|
|
|
Guest Speaker:
|
Dr
Glenn Nicholls, Deakin
University
|
|
Topic:
|
Asylum
Seekers in Australia
|
|
Chairman:
|
Lesley
Bell
|
|
Desk Duties:
|
Ian Port, Tony Stokes, Lin
Martin
|
|
Roving Reporter:
|
Don
Sweeney
|
The Week in Review
It’s
always a pleasure hearing from our own Club members and Alison didn’t let us
down with her member behind the badge segment. In spite of feeling shaded by
Alison, Brian’s update on Operation Cleft was timely and extremely important
for all members to understand where this very significant project is
currently at.
It
is probably all the more important now that Colin has decided to apply to
switch his membership to the Rotary eClub. This Club, which is designed for
members such as Colin, who are constantly travelling, is a valuable means of
keeping members involved where it would otherwise be impracticable. Whilst we
will miss Colin, we wish him well in his application and note his desire to
continue to meet regularly with us when he is in Melbourne.
The
Club Procedure Review Committee has finalised its initial recommendations for
consideration by the Board and plans to revisit the issue later this year for
further ongoing review. It is worth reading Vici’s observations on having
visited a Club with different operations in her letter published later in
this Bulletin.
Ian
will be deputising for me this week in my absence, having returned from his
well deserved break. This is assuming he and Judy have recuperated from their
coughs and colds that seem to be the punishment for taking time out from Melbourne’s winter.
Welcome back to both Ian and Sam, who also returns this week from a month
away.
Yours in Rotary,
Greg
Report from Last week’s meeting (July 30) by Roving Reporter
Geoff Limmer:
This
week’s meeting saw Bernie Millane stand in as Sergeant for Ralston Wood.
On
the Social Scene Lesley Bell reported that she had bookings for 2 carriages
on Puffing Billy for Sunday 30 November.
Lesley also indicated that she was intending to book a Marque at the
Kilmore Trots on Sunday 26 October.
Those interested should advise Lesley ASAP.
Alison
Gregory provided us with a very interesting presentation in the Member behind
the Badge Segment. Alison grew up in the East Doncaster
area. She was one of 5 children (second youngest).
She
enjoys Judo, Gymnastics, Aerobics and Golf, so given her Judo skills it may
not be too smart to mess around with her!
Her
Tertiary Studies included Certificate of Catering at Box Hill TAFE, then
Consumer Science at RMIT. She wanted to be a food stylist!
In
her married life she has 2 teenage children, who were raised around the
world, having lived in London, Aberdeen, Vietnam
and Houston Texas.
When
she returned to Australia
she turned her hand to Real Estate, where she now has an exciting Career with
Woodards in Blackburn.
Following
on from Alison we heard from PP Brian Martin who gave us an amazing
description of the work involved in establishing the Operation Cleft
Foundation Australia
as a Project of the Rotary Club of Box Hill Central. Brian told us that there are over 170,000
untreated cleft lips and palates in Bangladesh
and between 3000 and 4000 children are born with a cleft lip or palate every
year in Bangladesh.
The problem for these children and adults is not that they were born with a
cleft but that they were born poor.
The
solution offered by Operation Cleft Foundation Australia is as follows:
Operation Cleft funds low-cost surgery to repair
cleft lips and cleft palates and follow up speech therapy for disadvantaged
children in Bangladesh. The project is a low cost, high value,
club-based Rotary project that complements existing projects and programs.
3,304 cleft operations have been completed since the project’s inception in
August 2005.
Training and
Sustainability:
The
program links in, wherever possible, to existing systems and infrastructure
so that costs are minimised and self sufficiency is encouraged. Operation Cleft works with local hospitals,
skilled surgeons and allied health professionals in Bangladesh.
The
program funds local skilled surgeons to conduct monthly operations and a
number of larger camps in regional locations where a team of surgeons comes
together and operates intensively repairing between 50 and 100 clefts over a
one week period. The surgeons are
contracted by Operation Cleft at a reduced rate and every 20th operation by
each surgeon is undertaken at no charge.
Operation
Cleft is developing speech therapy in Bangladesh by training post
graduate students at a number of “speech camps” that will held as a follow up
the cleft operations.
Seeking
of in-country financial support from the business community and local Rotary
Clubs
Operation Cleft
Structure
Operation
Cleft is administered by the Operation Cleft Australia Foundation Trust, a
fund managed by the Rotary Club of Box Hill Central. The Fund is an approved
Tax Exempt Charity in Australia
and has Deductible Gift Recipient registration with the Australian Tax
office.
Administration
and fundraising costs are budgeted for 8% of total revenue in 2008-09 as a
result of the generous support of a private foundation and the support of a
team of volunteers from Rotary and the community. Accounts are independently audited and
published annually.
