Andrew’s Thoughts
Well after the previous week’s excitement, last week was quiet by comparison. The new board met on Friday to review plans for 22/23 and, although not finalised, will be discussed at this week’s Club Meeting.
However the week was dominated by the news of Frank Eden’s sad passing. Frank has obviously been very ill for some while, so while not totally unexpected, his passing is a great loss to his family, his friends, and to Rotary. He was the embodiment of all that is good in Rotary, including being the instigator and main organiser of our very successful Renewable Energy Expos. We will honour him on Thursday. Ange, Chris and Laurelle have taken flowers to Iris from us all.
On a similar matter, I have been in touch with Tony Butcher. As many know, he has stepped back from Rotary as he battles his cancer up in Sydney. He informed me his treatment is now complete and he awaits the results. He remains in our thoughts.
On those sad notes, I ask us all to reflect and remember our former members.
THIS WEEK
This Thursday (7 July) is a Club Night with dinner at Narooma Golf Club 6 for 6.30pm. It’s a chance to discuss plans for the year ahead, including plans for our annual Cinders tussle with Moruya Club over all things trivial next Thursday. Plans are for a Christmas in July theme which coincides with Bastille Day, so does that mean Christmas in July with a French theme?
The Week that Was
News from Raichel Brodie
Our 2022 Rotary Tertiary Scholar Raichel Brodie has sent her first semester results through to her counsellor President Andrew. She is studying Bachelor of Psychology at ANU. Her results are outstanding – Psychology HD, Health in the 21st Century HD, Human Biology HD and Self and Society D. Andrew reports Raichel is loving Psychology and probably won’t want to switch to Law at a later stage as she originally thought.
Raichel is looking forward to interacting with Rotary during her scholarship years. She recently went with Bob Aston to Narooma High to explain the scholarship to Y12 students.
POW awardee wins Regional Award
One of our 2022 Pride of Workmanship Awardees Teagan Nicholson is now also an Illawarra and South East Regional Winner in the School Based Apprentice/Trainee of the Year. Teagan, a Narooma High student, undertook a Certificate III in Early Childhood Education & Care through Early Childhood Training and Professional Development. This meant she combined doing a national qualification with on-the-job training through Dalmeny Long Day Child Care Centre while completing her HSC. Needless to say Centre owner Kerry Mault is ‘over the moon’.
Incidentally long time POW supporters Erica and Nic Dibden of Tilba Real Dairy are also walking tall after winning a swag of awards at the recent Sydney Royal Cheese and Dairy Show including a Gold Medal for their full cream unhomogenised milk.
New Hospital Carers’ Accommodation
Moruya Rotary hosted a meeting last Friday to discuss the possibility and feasibility of a long term community project to provide carers’ accommodation at the proposed Eurobodalla Regional Hospital, similar to what happened in Bega. Laurelle Pacey represented our Club at that meeting, due to President Andrew’s and VP Ange’s unavailability at that time. Also present were Cr Rob Pollock, Louise McFadden from NSW Health, Brad Rossiter and Christine Smith from the Eurobodalla Community Consultative Committee, three from Moruya Rotary (President Shirl, Andrew Elek and Steve Young), and David Ashford from Batemans Bay Rotary.
Issues discussed included the need including possible demand for carers’ accommodation for the next 20 years, possible political pressure needed, funding sources, incorporation, a possible name for the community group with the current suggestion being Eurobodalla Regional Hospital Carers Accommodation (ERHCA). The next step is an open public meeting on Friday 5 August at 10.30 am at Moruya Golf Club to gauge community feeling.
Out and About
Non-invasive Bowel Cancer Screenings
With our BowelCare programme currently underway (contact BowelCare Head Office 4341 6695 if you have not yet ordered a kit but want one this year), interesting to see that Australian Rotary Health (ARH) is funding a project that may discover a more effective, non-invasive way to screen for bowel cancer than a colonoscopy.
Bowel cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in Australia. Currently, bowel cancer screenings involve an initial examination of stool, or a faecal occult blood test (using the BowelCare kit), followed by a colonoscopy to investigate and diagnose.
In 1921 PhD candidate Liam Ryan from Deakin University was awarded a PhD Scholarship co-funded by the Rotary Club of Mornington and ARH to conduct research into cell-based (cytological) bowel cancer screening methods. His research scholarship will continue into 2023.
NEXT WEEK
Finally our annual Cinders night with Moruya Rotary Club where we battle it out for the Cinders shield.