Happy New Year - Welcome back – and thank you for the many acknowledgements I have had to my New Year message where I particularly wanted to recognise the superb response by members to the Christmas Giving and the Wine fundraiser.
Now for 2020. Happy Birthday to P Nominee Chris Stilwell!
President Kevin lead our Bushfire Panel at last week’s meeting to report on our response with Panel members being Pam Brown, Reg Smith, Bob Glindemann and Major Bruce Harmer of the Salvation Army.
President Kevin and Editor would like to thank Ted and Maree for their outstanding efforts to ensure that the refugee children enjoyed a sensational trip to Melbourne Zoo on Saturday. Photo shows some happy recipients of Rotary's Welfare of the Young donations to the Refugee Picnic.
Co-hosted Exchange Student, Constance Schuen (pictured with P Kevin at Christmas meeting 2019) will deliver her half year progress report on Monday, 3 February.
Bob Glindemann provided his take on the emergency mask delivery to the fire areas. But it's not only masks! It's help for our animals too!
We have an opportunity to hear Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp, Victoria Police at a District 9800 Breakfast. Have you checked out this invitation? Would you like to invite a guest to this special event? Wednesday, 19 February. Andrew will provide the Victoria Police view of the bushfires.
Check out the attached Program of Events for our District 9800 Conference Friday, 27 - 29 March 2020. Welcome & Registrations 5:30pm - 7:00pm Bendigo Town Hall, 189-193 Hargreaves St, Bendigo. Smoking Ceremony by Dja Dja Wurrung, followed by light refreshments. D9800-Conference-2020-Program.pdf Showcase of Rotary Projects included.
D9800 Conference March 27-29, 2020. Bendigo - heart of the Goldfields. Outstanding speakers organised. See attached: Bendigo_Conference_2020_Speakers.pdf Speakers include Andrew Crisp APM, Emergency Management Commissioner for Victoria, heading up Emergency Management Victoria.
Editor has created the attached for anyone/someone you know who may be feeling the impact of bushfires. Be aware and know how you might assist that person. How_to_work_with_Traumatic_Impact_1.pdf
The first lunch meeting for the year will address Rotary Melbourne's responses to our horrific bushfires and impacted communities. Pres. Kevin is chairing an information session on the response to the bushfire crisis with involvement including Hon. Sec. Reg Smith, PE Marion Macleod and PP Bob Glindemann. Second part of meeting welcomes Ian Hamm to present a segment of "What Are They Up To?"
"In extending best wishes for the New Year, the magnitude of the bush fire devastation to parts of our State and elsewhere within our country preoccupies our thoughts as a stark reality which calls for a Rotary response. Rotary is responding as you will read and hear from us."
Picture shows 24 pallets/97,500 P2/N95 Respirator Face Masks. The Face Masks were received from the Qantas Terminal into the DIK store yesterday and were prepared for shipment to the Red Cross today Friday. How this has happened and what is next for the distribution, all will be revealed at our first meeting of the year next Wednesday together with Rotary Melbourne’s response thus far to the Bushfire Crisis.
Our Welfare of the Young team and Ted Garland invite you and your children/grandchildren to the annual Picnic at the Zoo on Saturday, 18 January. Rotarians are welcome to don the Rotary Melbourne red jacket and join Ted at 11.00 am.
Thanks Bob Glindemann for forwarding the following response to Editor. Bob's question to CEO James Mullan was: "What are you doing about the fires?"
The 2019 Festive Wine Offer concluded successfully with final wine delivery on Thursday 12 December. Special thanks to the three larrikins who fought through 40 degree heat, dust and north winds to deliver the wine. Bob, Reg and Peter.
This Welfare of the Young event is our annual Zoo visit organised by Ted Garland. Editor attended last year with granddaughter and enjoyed a terrific few hours at the Zoo whilst meeting the refugee children and parents. Please make an effort and bring your child or grandchild.
Editor received this greeting from Nikolay who she met when when she visited our sister Club, Rotary St Petersburg in 2017.
The Bulletin doesn't create itself each week! The Bulletin has been part of our history for nearly a Century. I know you have OFTEN wondered how the Bulletin just "plops" into your email folder each week! If you are interested, just open the "Read More". (Reminder: Editor's "magic button"! Your Read More viewing statistics compile themselves into Streamscape for analysis)
In 2017/18, SecondBite rescued and redistributed over 13.8 million kg of nutritious food nationally. That’s enough for over 27 million healthy meals - which is more than 75,000 meals every day. But, there’s so much more to be done.
Luana Bacha (Brazil) is seen here with President Kevin and Youth Exchange Coordinator Emanuel Tumino.
A night full of surprises greeted President Kevin and Lisa at the Toorak #1 Group dinner which in addition to Christmas hats and treats, the live musical performance of PP’s Mary Barry and David Jones was truly riveting. It was great to see David Frieze together with Jim and Barbara Donnelly enjoying themselves amongst the many revellers.
Robin Syme introduced the Seniors Award at last week's meeting: “One of the important annual awards that this Club makes is the Seniors Award. There is a published criteria but essentially the search is for a person who has given outstanding service in a voluntary capacity to older people.