The
project is managed by business-minded Rotarians on an honorary basis.
Project Marketing:
The
Project is marketed by Guest Speaking at Rotary Clubs throughout Australia
(donations have been received from over 300 Clubs from 20 Rotary Districts
since the project’s inception).
Development
of District representatives throughout Australia
Speaking
spots at District Conferences
Distribution
of the “Operation Cleft in Action” DVD and explanatory booklet to Clubs
Watch
the Operation Cleft in Action DVD on YouTube at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=sbbIfqNxbhg
Email:
info@operationcleft.org.au. The Rotary Club of Box Hill Central can be
justly proud of its International efforts with this project thanks to the
foresight, inspiration and hard work of Brian, Colin and a handful of other
club members who participate and support the project in a variety of ways.
Alison’s “Member Behind the Badge” story spellbound us
all
Brian wears the Cleft Pallet badge proudly not only on
his lapel but also deep within, thanks Brian for your leadership and
commitment to this unique life changing Rotary programme
Well done to Bernie Millane for
his willingness to be the first to have a go at being Sergeant for the
Day, part of Ralston’s
innovative “Sergeant Apprenticeship Training Program” for the Club. The idea
being that on the last meeting of each month a different member has a go at
being Sergeant for the day.
Attendance Report for
Last Week’s Meeting (30th July) by Geoff Limmer:
Listed below are Apologies for and Make-ups advised for July
30th meeting. Remember that to be counted towards attendance, Make-ups
may be made 14 days prior to, or following, a missed meeting date.
Notice of Apology prior to a meeting should be
made to Geoff Limmer, email rotary@airportbus.com.au or Tel:
0419 329 218.
Likewise if you are bringing a guest, similar notice would be
appreciated beforehand if at all possible.
|
Apologies: (8)
|
Maurice Benington, Rob Collier,
Peter Enlund, Paul Evans, Andrew
Forgas, Brian McPhail, Ian Port, Garry Randall,
|
|
Leave of Absence:
(7)
|
Murray Baird, Trevor Dalziel, Vici
Funnell, Jim Killeen, Michael Kirk, Colin
Macfarlane, John Maddock
|
|
Absence: (3)
|
Sam Pho, Owen
Jenkin, Tony De Fazio
|
|
Present:
|
18/36
|
|
Visiting
Rotarians:
|
Nil
|
|
Visitors:
|
Penny Cooper,
Julian Bademachl
|
|
Make-ups
|
Rotary Club of Wadhurst, East
Sussex, England
– 23/7,
30/7 Vici Funnell
Club
Procedures Working Party – 28/7 Greg Cooper, Ken Rice, Geoff Limmer
D9810
Foundation Dinner - 28/7 Lesley Bell
Operation
Cleft – 28/7
Ken Clark, Tony Stokes
Operation
Cleft – 25/7
Lesley Bell
Whitehorse Rotaract – 23/7 – Malcolm Chiverton
|
|
Date
|
Speaker
|
Subject
|
Chairperson
|
|
13 August
|
Mr
Bill Henley, Scouts,
Whitehorse
District Commissioner
|
Scouting
in the City of Whitehorse,
|
Geoff
Limmer
|
|
20 August
|
Mr
Gus Koedyk, NADRASCA
|
Activities
of NADRASCA
|
Tony
Stokes (not yet confirmed)
|
|
27 August
|
|
|
|
|
August Theme
|
Membership and
Extension
|
|
|
|
Sunday 10/8
|
Farmers Market
|
7.30am
|
Behind Whitehorse
Council Buildings
|
|
Saturday 10/8
|
Masters
PRLS1 (Impromptu Speaking)
|
8.15am
|
Mulgrave
Country Club (See detailed note below)
|
|
Monday 11/8
|
Board Meeting
|
6:30pm
|
253c
Burwood Hwy
Burwood
|
|
Saturday 16/8
|
Eastern Emergency
Relief Roster
|
9.00am
|
1/10 Thornton
Crescent Mitcham
|
|
Wednesday 27/8
|
Visit
by DG John Barnes
|
7.15
for 7.30am
|
Box
Hill Golf Club
|
|
September Theme
|
New
Generations
|
|
|
|
Wednesday 3/9
|
Club
Assembly
|
7:15
for 7:30am
|
Box
Hill Golf Club
|
|
Monday 8/9
|
Board
Meeting
|
6:30pm
|
253c
Burwood Hwy
Burwood
|
|
Sunday 14/9
|
Farmers Market
|
7.30am
|
Behind
Whitehorse Council Buildings
|
|
Friday 19/9
|
District
Conference Launch
|
|
|
|
Saturday 20/9
|
Eastern
Emergency Relief Roster
|
9.00am
|
1/10 Thornton
Crescent Mitcham
|
|
Birthdays:
|
|
|
19 August
|
Anita Sweeney
|
|
29 August
|
Stephen Funnell
|
|
Anniversaries:
|
|
|
19 August
|
Lindsay and Barbara Mackay
|
|
21 August
|
Michelle and David Hart
|
|
27 August
|
Lesley and John Bell
|
|
Rotary
Inductions:
|
|
|
17 August 2005
|
Jim Killeen
|
|
30 August 2006
|
Tony De Fazio
|
|
|
|
Letters to the Editor:
(to
Editor from Vici Funnell via Ken and Libby Rice)
I did my second
makeup at Wadhurst. It is an interesting club because they
cannot get lady
members. The reason is that all the wives and their friends
set up a local
group called WOW-Women of Wadhurst that they run that just as
they like. They
(WOW) then participate in Rotary as wives or in partnership
on projects like
the annual scarecrow weekend- which I can share more about
when I return.
