Please note that, as advised earlier by Graeme Isaacson, this week's meeting will NOT be held at the Yacht Club, but instead we'll have a social meeting with a difference: on a boat cruising the Broadwater. Howzat!
Print out the details outlined below:
Come along and let us know how you spent Christmas and New Year and maybe even your New Year resolutions for 2015
What a wonderful morning! Organized by Graeme Isaacson in his usual professional manner, our ladies, Youth Exchange Students and several guests joined us at the Marriott Hotel in Surfers Paradise. What a feast!
There were no formalities, just good ol' Rotary fellowship. Good to see that John Ellemor, who had been unable to attend in recent weeks due to a medical condition, obviously is on the way back to the top. His charming daughter Lynne gave him a lift into Surfers. John assured me that he is planning to be back at the Yacht Club in the new year.
Our Exchange Students Laura Burtscher (incoming, from Austria) and Felicity Cooper (shortly leaving for Finland) together with her mum Sarah (see below with Sergeant Andy Bell), were joined by Gaelle Ameye (n picture with Laura) who hails from Belgium and is currently on Exchange at Yamba. And, in addition to our partners, it was great to meet again with Debbie Cohen and Jan Lutz.
Thank you, Graeme, for organizing and seeing this event through with your usual impressive precision.
I thought I'd start a new segment. As members of Rotary, we are not just participants in weekly breakfasts. Whilst I consider the enjoyment of good fellowship to be one of my primary motivators, there are some big things behind it. In some, such as the Helensvale High School project, we can have 'Direct Action'. In some massive endeavors, such as Polio Plus, we we are just one driving wheel amongst thousands - we raise funds. These get pooled, and - in accordance with Rotary International President Gary CK Huang's motto, Light up Rotary: "If everyone lights a candle..."
Two years before I joined Rotary in 1987, PolioPlus was conceived as a major project of The Rotary Foundation. The (then) outrageously ambitious target was to raise US$120 Million. In 1988, in large parts thanks to the very noticeable initial success, 166 member states of the World Health Organization agreed to "play ball". Yes, Rotary has some rather influential friends, not just in Government and NGO's, but also private individuals, such as Microsoft Founder Bill Gates, who (via the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation) has contributed over $US 550 Million to the cause. What about our neck of the woods? Well, last month, our Prime Minister Tony Abbott was presented with the Polio Eradication Champion Award. Australia, as a nation, has contributed AUS $100 Million to the cause. Not too shabby. (OK, Tony didn't spend his own money. The commitment was on behalf of all the citizens of this nation, and I'd love to know why the ABC and for that any of the other media don't report it). We are certainly punching above our weight (pun not intended)...
Below is a picture of the presentation.
From right to left; Juliet Riseley of Black Rock, Victoria; Past RI Treasurer Brian Knowles (Rotary Club of Parkwood); Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott; Rotary International President-elect K.R. Ravindran and his partner Vanathy Ravindran and Rotary Club of Sandringham member, Ian Riseley of Black Rock, Victoria.
... I guess it helps if you are one of the "Big Movers & Shakers" at Village Roadshow, the company that owns Seaworld (amongst several other major Theme Parks on the Gold Coast). However, our Youth Services Director pulled out all stops when, on a recent excursion to the Jacaranda Festival in Grafton, Chris (picture on left) and Marie Thurtell accompanied several YE Students from the Gold Coast to Grafton and obviously there met several others. Chris organized for an unforgettable day at Seaworld. "A picture tells a thousand words" the saying goes. So, here are about 5,000 words!
On right: Our outgoing student to Finland, Felicity Cooper, snorkeling... Laura Burtscher making friends with a dolphin... A comment on Facebook by Estelle McCabe, and a pic of the entire group.
were joined by Gaelle Ameye (n picture with Laura) who hails from Belgium and is currently on Exchange at Yamba. 
And, in addition to our partners, it was great to meet again with Debbie Cohen and Jan Lutz.
... I guess it helps if you are one of the "Big Movers & Shakers" at Village Roadshow,
the company that owns Seaworld (amongst several other major Theme Parks on the Gold Coast). However, our Youth Services Director pulled out all stops when, on a recent excursion to the Jacaranda Festival in Grafton, Chris (picture on left) and Marie Thurtell accompanied several YE Students from the Gold Coast to Grafton and obviously there met several others. Chris organized for an unforgettable day at Seaworld. "A picture tells a thousand words" the saying goes. So, here are about 5,000 words!
