This week it’s all about the Gold Coast Small Business Expo this Thursday. PDG Darrell Brown has done a great job organising a team of 14 Surfers Sunrise Rotarians for the Wednesday afternoon set-up and then all day Thursday at the Expo. If you haven’t yet volunteered and can spare a few hours to help on either Wednesday afternoon or Thursday please let Darrell know as soon as possible.
Tomorrow night (Tuesday), our Cluster 7 Assistant Governor Shelia Ponting has organised a Movie Night Fundraiser for Polio Plus at Robina Cinemas. The movie is ‘I am Woman’, a 2019 biopic about Helen Reddy. Franz has sent an email about buying tickets – please support this movie night if you can.
It is 2 weeks until the Golf Day on Monday October 26 and we already have 76 players including 11 Corporate Teams (last year we had 6 in total). This is one of our major fundraisers for the year so please support the club by either playing, sponsoring or volunteering. We are in need of prizes for the raffle so please ask your friends or business contacts if they can donate a voucher or prize – I will give them a big plug on the day. The link to book your golf team is www.trybooking.com/BLJDK
Col Laurenson and Larry Murray are still working on the logistics for a 40 foot Container of Wheelchairs to go to South Africa and we hope to update you shortly on a date to pack the container. The organisation of the ’10,000th Wheelchair Celebration’ on November 14 continues to progress well.
This Wednesday we will be hearing from PDG Graham Jones on the upcoming US Election – it should be fascinating to say the least! I look forward to seeing you all there.
This coming Wednesday 14th October, PDG Prof Graham Jones, who worked in the USA for several years and is intimately familiar with the convoluted process of the Electoral College system, will present again on the US Presidential Elections. This year probably more unusual than any time before - COVID means no mass rallies, the incumbent is probably the most unpredictable candidate ever and the challenger... [Sorry, Rotary must stay out of politics...] And yes, he is happy to take questions! Not to be missed!
Usual location, at the Surfers Paradise SLSC upstairs. Grab your breakfast downstairs and take it up for some fellowship before the meeting starts at 07:30 sharp.
Delighted this morning to welcome our newest member, Ramez Salib, to Surfers Sunrise. And to make it even more special: District Governor Andy Rajapakse was there to formally induct him! Ramez, originally from Egypt, transferred from the Rotary Club of Varsity Lakes. His classification is 'Pharmacy'. Watch this space for a date to see him give us a 'Man behind the Badge' presentation. Just trying to tie up a suitable date.
(Photo, from left: President Charles Thomasson, Ramez Salib, DG Andy Rajapakse).
Well, over that past 33 years, I have heard many inspiring District Governor’s presentations. I have also sat through some truly numbing experiences. All of them, in essence, extolled the high values of our great organisation, the virtues, benefits and duties of being a Rotarian, and exhorted us to increase our membership. In other words, without meaning to be derogatory, preaching - to the converted. Not so Andy…
Instead of starting off with a prepared speech, Andy simply asked the question “What would you like to hear from the District Governor?” The requests from the audience were largely of general nature: ‘Overall, how is our District going?’, ‘How can we obtain money from the District?’ etc. Impressively, Andy deftly eased from a Q&A style to a relaxed summary of our District’s notable achievements. Membership growth was specifically addressed: “The District is doing very well, both in terms of membership as well as financially”, Andy said. “Did you know that 9640 has the highest increase in membership in Zone 8 (14 countries): since 1st July, we have had a NET increase of 45 members!” This is not the result of just the last few months, Andy accentuated, this is the result of the last 5 years of steady building up. New clubs were formed, some of quite different style, such as Gold Coast Passport. “Do you know that District 9640 has the largest percentage of family membership in Australia (34%, compared to average of 26%), partially due to no District dues applying to partners? We have the largest percentage of Under 40’s? A new club, ‘Corporate Centre One’ is in the process of being established, its potential membership based on about 40 companies whose offices are in that large office building. But it’s not easy! To increase membership, “you have to hit the street”, Andy said. You have to ask people to join. The competition is high: there are some 152 networking organisations on the Gold Coast!
So, after 33 years, I continue to be grateful for having been invited to join Rotary, to witness every year the leadership dynamics of a new Club President, a new District Governor, new Rotary International President.
