By the time you read this our intrepid travellers/volunteers will be well and truly settled into Samoan life.
I had to mortgage the family home to pay for the extortion masquerading as ‘Parking fees” when I ventured to Brisbane International airport to bid our wonderful volunteers ‘bon voyage’.
To say they were exited would be an understatement. The pupils and teachers from the 4 schools looked terrific in matching shirts, with the project and their names proudly displayed.
From our side Rosie, our project leader, was resplendent, looking like a young Katherine Hepburn and oozing calm authority.
I am sure everyone will have the time of their lives and to show it will not all be hard work, our builder had his surfboard under his arm with the cover housing his tools and clothes. We did tell him to check it for foreign matter, but he assured us all it was a surfboard and not a ‘boogy board’.
Pleased to report, our Editor, young Franz and his lovely wife Catherine have survived the wilds of Europe and returned to the warm and safe embrace of the Gold Coast and the Rotary Club of Surfers Sunrise. Welcome home.
Siànte.
Andrew Bell
President, 2017-18
(Picture above: Rosie McIntyre with some of the participants. Picture by President Andy)
Barry Rassin, of the Rotary Club of East Nassau, New Providence, Bahamas, is the selection of the Nominating Committee for President of Rotary International for 2018-19. He will be declared the president-elect on 1 September if no challenging candidates have been suggested.
Rassin’s nomination follows Sam F. Owori’s death in July, just two weeks into his term as Rotary International president-elect.
What a pleasure to announce that our Wheelchairs Trust Chairman for 19 years, Daryl Sanderson, has been awarded an Order of Australia Medal in today's Queens Birthday Honours List, in recognition of running The Shed for almost two decades. Our heartiest congratulations, Daryl! Well deserved. And with you are over 8,000 disabled children throughout the world who have received the gift of mobility via one of the Surfers Sunrise wheelchairs. Take a bow, my friend.
Let's begin with an important comment by Dr Danielle: "As a High School student I was sponsored by Rotary to attend the National Youth Science Forum (NYSF) in Canberra. In consequence I decided that I didn't want to become a Medical Doctor but instead opted for a career in Science and Research". Meanwhile, she has become one of the leading scientists at Griffith University, working on the development of a vaccine for Malaria. Danielle's presentation, titled "Progress in the Hunt for a Malaria Vaccine" states the obvious: it is still work in progress, however, there have already been highly successful trials with mice and the first trials involving humans were conducted in March this year (see Grffith University Report here). How big is the problem world wide? Well, there are up to 500,000 deaths annually that can be ascribed to Malaria. There are approximately 214 Million cases, of which 90% occur in the Sub Saharan region. 40% of the world population is exposed to potential Malaria infection. Is that a big enough reason?
So, what is the situation? Well, Malaria is not a single item: there are six species of Malaria. Dr Danielle is working on the two most common ones: Plasmodium Falciparum (approx 75%) and Plasmodium Vivax (approx 20%). The virus is carried by the female Anopheles mosquito (we fortunately don't have those here on the Gold Coast). When they penetrate your skin, the virus infects red blood cells. It then lodges itself in the liver, where it multiplies thousand fold. "Interestingly, it is not the virus itself that makes you sick. It is the response by your Immune System which causes it", Dr Danielle explained.
Now, if your Editor had only a tenth of the brain of Dr Danielle, you would find a detailed explanation of her discourse. However... A picture tells a thousand words: see on the right just one of her slides to outline the enormous complexity of the task...
Dr Danielle expressed her admiration for Rotary: she is a member of the recently formed Rotary Satellite Club of Griffith University. At a meeting last year, she explained the need to purchase a special magnet (I think the process is called Magnetic Fractionation - Ed.), costing $10,000. Shortly afterwards, the unit was financed.
It all starts coming together... From last Saturday's working bee at The Shed: chief designer and construction boss Des La Rance is re-checking the measurements. (Photo by Bob Harrison)
This Wednesday, our German Youth Exchange Student Lukas Lührmann will give us a presentation about his year Down Under. He will fly back to his home country this Thursday.
Last week, your Editor took into Lukas to the Rainforest, the Warrie Circuit in Springbrook National Park. The contrast to hiking in his home country couldn't be more different: there are relatively few big mountain views on the Warrie Circuit, but it features not only a great variety of Rainforest, but one starts at the top, goes to the bottom and comes up on the other side again...
Lukas had never been in the deep bush before, and I'm quite sure he thoroughly enjoyed himself. Regrettably, even though we started early, had a perfect, beautiful sunny day, not a single Bluetongue Lizard, not to mention a Carpet Python or (heavens forbid) a Black Snake was to be seen. But, the waterfalls were still beautiful... And, since I still hadn't quite regained my usual fitness, I was most grateful that Lukas moved at a more sedate pace than one would normally expect from a young, fit teenager! ☺ Ed.
Neil Thurlow was at the door, Tania Laird was chairman (for Geoff Croad) and Andy Bell was Sergeant.
