Hot on the heels of the just completed 2017, this Wednesday Jo Gorman will give us an update on the planning for next year's District Conference, which will be hosted by - Surfers Sunrise! This will be "our" Darrell Brown's big event, and Jo is the chief coordinator. If you are lucky, Jo might even play a copy of the special promo video they've made, which was shown at the Ballina Conference just gone. A screamer!
Cal Toft was introduced by Adrian Crowewho met Cal and his wife Beth at Bundaberg for the annual inner Wheel Conference (Beth is the President of Bundaberg Inner Wheel).
He spoke on two projects - the first being water wells in Cambodia. It all started when he was on holiday there and the cab driver (Chan) showed them a waterhole he had built for 4100 for a village. Cal came back with the idea and together with a group of Clubs, has built some 32 wells over the last 4 years. These wells were built for villages, schools and even a maternity hospital which prior to that, had no clean water. They are relatively easy to construct as the water table is quite high. For $100, a village or facility can have lovey fresh water. The project has become a RAWCS (Rotary Australia World Community Service) Project. In one example, once fresh water was available, the village built a school and Rotarians helped sponsor teachers for the School - $100 per month for a teacher! $2400 for 2 teachers for 12 months - changes lives forever.
The second project: Prosthetic Hands for the thousands of victims of land mine explosions of the post Pol Pot era. Often children who are sent out to collect firewood and have their arms and hands blown off by unexploded devices. In the first year they fitted 203 and in 2014 they fitted 214. Cal told of a number of instances where victims had been spotted by the Rotarian volunteers - in cafes and on streets and they had been approached an fitted on the spot. This completely transforms lives. Build a hand. Change a life.
The prostethic hands are imported from the US in packs of 10 and are assembled by Rotarians. Cost of a pack is $5,000. Cal and the team have also taught the local University Rehab Centre to fit hands for people. He and Beth were joined by 13 Rotarians on their last trip.
Don't we all remember our "Pocket Rocket" from Italy, Martina Missarelli? Here is a message from her your Editor recently received:
Hi Franz,
Sorry if I answered after so long but my life is really full of commitments. First of all I want to tell you that I miss Australia more than anything else, I miss the rotary club .. I miss Chris and my beautiful mom Tania. There is no day I do not think about my experience and there is no day I do not want to be there. Today, I was just talking to my parents that about a year ago they were close to come to Australia, and they also miss your (also mine) beautiful country. I have to be honest that my English has already changed but I can not wait to go back to really talk like a real Australian. Anyway... Since I returned from Australia I spent most of my time studying. Finally on June 8 the school ends. From June 21 graduation exams start and end in mid-July. I can not wait to enjoy the summer. At school everything is fine, I'm getting very high marks that compensate all the times and days of study. In February I spent 5 days in Krakow with my school. It was my last school trip and to be honest I had a lot of fun. And it was so nice to visit another major city for the past and history. See the Auschwitz concentration camps was very sad and I would recommend to each of you to visit them if you have the opportunity. I love spending my free time with my friends and family. Also every day I do physical activity, I go running. In fact, since I came back, in addition to getting dressed and being like a classic Italian, I also got my Italian weight back. I have lost 13 kg since I came back. I can finally say I love my body and finally I can still wear all the cool clothes I could not put anymore. And.. I finally got my car licence!!! So happy about that! I'm driving a Mini Cooper! Anyway I would like to return to Australia as soon as possible even just for a vacation. I can't wait to have some savings to come and see you all. Say hello to everyone please.. I'm so sorry but I do not have a nice picture, but I send you some photos of my transformation and the most beautiful moments with my friends. Talk you soon Lots of love Marti.
Looking at the photo above, her boyfriends were obviously happy to wait 12 months for her to return... ☺
(With sincere thanks to Jo Gorman for taking notes in your Editor's absence)
Angus Miller was at the door, Ian Mayberry was Chairman and Andy Bell was Sergeant.
We had apologies from Tania Laird, Paul Seymour and Grahame Isaacson (and, belatedly, from your Editor).
