Last Monday, during our Zoom meeting, it was with great sadness, we toasted the passing of honorary member and Past President Ken Chung. During his 25 years in the club Ken made many personal friendships with members. Ken was probably best remembered for the four goodwill tours he took to SE Asia and China with other members of the Club. As well as President, Ken served in most positions on the Board as well as Bulletin Editor and Sergeant.
It was great to see 2020-2021 President Elect Ian chair a Strategic Planning session last Wednesday night by Zoom. Ian will be incorporating the many ideas raised during the meeting and will be sharing his 2020-2021 Plan with all members in the foreseeable future. During the meeting, President Elect Ian confirmed a Club donation of $5000 to the Rotary Foundation. It is not too late for your suggestion of a worthy project to be submitted to District next month, requesting a District Grant. You may recall, this year the Club received a District Grant for the establishment of the ‘Phoenix House, IT Laboratory’.
We have moved the annual 'Changeover Dinner' to Monday July 13th, please put this date in your diary now! With this Friday's lifting of some lockdown restrictions, we are hopeful the Changeover Dinner will be held at the Northbridge Golf Club, and our meetings maybe even be back to the Crows Nest hotel before then! Watch this space!
It was so good to see you all on 'Zoom' at our Meeting last Monday, see photo below. Everyone appears to be getting used to Zoom now and our Speakers have been so good to date!
Please join us next Monday on Zoom, when we will have yet another great presentation by our Speaker for the week; at 12.25pm next Monday, click on; https://zoom.us/j/8042315990 to join us!
Bunnings has advised that there will be no BBQ's until further notice due to the outcome of the Corona Virus.We will advise as soon as this policy has been changed.
Our Next Meeting, via Zoom, will be on Monday, the 18th May 2020 when our Speaker will be Speech Therapist, Dijana Dragicevich,
Dijana is a Speech Pathologist with over 20 years experience. She works with adults with communication and swallowing difficulties (dysphagia) in stroke patients to better help Speech Pathologists treat people who can’t eat and drink following a stroke, and she has special skills in using instrumental assessments to diagnose dysphagia. She is currently completing her PhD in dysphagia following stroke. Dijana also teaches, trains and mentors other Speech Pathologists and students.
She is currently having some trouble recruiting older people for a healthy participant study. Dijana needs healthy people to come in to RNSH for a study to establish norms so that they can be compared to people who have swallowing difficulties following stroke. Dijana would like volunteers to join in the study.
At our Meeting on the 11th of May, our Guest Speaker was Ornella Byak, on the subject of 'a Better Timor' - BETTER (Building East Timor Through Education/Resources)
Ornella explained, BETTER works to empower the people of Australia's closest neighbour, East Timor, and is a pioneering leader in charitable education within East Timor, working with communities to give a 'hand-up' rather than a 'hand out.'
Education is fundamental to a BETTER future. From counting, spelling, reading, writing, common sense, and much more, education is the foundation.
BETTER boldly strives to create community focused leaders who strive morally and intellectually, challenging the status quo and driving change in their families and communities.
BETTER creates an environment that promotes the development of a well-rounded person. BETTER have an immense passion and a ruthless dedication to fulfill our promise to the people to 'Never give up' and 'Never forget about them.'
BETTER (Building East Timor Through Education / Resources)
BETTER works to empower Australia's closest neighbour, East Timor and is a pioneering leader in charitable education within East Timor, working with communities to give a 'hand-up' rather than a 'hand out.'
Education is fundamental to a BETTER future. From counting, spelling, reading, writing, common sense, and much more, education is the foundation.
BETTER boldly strives to create community focused leaders who strive morally and intellectually, challenging the status quo and driving change in their families and communities.
BETTER creates an environment that promotes the development of a well-rounded person. BETTER have an immense passion and a ruthless dedication to fulfill our promise to the people to 'Never give up' and 'Never forget about them.'
Ornella's presentation was followed by many questions from our members and Member Sue thanked Ornella for her presentation.
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.
However one organisation was absent on our Giving Night and on 3 Feb 2020, the Club presented a cheque to Mr Sean Mura from the Kenyian organisation 'So They Can'.
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.
ROTARY: 2019-20
Dijana is a Speech Pathologist with over 20 years experience. She works with adults with communication and swallowing difficulties (dysphagia) in stroke patients to better help Speech Pathologists treat people who can’t eat and drink following a stroke, and she has special skills in using instrumental assessments to diagnose dysphagia. She is currently completing her PhD in dysphagia following stroke. Dijana also teaches, trains and mentors other Speech Pathologists and students.
Ornella explained, BETTER works to empower the people of Australia's closest neighbour, East Timor, and is a pioneering leader in charitable education within East Timor, working with communities to give a 'hand-up' rather than a 'hand out.'
Please see below website link for the ”The Rotary Clubs of Australia 2019 National Drought Appeal” GNBC "Let It Pour" Fundraiser website - now LIVE!