For decades, our club had a reputation to eschew long, flowery speeches at formal occasions. The tradition was not broken at Sunday’s Changeover Luncheon: PDG Darrell Brown, proposing a toast to Rotary International, elegantly and conscisely touched on Rotary’s tradition, on the principles and guidelines of its founder Paul Harris. This year's international theme “To create Hope in the World”, chosen by the incoming Rotary International President Gordon McInally, will be our guiding light for 2023-24.
Darrell briefly outlined just a single example: the achievement to finance the establishment of a solar energy plant to a village of 280 people in Goa. It had so far been completely off the grid. A combination of global grants from The Rotary Foundation and good ol’ networking of, among others, a Past Rotary International President, brought the effectiveness of our organisation clearly to the forefront. Did it make the 6 O’Clock news? No. Did it “Make a Difference”, to use the theme of the most recent international President (2017-18) from Australia, Ian Riseley? You bet it did.
Similarly, there was no need for PDG Prof Graham Jones AM to use big, flowery language. Actions speak: Graham outlined the successful raising of $140,000 to finance a Post Doctoral Fellowship for a student from Nigeria. He (she?) will work with Prof Michael Good and Assoc Professor Danielle Stanisic at the Institute of Glycomics at the local Griffith University. No doubt, it will have long-term effects on health in his country, and thus ultimately for world peace.
Thank you, Graeme and Ann Isaacson and all the helpers for organising the luncheon, and my hearty congratulations to the winners of the club awards! I much look forward to continuing our club “holding up our end” in the coming year. This week is a social meeting. Next week, on 5th of July, will be our first club assembly, where I’ll outline my views and my plans for the next 12 months of Surfers Sunrise action.
This coming Wednesday 28th June, we'll have a social meeting - usual time 07:00 onwards at the Surfers Paradise Surf Life Saving Club, downstairs bistro. Come and join us for a cuppa and breakfast. Often not just social: sometimes, there is as much club business discussed at social meetings as on "formal" meetings! Not to mention that we always come up with multiple recommendations on how to reduce both the State and Federal Government deficits, solve world hunger, stop youth crime... [our solution might some resistance in the initial implementation process though... ☺]
At Sunday's Changeover Luncheon (see brief article below), outgoing President Mitch Brown presented the club's awards. Starting with two recognitions awarded by District Governor Karen Thomas, who regrettably was unable to attend due to ill health, Mitch selected Rotaractor Matt Hayward as the representative of the X-Ray Unit for Vanuatu team, in recognition of the huge amount of work he contributed, not just physically at the shed, but also, in cooperation with Kristen 'KJ' Jewson, in developing the websites and Facebook pages. The second was for Best Club Communication, collected by yours truly.
Then followed the four premier club awards:
The Doug Waller Trophy 'for outstanding service to Rotary and our club' went to Mario Fairlie, in recognition of his ongoing commitment to our club, particularly the X-Ray Unit for Pentecost Island.
The Fellowship Cup went to our Youth Service Director Ashleigh Symes, in recognition of her very active promotion of our youth programs. Ashleigh was unable to attend, with an excellent reason: she had only very recently given birth to their daughter Ruby (see artricle below). Charles Thomasson collected the cup on her behalf.
The Quiet Achiever pokal went to Larry Murray, in recognition of his tireless work to re-shape our project shed and managing the volunteer workforce there.
Finally, the big moment: the Rotarian of the Year award, which is voted on by the members. This year, Ross Augustine was a clear winner, in recognition of his very successful efforts to get funds into our bank accounts. Ross also had substantial input into organising with Angie Bell MP a $20,000 Federal Government grant towards the purchase of a Ute for our project shed.
On Sunday, we gathered at the Braeside Estate in Merrimac for our annual Changeover Luncheon. Perfectly organised by Graeme and Ann Isaacson, we enjoyed casual and convivial fellowship, as well as some profoundly thoughtful and serious moments, as would be appropriate for such an important event.
Larry Murray served in his naturally ebullient manner as Master of Ceremonies, outgoing President Mitch Brown gave an Acknowledgment of the Country, Peter Morgan proposed a toast to Australia. Then “our” PDG Darrell Brown proposed a toast to Rotary International. In his brief speech, Darrell outlined the huge difference our organisation makes in the world, as an example citing a Solar Energy project to provide electricity for a village of 280 people in Goa, which so far was completely off the grid. This came together because of Rotary, because of the “connections” involving an Australian Past Rotary International President… (Sorry, you should have been there!)
