Coolamon Rotary News Bulletin #12
SEPTEMBER IS ROTARY Basic Education and Literacy Month
This week we feature Tracy Monica Ochieng who we met in Mathare in November 2011 after the Mountains of the Moon Climb. Tracy has worked hard since we started to sponsor her to High School. Tracy is now in her last year at High School and is looking ot become a lawyer.
Click on the above pdf file on Tracy’s speech to our Rotary team most inspiring.
COOLAMON ROTARY “MOO POO”
This weekend saw the beginning of the new club project “Moo Poo”. Dave McKinley and President Wayne Lewis went to a feedlot and took delivery of 27 tonnes of the best moo poo weed free and ready to work for the gardeners. We had several volunteers on Saturday to bag part of the load. Together with Dave OIC and Wayne were Henk Hulsman, Don Dyce, Ian Durham, Trevor Parkes, Alex Thompson, John Glassford, Paul Weston and Helen Lewis. Click on the thumb nails for a larger image. We managed to bag 250 all at around 20 kgs. each.
FOR SALE AT $8.00 per bag. Trailer Loads @ $35.00 (Box trailer 6′ x 4′).
OUTLETS: Delta Ag Coolamon, Marrar Sales and Service and Ag & Vet in Ganmain.
PLEASE CALL:
Dave 6927 8553
John 6927 3535
Trevor 0407 491 522
MEETING MONDAY SEPTEMBER 21st. 2015
An excellent night with a very good guest speaker, Matt Quade. Our guests included, Helen Lewis, Di, Marilyn Jennings and Alex Thompson for the last time as our guest, next week Alex joins our club. Also attending 17 of our members.
The following items of interest for our members:
Moo Poo now bagged ready for sale. Also volunteers required this Saturday, same place same time 8.30 am.
Gears and Beers Volunteers if you are still available for Sunday 4th October let us know please. We have enough now but it will be a great event not to be missed and to be able to help Wollundry RC is essential.
The first Club Assembly for ALL our members to view their ideas and exchange ideas will be held on Monday 12th October. It is intended to hold these on a monthly basis and shifting the board meeting to another night, probably a Wednesday night. We hope that all members will take advantage of this monthly meeting to grow our club and make us stronger.
PE Don Dyce presenting Matt Quade with our kangaroo money pouch.
Guest Speaker Matt Quade.
One of the best speakers we have had and we have had some excellent guest speakers this year. Matt hails from Tallimba near West Wyalong. Matt gave a great account of his work for a private security firm rebuilding Iraq. However that is not the full story as Matt has also worked in Afghanistan, Libya, Haiti and currently in Somalia. Matt has also served in the French Foreign Legion. Matt’s life has been full of adventure to say the least.
In 2003 Matt went to Iraq and he has so many very interesting stories to relate. One of his observations was that it is easy to take a country but almost impossible to hold it, so true! Matt is not a friend of journalists who stay in the Green Zone and have others do the hard yards often losing their lives.
Matt went on to talk about corruption, religion and foreign aid among some of the subjects that he covered. He spoke on Libya and Haiti especially on the foreign aid that arrived from the Red Cross and how millions were siphoned into building a luxury hotel there.
His statement that President Putin will not make the same mistakes in Syria as the Russians did in Afghanistan struck a cord. Matt finished up on a local issue with the AWB (Australian Wheat Board) and the UN kick backs and how this related ot his home town of Tallimba where the grass is growing between the rail tracks.
So many questions…………………………
Buy Matt’s book Mindless Thug available here:
Or order a copy via our club and we will put you in touch with Matt.
Diary Reminders
Friday 25th September Comedy and Blue Grass with Pete Denahy at the Ganmain Hall 7.30 pm Tickets $20 call 6927 6010 or tickets at the door.
Saturday 26th September “Moo Poo” Working Bee 8.30 am start volunteers needed.
*Monday 28th September Mrs Clarke “My Life of Crime”
Sunday October 4th Gears & Beers Festival and Cycle Run by Wollundry Rotary Club. We now have the list of check points call Don Dyce or Wayne Lewis for details. More volunteers needed.
Monday 5th October NO MEETING Labor Day NSW Holiday. October Board Meeting at 7.00 pm TBC.
Thursday 8th October BINGO Roster: Ian Durham (Capt) Steve Exton, Rod Jarrett, Don Dyce.
Monday 12th October CLUB ASSEMBLY & Fellowship, Discussion and Planning Meeting.
*Monday 19th October Coolamon Shire Council Mayor John Seymour and General Manager Tony Donoghue. N.B. VOCATIONAL VISIT AT THE SHIRE OFFICES. 6.30 SHARP {Followed by dinner at the club).
