Coolamon Rotary News Bulletin #15

by

Coolamon Rotary News Bulletin #15

MEETING October 15th. 2012

Speakers Tonight were PDG Fred Loneragan and John Glassford

Subject Road MAPS to Africa.

We had the following visitors:  From Junee Rotary Club Peter Commens, John Higginson, Ian Good, Doug Bell, from Henty Rotary Club, Ron Wellington, Mark Janetzki, from Lockhart Rotary Club, Bob “Babu” Kendell, Alan Mulholland, Bryan Burgess, Colin Wiese, Bob Toose and from Wagga Wagga Sunrise Rotary Club, Max Chapman and PDG Fred Loneragan.  From Italy Enrico and Ricardo and from Ganmain Susan Wingate-Pearse.

Ten members from our club were also in attendance, Paul Weston, Henk Hulsman, John Glassford, Mark Reardon, Dick Jennings, Christine Atkinson, Ian Jennings, John Burns, Neil Munro and Ian Durham.

Dick Jennings ran a chook raffle and there were two chooks on offer.

The presentation on Africa was in three parts showing where we had been where we are today and where we are going tomorrow.  To date Road MAPS and District 9700 with PDG Fred Loneragan has raised $238,000 for our projects there.  These include:

The School of St Jude’s in Moshono Tanzania.

Bishop Masereka’s Medical Clinic in Kasase Uganda

Orphan Rescue in Mathare Kenya

Coolamon House in Hout Bay South Africa.

The presentation concentrated on sustainability and the two main projects we will be supporting over the next three years, Orphan Rescue Kits for Mathare and Tracy’s 200 and Coolamon House in Cape Town.   The 3 year plan for awareness and fund raising will be centered on World AIDS Day December 1st for the next 3 years:

The Lunch Bag

Fred and John then went onto outline the project planned for ANZAC Day 2015 climbing Mount Kenya in aid of Legacy in Australia, the Returned Services Association in New Zealand and our two African projects.  More information will become avialable over the next few months.

PRESIDENT PAUL WESTON’S REPORT

President’s report

This past Monday, the club and our many guests were treated to a very interesting presentation and a challenge by John Glassford and Fred Lonergan.  John and Fred described progress to date on the “Roadmaps to Africa” fundraising campaign spearheaded by John and fabulously supported by Fred and the Rotary Foundation.  To date, $238,000 has been raised by their efforts, centred on climbs of notable mountain peaks in Africa (e.g. Mount Kilimanjaro and Mountains of the Moon/Mount Margherita).  The funds have been used to support programs aimed at easing life for the millions of AIDS orphans in Africa, children who have had the misfortune of being born into families whose parents have been victims of the AIDS epidemic.  Pretty remarkable stuff.

Now the challenge: to raise funds to provide educational opportunities for 200 of these AIDS orphans.  John and Fred described how $450 can provide the funds needed to send one of these children through primary school ($600 for secondary school).  The focus on education is plain: without education, these children have virtually no opportunity to escape the fate that befell their parents.  However, a very modest monetary investment provides these children with a sound education that will give them the footing to lead productive lives.  This investment in education began with one 14-year old girl (Tracy), and now the challenge is to raise funds for 200 of Tracy’s contemporaries to provide similar opportunities for them.  The starting point in this fund-raiser is to have people sacrifice their lunch money for one day (AIDS awareness day, coming up in December).  Small donations such as this can add up to substantial sums, so John and Fred hope a fair bit of the funding for this challenge will be raised this way.  Of course, individuals and groups can sponsor a child in whole.  Look for details on this program in the very near future.  It was inspiring to see how much of  a difference a few people working together can make; hats off to John, Fred, Craig Corrigan (who climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro), Mark Janetzki of Henty Rotary (who climbed Mt. Margherita), and the other climbers who sacrificed time and money to make this possible.

Our next meeting features a workshop for the owners and operators of businesses in the Coolamon Shire who are interested in learning how to enhance their businesses via electronic media.  This digital marketing workshop will be run by a firm based in Wagga, and will show businesspeople how to use the internet and social media to increase their customer base and profitability.  The cost of the workshop is being shared by our club and the Coolamon Shire Council in order to encourage business owners and operators to learn about this increasingly important avenue of communication with existing and potential customers.  Members of our club are welcome to attend for the usual cost of a dinner catered by Gilbert ($20).

