What would we attempt if we were knew that there was no possibility of failure? Not a fair question perhaps, because the parameters and circumstances are not defined.
There are people who will apply themselves to a task with a view to success, based upon their judgement. Lindsay Fox of LINFOX said (sic) if you're offered a task you've never done before, accept it, then go and workout how to do it. L. Fox esq. is not someone to take lightly.
To say that you have not done something [legal :-) ] before, is to me a good reason to try it if the opportunity presents itself. Now, I exclude prejudice. Like, having an aversion to chili, curry, tripe, figs and .... coriander* see photo.
I'd add lutefisk and whale meat, especially if you are travelling around Finland / Scandinavia. Your medical insurance won't cover you.
Which leads me to Ms Chloe Holmes a student at Balcombe Grammar in Mt Martha; encouraged by her father Luke, whose father was a PHF Rotarian.
I never left Victoria until I was eighteen; a not unusual situation in those days.
On the basis of 'what could possibly go wrong', Chloe is travelling to Finland in January for a Year, as a participant of our Rotary Youth Exchange [Australia] program. Some would say 'Yes, but ..... you'll lose a Year in Australia and have to finish a Year behind your friends at Balcombe'. So?? Chloe will return a more learned person. She will develop skills that look mighty impressive on her CV , and serve her well throughout life. Chloe is an ambassador for Rotary and Australia.
Chloe is well supported and encouraged by her parents, and also by the Principal of Balcombe Grammar, Ross Patterson and Chloe's friends.
We wish her a safe and adventurous trip, and look forward the seeing Chloe when she returns safe home.
Chloe Holmes RYEA Student, and P E Sue Voss
Luke Holmes, proud father of Chloe.
District Governor Elect Mark Humphries
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The Annual General Meeting of the Rotary Club of Mt Eliza took place during our Club Night at Toorak College on Tuesday 19 November 2019.
Under the direction of President Ross Schweitzer the meeting unanimously received and adopted the 2018/19 audited accounts for the Club & the Community Trust Fund, all tabled reports and reappointed auditors for the Club and for the Trust Fund.
Particular thanks were accorded to the Club's Honorary Auditor, Raymond Manchester Esq.
Following an earlier call for nominations and unopposed election, the Club's Board for the 2020/21 Rotary Year will be: President - Sue Voss, Secretary - Pauline McFarlane, Past President - Ross Schweitzer, Treasurer - Chris Angerer, Community Director - Linda Morris, Fund-raiding Director - Carolyn Such, International Director - Maurie Selth, Vocational Director - Brynton Fennel, Youth Director - Mike Weber.
At this stage nominations for the position of Club Service Director/President-elect for 2021/22, remain open with President Ross indicating that the position will be filled by March next year.
Rotarian Alex Anderson has organised with distinction the annual ANZAC and Remembrance Day Services in Mt Eliza for many years.
Recently Alex has let the Board know that due to other time constraints, including some significant travel, he believes that it is time to hand over to a new person.
To assist with this role, Alex has provided a large aide memoire. The Board will be looking for one or more members who are able to take on this role. The ideal candidate(s) will have military experience, however this is not a requirement.
Interested persons are asked to have an initial conversation with Alex to further explore this key matter.
As we are having our Christmas Party/ Dinner Dance on Saturday 30 November, there will not be a dinner meeting on Tuesday 3 December.
Our final dinner meeting for 2019 will be at Toorak College on Tuesday 10 December. President Ross has decided to make this a fun night that recaps the 2019 Rotary Year. In this context, among other things, there will be a team Quiz with good prizes for the winners.
Our first gathering in January will be the Annual New Year Breakfast which will be held at Rotary Park from 8.00 am onwards on Tuesday 7 January.
The first dinner meeting for 2020 will be held at Toorak College on Tuesday 14 January.
Our Club's wonderful dog show, Bark In The Park, is to be held on Sunday 29 March 2020.
All available Rotarians and Friends are asked to diarise this date now as we will need as many hands on deck as possible to ensure that we build upon the great successes of previous Bark In The Park events.
Our Club Christmas Party & Dinner Dance, on Saturday 30 November at St James the Less, 105 Koetong Parade, Mt Eliza, is shaping up as a night not to be missed.
There will be lots to do - fellowship, dining, dancing, having fun, enjoying each other's company and celebrating the coming Christmas Season.
The entry fee is $25 per head and BYO drinks.
