Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory... Can you remember what you were doing on this day 30 years ago? (I know I can and it may have involved kindergarten!) [Yep, me too. But in my case, it was my kids who were at kindergarten... ☺ Ed.] On the 21st February 1987 the Rotary Club of Surfers Sunrise was chartered. The same year The Bangles were walking like an Egyptian and Bon Jovi was living on a prayer. As you can see they were a pretty handsome bunch of blokes (see 'Surfers Sunrise Charter' in the Photo Album section on the Website's home page on the right) and while the hair may have been traded out for wisdom over the years and a few things have changed, it's fair to say the true Rotary values and the Surfers Sunrise banter is still very alive and well!
Come and join us this Wednesday night for some fund and fellowship as we celebrate the achievements of Surfers Sunrise over the past 30 years!
(Oh, & our soon to be DG Darrell needs volunteers for PETS - 12th March! & Gold Coast Ramble 25th March, be there. & Dog Beach BBQ on 5th March... be there too!
... no, this is not some new TV Reality Show (which mostly are highly edited and highly tedious and nothing like reality). This is Real Life! Last week's Guest Speaker, Sarah Cooper (Photo on left, with our 'on loan' Exchange Student Kaho Koizumi from Japan), is the mum of Felicity, one of our most recent outbound Youth Exchange Students to Finland. Sarah is 'an old hand' at this game. In her presentation, an opening photo (in Black & White) showed her as a 14 year old, the age at which she herself went on an exchange to France. "I had an absolute ball!" she enthused... [name me one 14 year old kid who wouldn't... Ed.]
Since then, Sarah and her husband Mark have hosted lots and lots of International Exchange Students, some organized via schools and some via Rotary. And it wasn't always an easy ride: recalling a girl who came from Japan: "It almost turned out to be a disaster. She was shy, she couldn't speak English. We tried all sorts of things, including getting Japanese food..." On the other hand, Sarah gave us recollections of several others, from France, Osaka (Japan), Emma from Toronto (Canada). Emma had never been to the beach in her life before! Emmie, another Japanese girl. "Emmie was always very quiet, appeared worried... Then, upon her return home, we received a handwritten letter from her: 'I had the time of my life!' she wrote." Just goes to say...
Of course, we all recall our very own Laura Burtscher from Austria (see photo right, cooking Goulash at Sarah's), whom the Coopers hosted whilst their daughter Felicity was in Finland. "It's like having another family in another country. Everything in life is a circle - I have now 'daughters' all over the world".
Sarah has agreed to return again in the new year to talk about the psychological aspects of Youth Exchange, both from the student's as well as from the host parents' point of view. With herself and two of her daughters having done exchanges in foreign language countries and having hosted students from all corners of the world, who would be better qualified? Looking forward to it!
This week it's all about Personal Finance. Tony Winwood is will speak on the Australian Superannuation 'Landscape'.[One can just see the TV Ad showing a very, very fast growing plant. They don't realize that fast growing plants most commonly are weeds... Ed.]One would expect that this would include the Federal Government's potential attempts to grab a part of some of our hard earned nest eggs...
Brian Pearson has organized another Movie Night at the Arts Centre for this coming Monday 6th December, 6:30 pm: 'The Founder', the story of how the world wide business empire of McDonalds was established. See details in the Events list on the left of our website.
Proceeds from this fundraiser will go to ROMAC (Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children). Established for over 27 years, the ROMAC Mission Statement makes it quite clear what they do:
"to provide specialist treatment for children, from developing countries, in the form of life saving and/or dignity restoring surgery not accessible to them in their home country".
Their secure website at https://www.romac.org.au is very informative, where you also can donate directly. Controlled by Rotarians in honorary positions, the charity is hugely effective. No paid staff, no leased offices.
Our Social Services chief Graeme Isaacson has organized the the "Bazaar Interactive Marketplace" located at the QT Hotel (previously named the Gold Coast International) on Staghorn Avenue, Surfers Paradise.
Meeting time: 06:45 am for fellowship with juices, tea & coffee on the lawn for 07:15 am move to our tables for a unique breakfast service. Free parking on-site.
Cost is $30.00 per person.
PRE BOOKING ESSENTIAL – NO WALK-INS ON THE MORNING PLEASE.
Full payment to be received into our club's bank account no later than Wednesday the 7th of December or cash to our Treasurer at the meeting on that day. All welcome to invite guests at the special members price of $30.00.
Our club's bank details for direct deposit:
BSB: 484-799
A/c No: 047306431
Or book online with Credit Card, click on this link:
Chris Thurtell was at the door, Ian Mayberry was Chairman (for Tony Bird) and Andy Bell was Sergeant.
We had apologies from Tony Bird and Adrian Crowe.
President Simon started off with a "supposedly true" story [actually, quite good, so I'm re-producing it under the 'Inspirations' section below. Ed.] and welcomed all members and visitors Brian Pearson and Phil Rosenberg (RC of Gold Coast), Rosie McIntyre introduced our Exchange Student Kaho Koizumi ("on loan" from the e-Club NextGen, see picture further up) and a special welcome to our Guest Speaker, Sarah Cooper - see separate article in this bulletin. He thanked all the participants in the recent Polio Plus collection effort (see last week's bulletin), and reminded us of a number of upcoming events, including the upcoming Bunnings Sausage Sizzle on 18th December 2016, the Christmas Breakfast and foreshadowed the upcoming AGM on 18th January 2017.
There are still some seats available to RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Award - Saturday 21st to Friday 27th January 2017). This is a superb training camp to teach leadership. It is for 18-28 year olds. Anyone knows any potential candidates?