PDG Prof Graham Jones AM replied to the toast. One can’t help being motivated by Graham’s almost evangelical enthusiasm. After acknowledging our club’s contribution to District personnel, Graham briefly touched on the major Rotary projects worldwide: $17 Million war relief for Ukraine, Polio Plus, a program started in 1985 when the world had some 350,000 recorded cases of Polio, now down to just 6 (5 in Afghanistan, 1 in Pakistan). Graham also brought the huge impact the Peace Scholarships would have. Again, he acknowledged our club’s provision of District personnel: Ray Higgs was a former District Chair of this committee.
Outgoing President Mitch Brown, with characteristic Surfers Sunrise brevity, outlined his year, referring to the Changeover Report(now in the Download Section on the right) for details, “rather than regurgitating what others have already said”... With slight wistfulness, Mitch lamented our club missing out on a DG’s Citation, simply because of logistic problems (caused by extreme storms) to get the shipping container in time in place on Pentecost Island, Vanuatu. The project should now be completed in August. Mitch then proceeded to present the club awards for 2022-23 (see separate report above).
After the changing of the President’s collar, our incoming President Doug Lipp briefly addressed the congregation, thanking the various speakers, guests and of course the members, then introduced his new board for 2023-24.
As always, a most enjoyable function. How could you not be proud to be a member of this organisation?
(See more photos in the Photo Album section on the right)
Welcome to our youngest "member" of Surfers Sunrise Rotary Club: Ruby Wren Symes. We have received the news that our club's Youth Service Director Ashleigh Symes and her husband Steve have recently welcomed their daughter Ruby Wren.
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
In view of the upcoming Gold Coast Triathlon this coming weekend:
Do you ever get up in the morning, look in the mirror and think "That can't be accurate..."?
…of these 4000 ideas, 230 were thought to be promising enough to develop into a nice drawing or working prototype. Of these 230, 12 were ultimately sold. This “yield” rate is only about one third of 1 percent of total ideas and 5 percent of ideas that were thought to have potential. Dennis Boyle, ‘Weird Ideas That Work’
Bertrand Russell’s Philosopher’s Drinking Game:
“If the following statement is true, I will immediately take a drink: I’m not about to take a drink.” [Warning: this might cause you to take to drink... Ed.]
The Doug Waller Trophy 'for outstanding service to Rotary and our club' went to Mario Fairlie, in recognition of his ongoing commitment to our club, particularly the X-Ray Unit for Pentecost Island.
The Fellowship Cup went to our Youth Service Director Ashleigh Symes, in recognition of her very active promotion of our youth programs. Ashleigh was unable to attend, with an excellent reason: she had only very recently given birth to their daughter Ruby (see artricle below). Charles Thomasson collected the cup on her behalf.
The Quiet Achiever pokal went to Larry Murray, in recognition of his tireless work to re-shape our project shed and managing the volunteer workforce there.
Finally, the big moment: the Rotarian of the Year award, which is voted on by the members. This year, Ross Augustine was a clear winner, in recognition of his very successful efforts to get funds into our bank accounts. Ross also had substantial input into organising with Angie Bell MP a $20,000 Federal Government grant towards the purchase of a Ute for our project shed.
On Sunday, we gathered at the Braeside Estate in Merrimac for our annual Changeover Luncheon. Perfectly organised by Graeme and Ann Isaacson, we enjoyed casual and convivial fellowship, as well as some profoundly thoughtful and serious moments, as would be appropriate for such an important event.
PDG Prof Graham Jones AM replied to the toast. One can’t help being motivated by Graham’s almost evangelical enthusiasm. After acknowledging our club’s contribution to District personnel, Graham briefly touched on the major Rotary projects worldwide: $17 Million war relief for Ukraine, Polio Plus, a program started in 1985 when the world had some 350,000 recorded cases of Polio, now down to just 6 (5 in Afghanistan, 1 in Pakistan). Graham also brought the huge impact the Peace Scholarships would have. Again, he acknowledged our club’s provision of District personnel: Ray Higgs was a former District Chair of this committee.
Welcome to our youngest "member" of Surfers Sunrise Rotary Club: Ruby Wren Symes. We have received the news that our club's Youth Service Director Ashleigh Symes and her husband Steve have recently welcomed their daughter Ruby Wren.
