Dear fellow members and friends of Surfers Sunrise,
Everything is easy when you are crazy about it, nothing is easy when you are lazy about it! And as we storm through to the end of the year, things are getting crazy, we got so much coming up there is no time to be lazy. As we roll into the biggest weekend on the Gold Coast calendar, V8 Superstar Chaz Mostert is coming to chat to us... CHAZ MOSTERT!!! Also this weekend we have our sausage sizzle at Southport on Sunday, for those who have snagged a spot on the programme... love ya work... it's going to be a great day (crazy aprons welcome!) For those who missed out, don't worry we also have the Gold Coast Pre-Ramble on Sunday and we need you, your family and friends to help us test this event before the real deal next year. It'll be a bucket load of laughs, check out the FB page for details, download the app... or come and see me! So this weekend, don't make it a lazy one, rather make it a crazy one!!! Happy week to you all!
About once or twice in a Rotary Year, there comes what President Simon Brook calls a Rotary Moment. Simon's announcement that it's "all systems go" for our club, in conjunction with RAWCS (Rotary Australia World Community Service) to build, deliver and erect a school in the northern area of Vanuatu. The RAWCS project number has been formally assigned: 2016-17/70. Click on this link for details, where you can also donate funds. An awful lot of 'paddling under the surface' has already happened: You recall a few weeks ago, Chantal Clarke (Rotary Club of Currumbin-Tweed-Coolangatta) presented her RAWCS project to refurbish a Community and Health Centre in Port Orly, north of the tourist areas of Champagne Beach.
The school, using Des La Rance's well proven design as has already been deployed in Thailand (2007) and again on Samoa (2010, 2012 - see picture above) was going to be pre-manufactured by a local company specializing in Work for the Dole and Disability Employment Services. They had committed $23,000 towards the project for the procurement of some materials, in addition to providing the labour at their factory. Regrettably, they now have pulled out. So, our club will need to come up with substantial funds (about $40,000). All donations are fully tax deductible. One of the major materials components will be the roofing panels (refrigeration type), estimated to cost about $7,500. Click on this link to donate.
The pre-manufactured components will then be shipped to Vanuatu and, similarly to the way it was done in the past, a team of volunteers will travel on site to organize the erection and hand-over of the building to the local people.
Des La Rance, who designed the concept of a 'Flat Pack' school that is not only inexpensive but also cyclone proof will lead the project, liaising with any local company that wishes to participate with labour and/or materials, RAWCS and Chantal Clarke.
Mario Fairlie, who has had extensive experience in dealing with RAWCS (and other) grants, will be involved in that side. "Members are invited to go to Vanuatu to assist in the building of the school there" Mario said. "Keep in mind, it will be rough! Not like on Samoa where there was a tourist hotel within an acceptable distance from the site."
An organizing committee will be formed shortly. And to kick of the fund raising: our regular visitor Arthur Moorhouse presented a $50.00 note to President Simon. All donations over $2.00 are fully tax deductible. Click on this link to donate (fully tax deductible).
Well, considering Richard has a degree in Accounting, his presentation was remarkably invigorating! Anyone who hadn't quite caught up with him at the beginning, would have woken up when he mentioned "Three bears, three little pigs, three musketeers, three blind mice..." Huh?? Well, it certainly worked: Richard referred to "the power of three", being a principle that, ultimately, "makes the speaker appear knowledgeable while being simple... - That's me, he declared..."
His family moved from Armidale to Toowoomba when he was 1 year old, where he remained until, with his charming wife Sue they recently decided to retire to the Gold Coast. (Wistfully, Richard wondered why the idea didn't occur to them earlier!) Schooled in Toowoomba Primary, then Grammar School studying Science, he found that that was not to his liking. Nor was sport: Richard was diagnosed with Scheuermann's Disease, a degeneration of the bones. [Richard, just reading about it makes me shiver... Ed.]Instead of sport, he opted for Scouting. Still today, his then Scoutmaster is a perpetual idol to look up to. On to Darling Downs Institute of Education (now University of Southern Queensland) to study Accountancy, graduating with a Bachelor of Business.
