Stories
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Community Freezer |
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Cornerstone Meal Service |
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Tuesday 26th April meeting Notes |
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Rotary Foundation - Ukraine Relief Fund |
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Cornerstone Meal Service |
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Getting the most out of your Rotary membership- Published in this months Rotary Down Under |
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Sky Hydrants to Ukraine |
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Changeover 2022 |
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Other News |
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RORP |
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All Holden Car Show 2022 |
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AGFR 2022 |
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World Immunization Week
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Cornerstone Community Garden |
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Colin Byron - AG Colin has been appointed the new Assistant Governor for Melbourne South East. I have known Colin for well over 20 years while working at HP. He is fully of energy, drive, dedication and experience and l have no doubt that Colin will help and guide our club and the cluster to greater height moving forward. It is great to have AG Colin in our club .Please join me to congratulate Colin for his appointment and wishing him every success in his new role as the new Assistant Governor. Kam Pow. |
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Behind the Badge - David Langworthy David Langworthy was born in Paddington 73 years ago. He and wife, Jean, have four sons, one daughter (all aged between 35 and 50) and 11 great grandchildren. His father, whom he describes as “brutal”, was a Commander in the Navy. David left home at the age of 17 and his first job was as an accountant at Vic Rail. When he was 21, he and Jean married and he went into partnership in a printing business, which “didn’t work out”, so he went to Dandy Credit Co-op, where he met Bob Powell. He also met Vin Taranto, who introduced him to the 4-Way Test, and Kevin Bentley. David was a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and had concerns about some aspects of the Credit Union management, so he put them to the Board, who rewarded him by promptly sacking him! David was employed by Viscount Caravans as National Marketing Manager, with particular responsibility for NSW. He didn’t enjoy it. The glamour soon wore off and, after transferring to Victoria as State Manager, he realised that he had “different values”. He was introduced to Roy Smith, who had marriage problems and, in six months, the business closed. Then someone else introduced him to a bedding manufacturer and they set up an arrangement on a 50/50 basis, selling stock on consignment. Eventually, he took over the stock and started his own bedding business. In 1989, a Recession came along and everything was liquidated. Then, with son Mark and Mario Spiteri, he set up Bev Marks, growing to 12 showrooms but, thanks to Covid 19 restrictions, 10 stores have had to be closed. They have an importing company and an accounting company tacked on to the main business. All his kids work in the business. David joined Martin Pater in the Rotary Club of Endeavour Hills on 27 August 1982, becoming President in 1996. He describes his experience as “an interesting journey”, enjoying the company of people “with the same values”. In 1993, he had his first introduction to RI, manning the desk at the Melbourne Convention. Since then, he has been to 16 International Conventions and, at the Brisbane Convention, he was introduced to Shelta Box, becoming President of SB Australia in 1996 and 2016. David moved on to co-found Disaster Aid and help set up DA around the World. David’s next project is in North Korea, where he hopes to set up a peace mission on the Korean Peninsula. |
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Mental Health Fact SheetMENTAL HEALTH FACT SHEET How many people experience mental illness? • Almost one in five Australians (20%) will experience a mental illness in a 12-month period. • Nearly half (45%) of the population will experience a mental illness at some stage in their lives. • At least one third of young people have had an episode of mental illness by the time they are 25 years old. • Mental illnesses are the third leading cause of disability burden in Australia. • Anyone can develop a mental illness and no one is immune to mental health problems. What are the most common mental illnesses? • Anxiety disorders affect around 14% of the adult population every year. • Depression affects around 6% of the adult population every year. • The remainder are affected by substance abuse disorders, psychotic illnesses such as schizophrenia, personality disorders, and other conditions. Many people have more than one diagnosis. What are the chances of recovering from mental illness? Most people with mental illness recover well and are able to lead fulfilling lives in the community when they receive appropriate ongoing treatment and support. However, only about half of those affected actually receive treatment. The majority of people who develop anxiety disorders and depression improve over time with appropriate treatment and support. What can we do to improve these outcomes? We believe continuing to create public awareness to break down stigma and raising funds for mental health research is a positive step to improving these outcomes. Lift the Lid on Mental Illness is an initiative of Australian Rotary Health, one of the largest non-government funders of mental health research in Australia. You can help raise money for Lift the Lid during Mental Health Month (October) by hosting a Hat Day event, setting up Lift the Lid awareness stands in your local area.
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Next Meeting Oct 13th - Lift the LidHello fellow Rotarians, You can help Australian Rotary Health's to Lift the Lid on Mental Illness. We are hosting a Hat Day event at our next Zoom meeting on the 13th October at 7pm. We will hear about Teammed Nepal, having a visiting UK Rotarian and a short video from ARH. 100% of the money raised during this year's Hat Day campaign goes directly to research helping the one in Australians affected by depression, anxiety, schizophrenia and many other illnesses. Attached is information to consider. Join in with a glass or bottle of whatever! The cost is $10 with your most decorative or outlandish hat. You could be in the running for a wonderful prize! |
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Behind the Badge - Con Meehan Born in 1946 as a “welcome home airman” baby, the first of three children, I lived for a short time in Prahran before the family moved into a new Housing Commission house in East Hampton. I went to primary school at St Mary’s Hampton. In 1957, a few months before I was to start secondary school at De La Salle Malvern, my father, a man with a violent, alcoholic past, rewarded me by deserting us, leaving us in extreme poverty. In 1965, I started my first job with a large Chartered Accounting firm, now known as PWC Coopers, where I worked as a Share Auditor, studying (not very conscientiously!) accountancy by night. In November of that year, I met Cheryl at the popular dance venue, 431, in St Kilda Road. In 1968, I was called up for National Service. After a medical, which consisted mainly of a gentleman, to whom I was not the least attracted, grasping my balls and asking me to cough, something I didn’t even do in my most private moments, I boarded a bus for Puckapunyal, my home for 10 weeks. Due to a high-carb diet and a lot of physical exercise, I went from a 10 st 7lb weakling to an 11st 3lb weakling, with a high level of fitness! There, I saw a number of idiots made into men and the experience left me with a strong belief in National Service for everyone. We developed a tremendous “esprit de corps”. I was proud to be an important part of a 4 x 400m relay-winning team. I then moved to Balcombe for my corps training as an Operator Keyboard & Radio. I gained a typing speed of 45 wpm and could type direct from morse code to English, a skill now completely lost. There, I was part of the football team, training twice a week and playing twice a week, mid-week in a military comp and, on Saturdays, in the Nepean League, where we were beaten in the Grand Final by Red Hill, a team with a few professionals. It was my favourite sporting year. I then moved to Simpson Barracks, Watsonia, currently in the news for several reasons. I also changed football clubs, going to my future brother in law’s club, Cheltenham Assumption. All round, this was a very enjoyable year, and not just because I broke my leg at football and was relieved from parade ground duties for over 10 weeks! In 1970, I returned to PWC and married Cheryl. We produced four beautiful children who have each produced two children and we moved to Brandon Park. I moved into Audit and recommenced accountancy studies by night at the old Prahran CAE, eventually hauling myself over the line as a qualified accountant. 