Three Minute Speaker - Chloe Holmes Exchange Student
President's Message
Sue Voss
Hi everybody
Congratulations to our Fund-raising Director Carolyn Such and thanks to everybody for participated in organising this week's Webinar with Tim Wilson, MP. A great evening and a most successful fund-raising project!
As we move into the last three months of 2020, a most challenging year, Rotary has been celebrating Re-Connect Week 2020.
Recently we have seen a number of people leave our Club. This has happen for a variety of reasons including some moving elsewhere while others have become Friends. Several people have simply stopped being involved as Rotarians.
Rotary Reconnect Week encourages Clubs to reach out to former members, see how they are going and where appropriate, encourage them to be involved in Rotary projects and initiatives. Clubs are also asked to reach out to former Rotary program participants and alumni, including Youth Exchange participants, Rotary Scholars, Vocational Award Winners and Rotaractors.
As we, hopefully, come out of COVID-19 restrictions this can be a good time to make contact with past friends and colleagues. People who are now living elsewhere and those with previous connections with the Rotary Club of Mt Eliza may come back to be involved in activities such as out Golf Day will will now be held in early 2021 (thanks to Grace & David Rew for persisting with this wonderful event).
As things return to normal it would be great to involve those people with whom the Club had a strong involvement.
While I will have more to say after we complete our Club Visioning work, it would be great if some of the people with whom we reconnect consider membership of the Satellite Club once it is up and running.
Until next time
Yours in Rotary
Sue
District Governor Mark Humphries and Past President Linda Humphries
Greetings to all Rotarian members at Mt Eliza and other readers of this Bulletin.
Thank you so much for those Rotarians who have participated in one or more of the District Fireside Chats. They are proving to be a most useful way of communicating during these challenging times.
At times of difficulty we sometimes forget the strength and influence of Rotary.
The Rotary family in Australia has over 30,000 members who each belong to their local Rotary Club. There's over 1100 Clubs in Australia, with each Club led by a Club President and supported by Club office holders. In most cases the position of President is rotated every July, providing ample opportunities for Rotarians to step up and gain leadership experience.
Clubs operate independently, however often come together to work on joint projects and celebrate big events as we are seeing with the Peninsula Cluster of Clubs and their work on the Bay Trail Project, celebrating 100 years of Rotary in Australia.
Each Club belongs to one of 21 Rotary Districts in Australia. Districts are geographically defined and sometimes cross state and even international borders. I take pride in being the Governor of District 9820 for 2020/21.
Each District is part of 6 worldwide Zones, with Australia being part of Zone 8, which covers Oceanic nations including New Zealand, East Timor and Papua New Guinea as well as our own great country.
Every Club is part of the the wider Rotary International - a network with more than 1.2 million Rotarians in nearly 33,000 Clubs around the globe.
Rotary is dedicated to making the world a better place through promotion of peace, cultural understanding and service to the community.
Yes, this year is challenging, however it is wonderful to be part of such an important organisation that makes such a difference and opens opportunities.
I read [sic] that to dance like no - one is watching, love like you really care ... etcetera, should be added:
'talk on the telephone like no - one is listening'. Carolyn Such, I add in my own defence, is always pleasant[See later].*
Failed politicians seem to come back for more [Andrew Peackock, Kristina Keneally].... the list is extensive. Few men and women demur in Life because of their inner knowledge of their own shortcomings. Each will later provide a tailored excuse, often in their memoirs. Peacock, sprung on an eavesdropped phone call to Jeff Kennett later took up roles with Shirley MacLaine and Boeing. Keneally having failed as Premier of NSW was offered a Senate seat, at the expense of a colleague; now she herself is under threat from within.
When Bob Menzies was PM, he had an office staff of ten... that's right. TEN. Apart from John Howard, Menzies was the only politician that I can think of who did a 'Lazarus'. Why therefore are the knives out for Dan Andrews and Gladys Berejiklian? At least she is not being picked on for having a non - Anglo Saxon name; and being a woman. Maybe she should have not accepted the job when offered [except this deprives her of the 'coodabeen' excuse]. Andrews believes he's on a crusade, and for the Electorate to not realise this means only one thing; that goalposts move. Fewer that 30 per cent of 16 - 18 Year olds can name a politician; let alone one who influences them. Face Book influencers; well, how many names would we like, but they must have pneumatic lips.
But I digress: OK then. So Menzie's pay and his benefits in 1952 adjusted for inflation would curl your hair. [Hair will be provided to several Members, upon written request]. He did however know what was going on, as did Arthur Calwell, Gough Whitlam and ... Jeff Kennett. I met the former two more often, and they remembered my name [really]. Jeff Kennett; over meals I saw his daily diary. It was in ten - minute blocks, but he still knew what was happening.
* Someone who heard the NSW Premier on the ICAC phone taps said .... gee, she sounded really nice, not like her as Premier. [Wot!]
Peta Credlin on Sky News last night said [I'm told] sic.... If all the women who ever had personal relationships with dickheads [her words] they'd have left the workforce; there'd be no women employed. I'm told there are more women than men, so go figure.
In this Age of Separate States I ponder how 'we the people' Rotarians, a cross - section of our Community [ours is] can get Oxygen for our Community Efforts. The aforementioned Carolyn et. al. may be our Martyr. For answers to this, and more ....
