In keeping with one of my themes for this year - making a difference in our local community - last Thursday we heard from the Youth Reconnect team at Nillumbik Health. Whilst we might think Nillumbik is a fairly affluent area with few social problems, there are a number of young people at risk of homelessness, school dropout and disconnection from their families and community. It was great to hear from Rosslyn Sandwell and Luke Mitchell on the excellent early intervention work they are doing. Also pleasing to hear how our donation to the program so far ($1000 to the parent education Turning into Teens program), is being used. Thanks to Ken Paynter and Nick Iconomou for all the work they have done with Health Ability and the Reconnect team. Nick is still collecting unused mobile phones for donation to the program and once enough of these have been collected, we have pledged another $600 towards the purchase of SIM cards. So please look out all your discarded phones and hand them to Nick.
Paul Kelly has volunteered to take on the role of selling Entertainment Books this year. Paul is a living example of the old adage ‘if you want something done, ask a busy person’! Thanks for always being so willing to take on extra tasks, Paul. There will be more information on the books in the coming weeks.
Thanks also to Graham Miles for once again organising the Footy Tipping competition. This is always lots of fun and promotes much ‘discussion’ and competition amongst members as well as raising funds - this year for Diamond Valley Learning Centre. This year there are two parts to registering: Register on the footy tipping link (http://www.iTipFooty.com.au) and make a payment via the link to Trybooking (https://www.trybooking.com/365560). I know some people dislike Trybooking but payment this way greatly reduces the Treasurer's work by providing a full list of who has paid (so Lou and Michael Martin won’t have to spend hours trolling through lists trying to find out who has and who hasn’t paid.) IF you have difficulty in using Trybooking, please ask Ann to assist you at a club meeting.
Last Tuesday, Jill, John Skinner, Alan McCleary and I ventured to Government House in our finest attire to represent the Rotary Club of Eltham at the Governor's reception for Rotary International President Ian Risely and Juliet Risely. We enjoyed fellowship with hundreds of other Rotarians, heard from the Governor The Hon Linda Dessau and from Ian Risely, and enjoyed afternoon tea and a tour of the state rooms at Government House.
Next weekend is District 9790 Conference in Yarrawonga so there is no formal meeting on Thursday night. Best wishes to the Ride to Conference team (Ken, Alan and Trevor). I’m looking forward to the weekend and especially to the sunset cruise on Lake Mulwala, organised by Jules. Thanks for all your work as Conference organiser Jules.See the rest of you back at Heidelberg Golf Club on 29 March. Cheers, President Judy
Lower Eltham Park BBQ 9:30 am - 2:30 pm
You are responsible for finding a replacement if you are unable to do your rostered duty and to notify Lyn Truran ljtruran@bigpond.com
Please notify Lyn Truran by email (ljtruran@bigpond.com) of your non availability/ special requests for BBQ duty for July- December 2018 by April 15th.This will enable the roster to be finalised in plenty of time to give members their duty dates well before their rostered times.Once the roster is finalised it is each members responsibility to arrange swaps for any duties they cannot attend.
A reminder that there is no meeting this week at Heidelberg Golf Club as a lot of members are attending the District 9790 Conference in Yarrawonga. Instead, for those members who are not going to Conference and still wanting to catch up, a social restaurant night has been organised by Les Coath at OKAMI Japanese restaurant in Main Street Greensborough. If you have not already told Les you are planning on going you will need to be quick and contact him ASAP.
Club Meeting - Thursday 29 March 2018
The next formal Rotary Club meeting will be held at the Heidelberg Golf Club on Thursday 29 March where we have a local Eltham couple speaking on their charity initiative in South Africa. We will have a briefing from Sue and Len Horwood re a crèche feeding program and an education support program that they are involved in with the RC of Hout Bay, South Africa. Sue and Len live in Eltham and have for some time supported these initiatives from their own finances.The club has decided to donate to their feeding program and so this is a great opportunity to hear first hand the reason why a local couple are so passionate about helping children in South Africa.
Judy Sharp: Joint board meeting very productive. Paul Harris nominations in by 30 March. Club assembly on 5 April – can raise issues on night or send in advance to Judy. Need a volunteer to handle sale of Entertainment Books – good value and sold 65 last year. Graham Miles coordinating Footy Tips – pay $60 through TRY. Ann will set up link in time for commencement of footy next week. Reminder about the David McFarlane Charity Golf Day on 6 April – see flyer in Bulletin.
Ken Paynter: RC Woden ACT sponsoring Year 11 student to Canberra to see how democratic process works. A student from St Helena S/C chosen – family to pay half cost of $1,200.
Dale Atkins: Requests for Aquaboxes – 120 to Port Moresby, 120 to Phillipines, 120 to Cambodia, also waiting on shipping to Fiji. Busy day at BBQ with great team - $1,005.
Con Proussalis: Ian Kiddle on Youth Committee – organised for girl from DVLC to commence work on 19 March. Ian looking to source contacts for funding of DVLC.
Ian Toohill: Please support Montmorency S/C in Shave for Cure – big event on 3 May. Raised $8,000 last year. Today 2 students to Greensborough re starting Interact there.