1971 was my first year of community service, joining the footy club committee. Apart from a year off, in 1972, I have been on a committee of some sort ever since. In 1973, I moved from PWC to my brother in law’s Practice, D G Rees & Associates, in South Melbourne, where I quickly became a Partner, all in the “glory days” of the tax-deductible lunch! In 1976, annoyed at the way football clubs ignored women, I founded a highly successful netball team within my Club, completely changing the culture of the Club for the better. A year later, I founded the Waverley Advanced Gymnastics Club, to pick up higher level gymnasts discarded by the Community Centre. The Club has become one of the largest and most successful in Australia, producing Olympic and World Championships gymnasts, something I am very proud of, because it required a huge leap of faith and strong leadership. In 1981, we moved to Wheelers Hill, our home for 27 years. In 1991, I retired from football, at the age of 43, which proves you can play forever if you play at a low enough level! I continued to play cricket. In all, I played 500 games of football and 200 games of cricket, serving throughout on the respective committees. I commenced flying lessons, the start of a 20 year love affair (with flying!) and flew my own aeroplane to such places as Lake Mungo, Broken Hill, Kangaroo Island, Flinders Ranges, Merimbula and all over Victoria and southern NSW. Having experienced extreme poverty and family violence first hand, I had always had a desire that, when I was in a position to do so, I would give back to the community and people less fortunate than myself, so, when, in 1993 PP Garry Byrne asked me to join Rotary, it was an easy sale for him! I have been President twice and have been awarded a PHF and Sapphire, awards I value above all others. I have loved my time in Rotary. By 2022, I will have chalked up 51 years of involvement in one community organisation or another, the last 50 being continuous. It is a hackneyed phrase, but I have got out more than I have put in. In February 1994, I parted company with my former Practice and started my own Practice in Carnegie. I was proud to be told by the ATO that my Practice was rated in the top 5% in Melbourne and I worked hard to keep up the standard. In 2008, we moved to Sandhurst, where I jog and play golf regularly, and we love the environment and lifestyle. We have seen a fair bit of the World, my favourite countries being Norway, Scotland, SW England, the European rivers and South America. We have also seen much of Australia, our favourites being Katherine Gorge, Kakadu, Kalbarri, Kata Juta and Litchfield, but there are many other amazing spots in our great country too. There is much more to my life than this, but for that you will have to wait for the autobiography I am writing, with a provisional title of “A Cure For Insomnia”! |
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Con's Meeting Report Oct 6th Pres Kam opened the Zoom Meeting and introduced our Guest Speaker, PDG Janne Speirs, who updated us on the aid delivery in the wake of the Gippsland fires. Janne provided a number of stats on the fires, eg: 125 houses destroyed at Mallacoota Significant breeding stock losses – causes a ripple effect 5 lives lost Houses, silos and significant fencing lost 85% of Sarsfield destroyed. Then Covid 19 hit, to compound the problems. Janne outlined the work of the East Gippsland Fire Committee. So far, storage containers, vouchers, fodder and hay, clothing and whitegoods, furniture and fencing materials have been given out. Several renovated caravans have also been provided for accommodation while people rebuild. Janne said there had been an amazing world-wide financial response. RI normally only provides Global Grants to Third World countries, but made a rare exception for the Gippsland Fires, providing a total of $A 450,000. Janne has a thorough grasp of the situation and her talk was as informative as it was lively! Colin spoke of his End Polio Now walk, advising that he already has 20 sponsors! Terry reported on progress with the Cornerstone Garden Bed Project. He was meeting with Council next week. A water tank and pump had been donated. He hopes that, via the Church, tradies will donate their services and is looking for other donations. Terry also advised Janne that Neil Fullard has a warehouse of quality building supplies which, if not sold, could be made available as relief to people in East Gippsland. Leanne showed photos of Christian, the totally blind boy, who Leanne taught to swim and Terry chauffeured to lessons, jumping off a boat and swimming at Broome, before hosing the boat down. (A wonderful story and thanks to Leanne and Terry for all the time and effort put into Christian. It must be very satisfying. Ed.)  |
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Behind the Badge - Hans Van DykeHans was, as his name suggests, born in Holland, not far from Amsterdam, in 1946, the fourth of six children.In 1953, the family moved to Melbourne and were deposited at the Homesglen Migrant Camp, before moving to Clayton. In 1955, they moved to North Dandenong , where Hans went to school at St Mary’s before ending up at Dandy Tech. He developed a love of cycling, walking and photography.At 15, Hans left school and got a job at Dandenong Industrial Engravers. There, he gained skills in all types of equipment and actually made the Premiership Cup won by Collingwood. (Most would claim this to be a doubtful honour! Ed.) At the age of 18, after living at 8 different addresses and attending 6 different schools, Hans moved into his first “real” home in Heatherton Road, North Dandenong. He joined the Survey Corps of the CMF (remember them?! Ed.). He also bought a 1948 FX Holden, which he modified and raced at Fishermans Bend. (For the benefit of the younger Members, Fishermens Bend was an old airfield, used during WWII, and, in the 1960s, lads could relieve their frustrations by thrashing their cars down the runway on the weekend. Now they just use Thompsons Road instead! Ed.) At age 23, Hans went to Europe, LA and all over the States, drove at the iconic Daytona Beach, and attended the Indi 500 and F1 races. After more roaming, at age 31, he married Judy. In 1981 they bought their first home in Churchill Park Drive, near Colin and Marilyn Ferns. There they had three children. Hans bought the engraving business from his father and, in 1986, joined the Endeavour Hills Rotary Club. Soon after, the family moved to Narre Warren. He then went on the first of many epic bike rides. He has done 23 Around the Bay rides! He noted that the Rotary Ride to Conference has raised over $1m. In 2002, Hans took part in a 3,600km ride across Australia. At age 65, he sold the business to family members. He enjoys snow sports and he and Judy trekked Annapurna in Nepal for her 50th birthday! They have been to South America and seen the Northern Lights in Norway. Hans has been heavily involved in Rotary Projects, including the All-Holden Car Shows, training for Shelter Boxes in the UK and delivering aid on the ground in a number of places. He is the proud recipient of a Paul Harris Fellow Award and Sapphire Pin. He is now a Member of the Men’s Shed. Hans said that he was grateful for all the opportunities he has had since coming to Australia.
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Flowers and CondolencesThanks again to Leanne for organising flowers as we send condolences to Phil and family on the passing of his Mother.
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Flowers & Best WishesBest wishes are sent to Lisa Brown and Nola Dawson on their recovering health issues. Thankyous to Leanne for organising flowers to be sent from the Board on your behalf.
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John Dawson - Honorary MemberThe board has accepted and approved John Dawson's nomination to be Honorary Member of the Rotary Club of Greater Dandenong and Endeavour Hills. Honorary members are persons who have distinguished themselves by meritorious service in the furtherance of Rotary Ideals. Your continued association with the club has confirmed that requirement. For any one year, the club is allowed to have a maximum of 10% of Honorary members . In our case, a maximum of 4 Honorary members can be appointed as our club has 39 members. The club has previously appointed three retired members, Bruce Fletcher, Bob Powell and Graeme Coates to be Honorary Members. The term of appointment of your Honorary membership will be one year and it will be reviewed annually for further term to be approved by the board.