It's been decided: this year's Golf Day will be held on Monday, 26th October 2020. It will be held at the same location as last year, the Surfers Paradise Golf Club on Fairway Drive, Carrara. We'll need both volunteers to man the course, and of course we need participating teams. Check out the flyer in the Download section on the right. We need some more prizes. Can you spare a nice bottle of wine, or convince your favorite restaurateur to donate a free dinner?
This was a very special meeting, with District Governor Andy Rajapakse honouring us with his visit. Johnny Bueti was at the door, Karen Holland was Chairman and Andy Bell was Sergeant. We had apologies from Peter Morgan, Ray Higgs, Adrian Crowe (who joined us on Zoom), Richard Smith, Ashleigh Symes, Paul Seymour and Doug Lipp.
President Charles Thomasson welcomed all visitors, with a special welcome to DG Andy Rajapakse. He expressed his thanks to Andy Bell and Mario Fairlie for their sponsorship of the Lutzy Award as well as to Ray Higgs and Graeme Isaacson for organising it so well. Charles briefly referred to the Golf Day coming (Monday 26/10/20): we already have some 10 corporate bookings. If you want to get in, YOU MUST BOOK (see separate article for on-line booking site). We also need some more prizes: perhaps you can spare a nice bottle of wine, or wrangle a free dinner from one of your regular Restaurateurs? Charles and Karen also demonstrated a selection of T-Shirts, to replace the current one which is made from very uncomfortable material.
Andy then introduced DG Andy Rajapakse, who gave us an inspiring presentation, not only of current facts but also of future aims for the District and how to get there (see separate article). Andy then proceeded to induct our newest member, Ramez Salib (see separate article). Ramez, originally from Egypt, joins our club under the classification of Chemist. Like Paul Jaffar, Ramez runs a Chempro business. The theme of his life: “Growth and Contribution”, not just physically, but also mentally. Watch this space for his ‘Man behind the Badge’ presentation!
PDG Darrell Brown elaborated on the upcoming Gold Coast Business Expo next Wednesday and Thursday 14 – 15/10/20, which will be one of our major fundraisers.
Darrell and Larry Murray also briefly outlined general details of a new Interact Club to be formed under our auspices, at the Pimpama State Secondary College. Larry will chair a committee. He also brought us up to date on the upcoming shipment of a 40’ container of about 280 wheelchairs to South Africa, competently arranged by our resident Logistics Guru, Col Laurenson. Once these have gone, the right side of the Project Shed will become free for a new project (“Makers” Rotaract or similar club).
Mario Fairlie explained the intricacies of obtaining a Global Grant, required to procure the X-Ray and Pathology equipment for our Vanuatu project.
Before closing the meeting, President Charles brought the upcoming Polio Fundraiser movie night on Tuesday 13th October (see direct email sent to all members).
Duty Roster - note: subject to change - please check every week. Note: Fellowship duty also is expected to be at the Project Shed on the Saturday following the meeting
Research claims that the Internet is making us dumber and more impatient.
I don't get it. Moving on.
Whenever politicians start talking in mystical terms, beware. They might be trying to disguise and excuse real suffering by wrapping it up in big incomprehensible words. Be particularly careful about the following four words: sacrifice, eternity, purity, redemption. If you happen to live in a country whose leader routinely says things like ‘Their sacrifice will redeem the purity of our eternal nation’ – know that you are in deep trouble.Yuval N Harari, ’21 Lessons for the 21st Century’
Andy's post of the week:
I was watching the Bermuda Philharmonic Orchestra when all of a sudden the guy with the triangle disappeared...
Diesel Services Queensland and AB Crane Hire recently provided a truck and a huge mobile crane at no charge to lift a 40' container into our Project Shed area at Arundel. Thank you! Click on the links to go to their website.
One of our sponsors for the 'Lutzy' Surf Rescue Board being presented this Wednesday.
Well, over that past 33 years, I have heard many inspiring District Governor’s presentations. I have also sat through some truly numbing experiences. All of them, in essence, extolled the high values of our great organisation, the virtues, benefits and duties of being a Rotarian, and exhorted us to increase our membership. In other words, without meaning to be derogatory, preaching - to the converted. Not so Andy…
It's been decided: this year's Golf Day will be held on Monday, 26th October 2020. It will be held at the same location as last year, the Surfers Paradise Golf Club on Fairway Drive, Carrara. We'll need both volunteers to man the course, and of course we need participating teams. Check out the flyer in the Download section on the right. We need some more prizes. Can you spare a nice bottle of wine, or convince your favorite restaurateur to donate a free dinner?
