Julie’s Jots
Thursday was such a great night with this year’s MUNA students. It’s always a fascinating night when they report back from such an extraordinary experience in Canberra. I know our guests, including parents and new Narooma High Principal Tracie Scobie, enjoyed it immensely.
It was also a night to catch up with Hilma and hear how she is settling in to life in Narooma-Bermagui. She also really enjoyed herself the previous weekend at her orientation weekend in Canberra; during a pause in the programme everyone celebrated Hilma’s as well as two other students’ birthdays.
Although I wasn’t at Sunday’s market, I hear it was a good market despite a few early drops of rain, beng traditionally our quietist market, the loss of Riverside Pizzas, and the footie finals on Bill Smyth Oval. Treasurer Lynn reports Gate takings $820, Wishing Well $100.50, and gross van takings $933.50. Thanks everyone who helped on the day, a great Team effort.
THIS THURSDAY 29th August
No Meeting this week being the fifth Thursday in the month.
The Week that Was
MUNA continues to inspire
Narooma High’s three-member team have been inspired by their experience at the Model United Nations Assembly (MUNA) in Canberra the previous weekend. The team of Harmony Cannon Yr 11, Ruben Smithers Yr 10 and Bethany Owen-Roberts Yr 10, with teacher Monique Wicks was sponsored by our Club. The venue was the Museum of Australian Democracy (Old Parliament House – House of Representatives) in Canberra.
They impressed Rotarians, guests and parents last Thursday as they explained the challenges of debating a range of world issues from the United Kingdom’s perspective in a United Nation’s style forum against 14 other school teams representing other countries. The resolutions included the current crisis in Gaza, the situation in the South China Sea, the state of global food security, and preventing crimes against the environment. The experience made them more aware of world issues, increased their confidence and made them new friends from mingling with students from the other schools.
The winning school was Macarthur Anglican School representing Sweden, followed by the Central Coast Steiner School with New Zealand, and Unity Grammar School with Russia. The team from St Peter’s at Broulee, representing the Solomon Islands, won MUNA’s Totenhofer Peace Prize. This is presented each year to the delegation that contributed most consistently to world peace over the weekend. They were sponsored by Bateman Bay Rotary.
A highlight was the special dinner on Saturday night with the keynote address by Australian Human Rights Commissioner Lorraine Finlay who had acted as UN General Secretary’’ over the weekend.
Ange Ulrichsen reports this was the 25th MUNA organised by the Rotary Club of Canberra Sunrise. MUNA is organised and sponsored by Rotary Clubs across Australia to build international understanding and promote goodwill for world peace; in the process it builds student confidence in public speaking and debating skills
Toast to RI’s Polio eradication campaign
Françoise Cleret’s International Toast last Thursday was to Rotary International, recognising its initiatives to eradicate polio across the world, since taken up with partners in a Global Eradication programme that had resulted in a 99.9% eradication of the disease worldwide. Until recently, Afghanistan and Pakistan were the only two countries still registering endemic cases.
Francoise’s Toast was prompted by two things – her brother-in-law who had polio and the discovery of a 10-month-old in the Gaza strip with polio in an area that had been free from polio for 25 years.
Among the devastation caused by the war in Gaza has been the destruction of over 70% of its water sanitation facilities. The United Nations chief has called for a ceasefire in Gaza so 640,000 children can receive the two doses to ensure they are vaccinated against polio.
Rotary VP initiates Pop Bench restoration
There was rejoicing at the pool this week with the installation of the newly restored ‘Pop’s bench’ at Narooma swimming pool, a project initiated by Narooma Rotary VP David McInnes. The bench was restored by the Men’s Shed. Pop Brown was the driving force behind the Narooma community’s relentless campaign to cover the pool, opened in 1993.
NEXT WEEK
Wednesday 5 September 6.30pm: Prostate Cancer Support Group Narooma Golf Club
Thursday 6 September: 5.15pm Board Meeting; No Dinner Meeting