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Kam says You can make a Difference I thought I just like to bring you up to date with what is happening to the club projects/activities and proposed donations. Peter Buck has done a great job using the Rotary 2020/2021 Projects Timeline Spreadsheet that he developed last year to keep track of all club project activities. The use of traffic light system on project status gives an immediate visual to project that may need attention. As Peter said, during Covid-19 lockdown, the traffic light system has indicated the club still managed to do a fair bit of project and communities activities despite of the lockdown. Well done! If you look at the spreadsheet carefully, you will notice there are many opportunities for members to involve in project/activities that they are passionate about and would like to put up their hand to help. I would strongly encourage you to talk to the project leaders to get involved. This is your club and getting involved to “making a difference” is why we joined Rotary! Peter has also included a section on proposed donations that were approved by the board on the same spreadsheet for easy reference. The Board had approved the Rotary Citation Goals for the club and these goals will be entered in My Rotary soon to track our club performance going forward. We have selected 16 out of 25 goals and if we can achieve 13 goals, our club will receive a Rotary Citation certificate from Rotary International . The goals are realistic and achievable and I am confident that as a club, we can achieve them and receive a Rotary Citation from RI in the Centennial Year! |
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Friend of Rotary - Melinda BellI am very pleased to inform you that the nominations for Melinda (Mel) Bell for both Friends of Rotary and the RORP Liaison Officer for RORP had been approved at the Board meeting on 29th Sep. Mel is the daughter of Con and Cheryl. Like his father, Mel is community minded and processes qualities of enthusiasm and intelligence and as Con said Mel will be a real acquisition to the club. Mel is involved with Con in the club international Ella School Borewell project in Sri Lanka of which a District grant of $2200 had recently been approved for this project. She is also exploring possibility of sending a playground to this school. The Rotary Oversea Recycled Playgrounds(RORP) is a great project for our club to be involved . Wayne Jenkins mentioned during his RORP presentation recently that there are 3 playgrounds in the Greater Dandenong area that will be up for replacements soon and good for the RORP project. The Council is keen to work with Rotary on RORP program so that these recycled playgrounds equipment can be sent to a third world countries like Sri Lanka for used by the local school and communities. A win for the environment! Mel as Liaison officer for RORP will work closely with the Council officer and Wayne to manage the project. Terry Valentine and Graeme Peters have put up their hands to help the project as they have past experience in playgroup installations and management. If any of our club members would like to be involved in this RORP project, please contact Mel. |
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Behind the Badge - Leanne ByronLeanne was born in Melbourne on 3 January 1959, the third of five children. The family moved to Sale, where her father was a Warrant Officer in the Army. In 1964, her father died, at the age of 40, from radiation sickness derived from his involvement in atomic bomb testing at Maralinga in the 1950s. (A disgraceful part of our history, where the Brits deliberately put Aussies in harm’s way. The many bad consequences of the tests have long been hushed up and, even today, Maralinga is shrouded in secrecy. I tried to get some answers at the museum in Woomera a few years ago and was cut short. Judy Nunn wrote a terrific novel called “Maralinga”, which is historically accurate and well worth a read. Ed.) In 1964, Leanne went to school in Clayton, where she was involved in everything sporty. She was bullied at secondary school and left to get a job, putting her age up from 15 to 16, at FMC, where she did admin, costing, inventory, accounting for receipts and payments and payroll. In 1976, a day after her 17th birthday, she met Colin and they married in March 1979. They had two boys and, in 1984, Leanne did HSC at night school. In 1986, Colin moved with the family to the US with Hewlett Packard, where they had many “National Lampoon style adventures”! There, Leanne volunteered at the school canteen. Back in Melbourne, their kids learned to swim at North Lodge Swimming Academy, where she helped manage the business for June O’Doherty after Jim died, before buying the business. Leanne taught swimming for 20 years and is proud of the performances of her students at competitions. She loved working with children with disabilities. Leanne sold the Academy in January this year after what she describes as “a very rewarding career”. (What Leanne didn’t say is the amount of time and energy she devotes to Rotary and other worthy causes. Ed.) |
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Con's Meeting Report Sept 22ndPres Kam kicked off the Meeting, with 31 people all Zooming in, and immediately threw to our Guest Speaker, Nicky Turner, New Communities Liaison Officer South Metropolitan Victoria Police. Born in New Zealand, Nicky came to Melbourne in 2017. She worked with Australia Post, joined the SES and worked on the Kerang floods. In her current role, Nicky works with many ethnic groups. She started at St James, where she met Leanne and Colin, and where she helps rough sleepers with food parcels and giving out warm jackets. Some of the points she made were:
In response to questions, Nicky advised:
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This week's Board Meeting Tues 29thThe Board will meet to discuss progress of Club Projects.
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Council Grant ApprovedDear Mr Phillip Thurgood , Congratulations! I’m happy to advise at Council’s meeting held Monday 14 September that the application listed below was successfully endorsed for funding. Program: CSGP: Community Development Application Number: CSGPCD20-1-058 Organisation: Rotary Club of Greater Dandenong Inc Project Title: Cornerstone Garden Project for the Homeless Details relating to the grant agreement and next steps will be shared within the coming weeks. I look forward to working with your organisation as you deliver outcomes that benefit the health and wellbeing of our community. Kind regards, Thi Thavonesouk Community Development Funding Officer Community Funding Team - City of Greater Dandenong Work: 03 8571 5272 PO Box 200 Dandenong Vic 3175 |
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Next Meeting Tuesday 22nd 7pmWe have a packed program this Tuesday starting at 7pm with a talk by New Emerging Communities Liason Officer Nicky Turner speaking about Southern Metro Region Vic Police. Then a talk by Paul Morris about Endeavour Hills Mens' Shed. We hear a Behind the Badge talk by Leanne Byron. Then a Behind the Badge talk by Hans Van Dyke. A Sargent session by Ken MacDonald follows before A report by President Kam and an open discussion. Meeting due to close at 8:15pm.
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Con's Meeting Report Sept 1stPres Kam opened the Zoom Meeting with 24 Members present and gave a special welcome to Graeme Coates, one of our new Honorary Members. He then passed to Alan Roberts for a potted history of the former Rotary Club of Dandenong. The Club held its first Meeting on 29 March 1935 at the Royal Hotel, with Rotary Founder, Paul Harris, present, indeed a special honour, before being Chartered on 3 July 1935. Alan then detailed the histories of the various Trusts set up over the years, their original purposes and the background to the amalgamation of four of the Trusts. Now there are two Trusts:
The KOM Trust’s purpose is solely to provide for contributions to Rotary Foundation. The TOBS Trust has fairly broad purposes, providing a degree of flexibility in the use of funds. Currently, the combined capital of the Trusts is approximately $200,000, most of which has been placed with RMBL Investments and is secured by mortgages, jointly with other investors. Ideally, the capital should be used to generate income, which can be used for charitable purposes. The Trusts are administered by Trustees, all of whom are Members of the Club. The Club’s property in Endeavour Hills and the Trusts provide a solid annual income to fund many of the Club’s Projects. Together, they are a tribute to the foresight and generosity of Members past. (The Club is also indebted to Alan Roberts for all the legal work he has undertaken, pro bono, to bring the current structure about. Ed.) Vocational Tour – Disaster Aid/ Smart Aid HeadquartersBrian Ashworth then took us on a guided virtual tour DA/SA spends $250,000 on aid each year. It would be less if there was not a lot of volunteer help, the paid staff being two “very part timers”. Overheads are only $40,000, almost half of which is rent. DA is not a Club Project, as such, being a completely separate organisation, which is chaired by Peter Faulkner. It is one of a number of separate organisations around the World operating under the DA name. The Club has no legal obligation to DA, but recognises it as an organisation well worth being aligned with and has committed to provide substantial financial support over the next year, at least. In 2018, DA won a number of awards against some 2,300 other organisations around the World. It won awards for Best Sustainable Project – Australia, Top 10 in the World and Top 5 in water. As Brian walked us around the premises, he showed us the administration, the store and the demonstration areas. The store contained shipments destined for Bhutan, where, working with the Government, DA is close to completing the amazing project of providing safe drinking water to every school!!! Measured benefits are an 8% improvement in general health and a similar reduction in illnesses. All of this is achieved at a cost to the local community of $1 per person per year! All components of the water filters are sourced in Australia, where they are also assembled. Where possible, all other materials are sourced at the installation site, providing financial benefits to local communities. We congratulated Brian on an excellent tour, under Covid 19 restrictions. |
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Leanne's Community Service UpdateMental Health:
Headspace: Christina Molina (Clinical Lead) and the Headspace team have been extremely busy since the beginning of the COVID19 pandemic. Below is Christina’s report:
Our Rotary Mental Health Virtual Forum has been put on hold until things begin to settle and at which time further contact will be made with Greg de Moore. LIFT THE LID on Mental Health: Tuesday 13th October - a flyer will be emailed to all members as soon as we have set plans for the event.
