18th March 2015 (Mar 15, 2015)

President's Message

Stories

Rotary Youth Driver Awareness (RYDA)

Posted by Darrell Brown on May 06, 2015

Good things come to those who volunteer.

RYDA (Rotary Youth Driver Awareness) started up for the year on the Gold Coast with our club hosting the Australian Industrial Trade College from Robina. Isabelle Franich our past YEP student, George Keily our Honorary member & Past President, Geoff Croad & Darrell Brown manned the day. During the event, Isabelle was offered a job as a presenter, a paid position. Well done! Because the school has taken part in the event for the last three years & through circumstances, couldn’t be joined by another school to make up numbers, our Gold Coast RYDA subsidised the school to the tune of $455 - money well spent on the first day of a revised program. The next event with All Saints & another group from the Australian Trade College will be held on the 16th June. Because there will be 270 students, two venues - Runaway Bay Sports Complex & Southport Community Centre will need to be utilised with the Rotary Clubs of Gold Coast & Mermaid Beach manning the days.

Last week's Sergeant - Andy Bell 130515

Posted by Franz Huber on May 16, 2015

Terry O'Shea: not only were you late, but you blamed Geoff Croad for holding you up. And now you have piled on the biggest breakfast I have ever seen...! Darrell Brown, what happened to the fancy socks? Very conservative today! Whereas Angus Miller and Barry Lea are wearing 'Maori Socks'... Bob Harrison, simply because you are here. And you need a barber... Graeme Isaacson, show us your teeth! What, no teeth? Tania Laird - just have a look at our club's Facebook page. Comment after comment... Yet, despite being a Kiwi, she can't pronounce 'Maori' properly... She said it is 'Mouri', like 'mouldy'. Well, your Editor, being Swiss and thus neutral, stayed right out of it...

Do you know any 14 - 16 year old students? Nominate them for RYPEN

Posted by Franz Huber on Apr 11, 2015

Our Youth Services Director Chris Thurtell is looking for nominations for RYPEN, the Rotary Youth Program of Enrichment.

What is RYPEN? Held from Friday, 22nd May to 1 pm Sunday 24th May at Bornhoffen PCYC, Rotary Youth Program of Enrichment (RYPEN) is a weekend residential experience for youth aged 14-16 years. It is designed to develop skills that will assist them in the transition to adulthood. Participants are involved in a variety of workshops and activities, which provide an opportunity for them to personally develop, gain self confidence, communication skills, challenge themselves, build friendships, and develop life skills. More details on the District 9640 website - click on this link: http://rotary9640.org/SitePage/rypen. Nominations close Friday 24th April 2015.

Gabrielle Burey reports from Germany - Feb/March 2015

Firstly I would like to apologize to my sponsor club as I have forgotten to tell them that I would be on Europatour for most of March and so I would be unable to do my monthly report for March. I went on Europatour 2015 for 22 days with 53 other exchanges from my district in Germany. The first night was hard as I didn’t know many people because I was unable to meet them all at the Rotex Wochenende in Paderborn but like always I was accepted into really good friends with some of the Brazilians and Argentinians. I had so much fun and I am sort of sad at the moment because it is over but I know that I will have more experiences like this in the near future :).

I have created a Powerpoint of my experiences on Eurotour. [See Download section on the right hand side]

Herzliche Grüße,
Gabrielle Burey

Snippets of last week's meeting 130515

Posted by Franz Huber on May 16, 2015

Geoff Croad was at the door, Darrell Brown was Chairman (for ) and Andy Bell was Sergeant.

We had apologies from Gerald East, Adrian Crowe, Geoff Croad, Des La Rance, Tony Bird, Mario Fairlie and Julian Price.

Vice President Elect Ian Mayberry welcomed all members and announced that the club's Changeover Dinner will be held at Seaworld on 14th June 2015, 12:00 for 12:30 pm. Youth Service Director Chris Thurtell, who is a senior executive with the organization, managed to twist a few arms and arranged a heavy discount: Cost is $50.00 per head. And thus we come into the period when it is time to elect the Rotarian of the Year. Your Editor will arrange for a Survey Monkey poll, where you can place your vote. It will be sent out to members only shortly.

Wheelchair Trust Chairman Daryl Sanderson advised that a container of wheelchairs is bound for Sri Lanka. Further, various bikes were donated, Taree Rotary Club is also coming up with a container, an antique Scooter was received which will be advertised for sale. And - big sigh of relief - Des La Rance is expected back next week!

Simon Brook is organizing a table at the Southport Rotaract Trivia Night on Saturday 30th May (see last week's bulletin). Looks like we are close to have the numbers - contact Simon directly if you want to participate.

DGEN Darrell Brown, in absence of chief organizer Gerald East, needs helpers to sell Suns Horizon raffle tickets at the Suns next game on 23rd May. Meet at 2:15 pm at the gate at Metricon. Game starts at 4:35 where they will meet Collingwood. Collingwood?!? Might have to go over myself...! 'Good ol' Collingwood for eeeeever....! [What?? You accuse me of Blasphemy..? Ed.]