Saturday 24th October Darkness to Light 6.00 pm. RC of Wagga Wagga Ajay Joshi Indian Food from Nilgiris Indian Restaurant in North Sydney.
Saturday 24th October Coolamon & Ganmain Hospital Fete at Ganmain.
Saturday 24th October World Polio Day.
Monday 26th October AGM and Election of Office Bearers for 2016-2017.
Monday 2nd November Club Assembly Fellowship and Planning Meeting.
Friday November 6th Light the Night Leukemia Foundation in memory of Greg Armstrong. Details to follow.
*Monday 9th November Guest Speaker Dr. Leslie Weston and Leslie’s Travelogue.
Wednesday 11th November November Board Meeting TBC.
Thursday 12th November BINGO Roster: Henk Hulsman (Capt.), Daryl Breust, Myffy Collette and Bernadette Milne.
*Monday 16th November Guest Speaker Ann Baker Sisters Housing Enterprises Inc. (SHE Inc.) is a community based not for profit organisation providing medium term supported accommodation for single women
Friday 22nd – Sunday 24th April 2016 D9700 Conference in Wagga Wagga.
Saturday 28th May 2016 – Wednesday June 1st Seoul RICON South Korea 
*Partners and Guests Night.
Apologies for Monday meetings call Ian Jennings on 0428 492 157 BY FRIDAY 12.00 pm.
ON THE LIGHTER SIDE
While conducting some business at the Court House, I overheard a lady, who had been arrested for assaulting a Mammogram Technician, say, “Your Honor, I’m guilty, but…..there were extenuating circumstances.”
The female Judge said, sarcastically, “I’d certainly like to hear those extenuating circumstances.” I did too, so I listened as the lady told her story.
“Your Honor, I had a mammogram appointment, which I actually kept. I was met by this perky little clipboard carrier smiling from ear to ear and she tilted her head to one side and crooned, “Hi! I’m Belinda! All I need you to do is step into this room right here, strip to the waist, then slip on this gown. Everything clear?”
I’m thinking, “Belinda, try decaf. This ain’t rocket science.” Belinda then skipped away to prepare the chamber of horrors.
With the right side finished, Belinda flipped me (literally) to the left and said, “Hmmmm. Can you stand on your tippy toes and lean in a tad so we can get everything?” Fine, I answered.
I was freezing, bruised, and out of air, so why not use the remaining circulation in my legs and neck to finish me off? My body was in a holding pattern that defied gravity (with my other breast wedged between those two 4-inch pieces of square glass) when I heard and felt a zap!
Complete darkness, the power was off!
Belinda said, “Uh-oh, maintenance is working, bet they hit a snag.” Then she headed for the door.
“Excuse me! You’re not leaving me in this vise alone are you?” I shouted.
Belinda kept going and said, “Oh, you fussy puppy…the door’s wide open so you’ll have the emergency hall lights. I’ll be right back.”
Before I could shout NOOOO! she disappeared.
And that’s exactly how Bubba and Earl, “maintenance men Extraordinaire” found me…half-naked with part of me dangling from the Jaws of Life and the other part smashed between glass!
After exchanging a polite, ‘Hi, how’s it going’ type greeting, Bubba (or possibly Earl) asked, to my utter disbelief, if I knew the power was off.
Trying to disguise my hysteria, I replied with as much calmness as possible, “Uh, yes, I did but thanks anyway.”
“OK, you take care now,” Bubba replied and waved good-bye as though I’d been standing in the line at the grocery store.
Two hours later, Belinda breezes in wearing a sheepish grin.
Making no attempt to suppress her amusement, she said, “Oh, I am sooo sorry! The power came back on and I totally forgot about you! And silly me, I went to lunch. Are we upset?”
And that, Your Honor, is exactly how her head ended up between the clamps….”
The judge could hardly contain her laughter as she said, “Case Dismissed!”
ROTARY INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT
K.R. “RAVI” RAVINDRAN
President Ravi at the Zone 20A Institute held at Diani Beach Kenya.
Details on what is a Rotary Zone Institute in our section on Rotary Information.
DISTRICT GOVERNOR GARY ROBERTS D 9700
Our DG Gary and Marilyn Roberts have been busy with club visits nearly all done now.
ROTARY INFORMATION
Rotary International Zone Institutes
Each year, past, present, and incoming district and senior leaders attend Rotary institutes to share information, build connections, and exchange ideas about Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation. The institutes usually meet for three to five days, and the program includes:
An update on The Rotary Foundation and its programs
A report on our polio eradication efforts
A five-year forecast presented by a director or other Board representative
An open forum where participants can make recommendations to the Board
Local and international speakers sharing information on relevant topics
A chance to network, reconnect with friends, and find inspiration for continuing your service and leadership in your community
Entertainment and social outings
The world is broken up into 42 Zones and Australia is in Zone 8. The Zone 8 Institute meets in Melbourne this year.