We have fortunately been able to provide aid to the disadvantaged community in Greater Dandenong during the lockdown. Details below.
SPRINGVALE BENEVOLENT SOCIETY: Joe Rechichi has reported that he is extremely relieved that SBS are doing very well, rather than being confronted by a disastrous situation which he was expecting. He reported that they currently have around 60 families on their books and are working on delivering food packages to families on a 3-week roster i.e. 20 families per week. Joe is very diligent and cautious with the screening of new clients to ensure the help required is genuine. He is very pleased that many of the families are registered with Centrelink and therefore have been receiving financial support. This enables him to focus on those who are most desperate and with no income. Joe was offered financial support from our club, however he said that they are currently coping but his biggest worry is Christmas. He has been assured that our Club will provide support at Christmas, just as we did last year. Springvale Benevolent Society Charity details: Contact: Joe Rechichi (President) Charity Size: Small Who the charity helps: Families Financially disadvantaged people Migrants, refugees or asylum seekers People at risk of homelessness/ people experiencing homelessness People with chronic illness (including terminal illness) People with disabilities Pre/post release offenders and/or their families Unemployed persons Victims of crime (including family violence) Date established: 1961 Summary of activities: They provide emergency relief in the Greater Dandenong Area in the form of provision of emergency relief services including but not limited to food vouchers, food items, clothes, blankets and other household items (e.g. kitchen utensils) as they become available to SBS. They are one of, if not, the only charity in the area that conducts house visits which allow them to help clients who are unable to access transport. Referring of clients to other non-profit or government services which may be of assistance to them (e.g. financial planning services, translators to assist with paperwork or forms, free meal providers)
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Rotary This Week 15th, 19th, 20thWe have No Meeting this Tuesday 15th September. However there are opportunities to join the Zone 8 Virtual Conference on Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th, 11:30am to 1pm. There is a great lineup of speakers including the current RI President Holger Knaack and Past RI President Ian Ridley OAM. Refer to Zoom registration details.
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Next Tuesday 8th SeptOur speaker is Wayne Jenkins from RC Mt Martha. He is the new District Rotary Overseas Recycled Playgrounds leader. Also Behind the Badge speaker Neil Fullard, and Behind the Badge speaker Alan Kamerling, Sargent session - Ken MacDonald, and President report and open discussion - Kam Watch out for your emailed Zoom invitation from Colin for logon.
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Smiles Update from Operation Cleft Australia
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Kam's Lockdown Story I used the lockdown recently to build a Toddler Learning Tower Stool as a birthday present for my granddaughter who is turning one tomorrow. The stool is made from a IKEA flat pack and some spare left over pieces of woods laying around my garage.  This Toddler Learning Tower Stool will allow my granddaughter to stand up to the level of the kitchen bench to see her parents washing dishes and help out later when she grows a bit older. She can also use the stool to see her parents cooking too and who knows she can be a Masterchef when she grows up ! It is very satisfying for me during this lockdown to build it for my granddaughter instead of buying one for $150. Due to border lockdown in South Australia, I am not able to go to Adelaide to give her this birthday present. When the boarder reopens, I will visit her and give this special present to her.  |
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This Tuesday 1st Sept Alan and BrianAlan Roberts will update the Club on the interesting History of the Dandenong Trusts. In addition Brian Ashworth will take us on a virtual visit to DAA. Colin is sending out Zoom invitations to you to logon at 7pm Tuesday.
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Heartfelt Best Wishes to John and NolaAs September marks the 47th anniversary of the Dawson's involvement with Rotary, they find themselves separated whilst Nola deals with her stroke rehabilitation.
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Cornerstone Gazette August 2020
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Africa Certified Wild Polio - FreeDear Rotarians,
It our pleasure to announce to you that the African region has just been certified wild poliovirus-free. Rotary members have played an invaluable role in the effort to rid the African region of wild polio. We should be proud of all the hard work that we’ve done to eliminate the wild poliovirus throughout Africa and in nearly every country in the world. This progress is the result of a decades-long effort across the 47 countries of the African region. It has involved millions of health workers traveling by foot, boat, bike and bus, innovative strategies to vaccinate children amid conflict and insecurity, and a huge disease surveillance network to test cases of paralysis and check sewage for the virus. Over the last two decades, countless Rotary members in countries across the African region and around the world have worked together to raise funds, immunize children, advocate with local and national leaders, and raise awareness about the importance of vaccination, enabling the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) to effectively respond to and stop polio outbreaks. This milestone is an incredible public health achievement for Rotary members, the African region, and our GPEI partners, and a huge step forward on the road to global polio eradication. But we still have important work to do in order to eradicate wild polio in the last two endemic countries. We have faced many challenges in our journey to eradicate polio. But we’ve made remarkable progress, and the polio infrastructure that Rotarians helped build will serve as a lasting legacy that will continue to help protect vulnerable children against other diseases for decades to come. We are calling on you today to recommit yourselves to ending polio. We need each and every one of you to help finish this fight and continue raising $50 million each year for PolioPlus. The eradication of wild polio in the African region shows us that polio eradication is achievable, and shows how our hard work, partnerships and financial commitment continue to propel us forward, even during a global pandemic. Thank you for your continued efforts, for achieving a wild polio-free African region, and for remaining committed to fulfilling our promise of a polio-free world. Sincerely, Holger Knaack K.R. Ravindran President, Rotary International |
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This Tuesday 18th August Zoom Meeting 7pmColin has sent out Zoom registrations for Tuesdays meeting and the Agenda will be sent shortly by Secretary Phil. After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
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Vitamin b3 shows promise for glaucomaA world-first clinical trial led by the Centre for Eye Research Australia has shown that vitamin B3 (nicotinamide) could play an important role in protecting against nerve cell damage that leads to blindness in glaucoma. Results of the trial, led by Professor Jonathan Crowston and Dr Flora Hui at the Centre for Eye Research Australia, are published today in Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology. They show ‘significant improvement’ in the visual function of glaucoma patients who received a daily high dose of 3 grams of nicotinamide for 12 weeks in addition to their regular treatment to reduce eye pressure.