This week we hear from former Rotarian and now Friend of the Club, Dr Hanne Falkiner, who writes:
My Time at the Rotary Club of Mt. Eliza, 28.Febryary 2012 until 30. June 2020
In late 2011 Carolyn Such suggested to me to join the Rotary Club of Mt. Eliza and proposed my membership to the Club. I attended a dinner at the Club on 10 January 2012 and was elected to membership on 28 February 2012 by Linda Morris, who was President at that time. I recall my induction with great pleasure, especially the kindness of club members welcoming me, but also the interesting conversations and the humor all around. The subsequent social interactions were most enjoyable and I made some lovely friends. Helping at various fundraising activities such as Farmers Market, Bunnings BBQ, Bark in the Park and Book Sales, were always characterized by camaraderie and fun. I had several outstanding dinners at other club member’s homes and enjoyed hosting some dinners together with Tim Action at my place. The meeting venue at Toorak College was very well suited and the staff simply gorgeous and easy to work with. The dinner talks were often very interesting and the 3-minute speakers contributed delightfully to the entertainment.
Following my retirement from work, I served as the Club’s secretary during the presidencies of Bernie Edwards 15/16 and of George-Ann Sullivan 16/17. These were exciting, busy years and good times. Both, Bernie and George-Ann were wonderful to work with, easy-going, good communicators, organized, always polite and respectful. Much was achieved during these years, they were productive and satisfying. Putting the Annual Report together took a lot of time and effort, but after some “learning on the job” I got it done and made some changes to the layout in the hope the new format would facilitate the creation of future editions.
Holding the chair of Community Services during the presidencies of David Rew 17/18 and of Jim Young 18/19 gave me the opportunity to address some local issues of environmental improvement. Securing two Community Place-making Grants from the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council in those consecutive years allowed us to plant new trees at the John Butler Reserve and Howard Parker Reserve. In cooperation with Malcolm Hull both projects were completed despite the usual delays when working with council. The re-vegetation of John Butler Reserve received a National Trust Award. We also supported numerous other projects in the local community, such as Wallara at Sages Cottage, the Men’s Shed, Young Carers, Fusion, School Lunch Deliveries, Mental Health initiatives, Christmas Hampers, the Community Pitch of the Bendigo Bank, Legacy, the New Hope Foundation, Dogs for Kids with Disabilities, the Bowel Scan Program and Hospice.
Being asked to become president in 19/20 was an honor I appreciated. However, I took a back seat that year and spent more time with my fast growing family. I also became more involved with other ways of serving the wider community as my concerns about Climate Change grew. Both those commitments led to my resignation from the Club in June 2020. I am very happy to remain a friend of the Club, to help when I can and stay in touch with this lovely group of people.
Thank you Hanne for your contributions to this week's Bulletin. These memories of our Club continue to receive very positive feedback from readers (Ed).
In the early 1950s a man was caught by police as he was leaving the Bourke Street store of Dunklings the Jeweller.
They discovered that he a handful of necklaces, five expensive watches and four diamond rings in his pocket. The thief had been wandering around the store looking at various pieces of jewellery and slipping them one at a time into the inside pocket of his jacket when no one was looking.
The would be criminal was hauled up before a Judge and he decided to represent himself.
He argued to the Judge that it wasn't his fault. It was his left arm that had committed the crime. It was his left arm that had slipped the jewels, one at a time, into his jacket when the sales attendants were not watching.
The Judge though about this submission and said to himself, "I'll fix this smarty."
The Judge then proceeded to announce his verdict. "I am persuaded by the argument put forward that it is the fault of the left arm. It was such an eloquent and original defence that I accept it. Therefore I find the arm guilty and sentence it to six years hard labour at Pentridge Prison."
The criminal thanked the Judge and walked over to the Bailiff. He took off his jacket and twisted off the arm and handed it over. "It's finally proven to be useful after all the trouble that it has caused me since I lost my real arm during the War!"
In a small country town in the late 1970s, the local amateur theatrical society was having a wonderful year. Each year they endeavoured to put on a play every three months and 1978 had been most successful.
They had started out with Jack Hibberd's playDimboola. It was a great success.
Three months later Ray Lawler's"Summer of the Seventeenth Doll" was another huge success with people coming from near and far. They played to a pack house every night for a week.
Towards the middle of Spring, The Crucible by American playwright Arthur Miller was also highly successful.
Young Trevor had been the understudy to the lead actor in each of these three productions and he was delighted when the Director announced that the Group would put on Shakespeare'sHamlet as its Christmas Production and that Trevor would play the leading role as the Prince of Denmark.
On the opening night Trevor, who was not inordinately talented, kept muffing line after line and missing his cues.
Moreover he spoke so badly that the audience in the packed local Mechanics Institute Hall could barely hear him. Thus the audience started talking amongst themselves making things even more difficult. Then the crowd started heckling and booing.
Finally it was too much for Trevor who stopped mid sentence. He stared at the sea of faces in the front row and beyond and said, "It's not my fault. I didn't write this rubbish!"
For some time, a number of our members and friends have been using their Ritchies Cards to participate in Ritcies’ community program with the Trust Fund being their beneficiary. This has benefited the Trust Fund quite well over the years.
Ritchies is in the process of updating their Loyalty Card program. This will operate via a phone app or a NEW plastic card. Existing cards will no longer be effective.
Ritchies is in the process of updating their Loyalty Card program. This will operate via a phone app or a NEW plastic card. Existing cards will no longer be effective.
Regardless of your using the phone app or the new card, the Club has to be re-input via the Ritchies website to be set as the beneficiary for your registration. The earning rate shall be 0.5% of your docket value.
To use the App:
download the Ritchies Card app. Follow the prompts to register
following confirmation of your registration, login to your account, click the “community” icon and then click “Select or View your Favourite Recipient” button; using the shortcut to locate the Club, input ‘rot’ and then identify our club.
click on the icon ‘register here’ and then follow the prompts. To nominate the Club, go to the Community tab/recipients listing - the Club is a fair way down the list at around page 18.
[See later].
