Gidday to members of Surfers Sunrise, associate members and friends of Rotary,
A formal meeting last week and the expected high standard prevailed. Angie Bell, the Federal Member for Moncrieff, was our guest speaker and gave an excellent presentation to an almost full house, who hung on every word. Our designated Chairman Mitch Brown was unable to attend, so yours truly took on the role, allowing Doug Lipp to introduce our guest. Doug is a remarkable bloke, very much a Queenslander, laconic, laid back and quietly spoken. He controlled the timing of the speaker and questions with aplomb and ensured that we were able to receive all Directors Reports in full.
I was pleased to hear that, apart from some minor damage, the inconvenience of electricity and NBN outages, everyone survived Cyclone Alfred.
We have a board meeting at the Surf Club this Tuesday morning, Cyclones, building works and sickness have delayed this meeting so there should be a bit to get through.
A reminder about our District Conference, which will be held on the last weekend of March at the Southport Sharks Event Centre. A number of members are attending both the conference and the dinner. We will also have our 'Rough Terrain' Wheelchairs on display, so we need members and or associates to help on the stand.
So, board meeting Tuesday, casual meeting Wednesday and drinks at Benowa Tavern Thursday evening. Brilliant.
Remember, nothing changes if nothing changes and as always, do as you fear most.
As is usual every second Wednesday, this week we have a social meeting at the Surfers Paradise Surf Life Saving Club. Starting at 07:00 am, come along for a cuppa, perhaps some breakfast, and help to solve all the world's problems (and some of our own). And often, there is as much serious club business discussed as on a "formal" meeting. You can also brag about your achievements (or your AFL Club's thumping one of its arch rivals by 83 points... ☺) and lament your failures, aches and pains (we mightn't listen though... ☺). As usual in a social meeting week, some of our members and friends converge on Thursday afternoon at the Benowa Tavern for a beer or a glass of wine, from 4:30 pm onwards.
Angie Bell MP, “our” member for Moncrieff, the federal electorate that spans from the Spit in the north, west to Nerang and south to Miami, has become a popular regular speaker at our club. “I am a product of Rotary” Angie stated, opening her talk. Why? In her teenage years, she was selected to participate in the Rotary Youth Exchange program, and sent from her home in Gawler (Adelaide) off to Denmark for 12 months. In her considered opinion, this had a profound impact on her future life and career. Elected to parliament in May 2019, today she is the Shadow Minister for Youth, Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education, among a number of other positions.
Naturally, as a member of the Liberal Party, Angie touched on her party's policies, details of which can be downloaded from the party’s website. However, in view of Rotary’s strict policy of remaining politically neutral (with which I’m in full agreement), no details should be mentioned in this report. On the local scene, Angie formed the ‘Moncrief Community Cabinet’ and the ‘Gold Coast Youth Cabinet’. Both are designed for a simple and straight purpose: to hear the views of representatives, “real” representatives, of her community. Coming up again on the last weekend this month, for several years now she has organised ‘Impact Gold Coast’, a Youth Summit, which will again together 200 young people, representing various demographics from across the Gold Coast.
For our club, Angie was instrumental in helping us to obtain several grants; a major one was to enable the purchase of a new electric forklift for our project shed. Thank you, Angie, for the work you do for our community and the nation at large.
(Photo: Angie Bell MP with Past President Doug Lipp)
This coming Saturday, 22nd March, we'll have a working bee at the project shed, removing wheels from donated bikes, so the frames can be re-purposed, or if unsuitable, be sold for scrap metal. (Yes, you have done it before! ☺) Be at the shed at 07:00 am, then have morning tea and a good chinwag with the volunteers. Please wear solid shoes, put on sunscreen and you might want to wear gloves.
Bookings will close soon, so why not book now while it is front of your mind? Without doubt, this is the premier event of our District for this Rotary year, with some top shelf keynote speakers:
Nat Cook OAM - 5 time Olympian
Peter Gash OAM - Environment Education
Melanie Lewis - End Plastic Soup (Rotary International Initiative)
Professor Michael Good providing an update on the Malaria Vaccine Project
David Barnes, providing an update on the Falls Prevention Project
Mike Greenslade, providing an update on the work of Shelterbox
Mac Millar, speaking about the Kick For Kids Foundation.
Kat Cacavas, speaking about the Make Ways Foundation
John Walters, discussing the School Mates Program
Click here to access the District Conference website where you can register.
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
We got over one metre of rain in 4 days last week, So I thought I should buy a boat... Got a text today from my wife, saying she was breaking up with me.
Imagine, how relieved I was when a couple of minutes later she texted again “sorry, wrong number”…
Anxiety is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but it doesn’t get you very far. Jodi Picoult – ‘Sing me Home’
The AFL Season has started!
When children are born in Victoria they are wrapped in club-colours, laid n beribboned cots, having already begun a lifetime’s barracking.Life Cycle by Bruce Dawe.
As is usual every second Wednesday, this week we have a social meeting at the Surfers Paradise Surf Life Saving Club. Starting at 07:00 am, come along for a cuppa, perhaps some breakfast, and help to solve all the world's problems (and some of our own). And often, there is as much serious club business discussed as on a "formal" meeting. You can also brag about your achievements 
Angie Bell MP, “our” member for Moncrieff, the federal electorate that spans from the Spit in the north, west to Nerang and south to Miami, has become a popular regular speaker at our club. “I am a product of Rotary” Angie stated, opening her talk. Why? In her teenage years, she was selected to participate in the 
Bookings will close soon, so why not book now while it is front of your mind? Without doubt, this is the premier event of our District for this Rotary year, with some top shelf keynote speakers: 
Got a text today from my wife, saying she was breaking up with me.