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Con's Gateway Report of Last Meeting Meeting 4 August 2020With Captain Colin at the helm of the good ship Zoom, the Meeting got off to a good start, with 26 Members present and apologies from John A, Val and Anthony. We were also graced by the presence of Steve O’Reilly from Phillip Island San Remo. Phil, with his District Insurance Officer hat on, immediately began his thorough presentation on how Rotary Insurance works, illustrating his talk with Power Point slides. The main points were:
Phil certainly knows his stuff and we now have a better appreciation of some of the changes we have introduced in 2020-2021 and why. Very informative!  Pres Kam then introduced the Behind the Badge segment, starring Cherie. Cherie has been a Rotarian for seven years. She grew up in The Basin, the fourth of five children and the only girl. She naturally developed into an outdoor girl, enjoying family camping at places such as Lake Eildon, Lake Eppalock and Lakes Entrance. She attended the good old Boronia Tech, where her mum worked the canteen, before going to Victoria (as it is now known) Uni, where she studied Events Management, majoring in Hotel and Catering Management. After a false start, she did work placement at the Southern Cross Hotel before deciding not to pursue that career. Cherie’s Partner migrated to Australia because, as a non-Muslim, he was not safe in his homeland of Iran. On her thirtieth birthday, Cherie bought a house in Rowville, with the intention of renovating it and turning it over. She is still there! Cherie then moved into Human Resources with Officeworks, where she did store visits, checking on compliance with procedures, then coaching and training, which she loved. After the Wesfarmers takeover, she was moved into administration and took up a role as Audit Officer, spending twenty six weeks of the year on the road. Two years later, Cherie became a Manager in the Finance area, where she “inherited a mess”. She streamlined and automated procedures and trained teams. On turning forty, Cherie wanted a change of direction into something “more meaningful”. She Joined Rotary and became a primary school teacher, completing a Masters in 2017, while still working part time at Officeworks. She then joined Disaster Aid as a volunteer before becoming a permanent staff member, responsible for donations, and “loving it”! Regarding her role as Club Administration, Cherie is “having a think”, some of those thoughts involving vocational tours and a social before Christmas. Cherie has certainly had an interesting life and brings a lot of skills to the Board. |
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This Week Club Insurance and Youth ProtectionPhil will update the Club on the Rotary insurance rules and Youth Protection. Please Note that all Zoom Meetings now commence at 7PM and an invitation to join will follow.
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Ken & Margaret's Booming Business Hi Folk, herewith current pics of the shoppers’ extraordinaire with today’s goods. Sales have quadrupled in this latest lockdown. We venture out daily, masks on to refill the shelves and fridges.
I love the mask - no lippy or makeup, except for eyebrows ( we girls know that eyebrows frame and define our face!) Also, I can practise my Kim Kardashian / Posh Beckham pout without someone asking, ‘are you alright?’ The only negative is my phone opens by face recognition and with the mask it doesn’t know me! The folk here are most appreciative and we enjoy our daily jaunts. Hope you and yours are all fine Cheers Marg McDonald  |
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Cornerstone Dinner Service Serves Up Success Good evening all,Wow, what a great start we had to our monthly meal service at Cornerstone! My sincere thanks go to our generous members who donated money to provide the funds to purchase the meals, our fantastic team of volunteers, Kam, Martin, Graeme & Hans and of course Frank & his team at Charcoal Chicken/Flounders Fish & Chips Endeavour Hills. I'd also like to thank those of you who have volunteered to be on our Roster for the meal service. The roster will be sent out one week prior to each meal service. The 46 meals provided last night were very generous in size, excellent quality and well packed in containers which kept the food warm. Frank gave us fantastic value for money and donated the gravy and 2 slabs of water. He also delivered the order personally to Cornerstone. It is really nice to think we were able to support a local business during these extremely difficult times. I'm pretty sure that all in attendance would agree that we left Cornerstone feeling very satisfied that we were able to provide a warm and nutritious meal to those in need, who may have otherwise gone hungry that night.  |
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Rotary Membership, Save the Date
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Fellowship in RotaryHi Kam and fellow members, Many may be aware that Rotary has over 90 friendship clubs called “Fellowships”. Some of the most popular are “Whiskey”, “Beer”, “Wine” and “Golf”. https://www.rotary.org/en/our- In Australia we have the Australian Golfing Fellowship of Rotarians (AGFR) which had as one of it’s founders Murray Guille of the original Rotary Club of Dandenong. Over the years many Rotary Club of Dandenong members have played in the annual tournament and in recent years Bryan Waters has been a regular competitor. Members of the Rotary Club of Endeavour Hills and their wives have been attending the tournaments since 1999 (having been encouraged by our “Godfather” Murray) and have created great friendships and shared many enjoyable times. Next year the tournament is at Maroochy River Golf Club in Queensland from Monday 17th. May to Friday 21st. May. I have attached some information regarding the tournament. Already four ex RCEH members and partners have registered together with some from RC Cranbourne. We generally all stay in the same establishment and this year have booked at Breakfree Alexandra Headland. If you are interested in a great time with golf included give me a call or talk to John Angwin,John Heathcote, Gus or Harry. There are plenty of organised activities for non golfing partners. Cheers Pete. |
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Hand Brake Turn graduates celebrate new life opportunities.
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Cornerstone Gazette July
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Previous Weeks MeetingsMeeting June 23rd 18 Members attended the Zoom Meeting, with Colin sitting in the “Director’s chair”, pushing all the right buttons. Business Holden Car Show meeting scheduled for 6.30pm Thursday
Graeme Peters then gave us a synopsis of his life so far. Martin Pater was unanimously elected to the new post of Vice President, on the recommendation of Con. Pres Anthony, in his last meeting before Changeover issued reminders:
I am sure we all would like to thank Anthony for leading the Club through a year full of challenges, capped off by the merger of two Clubs with proud histories, to make an even stronger Club. Thanks also to Lisa for support to Anthony throughout a particularly busy year on the personal front. I am also sure everyone has been energised by the merger and is looking forward to even greater achievements together in the future. The first physical Meeting is guaranteed to be a cracker, whenever that may be! As the person responsible for the RI registration side of the merger, I would like to thank Trudy from RI Parramatta for her valuable assistance in preparing and processing the paperwork in such a short time. Historic Changeover Meeting 7 July 2020Kotakaya Restaurant in Croydon South was the venue for the 2020-2021 Changeover Meeting, the first for the newly-merged Club. Because of Covid 19 restrictions, only 20 Members and Guests, including DG Mark Humphries, could be physically present, with the rest of the participants attending via Zoom. MC Phil introduced Anthony and Martin, who presented their years in review, calling to our minds all of our collective achievements over that period. DG Mark inducted Kam Pow as President and Kam presented his Board with their pins. Pres Kam, clearly proud and excited, then outlined his plans and objectives for the year to come. It is going to be a very full one! |
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Last Week's Talk by Michael McQueenDear Fellow Rotarians. Just in case you missed this Michael McQueen webinar last night, I recommend you to click on the link in the message below to watch this fantastic presentation. I got a lot out of the presentation not only for club membership building but the trend in the coming 10 years. Thank you to Phil for downloading the Michael McQueen Towards 2030 Trend White Paper for our club members. Stay safe and healthy . Take Care, Kam Hello Everyone, I am pleased to tell you that you can now review the webinar we held last night. It is on the District 9705 website which, just to confuse you, is the old District 9700 website! Anyway, here is the link and then click on Michael’s picture. P.S. I will be in touch again about future webinars as we hold them. Judy Ford D9705 Co-Chair Membership Rotary Club of Gungahlin 0431 676 959 |
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ClubRunner AppG'DEH to all. Club Members can access their Club and District information on their mobiles by downloading the ClubRunner App suited to your phone type. Just use your District logon username and password to gain access. For assistance email David (info.nutone@gmail.com) or Colin (colin.byron@gmail,com)
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New Rotary Welcomes New President The newly merged Rotary Club of Greater Dandenong Endeavour Hills welcomed their new President Kam Pow in an enthusiastic meeting last Tuesday night. Here is Kam's acceptance Speech. Good Evening. Fellow Rotarians, District Governor, Mark Humphries and partner Linda, Past District Governor, Ken MacDonald and partner Margaret, Past Assistant District Governor, Alan Collier, OAM and partner Vicki and my family, Christine and Emily who are here and via Zoom from Adelaide, my son, Vincent, daughter in law, Clara and granddaughter, Everly and a special guest, Dr Raymond Au to witness this very special Rotary Changeover. Thank you very much to all of you who are physically present tonight and Rotarians via Zoom at this historical Changeover in this unprecedented time of Covid-19 restriction. I joined Rotary 4 years ago as I wanted to serve the community and tonight I am very honoured and humbled to be inaugurated as the President of the recently merged Rotary Club of Greater Dandenong and Endeavour Hills with 40 members in the club. As President, there are many responsibilities and challenges to lead a successful club. I am sure I can count on my team of directors and every members of the newly merged club to help, support, guide and advise me to make this Rotary Centenary year a success for all of us to remember. I want to thank the two Immediate Past Presidents Dr Anthony Brown of RC Greater Dandenong and Martin Pater from Endeavour Hills and their respective teams for the great work that they have done. They have set the ground work for me to continue to take the club to greater height. I hope I can fulfil this very important role entrusted to me by all the members as their Club President. |
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Covid Lockdown UpliftWhat can you do this time 'round. Fishing's OK. And you can fish any day Baramundi...