Things keep rolling along, so don’t sit on the sidelines for too long!  I hope to see you at the digital marketing workshop.  The following week, being a fifth Monday, will be purely an opportunity for fellowship (a dinner hosted by Ian and Marilyn Jennings), so save that date as well.

Onward and upward!

Yours in Rotary,

Paul

 

DIARY REMINDERS

Saturday October 20th Coolamon and Ganmain Hospital Fete 9.00am at the hospital grounds, volunteers needed for the chocolate wheel.

Volunteers so far Clare Munro, Ian Durham, Dick Jennings, Ian Jennings, Mark Reardon, Paul Weston and John Glassford.

*Monday 22nd October WORKSHOP for Coolamon Shire Business people on how to use the Internet for marketing your business facilitated by Linda Tillman and sponsored by Coolamon Rotary and the Coolamon Shire Council.

*Monday 29th October Social Night at Marilyn and Ian Jennings home. Names to Dick Jennings start 6.30 for 7.00pm.  BYO please.

*Monday 5th November Guest Speaker Georgie Roberts from the Red Cross.
Thursday 8th November:    BINGO on duty:   John Burns,  Henk Hulsman,  Leslie Weston & Paul Weston
Monday 12th November AGM and Election of Office Bearers for 2013-2014.
Monday 19th November Ian Durham Speaker on his journey of life.
Sunday November 25th Rotary Markets in Coolamon.
Peace Ceremony in Coolamon February 2013
Friday 19th to Sunday 21st April 2013 D9700 Conference Leeton
June 23-26 2013 Rotary International Convention in Lisbon. RI Convention Lisbon
*Partners and Guests Night.
 

 

ROTARY INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT SAKUJI TANAKA

So successful was my attendance of a Rotary club meeting via Skype that invitations for me to attend other online meetings continue pouring in. All requests for online meetings must be in writing and emailed to: [email protected]. Please include your club’s name, address, and a member’s contact information.
Visiting Rotary clubs and projects around the world is a big part of my job as president. So if  I’m unable to visit your club in person I would really enjoy participating in one of your meetings via Skype. I look forward to hearing from you, and thank you for your interest.

Rotary International President via Skype

ON THE LIGHTER SIDE

Three Indian Squaws

There were three Indian squaws. One slept on a deer skin, one slept
on an elk skin, and the third slept on a hippopotamus skin. All three
became pregnant. The first two each had a baby boy. The one who
slept on the hippopotamus skin had twin boys. This just goes to prove
that the squaw of the hippopotamus is equal to the sons of the squaws
of the other two hides. (Some of you may need help with this one).

“Parachuting”

 

A blind man was describing his favorite sport of parachuting. When asked how this was accomplished, he said that things were all done for him.
“I am placed in the door and told when to jump. My hand is placed on my release ring for me and out I go.”
“But, how do you know when you are going to land”? he was asked.  “I have a very keen sense of smell and I can smell the trees and grass when I am 300 feet from the ground,” he answered.
“But, how do you know when to lift your legs for the final arrival on the ground”? he was again asked.  The man quickly answered,
“Oh, the dog’s leash goes slack.”

ROTARY INFORMATION

Resources for Rotarians

Rotary International offers myriad resources to help Rotarians build effective clubs. Effective clubs are able to achieve the Object of Rotary by

  • Sustaining or increasing their membership base
  • Implementing successful service projects that address the needs of their community and communities in other countries
  • Supporting The Rotary Foundation through both financial contributions and program participation
  • Developing leaders capable of serving in Rotary beyond the club level

Club membership

BUCKET LIST

Kamchatka. Eruption Kluchevskoy, NE Russia

TOO CUTE

 

Rotary International President Sakuji Tanaka

Governor of District 9700  Greg Brown

Coolamon Club President  Paul Weston

Coolamon Club Secretary  John Glassford Coolamon

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

Rotarians For Fighting AIDS AUSTRALIA: http://theork.com/

Our Rotary Centennial Twin Club Hout Bay, Cape Town, South Africa: http://www.rotaryhoutbay.org

Don’t forget to regularly check our club web site for current information such as bingo rosters and various newsletters from the District Governor, the School of St. Jude’s, the monthly membership on the move newsletter as well as several other club bulletins.