Well another first achieved. Our first ‘casual breakfast’ at our new venue, Pavilions. A dozen or so members managed the early start after surviving whatever they may have done on Melbourne Cup Day/Night. A number of Surfers Sunrise members and their partners attended a Luncheon at Nara Sea World Resort. It started at mid-day and I know some of our comrades finally called ‘stumps’ at about 10.00 pm - a good day by any standards. Sue Lipp deservedly won first prize in the Fashions on the Field parade, easily beating all the other ladies in attendance. Anyway, the highlight of the breakfast was Mario Fairlie turning up and showing off his recently acquired, fully restored 1954 300b Adenauer, Mercedes Benz. What an absolute beauty! [See stories further on. Ed.]
On Friday we had a clean up of the Wheelchair and Projects Shed. This time the concentration was on the inside of the shed. A terrific effort and I want to thank, Des La Rance, Bob Harrison, Darryl Sanderson, Angus Miller, Tania Laird, Geoff Croad, Larry Murray, Mark Twyford, Ian Mayberry and Richard Smith, with a special thanks to Jim Blackburn who, although not yet an inducted member, brought his trailer along and did a great job. The other person I wish to thank is my Robby who overcame her fear of spiders, snakes and assorted creepy crawlies to help with the disposal of assorted rubbish that hadn't seen the light of day for many a year. I really should also make mention of the great effort put in by Larry - he worked like a man possessed.
The premises we have at Parkwood are second to none. However, as time has passed, it has been allowed to become clogged with unwanted and un-needed bric a brac. I reckon another couple more Friday mornings cleaning and purging, especially the rubbish in the Ladies toilet which is currently unusable, will make a huge difference to the overall ambience of the facility.
As a club we want to encourage people to attend ‘the Shed’ both male and female. Cleaning it up will make it so much more inviting. ---------- just sayin.
If you came to breakfast on 22nd August you would have heard the fascinating story of how our own Peter Baruch was saved by an amazing human being; Chiune Sugihara, a Japanese diplomat who issued thousands of visas to Jews, to help them escape from the advancing Nazis. Such a super story and we only got Part 1. Thank you Peter for agreeing to share more in this next instalment. Truly inspiring.
(This is a transcript of her speech, provided by Rosalinda.)
If you took the time to read this week’s bulletin, it incorrectly states I was born in 1974; which isn’t true – despite my looks – I was born in 1982. [My sincere apologies, Rosalinda. Ed.] In Australia, my Australian name is ROSE. I was born in Western Mindanao, in the southern Philippines where civil war between the Moslems and Christians has been a major problem for decades.
Believe it or not, I have 10 siblings; 3 brothers and 7 sisters – me being the second youngest. My father was murdered when I was only 8 years old and my older brothers’ and sisters’ had to support our family the best they could. We grew up on a farm - and life was never easy – especially without a father figure in the family.
My Mother promised each of us a high school education only and I did graduate from the tenth grade in 2001. I should mention that the Philippines only has 10 years to high school graduation while most developed western countries have a twelve year education and Germany even has 13 years. With no money or ability to go on to college, I wound up pregnant and later married Jimmy, my husband whom I met when we were both security guards. He came from Christian eastern Mindanao and this was my chance to move away from the problems of western Mindanao.
Jimmy and I went on to have 3 children; Kenn, Stephen and Divine. Despite our love for each other, the economic situation in the Philippines was horrible and even worse when there was a drought – which meant no crop harvests and nothing to eat.
Having come from a very large family where there were always children around, I learned quickly to care for many children at the same time and I was very good at this task. So, when our family was suffering tremendously, and my children were asking for school supplies, food and clothing – I became very, very desperate and heartbroken that my husband and I could not properly feed and support our immediate and extended family.
So, in 2012 – being just 30 years of age, with three young children – I went and signed up with a so called “agency” to work overseas where the promise of a regular salary that was double what the Philippines could offer. Little did I know that these so called “agencies” were actually human traffickers of young, helpless, poor and uneducated women. They had you sign an agreement in Arabic and then put you in a processing centre. To give you an idea, there were 700 of us housed in 6 large rooms with only 4 toilets. Yes, 4 toilets for 700 women. We had to sleep on our small roller bags – using it as a pillow so one’s few possessions were not stolen. We were then taken for pregnancy testing and shipped off in batches to the Middle East for a 2 year “assignment”. I was in the processing centre over 4 months – probably because I was hard to place at 30 years of age. We were taught basic Arabic and I did what I was told.