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Retiring Presidents Retiring Presidents Anthony from Greater Dandenong and Martin from Endeavour Hills gave a summary of their Clubs activities over the last twelve months at last Tuesday's meeting. A tremendous amount of good has resulted from their efforts but they aren't relaxing yet. Both have accepted chairs at the newly appointed Board and will be supporting Kam in the year ahead.  |
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Next Meeting Tues 14th JulyDistrict 9706 has organised a Zoom seminar for all Rotarians across Australia. The speaker on 14th July will be International Speaker Michael McQueen. He will be speaking about the Post Crisis Kickstart. The secret to accelerated growth and sustained momentum. How will you take advantage of the crisis we have just had to build your Club. Please note that you will need to register for this session and it will COMMENCE AT 5:30PM An email will be sent to all members regarding registration.
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Centenary of Rotary in Australia Launch |
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Club Zoom Changeover 7th JulyRotary Club of Greater Dandenong & Rotary Club of Endeavour Hills: Club Changeover dinner – 7th July 2020 # - all members to “mute” their microphone # - have a drink ready to share toast to RI & Kam Running Sheet 6.00pm Guests arrival 6.30pm Zoom meeting commences 6.30 Call to order - Welcome, Introduction & apologises (MC: PP Phil) 6.35 Toast to Rotary International (PDG Ken Mc Donald) Reply to RI toast (P Assist DG Alan Collier) 6.45 DG Mark Humphries - DGs report for 2020-2021 6.55 Reflection of Rotary year 2019/2020 - PP RC Greater Dandenong- Anthony Brown Reflection of Rotary year 2019/2020 - PP RC End Hills – Martin Pater 7.15 Inauguration of Pres-Elect Kam Pow + handover of Collar, President’s Pin and Charter (DG Mark Humphries) PrP Pinesentation of P & PP Certificate to PP Anthony & PP Marin (President Kam) (flowers for Lisa & Wilma) 7.25 Inaugural speech by President Kam (Outlines his programs & aims for the year and the RI Theme) 7.35 Introduction of incoming directors and officers (President Kam) including presentation of year theme pins (hand out) & group photo 7.40 Close (PP Phil)
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Merger NewsDear Fellow Rotarians, I received great news on Friday from Rotary International, the official confirmation of the merger of RC Greater Dandenong and RC Endeavour Hills. The team has worked very hard to bring this merger into fruition. I like to take this opportunity to thank Con, Alan , Anthony and other members in getting the merger done in such a short time. Please see attached Charter Certificate RC Greater Dandenong Endeavour Hills and letter of approval for the merger. I am very excited and honoured to lead this merged clubs and looking forward to work with all club members who have the common goal as volunteers to provide services to the local as well as international communities. Rotary changes people life and members are people of action. Rotary also opens opportunity for members to learnings, experience and many other things that we may never have dreamt of doing before. Let us all work together to make our club one of the best clubs in District 9820. |
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District Zoom Change-over Sunday 28th June
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Next Event Club Zoom Changeover 7th JulyTo ensure we have a successful start to the new Rotary year, we will be having a virtual Change-over via Zoom. This will be a special changeover as it will be for the new merged Club being RC Greater Dandenong and Endeavour Hills. Once lockdown becomes clearer, we will organise a combined launch night to remember. More details to follow from Colin.
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Vale' John MadiganIt was with immense sadness that we heard that John Madigan, former independent senator passed away at 53, after a long illness. John was a fierce defender, and perhaps one of the most fervent, of all those that had suffered at the hands of family breakdown. Former Senator John Madigan was a supporter of Service Clubs and manufacturing and a special relationship with the Rotary Club of Greater Dandenong due to a common interest in the need to reform the Family Courts due to the impacts on children and soaring suicide rates amongst displaced parents. He spoke with great insight at a Business Breakfast organised by the Rotary Club of Greater Dandenong The Rotary Club of Greater Dandenong extend thier sincere condolences to his wife Teresa, his daughter Lucy and his son Jack. Terry Valentine BE, MBA, PMPA dedication from the organisation he signed into existence is available on https://www.pbb.news/2020/  |
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Online District Assembly Sunday 21st JuneRecommended for: Club office bearers, chairs, directors, new members, older more experienced members – all Rotarians! Great information and training by District and Zone representatives. Part 1 Rotary Learning Centre modules for key club roles – this is to be done preferable before the Part 2 & 3 online topics are scheduled. Topics will be listed in your registration for each session with help links on the registration page. Part 2 Sunday 21st June - Main Plenary 2 hours ONLINE VIA ZOOM and then President Elect, Secretary and Treasurer Breakouts Part 3 Rotary Role and Topic Online Breakouts - Various dates through July 2020 The registration links are here https://district9820.org/sitepage/district-assembly-2020/welcome on our district website. Many thanks, PDG Tim Moore Learning and Development Chair 2020-23 0418 175 895 |
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Last week Zoom and In personTo encourage members to attend our Special General Meeting last week Leane and Colin invited Margaret, Val and Neil, and Ken and Margaret to their home for dinner and after to join the Zoom Meeting. A successful outing and a successful meeting with a unanimous vote to join with Endeavour Hills carried.  |
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Zoom Meeting Report 2 June 202010 Members attended this excellent Meeting, with apologies from Phil, Peter and Anthony, all of whom were caring for relatives with difficulties. Pres Elect Kam ran the Meeting, with Colin pushing all the right buttons. It was great to see Margaret had conquered technology deficit syndrome and in attendance!  Kam introduced Guest Speaker, Geoff Manton, wearing several hats, particularly Hand Brake Turn and Concern Australia, which was born out of The God Squad Motorcycle Club. Under this banner they:
Hand Brake Turn:
Interestingly, during the Covid 19 lockdown, they learned that on-line learning does not work. Kam thanked Geoff for an excellent presentation. |
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Virtual World ConferenceWhilst the Rotary World Conference is cancelled, the Virtual World Conference will have Free entry.  |
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On Line Grant Management SeminarArticle submitted by PDG Charlie Speirs, District 9820 Foundation Chair. Online Club Qualification Now Available for District & Global Grants  Rotarians, here is a chance to grow some new skills while on Lock Down. The restrictions put in place to manage the rapid spread of the COVID-19 virus have made an impact on all our lives and Rotary activity. Being a group of resourceful people, we have adapted to the changes and found ways to achieve the tasks we need to do. It is no different for the Foundation Team in D9820. We understand that your desire to stay safe and still achieve a support role in your community is important. For 2020-21 District or Global Grants your club must “qualify” to get access to apply for grants. We are delighted that the Foundation has accepted the option of getting your Club qualified to apply for a District or Global Grant by doing an Online 'Grant Management Seminar'. The seminar is split into 9 x 15-minute courses. You don’t have to do them all at once. We encourage you to take this opportunity now to have your club qualified for a district grant once the threat of the COVID-19 virus has passed and we resume our normal daily activities. Now is the time for Clubs to be thinking about the Projects they would like to introduce to their community and get them planned. Do it now, so when restrictions ease, we can get straight onto the doing, not the planning. |
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Vale Allen Penney Sadly we farewell past Rotarian Allan Penney who was a member of Dandenong East Rotary Club from 1972 to 2003, Allan joined the Rotary Club of Dandenong East on 19 November 1972, where he held the offices of President (1981/82), Treasurer (1973/79) and Sergeant At Arms (1984/85), distinguishing himself in all Avenues of Service. In his Presidential year, Alan’s main achievements were inducting Alun Jones as a Paul Harris Fellow, running the successful around Dandenong Fun Run, a Folk Art Exhibition and assisting one inbound Exchange Student and two outbound Students. |
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Bushfires Meeting Report May 12th Pp ColinByron once again ably conducted the Zoom Meeting with 14 Members present and with one Guest, Margaret McDonald, for part of the Meeting. Guest Speaker, Pearl Findlay-James, President of the Rotary Club of Bairnsdale Sunrise, and Chair of the East Gippsland Fire Aid Committee, did a pre-recorded presentation, with PDG Tim Moore as Convenor, on the work so far to assist the people recover from the devastating bushfire.