The first meeting
was a formal meeting with a terrific speaker. They have the
minimum of
formality with Rotary Grace, a toast and a quick update from the
President each
week, no bell, no national Anthem, no fines. It works well
for an evening
club. Anyway this week was a convivial
ladies night. It was
held at a most
delightful country Pub and the only Formal Rotary business
was one quick
speech from the President, a toast and the presentation of a
banner to yours
truly. The rest of the evening was
spent getting to know
several members of
WOW and the Rotary Club better, issuing invites to people
to come and visit
us at Box Hill Central and comparing notes about projects
including Operation
Cleft.
They were keen to
get current information on costs and sponsorship on
Operation Cleft and
I have an Email contact to send information to.
Please pass on my
best wishes to all at RCBHC.
Warmest Regards
Vici
From
Club Friend Frank Moore to Ken Rice,
Re
a new Play not to be missed, Aug 13th
to 24th
Ken, I
am sending you a media release about a play I am directing at La Mama from
August 13 to 24. It is an authentic Chinese play which I have worked
with the author to put into shape. Rotarians may be interested.
Best wishes, Frank Moore
Five
young men occupy dormitory 305 in a university in north eastern China in the
early 1960s during the Great Famine that followed The Great Leap Forward. The
students find themselves in deep trouble with the university’s Communist
Youth League secretary, Fat Doll, supported by the snide and biting Hot
Pepper.
Scene
two is an example of the ancient art of crosstalk or xiangsheng, the
theatrical dialogue in which Chinese traditionally criticized the leaders by
innuendo and allusion. It has undergone a revival in recent years. This rollicking, political farce resounds
with authenticity, revealing a brilliant cross section of attitudes towards
the party line and inviting comparisons with today’s China. The
frequent use of brash language typifies the raw humour of rural village life.
Surprises are in store as the writer’s penetrating satire is put aside,
creating an outcome which is both startling and extremely moving.
This
play is based on the experiences of the writer who came to Melbourne with his wife in 2001 to retire
near his daughter and family. Yu is a former dean of English in a university
north east of Beijing.
His book, Zhang Da Li and the Village
of Big Eaters published
by Tomorrows Graphics, will be launched at La Mama at 5pm on Saturday, August
16. Mu Rong Hua is the Chinese name of Frank Moore who grew up in China prior
to the 1949 Revolution as the son of missionaries. He and his family were
expelled by Mao Zedong in 1950. He has been working with Yu Jihui on a book
of the same name from which this play has been developed. Frank has been a
regular audience member at La Mama for many years and has performed with
Lloyd Jones’s ensemble at La Mama. Performers include Joshua Erwin, Chilwin
Club
members and friends should book directly with LA MAMA , Bookings on 9347 6142
Aid
debate emerges over Bras sent to Pacific – A Rotary project.
From
Geoff Limmer
AM - Saturday, 2 August ,
2008
Reporter: Nance Haxton
ELIZABETH JACKSON: A charity
program sending bras to women in developing nations has provoked debate
about what's appropriate assistance. The Uplift Fiji project has sent out
more than 40,000 second-hand bras from Australia
to countries such as Fiji,
Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea. But a women's development organisation in
East Timor says Operation Uplift is a
classic example of a donor driven project that shows little understanding
of the needs of developing communities. Nance Haxton reports from Adelaide.
NANCE HAXTON: Uplift Fiji
organisers say the program gives women in developing countries dignity, and
prevents fungal infections and abscesses on the chest wall that can result
from living in tropical climates without wearing a bra. Rotary International ships the
second-hand bras overseas to a number of countries, with a thousand bras
going to Papua New
Guinea this week. However not all organisations are
supportive of the project. The Alola Foundation in East
Timor was established by Kirsty Sword Gusmão to increase the
status of women in that country through community development grants,
humanitarian relief and advocacy. The community programs adviser for the
foundation based in Dili is Meredith Budge. She says projects such as
Uplift Fiji can do more harm than good.