Rotarians attending are also asked to consider providing a suitable gift for children whose families may not have the wherewithal to celebrate Christmas. As previously, these gifts will be distributed to needy families with assistance from the Mornington Police.
If you have not already booked for this very special evening please make urgent contact with our Fund-Raising Director Carolyn Such.
Kindly note that the starting time for the evening is 7.00 pm not 6.30 pm as detailed in last week's bulletin. My apologies (Ed.)
Our Club is fortunate to have such a dedicated Rotarian as Mark Humphries who is District Governor Elect for District 9820.
Together with his wife Linda, Mark makes a major contribution to Rotary at the Club, District and Zone level. It will be an exciting 2020/21 when he assumes the DG role.
Recently the Chair of the District Governor Nominating Committee, PDG Janne Speirs and current DG Adrian Froggatt send out a message to all District 9820 Rotarians, as follows:
"The search has commenced for a District 9820 Governor for the 2022-23 tear. Please give due consideration to the position if you have a passion for the District and for Rotary and would like to be part of the future of this great District. Please discuss your thoughts with your Club President who has further details or get in touch with PDG Janne Speirs who is leading the nominating Committee."
The Universe is mind-bogglingly large. Light travels at almost 300, 000 kilometres per second (the actual speed is 299,792 km/second). A light-year is the distance that light travels in one Earth year. One light-year is about 9 trillion kilometres. While the spatial size of the Universe is yet to be known, the size of the observable Universe is currently estimated to be 93 billion light-years in diameter.
In 2003 scientists from the University of New South Wales, John Hopkins University in Baltimore, USA and the Royal Observatory in Edinburgh counted all the then known galaxies and estimated the number of stars in each, in one small region of the Universe close to Earth.
They then extrapolated the calculation across the then entire known Universe and came up with what is regarded was the most accurate estimate of the minimum total number of stars. Dr Simon Driver, who led the study at the Australian National University, said: "Even for a professional astronomer used to dealing in monster numbers, the total is mind boggling."
It is estimated that there are up to 400 billion stars in our galaxy, the Milky Way and somewhere between 100 and 500 billion galaxies in the Universe. This number is being refined as further discoveries take place. Celebrity astrophysicist Professor Brian Cox was quoted in Monday's Age as saying that there are approximately two trillion galaxies in the Universe.
In the 2003 calculations, astronomers calculated that there was a minimum of 70 thousand million million million - or seven followed by 22 zeros - stars. At the higher end of calculations there may be up to 200 sextillion stars.
Without a telescope it is estimated that we can only see around 5000 stars in the night sky from the darkest places of the Earth and just over 100 in city areas.
Mathematicians have calculated that there are significantly more stars in the Universe than there are grains of sand on every beach on the Earth.
To balance this, it used to be estimated that there are more atoms in a single grain of sand (approximately 50 000 000 000 000 000 000 - 50 quintillion) than there are stars in the Universe. With the number of identified galaxies and stars increasing as science extends its knowledge, it is probably safer to state that there are more atoms in 3 or 4 grains of sand than there are stars in the Universe.
Many people believe that the design and complexity of the Universe can only be explained via a cosmological argument in favour of a divine creator (God).
Whatever your beliefs, the size and complexity of the Universe is beyond the understanding of most people and is a true wonder to contemplate.
The Reverend Jones woke up early one Sunday morning and looked outside of his home in inner city Melbourne. It was a perfect early Summer day - sunshine, no wind and a temperature of just over 20 degrees.
"What a perfect day for golf," he thought to himself.
Then he remembered, it was Sunday.
However, he really wanted to play golf.
After good deal of mental gymnastics, the reverend telephoned his associate minister and explained that he wouldn't be able to do the 11.00 am service as "he didn't feel up to it."
As soon as he emailed his draft sermon to the other priest, he quickly gathered his golf clubs, jumped into his car and drove to the golf course at Flinders just over an hour's drive away where he was certain he didn't know anybody.
When he arrived at the first tee, he was alone. After all, it was Sunday and most people were at church!
At this time, Saint Peter leaned over to the Lord while looking down from the heavens and exclaimed, "You're not going to let him get away with this, are you?"
The Lord signed and said, "I guess not."
Just then Reverend Jones hit the ball on the first hole, a 259 metre short par four.
It was a beautiful straight drive and it headed straight to the green, rolled up and dropped into the hole. It was an albatross, a hole in one on a par four.
St Peter was astonished. He looked at the Lord and asked, "Why did you let him do that?"
The Lord smiled and replied, "Who's he going to tell?"
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