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Club Welfare Some of you may already have already celebrated the birth of Phil & Gail's first granddaughter. Born Monday 4th May. I have a photo sent to me by Gail. All friends send their best wishes for a happy life. |
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Ken and Margaret Help Gippsland Attached a photo of Ken sent to me by Margaret after their shopping for beanies and socks. Several members of our club have donated money, along with Residents from Lexington where Ken & Margaret live. Marg & Ken are keen to deliver them to Janne Speirs to save on postage. I just want to mention that I spoke to Anthony yesterday and he was a little concerned that Janne wasn't accepting anymore donations of winter items. Anthony will contact Ken to find out whether he had already made contact with Janne prior to Anthony receiving an email stating the above. If there are any issues, our suggestion would be to donate them to Cornerstone and the church where Greaeme Peters is. However, once again a job well done by Ken & Marg and hopefully the purchased items will end up in Traralgon. After all their hard work it would be very disappointing to hear that they're not required where they were intended to go. |
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Next Meeting May 19thWe have District Governor Adrian Froggatt joining us in our Zoom meeting next Tuesday May 19th at 6.30pm. He will talking to us about what is happening within the District during lock down and what Rotary will be like after the lock down. I would encourage all members to attend and contribute. We will also update Adrian on all the great work we are doing in our Club. So please mark you attendance on team App, log onto Zoom, invite your partner to join in and learn what is happening in Rotary. If you are having difficulty with Zoom, please let me know. The Zoom invitation will be sent to you soon. Regards Colin 0447 379 329
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Endeavour Hills Merge to extend ProjectsROTARY CLUB OF GREATER DANDENONG INC NOTICE OF SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING Notice is hereby given of a General Meeting to consider and if thought fit, pass the attached Special Resolution i.e. merger with Rotary Club of Endeavour Hills. To be held on: TUESDAY 9 JUNE 2020 at 6:30pm This will be a virtual ZOOM meeting. Log in details will be emailed to all members. Please read the documents sent by Secretary Leanne Byron on the proposed Club Merger with Endeavour Hills. We need to have as many members as possible to attend. In addition PE Kam will outline his plans for next Rotary year.   |
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Next Meeting May 12thOur Rotary Club Meeting this Tuesday 12th May will feature an update from Pearl Findlay-James, President Rotary Club of Bairnsdale Sunrise who is the chair of the East Gippsland Rotary Fire Aid Committee. In her video presentation, Pearl speaks of the great work that has been enabled via the generous donations received from various bushfire appeals and Rotary grants. The District 9820 East Gippsland Rotary Fire Aid Committee is working daily in an office accommodating interaction with fire affected individuals in a socially distanced space. The Committee’s scope spans the acquisition of fodder, hay and transport logistics, local business shopping vouchers and community BBQ’s to the recent calls for winter knits, further grant applications and the arrival of refurbished caravans for the fire homeless. Please come and join the meeting. Your Zoom invitation will be forwarded by email from Colin Byron. Topic: Rotary Club Greater Dandenong Zoom Meeting Time: May 12, 2020 06:30 PM Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney |
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Next Meeting May 5thDear Rotarians, For next Tuesday's (May 5th) Club meeting we have Naomi Paterson the CEO of Cornerstone joining us to give an update on their great work helping the homeless during this difficult time. We are also hoping to have Cameron from the Star newspapers join us. Looking forward to seeing everyone on Zoom. An invitation has been sent by email. If you have any problems getting on please call. Regards, Colin, 0447 379 329 |
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Vale Bruce GibsonTom Gibson has contacted me as to the death of his father Bruce Gibson yesterday aged 91. Bruce was the son in law of Stewart Scott and was a member of Alex Scott and Co for a substantial part of his working life. He also was a past president of the RCD, a Paul Harris Fellow and an honorary member for many years following his retirement from Alex Scott and moving to South Gippsland. Best Wishes Alan Roberts |
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Cornerstone newsHi friends, The amazing team of staff, volunteers and community members at Cornerstone have done a brilliant job of adapting to some unexpected challenges over this last month, and I am so heartened that we have been able to remain operational during the peak of the COVID-19 crisis. We have seen some incredible support from donors, sponsors, partner services and local council, which has been a tremendous help towards serving the most vulnerable members of our community. Please check out the pictures and stories below about some of the in-kind support we have received. Lots of people from around the Dandenong area have been pretty hard hit by losing jobs, waiting for Job Seeker applications to be processed, and the limited availability of material aid. During this time, the work of Cornerstone is more important than ever. As we continue to assess the growth in demand for meals and food parcels, we anticipate that we may need to ramp up our meals and services in the coming months. Thank you so much for your prayers and support, which remain vital to the work that we do. Naomi Paterson CEO, Cornerstone Contact Centre admin@cornerstonecentre.com.au |
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Last Meeting Report Apr 21 Another successful Meeting took place on 21 April. The main items were:
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Life in Isolation Greetings Rotarians, This is what the McDonalds have been up to in lockdown. Mainly shopping for others at the convenience store in our "lifestyle" village. bowling with just one other person - social distancing of course - sunset drinks by the bowling green, and Marg doing her daily walk. Cheers Ken and Marg.   |
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Zoom Webinar with Greg Hunt 2 Last week's Zoom Meeting with Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt and Rotary District 9820 Governor Adrian Froggatt for a discussion on Rotary and caring for our communities during COVID-19, was a great success Special thanks to Colin Byron for getting us up to speed about joining in. Rotarians and members of the public from our District, Victoria, and Australia were invited to join the webinar. Adrian Froggatt
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Zoom Online Club MeetingOur last Zoom Meeting was attended by 12 Members and proved to be highly successful. During these difficult times, it is a good way to catch up,share stories, and work on Rotary activities. Our NEXT Zoom Meeting will be held on Tuesday April, 21st at 6:30pm. All Members are welcome to attend and details of agenda and how to attend will follow soon via email from Colin Byron. Dear All, This is your invitation to join our Club Zoom meeting scheduled for next Tuesday 21st April at 6.30pm. The purpose of the meeting is to stay in touch and update any Rotary items. As we are trying out Zoom, this session is limited to 40 minutes. We may decide in the future to extend these sessions but it comes at a cost. So please try and join at 6.30pm. Over the last week Zoom has improved their meeting security and has set a meeting password. The password is included in the meeting invitation. Looking forward to catch up next week. Regards, Colin Colin Byron is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: Rotary Club Greater Dandenong Zoom Meeting Time: Apr 21, 2020 06:30 PM Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 712 0486 0225 Password: 0hKLE4 Sent from Colin. |
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Brand New Day Brand New Day is an organisation founded by Margo and (the late) Tom Hartley in Dandenong, to help immigrant women assimilate into Australian society. Women are taught life basics, such as how to use public transport, shopping, cooking, day to day English and other skills necessary to live in a world totally different from their countries of origin. Skills we all take for granted.The Club helps out by regularly mowing the lawns in the beautiful, expansive garden and nature-strip. One of the many “little” things to help the local community, most of which go unnoticed. Con Meehan
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Stay connected During Covid-19For more than a century, Rotary has connected the world through fellowship and service. The COVID-19 pandemic has altered our daily routines and forced the cancellation of many in-person Rotary and Rotaract club meetings and events. But even when we can’t hold our usual events, members have lots of ways to stay engaged, connect with one another, and serve their communities. Online Options Clubs can meet online using services such as Zoom, Skype or GoToMeeting. All three platforms offer robust support, from their directions for setting up an account to helping with technical issues. Rotary and Rotaract members get a discount on Zoom through Rotary Global Rewards. Members can also connect with each other on social media and with services such as FaceTime, Google Hangouts, or WhatsApp groups.