Does an Accountant have passions? Yes. Besides marrying his childhood sweetheart Sue (yes! girl next door across the road!) Richard learned to fly, getting his wings in 1976. Later, he progressed to IFR (Instrument Flight Rules). "It is always a great feeling to come out of a cloud at the right place..."
So, coming to the third segment, Love... "Sue lived across the road when we were kids in primary school... ... we eventually married and now enjoy the the company of our children and grandchildren." Does it get any sweeter? Yes! Going to the Caravan & Camping Show last year to purchase some LED lights, they ended up coming back with an off-road camper trailer...
Read Richard's entire story in the Download Section on the right, together with a light hearted segment of his answers to 33 Questions. As always, the 'Behind the Badge' talks are among the most interesting - one never ceases to be quite surprised and amazed at what is behind the persona of an individual.
Ian Mayberry managed at least 8 times to weave "I'm going to Paris" into whatever conversation anyone had... Mark Twyford - good to see you compete in the Kokoda Challenge, pity you didn't finish... Tania Laird, just what animal did that fur come from you are wearing?? Jo Gorman, welcome back. Looking at Facebook, it would appear all you did over in the UK was to eat and drink beer... Mario Fairlie, can we have a health report? (Yes: trying to retrieve something from his wheely bin, he managed to dislocate three ribs...!) Peter Morgan, how's the knee reconstruction? (Going well. Furthermore: Peter and Helen welcomed their 7th Grandchild - Peter duly donated the customary $100 to our Wheelchair Trust. Thank you!) "Pope" Des La Rance: I see you are now using a laptop. Does that mean you have a direct link to "upstairs"? Simon Brook, still haven't forgiven you for leaving me off the board photo... Angus Miller, just a reminder to check what's left in the kitty...
Tower: "Eastern 702, cleared for takeoff" Eastern 702: "Tower, Eastern 702 switching to departure...by the way as we lifted off we saw some kind of dead animal on the far end of the runway." Tower: "National 63 cleared for takeoff...did you copy the report from Eastern?" National 63: "Roger, Tower, cleared for takeoff... yes, we've already notified our caterers."
“After the second world war in 1948 they founded the UN, the United Nations, so that a crime like the mass-murder of the Jews could never happen again.
Now the UN is a flourishing organization, an honourable institution, the only thing is that it doesn't do the thing they founded it for: prevention of mass-murder.”
Ad De Bont, Dutch Librettist (Mirad, A Boy From Bosnia)
Food for thought: either way, history will be created....
If Hilary Clinton wins the U.S. Presidential election, it would be the first time in history that two U.S. Presidents would have slept with each other. As far as we know... If Donald Trump wins the U.S. presidential Election, it will be the first time in history that a billionaire has moved into public housing vacated by a black family.
About once or twice in a Rotary Year, there comes what President Simon Brook calls a Rotary Moment. Simon's announcement that it's "all systems go" for our club, in conjunction with 
Well, considering Richard has a degree in Accounting, his presentation was remarkably invigorating! Anyone who hadn't quite caught up with him at the beginning, would have woken up when he mentioned "Three bears, three little pigs, three musketeers, three blind mice..." Huh?? Well, it certainly worked: Richard referred to "the power of three", being a principle that, ultimately, "makes the speaker appear knowledgeable while being simple... - That's me, he declared..."
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Ian Mayberry managed at least 8 times to weave "I'm going to Paris" into whatever conversation anyone had... Mark Twyford - good to see you compete in the Kokoda Challenge, pity you didn't finish... Tania Laird, just what animal did that fur come from you are wearing?? Jo Gorman, welcome back. Looking at Facebook, it would appear all you did over in the UK was to eat and drink beer... Mario Fairlie, can we have a health report? (Yes: trying to retrieve something from his wheely bin, he managed to dislocate three ribs...!) Peter Morgan, how's the knee reconstruction? (Going well. Furthermore: Peter and Helen welcomed their 7th Grandchild - Peter duly donated the customary $100 to our Wheelchair Trust. Thank you!) "Pope" Des La Rance: I see you are now using a laptop. Does that mean you have a direct link to "upstairs"? Simon Brook, still haven't forgiven you for leaving me off the board photo... Angus Miller, just a reminder to check what's left in the kitty...
Tower: "Eastern 702, cleared for takeoff"
