Great news – Nadia and Asim’s baby was born on Monday – it’s a boy! I don’t have further details except that both are very happy. I am sure photos etc will be along soon but for now they are just enjoying this wonderful new addition to their family.
It was great to have Binoe back last week and this week we have Stephan Defoy from Belgium who was our exchange student probably ten years ago. It will be very good to learn what he has been doing since he left us. I think his will be our fourth exchange student returning to visit us this year – Joel, Laerke, Damien and now Stephan.
This week Shelley Whittington of Destiny Rescue will be speaking. Look in this month’s Rotary Downunder and learn a few things about modern day slavery. It will set you thinking before Shelley’s presentation.
Last Friday Sergio Dos-Santos, Acting Consul General Timor-Leste gave us a great overview of Timor-Leste. Sergio was joined by two other gentlemen from Timor-Leste living in Australia – Abilio, a filmmaker, and Ian – who was very involved as an official at the Liverpool voting centre in the recent elections for Timor-Leste. While this very small and new nation has done much to ensure it is on the road to economic and social recovery after the fighting that preceded independence there are many areas that need assistance and Rotary has several projects in education, infrastructure development and health. ROMAC has had many patients from Timor-Leste and Sergio provided interpretation services for the most recent patient, Rui.
Both of these speakers really make me appreciative of those who give up their time to come and share their stories with us. We are extremely lucky.
Tuesday 10 October was World Mental Health Day. Australian Rotary Health is running awareness of mental health throughout the month of October. “Lift the Lid on mental illness” is the slogan. We will have a hat day on 20 October. The challenge is to wear a hat to the meeting – the more unusual the better.
The Spring edition of The NeuRa Magazine has an article about a new youth research program to discover how stress-related mechanisms disrupt brain maturation early in life, setting of a cascade of effects which impede normal cognitive and emotional development. This project was funded by the Australian Rotary Health. You can download it from
www.neura.edu.au.
Our most recent Shelter Box has been delivered to a family in need in Syria. It is only one box but when all boxes are added together it has a very big impact.
Pat received a newsletter and letter of thanks for wraps (blankets) sent to Wraps Around the World in our Club’s name. These are made by Pat’s neighbour Pam. You may remember Pam came to one of our meetings when she was making clothes to be distributed to bush fire victims. She is one of our past Community Award recipients. Wonderful work.
The Rotary Council on Legislation meets every three years to vote on proposed changes to the legislation that governs Rotary. If you have suggestions for changes to that legislation then please see me with your proposal so it can be sent through for endorsement by a District Presidents’ meeting in November 2017 for the next meeting in April 2019. The legislation (rules) can be found in the Rotary International website.
Mandy Van and Barbara Lee are attending the social media workshop on Saturday the 14th October from 8.30 am till 12 noon. This event is to be held on Ground Floor 1 Pottery Lane, Lane Cove (cnr Little St) opposite the Lane Cove Pool (parking underneath). If anyone else is interested let me know so I can register you.
We have two invitations to attend a lunch reception for The Smith Family on 17 October. If you are interested please let me know.
The next Carol’s planning meeting is 18 October at 7:45 pm so if you are available to come along let me know.
On 27 October we will have a social night (board meeting in the morning). Can we have a volunteer to organise please? David is away this month but he suggested the pizza place near Atlantis.
The
last Rotary Leadership Institute for this year is on the weekend of
28-29 October at the District Office, 3/7 Sefton Rd Thornleigh. 8:00 am till 4:00 pm. Cost is now $75 but the Club will cover this. Those who have done the course found it really interesting and useful so if you are interested go to
www.rli.rotarydistrict9685.org.au to register and let me know.
Next year’s District Conference is on Saturday 10 to Sunday 11 March 2018 in Leura.
For details go to
www.conference2018.rotarydistrict9685.org.au. Full registration $280. Accommodation extra. This should be a great conference and it is always great to get away together so think about whether you’d like to come along. Partners are always welcome and as a previous resident of Leura I’d encourage you to come and discover more about our wonderful Blue Mountains.
20 October – Helen Crouch NRCA about Time Banking – hat day
27 October – Board meeting – Social night
3 November – DG Peter Ward
10 November – Club Assembly
17 November – Helen Rainger – Palestine and Israel
24 November – Board Meeting
1 December – End of year party
8 December – AGM
16 December – BBQ Cox’s Rd
17 December – Carols