Keep Members Engaged How is your club or district keeping your members engaged during the COVID-19 response? Share your ideas and resources or participate in a discussion in the Meeting Online group in Learning Topics. |
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Val Bennett Val is recovering well at home after her latest hip operation. She is her usual chirpy self and is not experiencing any pain, only what she describes as “discomfort”! I know we all wish her a speedy recovery. Con Meehan |
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WINE OFFER Tasting Notes Some Margaret River wine has fallen off the back of a truck and into Pecky’s warehouse!At the last Meeting, he offered it for sale at $20.00 per bottle, from which $5 will go to Rotary. Is it any good? Margaret River produces some great wines, particularly rieslings and Semillons, but also some pretty special reds. The review wine is a 2013 cabernet sauvignon. To protect the innocent, I will not name the winery, but this wine is no longer available anywhere else. As far as I can gather, it probably sold for around $48 per bottle in its heyday. The wine is medium-bodied, deep red in colour and very smooth drinking. The acids and tannins have softened over time, leaving the fruit to shine through. There are plums and berries to be found, along with (surprisingly) a faint whiff of lavender on opening. The finish is pleasant, if not particularly long. At $20 per bottle, it represents quite good buying for a wine versatile enough to go with many different foods. Buy some and help the Club! |
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Club Golf DayJohn Feldman Classic On Friday 13th March, a field of 8 contested the Classic (named after a former Member, and keen golfer, who died some years ago from a brain tumour), at Sandhurst Golf Club. This is just a fun day for Rotarians and guests, an opportunity for fellowship and a great way of remembering John, who did so much for Rotary and the community.The winner was Graham Harris from Sandhurst (fourth from the left), who took home the Trophy. Rotary is not all work and no play!!! |
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Meetings Suspended
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Meeting 10th March 2020 Sgt Ken opened the Meeting with a group recitation of the Invocation and called on Peter for the Loyal Toast, with 11 Members present (8 apologies).Pres Anthony:
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District Conference Cancellation
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Movie Review - 1917Directed by Sam Medez, this movie takes hold of you from the very first frame and never lets go. The plot is based on a true story, or stories, from the Western Front on 6 April 1917. Whilst Firth and Cumberback are both in the cast, their roles are minor, the leads being George Mackay and Dean Charles, who take you on a non-stop journey through the battlefield. Cleverly, the movie appears to have been shot with hand held cameras in only one take (it couldn’t have been!). The action is continuous, in “real time” and closely follows the two leads for the duration, with the hand-held cameras, mostly in close-up, keeping you right in the middle of the action. It is totally immersive. This is a technical tour de force, with over 500 people involved in the special effects and digital imagery alone, and the battlefield is astonishingly real. But this British movie is not just a typical action war movie – it is far more. The gradual discovery of the backgrounds and personalities of the two leads and the interplays between them and the other characters, are fascinating to watch. Anyone who has been in the army would recognise the authenticity of the portrayals of the various officer, sergeant and lance corporal types. No wonder 1917 has won so many awards. Like any movie, it will not appeal to everyone, but, in my opinion, it is a cinematic masterpiece not to be missed. |
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All Holden Car Show Meeting Martin Pater led us through the tasks, those done and those yet to be done. |
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Committee Meeting 18th FebruaryThe meeting was to specifically firm up on our project planning for 2020 and 2021 and formalise it.
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Joint Meeting With Endeavour Hills 20th FebThe joint meeting showed that there is a lot of compatibility between the two Clubs.
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Helping people with disabilities make their own music Music has been an important part of leading an ordinary life for students at the Music School for Children With Disabilities in Honor of Paul Harris in Lublin, Poland. Founded by Rotary members, the school serves 20 students with various disabilities, including Down syndrome, autism, and visual impairments. The Rotary Club of Lublin-Centrum-Maria Curie-Sklodowska has provided funding with help from Rotary Foundation Matching Grants and the Henryk Wieniawski Musical Society, which houses the school. After their son Mateusz was born with underdeveloped eyes, Mariusz and Joanna Kania looked for ways to help him be active. When he showed an aptitude for music, they looked for a teacher and were thrilled to find the Paul Harris music school. |
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Finding Safe Haven For years, Angalia Bianca had slept in abandoned buildings throughout Chicago. She stole. She did drugs. She spent time in and out of jail for forgery, theft, trespassing, and possession of narcotics. But after she landed in prison for the seventh time, something changed -- Bianca knew she wanted a better life. She just didn’t know how to make it happen.After serving her time, Bianca sought help from a local homeless organization, A Safe Haven, and moved to its shelter in the Rogers Park neighborhood. Bianca followed the program closely -- she attended all the required meetings, passed drug tests, and volunteered at every opportunity.
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Saving lives in Ghana What is it like taking a large team to Africa? It has probably been one of the most rewarding experiences in my life. In mid February, I began leading Rotary members from all over the East Coast of the United States through Ghana. I’ve tried to give the team a warm Ghanaian welcome like I’ve received on my earlier trips. A large trip is a real blessing because each person sees Ghana and our work in a different way.A highlight for the team was greeting the chief of Sagadugu. The team got excited about buying goats and food for children in the villages where I support eight churches. It was good to see the pastors of most of the eight churches, and I had to explain that we were just passing through on our way to Bolgatanga. |
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India celebrates three years without polio Throughout India and around the world, Rotary clubs are celebrating a major milestone: India has gone three years without a new case of polio. The last reported case was a two-year-old girl in West Bengal on 13 January 2011. To mark this historic triumph, Rotary clubs illuminated landmarks and iconic structures throughout the country with four simple but powerful words, "India is polio free."The three-year achievement sets the stage for polio-free certification of the entire Southeast Asia region by the World Health Organization. The Indian government also plans to convene a polio summit in February to commemorate this victory in the global effort to eradicate polio. |
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Due to Pandemic