tania Laird, Mitch Brown, Ray Higgs, Terry O'Shea, Franz Huber.
Picture: Terry O'Shea with a charming ladie called Julie and her two beautiful children who have just dropped their donation into the bucket. Thank you!
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Posted by Franz Huber
on Nov 16, 2015 |
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 Wheelchair guru Des La Rance forwarded me this picture from the Gold Coast City Council tip, where recently a sign was put up, asking people to leave their old bicycles there. Without doubt, it produces results! We even got a lawnmower... convert it to a motorized wheelchair? |
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Graeme Isaacson has again organized the traditional Christmas Breakfast at the Marriott Hotel - see detail in the Events, or click on the link below:
Very special price: Just $30.00 per person for a super-sumptuous buffet.
Graeme needs to provide the Marriott with numbers. Thus, PLEASE RSVP to Graeme no later than Sunday the 13th of December by e-mail only: business@mainbeachpo.com
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 OUR ROTARY SUCCESS WITH THE POLIO PLUS CAMPAIGN Because of Rotarian support, more than four million children who might have been polio victims are walking and playing normally. Since 1985, through Rotary’s efforts, and those of its partners around the world, more than two billion children have received polio vaccines and have been protected. There are currently three countries that are endemic: Nigeria, Afghanistan and Pakistan. We must not stop our efforts until we give the children a Polio Free world!
THANK YOU FOR HAVING SUPPORTED THE ROTARY FOUNDATION AND ITS EFFORT IN ERADICATING POLIO FROM OUR PLANET.
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Posted by Franz Huber
on Feb 07, 2016 |
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| Duty Roster - note: subject to change - please check every week |
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| Date |
Chairman |
Door |
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| 10th February 2016 |
Bob Harrison |
Adrian Crowe |
| 17th February 2016 |
Ian Mayberry |
Angus Miller |
| 24th February 2016 |
Larry Murray |
Julian Price |
| 02nd March 2016 |
Geoff Croad |
Gerald East |
| 09th March 2016 |
Darrell Brown |
Tony Bird |
| 16th March 2016 |
Mario Fairlie |
John Franich |
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Read more...
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Posted by Franz Huber
on Nov 15, 2015 |
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Circus dogs jump when the trainer cracks his whip. But the really well trained dog is the one who turns his somersault when there is no whip. George Orwell.
Religion. 
It gives people hope in a world torn apart.
By religion.
John Stewart.
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Read more...
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