Ange’s Chat
Many thanks to outgoing President Charmaine for being at the helm from July to September. We continue the course set by Charmaine of ‘steady as we go’ as we continue on our rotating watches through 2019-2020.
I am delighted to be President of our wonderful Club for this short time to the end of December. Every one of our members plays a vital part in the team and all live Rotary’s ideals of friendship, fun and service. We have a busy time ahead.
This Thursday we support Australian Rotary Health (ARH) on World Mental Health Day by hosting a Hat Day as part of its national ‘Lift the Lid on Mental Illness’ fundraising campaign. The ARH is one of the largest independent funders of mental health research in Australia; 100% of funds raised will directly contribute to research in this vital field. So please wear a hat this Thursday night, any hat will do and you could win a prize! Our Katungul speakers will be interesting.
Also could everyone please consider contributing a prize for the raffle at our Film night on 24 October and bringing them along this Thursday.
THIS WEEK: HAT DAY
This Thursday is Hat Day for World Mental Health Day. Wear a hat, stylish or outrageous, and you could win a prize! We will have three presenters from Katungul Aboriginal Corporation Regional Health and Community Services to talk about their mental health programs and services. They are Clinical Nurse and Consultant Manager Ann Kelly, Alcohol/Drug Caseworker Damian Rotumah and NDIS Coordinator Kate Rotumah. Ann will also judge the best hat of the night.
Please note: Charmaine is continuing as the person to contact if you are bringing guests so please contact her by Tuesday afternoon with any additional guests.
There is a Board meeting at 5pm on Thursday before the dinner meeting.
THE WEEK THAT WAS
Last Thursday was our mini-changeover with outgoing President Charmaine passing the chain of office to Ange. It was a relatively quiet but enjoyable night. Charmaine also presented a belated secretary badge to Sandra and director’s badges to John Rungen, John Doyle and Lynn Hastings.
International toast
PE Rolf gave the international toast to the Rotary Clubs of Brazil. The Brazilian clubs mobilised to help stave off a potential polio outbreak after dangerously low vaccination rates were reported by heath officials last year. They inoculated more than 11 million Brazilian children with polio and measles vaccines during a massive two-month vaccination campaign. Measles had broken out in the northern states where thousands of Venezuelan refugees have crossed the border to escape economic and political hardships.
One Happy Moment last week
Proud father Mike Young told us that her daughter Catherine Young Carlson, Senior Vice President of Revenue and Strategy with the Philadelphia Eagles National Football League, was mentioned in a recent Wall Street Journal article. She is one of five female senior executives on the Eagles Board which is very unusual in NFL. Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said he doesn’t focus on gender diversity but rather diversity of thought to create the best football team possible, and that meant looking for the best candidates especially those who might not be typically interviewed in football circles. Catherine is also on the board of USA Cricket.
OUT AND ABOUT
Moruya Rotary celebrates Allan Jennaway
More than 40 Moruya Rotarians celebrated Allan Jennaway’s transition from a serving member of the Club to an honorary Rotarian with a special barbecue at Moruya’s Quarry Park last Saturday. The Park was begun by the Club during Allan’s year as President 1990/1991. Allan was thanked for his “incredible and sustained contribution to the Club over so many years” which included being President, Vice President, Secretary, Directorships and membership of District Committees.
World Polio Day is Thursday 24 October
Narooma is one of many Rotary clubs around the world hosting events to celebrate World Polio Day. We will host the Narooma premiere of ‘Ride Like a Girl’.
We decided that for the film night we should encourage everyone to dress up as if they were going to the races. Prize for the best dressed on the night. Chris O’Brien is organising drinks and nibbles while David and Rachel McInnes are organising the raffle. Please bring raffle prizes this week.
Narooma High robotics team seeks sponsors
We have received an update of the remarkable endeavours of Narooma High’s robotics team the Robotic Rebels. They are currently working on competing at the Robocup competition in Canberra and the first Lego League competition in Ulladulla. Participation in such events benefits students by meeting other like-minded students and helps our community by integrating technology into Stages 3, 4 and 5 of the curriculum as well as running community workshops. The School is seeking funds to support Narooma students with team shirts and publicity material for the next year.
RI President Mark visits Sydney
RI President Mark Maloney and his wife Gay were guests of a Rotary reception at the Deckhouse at Woolwich on 23 September. They were on an international trip to fulfil Mark’s dream and his theme for his presidential year of connecting the world. “Rotary allows us to relate to each other in a meaningful way across our differences,” he said. “It connections us with people we would never have met otherwise who are more like us than we could ever have been aware. It connects us with our communities, with professionals and with people who need our help.”
NEXT WEEK:
It promises to be a remarkable evening with noted guest speaker John James who will talk on ‘the importance of community leadership in a too-hot world’. John has had an extraordinary career as an architect, historian, psychologist and publisher. He still edits a weekly email newsletter and has often been called to talk on public radio in Australia, the UK and the US. He believes the south coast is one of the few parts of Australia that can escape the worst predictions of climate change for the future. Since 2015 he and his wife Hillary have lived at Brogo.