Alan McCleary: BBQ at Eltham East PS Science Night sold $1,000 sausages in 2 hours. Council putting on BBQ on Saturday 5 May for kids with autism - a ‘quiet train’. To be run by John O’C, Howard T and 3 students.
Les Coath: Social night on Thursday 22 March at Japanese restaurant – 12 signed up so far.
Nick Ikonomou: Have 8 mobile phones to donate so far to healthAbility – need more so keep bringing them in.
For those members not attending the District Conference you are invited to a social restaurant night. You only have until this COB Wednesday to decide to book in. Les has arranged a booking at the Japanese restaurant OKAMI at 73 Grimshaw St, Greensborough.It is all you can eat Japanese food and it is fantastic. Highly recommended by Les and his sidekick Mike Ramsay.
Cost: $33.00 per person Time: 7.30pm BYO wine only and $5.00 corkage per bottle.
Please contact Les Coath on 0419 349 646 or email him lescoath@netspace.net.au as a matter of urgency if you are going by COB Wednesday 14 March. If you don’t book you won’t get in.
Eltham Rotary Club has been a supporter of the National Youth Science Forum (in its early years it was called the National Science Summer School) since its start. 1986/87 Terry Burke (Youth Director) co-opted Heather onto the club selection committee and again in 1987/88. We were so successful that one year we had 3 students accepted by District; this resulted in a rule change (Australia-wide I believe) that Clubs could only submit 2 candidates to District. Thereafter, if we had more than 2 good candidates we would see if a nearby Club would like to sponsor one.
In 90/91 Richard Luke (Heidelberg RC) became District Chairman of Youth Summer Schools and from knowing Heather at La Trobe included her in the District interview panels. District interviews were held at Glenn College, La Trobe University and at Dookie Agricultural College. The District interviews required a group of 13 Rotarians and volunteers as they were carried out by 4 panels of Chairperson and 2 members, with one person on reception. The annual gathering and dinner of NYSF participants for the coming January in Canberra and their families with NYSF Director Professor Rod Jory AM was also held at Glenn College. Richard Luke continued for 4 years as District Chairman.
In 94/95 Robin Chapple (Diamond Creek RC and formerly Eltham) took over as Chairman. Pi and Marjorie Beecham and myself joined Heather on the interview panels. Around 70 to 80 students were submitted to District and the interview panels had to select the District’s quota of 23. NYSF was run as two sessions of two weeks in Canberra for 130 students each year selected from Australia and New Zealand.
In 95/96 Pi Beecham took over as chairman and continued for 3 years.Following Pi, in 98/99 I became chairman and continued for 3 years. Alan and Dorothy Anderson became panel members. During this period, we lost the Rotary contact at Dookie and so the country interviews were held at Shepparton TAFE. In 2001/02 Alan Anderson took over as Chairman for the next 3 years.
All these years the interview panel members had been careful not to have any bias towards known clubs. With the District Governor changeover in 2004 a Rotarian convinced the DG that the panel was biased and so Alan, Dorothy, Pi, Marjorie, Heather and I were no longer required.
The Club has continued to have 1 or 2 students who are successful every year, which is a clear indication of the quality of the students in our area. We were always very impressed with the ability and achievements of the students, not simply in their academic work but in their contributions to their communities.NYSF is a wonderful opportunity for students entering year 11 and interested in science, not simply in medicine, to be exposed to the range of science available at university.
2017 - 2018 Board
President
Judy Sharp
President Elect
Jill Ramsay
Rotary Foundation
Kevin Hadingham
Secretary
Ann Lynch
Aquabox
Dale Atkins
Treasurer
Lou Bolzonello
Membership
Margaret Lane (interim)
Immediate Past President
Kevin Hadingham
Public Relations
Sally Squires
Community Service
Alan McCleary
Club Administration
Jill Ramsay
Youth Service
Ken Paynter
Club Service and Program
Alison Cooper
International Service
Rob Kilcullen
2017 Festival
Jill Ramsay
PAST PRESIDENTS The Rotary Club Of Eltham Chartered 19th April 1973, District 9790
Geoff Dreverman 73-74: Neville Emerson 74-75: Bruce Holland 75-76: Bob McLellan 76-77:
Doug Blaikie 77-78: Les Clarke 78-79: Keith Kelley 79-80: John Smibert 80-81: Paul Gardner 81-82:
Chris Parenthoine 82-83: Arthur Trainor 83-84: Merv Günter 84-85: John Maltha 85-86: Graeme Beyer 86-87:
Mike Ramsay 87-88: Terry Boocock 88-89: Ken Ferguson 89-90: Bill Penna 90-91: John Jacobson 91-92:
Jim Nairn 92-93: Nigel Bell 93-94: David Bowen 94-95: Ian Thomas 95-96: Vic Vela 96-97: Gabor Tamas 97-98:
Gordon Birch 98-99: Gary Reid 99-00: Mike Irwin 00-01: John Lewis 01-02: Brian Weyman 02- 03:
Graeme Hardiman 03-04: Alan Anderson 04-05: Chris Chapple 05-06: Max Lee 06-07: Ross McDonald 07-08:
David Flint 08-09: Tony Wason 09-10: Michael Englefield 10-11: Rob Kilcullen 11-12: Mike Wetzler 12-13:
Ken Paynter 13-14: Con Proussalis 14-15: David McFarlane 15-16
.jpg)