Gerald East reported on the Polio Plus collection the previous week, and lamented the fact that converting 8.5 Kg of coins to something that can actually be banked to Suncorp is a quite onerous task...
Secretary Mark Twyford urged all members: check that your Blue Card is up to date. Since our club is involved with Youth, this is compulsory for all members. The card is free, but one needs to apply for it (or have it renewed if it is out of date). If you are not sure, see Mark. And, whilst our major fundraising event, the Gold Coast Ramble, is still three months away, he is eagerly awaiting your response to what job you would like to have. THIS IS A MUST PARTICIPATE EVENT. NO EXCUSE!
Graeme Isaacson referred to the announcement of our Christmas Breakfast at the QT Hotel. Superb value! See details under the Events Section on the left. You MUST pre-pay!
Chris Thurtell, in his capacity as the District's Youth Exchange chief, also introduced Kaho Koizumi. Kaho is officially on a 6 months Exchange with the e-Club of Next Gen and 6 months with Goondiwindi. Arranged by DGE Darrell Brown, she will be hosted by Rosie McIntyre until 26th January, when she will transfer to Goondiwindi.
Vice President Ian Mayberry advised that the board had approved an Honorary Membership to be awarded to our Charter President Bill Moir (see picture on right). Congratulations, Bill! And the 'Coffee Club' has raised some $400 over the past year which will be spent to buy presents for the Anglican Church's St John Drop-in Centre. Members are encouraged to contribute presents as well: Do NOT wrap them please.
Youth Service Director Tania Laird advised that Jessica Webber (our inaugural 'Lutzy Award' winner) has accepted her nomination to participate in RYPEN (Rotary Youth Program for Enrichment). There will be one more from the SCLSC, and potentially two more may be nominated by Larry Murray.
We had two Grouses: Mark Twyford's daughter was married at the previous weekend... Franz Huber: Even though, after 45 years in Australia, he is still struggling to understand Cricket: after all is should be considered admirable that the Australian Batsmen would have to be the highest paid cricketers in the world. On a per minute at the crease basis anyway... Mario Fairlie went to dinner with Gerald East, where he bragged that the Fairlie's indeed have a Coat of Arms and a Tartan...(see picture right. They mustn't have had 5-star ratings yet in those days... Ed.)Simon Brook still is being reminded of his faux-pas forgetting to bring the Sergeant up to be included in his board... Gerald East, if your trousers were to drop much lower... (horror!!) Mario Fairlie again: Health Report: "still in agony..." Franz Huber received a text from President Simon: "... your butt is perfect, your smile lights up the room..." Don't worry! it was just Simon's President's Message! Tania Laird: there are news that the Barossa Valley and the Hunter Region are in serious decline: you have stopped drinking wine (at least for the moment)... Doug Lipp and Peter Morgan: you are supposed to pay attention to the happenings of the meeting, not listen to Horse Racing Broadcasts on your mobile! An Accountant and a Lawyer together? There would have to be something dodgy about it! Ian Mayberry, have you had a quote to get a haircut? Angus Miller is building a Gazebo at home. Quite expensive, so he can't afford socks anymore... Larry Murray managed to crush a rib or two. Not just the pain, but it costs $273.00! Chris Thurtell, why don't you explain to us your adventure with your Jetski? (On the way back from Tipplers, he realized that he forgot to put the plunger back in, so the ski slowly filled up.. and up...) Jo Gorman, looking very corporate today, whilst Mark Twyford is becoming a boffin!
“I was driving home the other night”, our President Simon explained last Wednesday. “Suddenly, a rabbit jumped out, and I was unable to avoid it. I pull over to see the done damage. It is dead… real dead.
But then a car had pulled up behind mine, and out gets a gorgeous, 5'10", slender blonde. "What is the matter?" she asks and he told her the story. She, without a single word, reached into her purse, pulls out a can, opens it, and sprays the bunny all over with it.
As I watched in awe, as the bunny jumps up on its feet, hops ten times, looks back, and waves, hops ten times, looks back, and waves, hops ten times, looks back, and waves... "That's incredible! What on earth is that miracle potion?"
The woman gives him the can, it reads "Salon Selectives Hair Spray: Brings life back to dead hairs, adds bounce, and permanent wave, Instantly".
“They all laughed when I said I'd become a comedian. Well, they're not laughing now.”
― Bob Monkhouse, Crying With Laughter: My Life Story
chartered. The same year 
... no, this is not some new TV Reality Show (which mostly are highly edited and highly tedious and nothing like reality). This is Real Life! Last week's Guest Speaker, Sarah Cooper (Photo on left, with our 'on loan' Exchange Student Kaho Koizumi from Japan), is the mum of Felicity, one of our most recent outbound Youth Exchange Students to Finland. Sarah is 'an old hand' at this game. In her presentation, an opening photo (in Black & White) showed her as a 14 year old, the age at which she herself went on an exchange to France. "I had an absolute ball!" she enthused... 
Our Social Services chief Graeme Isaacson has organized the the "Bazaar Interactive Marketplace" located at the QT Hotel (previously named the Gold Coast International) on Staghorn Avenue, Surfers Paradise. 
We had two Grouses: Mark Twyford's daughter was married at the previous weekend... Franz Huber: Even though, after 45 years in Australia, he is still struggling to understand Cricket: after all is should be considered admirable that the Australian Batsmen would have to be the highest paid cricketers in the world. On a per minute at the crease basis anyway... Mario Fairlie went to dinner with Gerald East, .JPG)
where he bragged that the Fairlie's indeed have a Coat of Arms and a Tartan...
“I was driving home the other night”, our President Simon explained last Wednesday. “Suddenly, a rabbit jumped out, and I was unable to avoid it. I pull over to see the done damage. It is dead… real dead.