President Mark is away on a well earned short holiday. So it was indeed a pleasure to be back as President for one day. What a lively and spirited Meeting we had today. We began by welcoming back PP Swapna Prasard and PP Alon Beran. Swapna was our Guest Speaker today, giving us an overview and very informative lesson about Facebook. If the laughter, chatter and good natured banter was any indication I am happy to say today’s Meeting and our Guest Speaker’s lesson was a great success. I encouraged all our Members to read our DG’s Newsletter as it contains references on how Rotary Clubs can actively help with Bushfire Relief. Please also read RI President Mark Maloney’s letter of support re the recent terrible bushfires in Australia. Today I mentioned that we are very interested in a D’Caf cafe coming to our Community.With this in mind I have enrolled in a free course called Understanding and Prevention of Dementia, offered by the University of Tasmania. I encourage you to please consider also enrolling in this course. This is a short course beginning in early February. The link is mooc.utas.edu.au . Please remember There is No Meeting next Monday the 27th January. The next Meeting will be on TUESDAY 4th of February, same time, same venue. Our Guest Speaker on that day Paul Narezzi, is Chief Operating Officer of Sydney’s Desalination Plant and he will give an overview of the Desalination Plant’s role in supplying Sydney’s Water Supply.
Looking forward to seeing you again on February 4th.
Past President Sue.
Please note, our meetings will have a rest for a week, as there will be no Meeting on the the Public Holiday Monday 27th, following Australia Day. And our next meeting will be moved from the Monday 3rd February to Tuesday 4th February 2020, 12.30pm Lunchtime. The same time but Tuesday rather than Monday! Please note these changes in your Diary now!
Our Next Meeting will be Tuesday 4th February 2020 (note our meeting has been moved from 3rd to 4th Feb, Tuesday Lunch time!)
Our Speaker will be Phil Narezzi, Chief Operating Officer, Sydney Desalination Plant.
The Sydney Desalination Plant is a large scale reverse osmosis desalination plant. The site covers 45 hectares and is located on the coast of Kurnell, 25 kilometres from Sydney's CBD. The Desalination Plant supplies drinking water, when needed, to about 1.5 million people in Sydney, as part of their water supply.
This talk will provide an overview of the Sydney Desalination Plant’s role as Sydney’s only non-rainfall dependent source of drinking water. Philip is a Civil Engineer with over 25 years of experience in the process and industrial industries working in the fields of operation, maintenance, engineering, technical support and project management. Multiple industry experience across infrastructure service lines including water, roads, rail, transport, Defence and electrical services.
As Chief Operating Officer, Philip manages the plant’s key role in assisting the NSW Government with water security for Sydney.
Please note, we now meet in the Crows Nest Hotel Board Room, 1st floor, at 12.30pm Mondays.
REMINDERS:
Please note, we have changed location, back to the Crows Nest Hotel, upstairs in the Boardroom.
District Conference 20-22 March 2020
Next Year RI Convention will be in Honolulu, and as always our Club will be well represented.
Last Mondays Meeting was hosted by Past President Sue, and our special guest was our Past President Swapna, who manages our Facebook page. Her visit was a special training session for all our Members! Lots of new things were learnt by our members and many made Facebook friends with the member sitting next to them! Past President Sue thanked Swapna for managing the Club's Facebook page for so many years and for taking a day off work to come and re-educate our members on the wisdom of posting on the Club's Facebook page. Much enjoyment was had by all members and we an honestly say we learnt something. Many thanks Swapna!!
The International Toast was proposed by Past President Sue to the Rotary Noon Gun Club, in Cape Town.
Monday the 9th of December was our Christmas Party Giving Night!
Club members and families attended this one important night of the year, when funds raised throughout the year 2018-19 of $50,000 is handed back to worthwhile organisations.
Past President Sue Raveane, handed over Cheques totalling $50,000 to seven non-profit organisations, four who look after our local Community, and three who benefit communities in other countries.
Taudumande
Pheonix House
Canteen
Orange Sky
Shelterbox
School for Life
Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children
Past President Sue said "this is what Rotary is all about! Rotarians in our Community giving back to their Community."
A very pleasant evening was had by all who attended.
There is now a single Rotary National Bushfires Appeal entry on the RAWCS Home Page, allowing you to share this in all your newsletters, or Facebook or Instagram platforms as a potential opportunity for the many members of the public who are keen to make a contribution to the devastation.
For the direct link to the Rotary National Bushfires Appeal page use: Bushfire Donations
Funds from this account are channelled directly to the Districts affected to enable their support and rebuilding in the future.
I know some of you have already received enquiries internationally for donations, which is just amazing. These must take a slightly different path, and here are the instructions:
International bushfire donors to RAWCS can only donate by bank transfer to RARF.
SWIFT Code CTBAAU2S [all alpha except second last digit which is a two [2]
Any efforts from Rotary will be once the first responders – RFS/SES/Red Cross/Salvos/etc – have completed their good work, and we can start to help residents and communities to rebuild themselves and their communities. Some affected Districts have formed local work groups or been talking to Blazeaid – all good solutions when the time is appropriate.
President Mark is away on a well earned short holiday. So it was indeed a pleasure to be back as President for one day. What a lively and spirited Meeting we had today. We began by welcoming back PP Swapna Prasard and PP Alon Beran. Swapna was our Guest Speaker today, giving us an overview and very informative lesson about Facebook. If the laughter, chatter and good natured banter was any indication I am happy to say today’s Meeting and our Guest Speaker’s lesson was a great success. I encouraged all our Members to read our 
ROTARY: 2019-20
Please see below website link for the ”The Rotary Clubs of Australia 2019 National Drought Appeal” GNBC "Let It Pour" Fundraiser website - now LIVE!