November 20-22. Zone 8 Institute.
Here is the story on the recent Zone 20A Institute held at Diani Beach in Kenya:
They had a lot of fun and did a lot of work over 5 days at Diani Beach many of the friends we made on our trip to Kenya were there. Including IPDG Bimal Kantaria whose D9212 won the award for the most new members inducted world wide in 2014-2015.
Rotary International Convention 2016 SEOUL.
The 2016 Rotary Convention is your chance to meet Rotary members from around the globe. You’ll reconnect with old friends and make new ones while exploring different cultures and exchanging ideas for a better world.
◆ Gyeongbok Palace
Yi Seong-gye founded the Chosun Dynasty in 1392 and designated Hanyang (now Seoul) as the capital. He had a new palace built there and named it Gyeongbok (Felicitous Blessing) Palace. It was burned to ashes during the Japanese invasions of Korea from 1592 to 1598 and rebuilt in 1867. Visitors to the palace can watch the royal guard changing ceremony every hour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in front of the main gate.
Seoul is the ideal location for a Rotary convention and a delightful travel destination to explore. You’ll find traditional tea houses and regal palaces alongside posh shopping malls and bustling markets. Make sure to include extra time in your travel plans to experience the wonders of Seoul.
Warm, friendly people
Seoul may be the largest metropolis in Korea but its residents embrace visitors with a warmth more typical of a small town. Its high-tech transportation system and multilingual signs make getting around Seoul – and the convention – safe and easy. And you can stay connected to friends and family with free Wi-Fi at the convention venue.
Come to Seoul and experience the hospitality of a world-class city.
Bukchon Hanok Village
LATEST NEWS FROM RAGES.
Last month, a wild elephant and two of his friends were attacked by poachers. Wounded by poisoned arrows, they trudged across the African landscape to the one place that could help them: the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (DSWT).
Though the wild elephant had never been a resident at DSWT, he knew elephants who had. He had mated with two former orphans who were raised at DSWT’s Ithumba Reintegration Centre, who now lead their own wild herd. In 2011, he fathered babies with them, whom DSWT named Mwende and Yetu.
And DSWT is certain he knew this group of humans meant help.
RAGES supports the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust see our projects page:
RAGES WEB SITE
JOIN RAGES HERE.
ONLY IN AFRICA
1st Wife’s Kitchen. Got to love Africa!
FOOTNOTE
NEWS FLASH FROM THE DG
Aus Gov’t, please don’t slash funding for polio eradication just when the end is in sight!
Polio Victim in Kampala November 2011 pic by Mountains of the Moon Team.
Last year in Sydney, Rotarians from D9700 were part of almost 20,000 Rotarians from scores of countries around the world to witness then-Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, make a promise to the children of the world. He said that the Australian Government would contribute $100 million to help finish the eradication effort. A very proud moment for Australia!
Now, barely a year later, we read in the paper that the Australian Government is getting ready to renege on that promise and divert $36 million of the funding away from the Polio Eradication and Endgame Strategy — and that’s on top of an $8 million cut in May.
Apart from the breach of promise, this is not clever policy.
DG Gary Roberts would like us to Petition Australian Foreign Minister, Julie Bishop:
PETITION TO JULIE BISHOP.
On September 20th, 2015, the Global Commission for the Certification of Poliomyelitis Eradication (GCC) officially verified the worldwide eradication of wild poliovirus Type 2 (WPV2)
Bulletin Editor and Web Site: John Glassford
Yours in Rotary John Glassford Chair 2014 -2016
Rotary International President K.R. “Ravi” Ravindran
Governor of District 9700 Gary Roberts
Coolamon Club President Wayne Lewis
Coolamon Club Secretary Paul Weston
Club Treasurer Henk Hulsman
Coolamon Rotary Club Inc. P.O. Box 23 COOLAMON N.S.W. 2701
Websites of Interest
Coolamon Rotary Club: http://coolamonrotary.com
Road MAPS to Africa a Coolamon Rotary Project: http://www.mountainsofthemoon.org/
Rotary Down Under on line: http://flipflashpages.uniflip.com/2/26587/49598/pub
Mount Kenya 2015 Web Site incorporating the ORK: http://theork.com/
Our Rotary Centennial Twin Club Hout Bay, Cape Town, South Africa: http://www.rotaryhoutbay.org
Rotarian Action Group for Endangered Species RAGES: http://www.endangeredrag.org/#