Last week's Guest Speaker: Maria Ciubuc-Batcu, National Youth Science Forum

Posted by Franz Huber on Mar 16, 2015

The competition to get in is fierce. Unless you have a top notch Science brain, your chances are slim. So, the Rotary Club of Surfers Sunrise was very pleased indeed to have Maria accepted. Considering the (sort of) exclusivity of the membership, expectation would be that the participants would fly to Canberra: Not so! In a truly eqalitarian manner, the National Youth Science Forum (NYSF) sets the cost of attendance, including travel, at the same price regardless whether you come from Broome or from Canberra itself. Together with some 20 fellow students from the Queensland region, Maria travelled by bus from Brisbane. In Canberra, a total of some 200 participants are allocated to specific teams. The two week program involves a good mix of science studies, high-level speakers, including web based presentations by CERN, the famous Science complex in Geneva that came up with the so-called 'God Particle' from its Hadron Collider, social events, a visit to the Federal Parliament, Laboratory visits (in Maria's case relating to Immunology), on-site visit to Canberra Hospital, just to name a few.

The program is partially financed by sponsor's donations, Rotary Club contributions and private donations. In total, the budget is well over $2 Million, of which over $500,000 is allocated to the traveling costs and well over $200,000 to accommodation expenses.

Your Editor well remembers the most exciting components of Science classes at High School some 55 years ago (groan! I' getting old!): Experiments! But I never would have been selected into such an august team as the NYSF... :-

( Looks like the definition of excitement in Science has not changed: Maria's eyes positively beamed when she told us about... dissecting an eye... Or, a "real" simulation of an emergency nursing situation: "I'm in pain!!" the "patient" screamed. "Could be worse!" the "doctor" replied, "you could be dead...!" No doubt, fun is always a major component when 200 highly intelligent young people converge in the one place!

But, as I am writing this summary of Maria's presentation, I'm listening to the ABC's Australian Story 'The Seeds of Wrath' in the background. It's about Genetically Modified (GM) crops. Rotary is not meant to be political or even partisan for that matter. Still, you may want to give some serious thought about the quandary scientists have faced ever since science had the potential to totally destroy our planet. It probably started with the invention of the Atomic Bomb. Just two of the current hot topics are Fracking and GM. Look at Rotary's 4-Way Test. Would it meet the second one: 'Will it be beneficial to all concerned?' Young, idealistic Scientists like Maria are the ones in charge in as little as 10 years' time.

Last week's Sergeant - Andy Bell 010415

Posted by Franz Huber on Apr 04, 2015

Sergeant Andy not only introduced our speaker for the morning, but also made visitors aware that Des La Rance "Pope Elect" is considered to be in a prime position to be "Pope Elect" ... Terry O'Shea was awfully late... Ian Mayberry, waddya mean "I'm at a race", when cricket is on? Where are the priorities?? Daryl Sanderson, what's happening down your end of the table? No Wheelchair report today?? Geoff Croad, what elegant Bermuda Shorts! Simon Brook didn't ride his bike to Rotary this morning... just because it is raining a bit, and there are of course some hills between home and The Shed... Angus Miller reckons this weather is tropical in comparison to Scotland...!

[It should be noted that Andy was remarkably well in control of his emotions and didn't mention Cricket, or specifically his mighty Black Caps" even once... Ed.]

Rotary District 9640 Conference 2015 f

Posted by Franz Huber

http://www.findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/display/person60295

	It is starting two weeks after Easter. And it is held in Goondiwindi, so it is certainly a conference with a difference just from its location alone. As always, there will be top level speakers. For example:

Damien Fitzgerald

Damien was educated at Downlands College, JCU/UQ (Biomedical Science). He is now a grazier with partner Jenny in the Somerset region, Damien and Jenny run a small, but ever expanding Boutique Meats business from their cattle property, “Castell Park” named after Damien’s Grandfather.
Damien has extensive international military and civilian management experience across Asia, Africa and the Middle East, most recently saw tenure in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Pakistan for a year and a half as Country Manager of a global project company.
Damien’s 25 years of security and program management experience stems from a combination of military operations, disaster relief program consultancy and security/safety management in both private and government sectors.
His service with 6 Battalion RAR, and his long association with the military in a number of war zones has been the catalyst for his involvement with his local RSL and the “Mates for Mates” Program.
Mates4Mates provides physical and psychological rehabilitation for current and ex-serving Australian Defence Force (ADF) members who are wounded, injured or ill. We also support the families of these Brave Mates. Mates4Mates is independent, apolitical and non-religious.
Mates4Mates provides holistic rehabilitation programs designed to provide realistic challenges to all participants, with objectives to "stretch" them both physically and psychologically. Families also require practical and emotional support. We're always there when needed, ensuring that our service personnel and their families receive the highest possible level of care and assistance they deserve.