We had apologies from Geoff Croad, Chris Thurtell, Mario Fairlie,Rosie McIntyre, Paul Seymour and Larry Murray.
President Simon Brook welcomed all members and visitors Col Laurensen (RC of Mt Gravatt, and Northern Region Chief of Donations in Kind) and of course our Guest Speaker,Dr Danielle Stanisic (see separate article above). Simon expressed a sincere Thank you! to the workers who turned up at The Shed last Saturday. The renewal of The Shed's lease is being negotiated as we speak. He also reminded us that on 21st and 28th June there will be no meeting: instead, do participate at DGE Darrell Brown's District Changeover on 25th June (see details above and at the Club Changeover on 2nd July at Seaworld Resort (see separate article below).
Simon also announced that Harry Bolton (RC of Tenterfield) has been selected as District Governor Elect Nominee for 2019/20, following Darrell Brown (2017/18) and Terry Brown (2018/19). [There is absolutely no truth in the rumor that they were looking for another suitable candidate named Brown... ☺ Ed.]
Wheelchair Trust Chairman Daryl Sanderson also added his thanks to the working bee members, and particularly complimented whoever so nicely cleaned up the dishes after morning tea; "Les won't know what to do!" he quipped. Interestingly, Daryl and Des La Rance both received a phone call pledging a donation - for the same amount. But it definitely came from two different people!
Treasurer Mitch Brown wants to be sure you know how to book and pre-pay for our club's Changeover at Seaworld on 2nd July - see details below). Franz Huber conducted a mini survey to check who regularly accesses our club's website and the District 9640 website, and Graeme Isaacson has again The Entertainment Book for sale - $60.00 for thousands of dollars in discounts.
District Treasurer Doug Lipp advised that the closing date forDistrict Grants is 15th June 2017, so if you have any major project in mind, now is the time to get going!
Note: No meeting next week. Instead In just 10 days, on Sunday 25th June 2017, "our" incoming District Governor Darrell Brown will accept the collar from Michael Irving. The event will be held at a luncheon at Kingscliff Beach Bowls Club. This is a "once in a lifetime" festive and ceremonial event when one of our own members takes the top job in the District. A must attend for all our members and partners.
Groan... I just realized I hadn't booked yet... Ed.
This coming Sunday, President Simon Brook will hand over the collar to President Elect Andy Bell. Note: we are meeting a bit later to avoid traffic due to the Gold Coast Marathon:
To start: President Simon Brook[yes, the same. Just one more time to go...]Chris Thurtell, not another sandbank, where never before there was a sandbank, getting in the way of your Jetski?? Then, Andy came up with something different: He invited members to recount their most embarrassing moments. Some interesting responses: Mitch Brown: right now...! Clive Edwards: fell off his horse and broke a wrist... Daryl Sanderson was picked up by the Police, lost his license, only resulting of a copy having to give him a lift now... Des La Rance was just 18 years old when... Ray Higgs claimed "nothing at all"... Doug Lipp was dating a girl. As it turned out, she was one of identical twins, and he promptly got swapped out for the other one... Angus Miller lamented that his whole life was embarrassing... Gerald East had a breakdown with his motorcycle. Getting it towed off with the rope tied to the handle bar, coming to a wide bend, he was swayed way off the road... Tania Laird: YOU embarrassed me! Bob Harrison: "Can't really tell anyone..."
And just when the Blues supporters thought they had been left out after the previous Wednesday's State of Origin result, Andy accused them of having cheated...
Bernard explains the abbreviations for various Royal honours.
Bernard: “Of course, in the service, CMG stands for Call Me God. And KCMG for Kindly Call Me God.”
Hacker: “What about GCMG?”
Bernard: “God Calls Me God.”
Allegedly true story: The scientist who kicked off research into Viagra (later taken over by the Americans) was given a knighthood. On the day: “Arise, Sir Richard Head.”
Effective philanthropy requires a lot of time and creativity - the same kind of focus and skills that building a business requires. Bill Gates
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What a pleasure to announce that our Wheelchairs Trust Chairman for 19 years, Daryl Sanderson, has been awarded an Order of Australia Medal in today's Queens Birthday Honours List, in recognition of running The Shed for almost two decades. Our heartiest congratulations, Daryl! Well deserved. And with you are over 8,000 disabled children throughout the world who have received the gift of mobility via one of the Surfers Sunrise wheelchairs. Take a bow, my friend..png)
Let's begin with an important comment by Dr Danielle: "As a High School student I was sponsored by Rotary to attend the 
carried by the female Anopheles mosquito (we fortunately don't have those here on the Gold Coast). When they penetrate your skin, the virus infects red blood cells. It then lodges itself in the liver, where it multiplies thousand fold. "Interestingly, it is not the virus itself that makes you sick. It is the response by your Immune System which causes it", Dr Danielle explained. 
To start: President Simon Brook 