MEREDITH BUDGE: These kinds of projects really are, only, I think designed
to focus on the donor, the person who feels good because they can give
something that they would otherwise throw in the rubbish. But what happens
is that you then create this dependency relationship.
NANCE HAXTON: She says her main concern is that programs such as Uplift
Fiji are essentially misdirected, and can undermine local economies.
MEREDITH BUDGE: Dumping a whole lot of second-hand and possibly new bras in
a charity faction actually would undermine the ability of anybody to
actually start up a decent and cheap supply business in that country.
NANCE HAXTON: She says the Alola Foundation is now discouraging donations
of second hand goods, because often they are in poor working order, can be
bought more cheaply locally, and then only add to rubbish collection
problems.
MEREDITH BUDGE: We can buy things far more cheaply here because we're part
of the Asian environment, and can get cheap things from Indonesia, than can possibly be bought in Australia
and then shipped over here.
NANCE HAXTON: Uplift Fiji
national coordinator Liz Baker says they sort the bras in Australia and only send them in
biodegradable packaging. She says the project was created to address a
critical need.
LIZ BAKER: The women we are shipping to have asked for bras. The project
started because women were asking a particular aid worker for bras and she
was giving hers away on a regular basis in isolated communities. In Fiji
in particular, while there's second-hand clothing available, there's not
second-hand bras in sizes to suit the Fijian women who are substantial
women; and they tend to be D to E cups. So while other things they can get
their hands on; they really can't obtain bras unless they've got the price
of a week's wages, which is what a new bra costs at the moment.
NANCE HAXTON: Liz Baker says ultimately there is room for many different
approaches to community development and international aid.
|
Desk Duties/Greeting
Roster 2008:
|
August
|
Ian Port, Tony Stokes, Lin Martin
|
|
September
|
Ralston
Wood, Andrew Forgas, Kerry
Barrett
|
|
October
|
Maurice
Benington, Trevor Dalziel, Jim
Killeen
|
|
November
|
Michelle
Hart, Vici Funnell,
Lesley Bell
|
|
December
|
Geoff Limmer, Alison Gregory, Andrew Forgas
|
|
13 August
|
Brian Martin
|
|
20 August
|
Ian Port
|
|
27 August
|
Ken Clark
|
|
3 September
|
Ken Clark
|
|
10 September
|
Bruce McEwen
|
|
17 September
|
Don Sweeney
|
|
24 September
|
Tony Stokes
|
|
30 September
|
Bernie Millane
|
Whitehorse Farmers Market Roster:
|
10 August
|
Shift 1 (7.30-10.00am)
Shift 2 (10.00am-2.00pm)
|
Peter Enlund, Craig Hoath
Bernie
Millane, Kerry Barrett
|
|
14 September
|
Shift 1 (7.30-10.00am)
Shift 2 (10.00am-2.00pm)
|
Alison Gregory, Owen Jenkin
Malcolm Chiverton, Murray Baird
|
|
12 October
|
Shift 1 (7.30-10.00am)
Shift 2 (10.00am-2.00pm)
Eggs & Bacon (7.30-10.00am)
Eggs & Bacon (10.00am-2.00pm)
|
Peter Enlund, Jim Killeen
Andrew
Forgas, Tony De Fazio
Lin Martin, Tony Stokes, Sam Pho
Lesley Bell, Maurice Benington, Bernie Millane
|
|
9 November
|
Shift 1 (7.30-10.00am)
Shift 2 (10.00am-2.00pm)
|
Ken Clark,
Brian Martin
Don Sweeney, Michael Kirk
|
|
14 December
|
Shift 1 (7.30-10.00am)
Shift 2 (10.00am-2.00pm)
|
Ralston Wood, Murray Baird
Michelle Hart, Alison Gregory
|
Eastern Emergency Relief
Roster:
|
16 August
|
Tony Stokes, Michelle Hart,
Bernie Millane, Bruce McEwen,
Rotaractor
|
|
20 September
|
Michael Kirk, Ian Port,
Garry Randall, Lindsay Mackay,
Rotaractor
|
|
18 October
|
Brian Martin, Don Sweeney, Rob
Collier, Lesley Bell, Rotaractor
|
From the Editor:
Maybe the animal world can help us learn some things!
Rotary Grace:
Rotary Grace:
For good food
Good
fellowship
And
the opportunity to serve through Rotary
We
give thanks.
District
9810 website
- for all the news in our Rotary district
Rotary eClub one - Rotary eClub One
Calendar of Events - check it out
regularly as it is UPDATED on a regular basis
Board of Directors - President Greg Cooper, Club Directors 2008/09 and their
Committees
Club Service List - All the other
Club duties
For contributions
and improvement ideas please email the editor, bmcewen@optusnet.com.au
|