President Simon Brook welcomed all members and guests Col Laurenson from Donations in Kind - Northern Region, Clive Edwards, RC of Young, as well as our Guest Speakers, Beth and Cal Toft, from the RC East Bundaberg. Simon invited everyone - anyone... to tell a bad joke but no-one offered one up...! Simon advised that George Keily from Apple Marketing is going to do a drive for the Wheelchair Project and also the School for Samoa. And a reminder that Board Meeting Minutes are available to all on Clubrunner- if anyone needs assistance with Club runner- sing out.
There will be a mandatory working bee at the Shed on Saturday 3rd June - all hands on deck!
21st July 2017 – the Australian Rotary Health group will be in town as part of their Muster. We, along with other local RC’s will host them at Broadwater parklands for breakfast- in place of usual meeting – raising funds for a PHD scholarship for Metal Illness. We need to erect tents and put out chairs.
Wheelchair Chairman Daryl Sanderson thanked Jo for the cakes. A potential donor from the Sunshine Coast has verbally offered a $7,000 cash donation.
DGE Darrell Brown reported from the formal part of the District Conference: the RC of Glenn Innes have decided to stay in the district. Darrell provided an update on 2017 conference. Very well run event. – High attendance with unprecedented numbers for the Sunday event. DB can be found on Facebook singing (??) tunes with Rachel beck at the Sunday evening dinner.
Samoa School Project: Disappointment at the School's view on raising funds for the school kids to join us in Samoa. Raffle offer has been knocked back by the school and they have decided children will pay for themselves. Rosie McIntyre has arranged a meeting with Bartercard to ask for assistance but they are reluctant at this stage.
Secretary Mark Twyford reiterated that club documents are filed in Club Runner and offered support to anyone who feels challenged over this (or contact your Editor.)
Famous international photographer Paul Freimanis (www.paulfreimanis.com) has created a new video about our wheelchair project. Filmed over the past 5 weeks, naturally with the inventor of the concept Des La Rance in the lead role, Paul has provided this at no charge to us - Thank you! You can play it from our website www.rotarysurferssunrise.org, click on the Wheelchair Trust Tab at the top. And don't forget to click on 'Like'!
Paul Freimanis, on his website, has some absolutely stunning images from his portfolio. Go and check it out, it's really worth your time!
Simon Brook - you know what [don't we all...! Ed.] Mario Fairlie: health report: (the knee is good presently and now in two minds whether to have the op)... "Doris"[that is Jo Gorman's alter ego] declared that “I’m Rotaried out” this week and for dancing after copious amounts of red wine (moi?)... Doug Lipp is driving in form Brisbane every day while his house is being renovated… Ian Mayberry for his Postman pat duties (and appearance?)… Angus Miller: on the door today and being a Scotsman, profits were up… Neil Thurlow, you are a legend: riding 106 Km on a push bike. I can’t drive that far without stopping for a break! Mark Twyford, you are a technical ingnoramus! You declared your phone had broken when in fact, all I needed to show you that it was…just a flat battery! Clive Edwards, now you will have to bin your RC Young badge – apparently he doesn’t belong to them any more - he’s ours! Al Sirov, you are the Fountain of Youth – must be the company you keep! And, everyone who didn’t attend the conference: pay up!
"Half of Hollywood has more prosthetic in their body than I do, but we don't think of them as disabled. You amputate part of a nose, that's 'enhancement'. You put a prosthetic in a breast cavity, that's 'augmentation'. But you amputate part of a limb and put a prosthetic there, it's 'disability'?" Aimee Mullins, disabled sports athlete.
Cal Toft was introduced by Adrian Crowe who met Cal and his wife Beth at Bundaberg for the annual inner Wheel Conference (Beth is the President of Bundaberg Inner Wheel)..jpg)
project. Filmed over the past 5 weeks, naturally with the inventor of the concept Des La Rance in the lead role, Paul has provided this at no charge to us - Thank you! You can play it from our website .JPG)
Simon Brook - you know what 
"Half of Hollywood has more prosthetic in their body than I do, but we don't think of them as disabled. You amputate part of a nose, that's 'enhancement'. You put a prosthetic in a breast cavity, that's 'augmentation'. But you amputate part of a limb and put a prosthetic there, it's 'disability'?".JPG)