I don’t want to go into great detail about how it was in Kuwait where temperatures reached 50 Celsius in Summer and 9 Celsius in the Winter. All the water was from reverse osmosis – so my face had so many sores on it you would think I had the measles. My first employer did not like me and so they treated me horribly and did not pay me for over 2 months. I later resettled with another family but my two years started all over again. We were paid in Dinar – the local currency –about $200 per month in Australian money – but the so called “agency” took about half of our salary for the processing, passport fees, flights, etcetera, etcetera. I sent home money when I could - about 100 dollars five to six times per year.
It was my Rotarian sister Sahlee and her husband Fred (also a Rotarian) who kept in touch with me when I was in Kuwait. Fred had come to Manila in 2012 to try to stop me being taken to Kuwait, but I was too much in debt to the agency and had no way to pay for my family’s care had I stayed in the Philippines. My sister Sahlee and her husband had sent care packages to my family when I was away so they had something special to eat and had special things too – like toothpaste. Sahlee’s husband flew to the Philippines and took my children to the dentist when I was in Kuwait where the dentist told him all my children had underdeveloped lower jaws because my children were malnourished.
It seemed my life was a horrible existence of just surviving somehow and I would cry myself to sleep at nights. So, when I was sent home from Kuwait on 29 April 2015, my final memories were like a nightmare. I was sick, had lost weight – and weighed 38 kilos, my face looked like that of a leper, and the agency didn’t even pay for my food on the flight home and I worried if my husband still loved me and if my children were OK. My sister and brother in law applied for a sponsored visa for me to Australia and it was miraculously granted because the Rotary club of Southport was willing to endorse my speaking to their club with a special letter of invitation. Sahlee’s husband flew to Singapore to ensure I did not land in detention- as most single Filipino women do – even though I had a visa and return flights from Australia.
I can tell you arriving in Australia was a completely different experience than arriving in Kuwait. I could understand most things in English and Australia was CLEAN and GREEN and everything functioned properly. The water did not taste like chemicals and there was good water pressure everywhere too. The public parks were green, clean and there was no entry fee. The beaches had no litter and plastic garbage floating everywhere. My favourite place was the Southport Library. I asked my sister what the cost was to have the automatic plastic card to borrow books and she replied “our taxes pay for this” and I didn’t really understand fully. My family here in Australia told me how important it was for me to learn as much as possible about a properly functioning “REAL WORLD” as my brother-in-law Fred would repeatedly say. My sponsors’ also made it clear I was not to violate any law or overstay my visa; so I did not.
I want to especially thank and recognise Surfer’s Sunrise Rotary’s Secretary Mark Twyford, for supporting my brother with a letter of representation because that letter was the key for Immigration in granting him a visa. With this visa, he broadened his English and was able to finance wood to build his own home. I’d also like to really, really thank Bob Harrison and Daryl Sanderson and also their mentor, Des La Rance for making bicycles available to my family. Fred told me the bicycles were used to make wheelchairs for the needy. I didn’t need a wheelchair, but the bicycles provided by Surfer’s Sunrise make my daily journey to Imagine Education and Creative Gardens Child Care possible. Each fare I save on Translink pays one day’s groceries in my home in the Philippines.
If Surfers Sunrise hadn’t done enough, there would be more generousity from your Club. The front brakes of my bike broke and also a chain on another bike as my brother in Law Fred had loaned the other bike and an Air BnB guest had destroyed it. Your Club’s associate member John repaired it for free only 3 weeks ago for nothing and all he got was a thank you. So, there you see the assistance I have received from Rotary and also your Club.
Presently, I am studying Child Care. With a Diploma in Child Care and a Business Development Management certificate, I know my future will be great. Education is priceless as all of you in Australia know and the chance to live like you all do has always been a dream of mine. I now have the right to legally work in Australia and also to remain until 2019 to finish my studies- more than I ever had possible before.
My life has gone from one of despair, nightmares and no hope to one of a bright future and many interim successes. For this, I would like to thank my sister Sahlee, the Rotary Club of Southport and Surfer’s Sunrise for their unselfish help and support. My sister Evangeline, who owns her own home, has titled land in the Philippines, farm animals etc - and her visa to Australia was rejected TWICE. I can only speculate that it was a letter from Rotary Clubs like yours that made the difference to allow me to be here today.
After my arrival, still another Angel appeared from Rotary. There is a Rotarian who knew my plight more intimately and he made incredible donations to my son’s education. These donations will enable my oldest son to study here in Australia and as I understand it, it is Chris Thurtell of your Club who organises these exchanges for the entire district. Thank you so much for listening. You don’t know how it really is - for women, born and raised in the 3rd World to make it out of their eternal misery.
Finally, I get a picture of Clive without a Russian Bearskin hat...!
Clive Edwards transferred from the Rotary Club of Young, NSW. At the meeting of 23rd August, Membership Director Paul Seymour inducted Clive into our club. We much look forward to your 'Man behind the Badge' presentation to learn a bit more about you!
