Carol Bond was Master of Ceremonies and opened the meeting in the usual way.

The weekly reflection was delivered by Past President Peter Dakin, a copy of which is included later in this Bulletin.  Standing in for President Catherine who was attending her mother’s 85^th birthday celebration, Past President Reg Smith proposed the loyal toast.

In his announcements Reg thanked all for attending, see the list of guests at the end of this bulleting, and reminded everyone present of the important focus for the day – Ending Polio Now. In particular Reg welcomed our guest speakers, Past District Governor, Dr Murray Verso, End Polio Now Coordinator for Rotary Zone 8 (Australia, New Zealand & South Pacific countries) and Shirley Glance OAM, President, Post Polio Victoria Inc.  Reg also acknowledged and welcomed Chair of the day and champion end polio-now fundraising walker, Past President Robert Fisher.

Reg then passed on the sad news of the unexpected death of Dr Sianna Panagiotopoulos, an esteemed Medical Research with Austin Health, a former member of the Club who had remained active in the Balwyn Group.  Details of Sianna’s memorial will be advised when available.  Valé Sianna.

Reg then highlighted three forthcoming events:

• The annual Rotary Central Melbourne- District 9800 Paul Harris Breakfast is on Tuesday 12 November at the RACV Club 501 Burke Street Melbourne, which this year will feature guest speaker Chris Anstey "Tall Tales: What the whiteboard never taught me". Chris is an elite performance coach with a 17-year sporting career - NBA (Dallas Mavericks and Chicago Bulls), Russia, Spain and two-time Olympian and World Champion.  Reg noted that this event is usually well attended by Rotary Melbourne members. You can book a place or a table by Clicking here  Please make sure you request to be seated with Rotary Melbourne Members when you book.
• The Smith Family Around the Bay Raffle Draw is fast approaching at this weeks meeting (Wednesday 30 November 2024). The prize is a $2000 voucher to a Collingwood Bike Shop to spend any way you like - a perfect way to organise your Christmas shopping. Tickets are $5 each or $45 for 10 and can be purchased on-line.  To purchase please click here
• November Evening Conversation – World Kindness Day: On Wednesday 13^th November, our Evening Team is running an evening conversation to express appreciation to members of the healthcare community for their service to the community in challenging times. The venue will be the Skin Health Institute, at 80 Drummond Street, Carlton, keynote speaker will be Bronwyn Shipway, Head of Donor Engagement at the Eastern Health Foundation, and we’ll have some marvellous music provided by an emerging Tenor as well as a talented pianist courtesy of Hello Music.  Your $35 entry fee will include refreshments.  Watch out for next week’s Bulletin to book your ticket and maybe donate for one of the Healthcare community members support the cost of host one or more guests. If you know someone in the healthcare community who has been doing it tough, why not invite them to join us on this night of fun and fellowship.  To book: Click here

Vice President Reg then invited Past President Robert Fisher, Chairman for the day to take over the meeting and introduce our guest speakers. 

While Robert was coming to the podium, Reg noted that Robert is racing towards walking 300km since 1 October 24, as part of our District’s annual End Polio Now fundraising walk. See his final report later in the bulletin. Reg thanked Robert on behalf of Rotary Melbourne for his efforts.

Chairman Robert Fisher introduced our two expert guest speakers on polio: Dr. Murray Verso and Shirley Glance OAM.

Shirley Glance, who has lived with polio, shared her personal journey. She contracted polio at 14 months old and has faced significant challenges throughout her life due to the disease, including wearing a brace until she was 14 and dealing with post-polio syndrome in her later years. Shirley emphasizes the difficulties of growing up with a disability, such as limited mobility, struggling to participate in sports, and dealing with societal perceptions.

Despite these challenges, Shirley has led a fulfilling life, driven by a determination to prove her capabilities. She has been deeply involved in the polio community, serving as co-chair of the Bayside Polio Support Group and president of Post Polio Victoria Incorporated. Her advocacy focuses on improving care services for polio survivors and raising awareness about the ongoing challenges they face. Shirley also touches upon the inadequacies of the aged care system and the age discrimination within the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

Shirley's experiences highlighted the importance of accessibility and support for people with disabilities, and she underscores the value of Rotary's polio eradication efforts. She called on the audience to support polio survivors, not just through Rotary, but as individuals who understand and advocate for the needs of the disabled community.

Past District Governor Dr Murray Verso then came to the podium and spoke of Rotary’s efforts in eradicated this infectious disease.  Regrettably, the audio of his addressed was inadequate to reproduce in the Speaker Series video.  He has most kindly shared his speakers’ notes and we recommend that you read this informative summary of rotary’s efforts. To read click HERE.  Thankfully the audio of Robert Fisher’s Introduction, Shirley Glance’s remarks, and the brief Q&A towards the conclusion of the meeting where quite clear, so the video of these segments can be viewed by clicking here.

The meeting concluded with a discussion on the global challenges of polio eradication, particularly in countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan, and the recent polio case in Gaza. Murray highlighted a recent outbreak in Gaza, where a temporary break in the fighting allowed for the immunization of around 660,000 children in just a few days—an encouraging response in a critical situation.

Following the meeting Past President Reg Smith exchanged banners with guest Elisabeth de la Guardia  from Rotary Castelldefels, Spain.

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