(Thank you, Tania, for taking notes on my behalf during my absence! Ed.)
Apologies from Chris Thurtell, Geoff Croad, Ray Higgs, Franz Huber, Mitch Brown, Mario Fairlie, Gerald East and Simon Brook
President Andy Bell thanked all members that assisted at the project shed working bee on Saturday over and above the major movers and shakers Des La Rance, Bob Harrison and Darryl Sanderson: other members present were Andy Bell, Ian Mayberry, Paul Seymour, Jo Gorman, Angus Miller and Mark Twyford. Plus amazingly 6 members from the Parkwood Rotary Club including President Ron Wilson. (sorry I don't have the names of the other members). There were two trailer loads of rubbish to the tip..!
President Andy addressed the Project shed volunteers and provided the background about the Associate membership. He invited the volunteers to become Associate members that was received very well. Paul Seymour and Andy will attend the Project shed shortly with formal invitations and appropriate documents to be completed.
Broadwater Rotary have a shed in Ashmore that they only use once a month for a dinner and has been offered to Surfers Sunrise to use so perhaps we could look at Crazy Whist night.
Directors' reports: Paul Seymour - membership: Explained how Associate membership works and Hopes to engage more associate members. Doug Lipp - Fundraising: Crazy whist night on hold due to Doug being away for the next few weekends. Next event - Melbourne cup Sea World. Des La Rance - foundations down in Samoa and the shipping container on the way. Picking up some bikes from Broadbeach Police station that will be sold. Jo Gorman - District Conference Chair - everything moving along well. Registrations are open. Looking for sponsors and a guest speaker for the Sunday.
The next Board meeting is Monday 11 September - all Directors encouraged to attend.
Sergeant session: President Andy - commenting on facebook about poor Gus the Bewildered having to have his temperature taken at the vet. How wide his eyes went. President Andy has a way with animals... no wonder Gus is bewildered! All All Black supporters were fined and so were all those who watched the Mayweather and McGrego fight for being so stupid. Luckily they only had to part with a gold coin not $70K! Ian Mayberry allegedly helped at the project shed working bee on his mobile most of the time; Paul Seymour was big noting his Daughter Tanya was wearing her boyfriend's 'suit of armour' from the Games of Thrones; All the males wearing checks and stripes were fined; Jo Gorman - looked like she was wearing cage fighting heels...
Ian Mayberry reminisced back 20 years when the first Wheelchairs were shipped to Fiji, financed by A Current Affair. How Ray Martin was so excited about the project and not once but twice arranged a TV story on the project. There were a few red wine stories thrown in and Des La Rance showed why 'Mayberry' may be known as the flasher! [Yes, I remember it well myself! Ed.] and the amazing support of Apple Marketing then and now.
At last Wednesday's meeting, President Andy Bell presented District Governor Darrell Brown with his new PHF Pin - with a Ruby in it. This depicts that a total of $US 7,000 has been donated to The Rotary Foundation in Darrell's name. Congratulations, Darrell! (Picture by Mark Twyford)
I take the liberty to hammer the incorrect view (and I know that our DG will join me), that a Paul Harris Fellowship Award (PHF)"cannot be bought", but can only be bestowed on a member, because "it is designed to be awarded for a member's services to Rotary". Certainly, it is indeed a superb recognition when a club (or other Rotary body) bestows a PHF on a member. My comment here certainly is not intended not diminish this type of recognition in any way. However, the very original purpose of a PHF is, and has always been, to make a donation to the foundation. Over the last 100 years (yes, TRF was founded in 1917), the organization has become one of the biggest non-government charities of the world. It also is one of the very few major charities which have only very negligible overheads - according to Charity Navigator, an independent organization that rates charities, TRF has an overall score of 97.87 out of 100, which gives it the coveted 4 Star rating. So, if you are worried that a substantial portion of your donation ends up in graft or director's salaries, The Rotary Foundation is your answer! Ed.
See Rotary Foundation Director Gerald East for more details.
(picture left): after recently seeing the Venus of Milo at the Louvre, I couldn't resist this... Ed.)
A nuclear program has arguably worked as a deterrent for North Korea and other states - would Moammar Gadhafi have been deposed and summarily killed if Libya had had nuclear weapons? Richard Engel, Journalist
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(This is a transcript of her speech, provided by Rosalinda.)
At last Wednesday's meeting, President Andy Bell presented District Governor Darrell Brown with his new PHF Pin - with a Ruby in it. This depicts that a total of $US 7,000 has been donated to The Rotary Foundation in Darrell's name. Congratulations, Darrell! (Picture by Mark Twyford)
