Rotary Club off Diamond Creek Bulletin 6/3/2012

rotary club of diamond creek inc. bulletin 6th March 2012

RI President

Kalyan Benerjee Rotary Club of Vapi

Governor

David Anderson Rotary Club of Yea

AG

Pat Miller Rotary Club of Diamond Creek

Club Officers President Alan Jones Vice President PP Clyde Hulme President Elect Steve Crosling Secretary & Attendance Eileen Gatt Treasurer & Public Officer Greg Adams Directors and Standing Committees Club Administration PE Steve Crosling Membership John Egan Public Relations PP Bev Baker, Service Projects PP Alan White Rotary Foundation PP Linda Gidlund Who ya gunna call ! President Alan Jones 0414861558 Secretary Eileen Gatt 0427712688 Treasurer Greg Adams 0419355842 Editor: Greg Adams Art Director: Greg Adams Advertising : Greg Adams Bottle washer : Greg as well Editorial: send to [email protected]

Caution: The Bulletin contains no calories, vitamins, minerals or proteins. In fact, it is devoid of nutritional value. Nevertheless, it is a supplement much sought after and regularly devoured by the Rotarians of Diamond Creek.

rotary club of diamond creek inc.

Bulletin

V o l u m e 2 0 I s s u e 3 0 6 t h M a r c h 2 0 1 2

Note: The views and opinions expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of the Club or its members

District 9790

On the Cover

Just as the United Nations adopted Child Health and Maternal Health as two of their eight Millennium Development

Goals, so also has Rotary International and the Rotary Foundation adopted similar goals. One of our six areas of focus for both Rotary International and the Rotary Foundation is Maternal and Child Health.

It is fitting then that the tradition of the District Governor‘s partner identifying and promoting a Partner‘s Project will continue in 2011-2012 with a focus on Maternal and Child Health. In 2011-2012 Clubs will be invited to support the Goroka General Hospital in Papua New Guinea during the District Governor‘s official visit. It will become a project in which all Rotarians in District 9790 will have ownership, and in particular the hospital‘s Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Labour (orBirthing).

Opened in 1969, Daily there are, on average, between 12 and 15, births at the Goroka Hospital, 4056 in total in 2010. Infant mortality in Papua New Guinea is at the rate of 56 deaths per 1000 live births (world average 49) whilst the maternal mortality rate is 312 per 100,000 live births, 136th in ranking out of 185 countries.


Life events

the program/up and coming calendar and who’s doin what

6th March 2012 Tuesday 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM Jacqui Hodge’s Daughter, Madeleine

Attend Digger Sharraine, Chair 1st Mate Jacqui, Beans Greg, Door man Renault Brian Art Work Prize on the busses John.

Mar 2 Pat Millar joined Rotary 12 years ago.

Mar 5 Eileen Gatt—Birthday.

Mar12 Robby Lloyd –Birthday

Blast from the past - the year 2002-2003 RI President : Bhichai Rattakul President: Bev Baker New Members

We have inducted seven new families into our club this year, and I would like to again welcome them all. They are Rod and Joy Draper, Stephen, Jenny, Hayley and Nathan Howard, Deb Ganderton; Maureen Almond, Sandy Brodine, Clyde and Christine Hulme, and Geoff and Sandy Farmer.

Exchange Student

We have been hosting our Exchange student from Germany, Meike Wermecies, since late July.

Town Fair

The Town Fair was once again an outstanding success, It truly is a team effort. The next Fair promises to be bigger and better and I’m sure all hands will be on deck once again.

Courtesy & Kindness Award

We hosted a Courtesy and Kindness evening again this year to honour Ray Jose, In attendance were representatives of the CFA, Police, Scouts, local church groups, Progress Association and many of Ray’s family. Ray truly is a worthy recipient of our Courtesy and Kindness award.

Our own Mick Hall was also honoured with a Courtesy and Kindness Award for his contributions to the community as a CFA volunteer, a Scout Leader, a local councillor and much more.

Off Site Meetings

We have held some meetings away from The Abbey this year that have been most enjoyable. Our local State MP, Danielle Green, hosted our visit to State Parliament, We also paid a visit to the new accommodation centre of the Bone Marrow Donor Institute in North Melbourne along with the Rotary Club of Reservoir. We were shown over the research facility adjoining the Royal Melbourne Hospital, followed by dinner and a tour of the new accommodation centre for the families of patients receiving treatment for leukaemia and other blood diseases.


past presidents Brian Bowen 1978-1979 Heidelberg North

Bob Eycken 1983-1984 Alperton UK

John McCrohan 1992-1993

Ron Gordon 1993-1994

Chris Doupe 1994-1995

Cliff Wearne 1995-1996

Ern Wardell 1996-1997

Rod Mackenzie 1997-1998

Steve Sampson 1998-1999

Robin Chapple 1999-2000

Peter Marriage 2000-2001

Rob Lloyd 2001-2002

Bev Baker 2002-2003

Joe Di Natale 2003-2004

Geoff Swan 2004-2005

John Gatt 2005-2006

John Arthur 2006-2007

Linda Gidlund 2007-2008

Alan White 2008-2009

Pat Millar 2009-2010

Clyde Hulme 2010-2011

It We have recently signed a Sister Club Agreement with the Rotary Club of Patan Durbar Square, Nepal, and to say that our lifestyles differ can only be an understatement! Let us look at some of the differences in our two countries:

According to the International Monetary Fund, last year Australia was the 11th Richest Country in the World. Nepal is the 48th Poorest.

In 2010, the Average Income in Australia was approximately $64,000 p.a. In Nepal it is $200 p.a.

In Australia we have issues with childhood obesity. 50% of the children in Nepal are malnourished and underweight.

In Australia, everyone has access to Health Services. In Nepal only 15 % do.

The Unemployment Rate in Australia was 5.1% in January. In Nepal it is approximately 50% and there are no unemployment benefits!

The median age for a girl to marry in Australia is 27.7 but in Nepal it is 16.1.

The literacy rate in Australia is 99%. In Nepal it is 45.2% (Males – 63%; Females – 27%).

Whilst we will be certainly focusing upon some of these facts when we are looking at joint programs, it is important to understand that the Rotary Club of Patan Durbar Square and the Rotary Club of Diamond Creek have one great thing in common and that is to improve the quality of life for those who are disadvantaged. One of the best ways that we can do this is through education. This month is Rotary literacy month, and in agreement, the two clubs have chosen a project initially, which will enhance literacy in many of the rural areas in Nepal. Many schools in the rural areas do not have access to technology. However even in a developing country like Nepal, the use of a computer has

become a prerequisite for so many occupations, but most of the children from rural areas have never even seen a computer. Hence, our project is to provide a small number of computers for several village Secondary Schools. These computers will also be able to be accessed by people from the village. Our project is in its infancy, but over time, it will develop and this will ultimately help enormously in the development of the rural community. Although we have assisted other overseas countries, such as Turkey, in the past, this is a major step forward for our club and we envisage that there will be many other ongoing projects in which we will be able to participate with our new Sister Club to enhance the lives of others. Alan Jones

from the president keeping up with the joneses! “We understand that we have differences but we also respect the fact that if you focus on the things that we have in common you can build a relationship.” – John Howard, Prime Minister of Australia 1996 -2007


what happened last week ?

President Alan opened the meeting and detailed correspondence. A letter from DG David Anderson was read out giving thanks and appreciation for the donation of $10,000 to the hospital project in Goroka, the DG Partner’s project for maternal and child health in the highlands of New Guinea.

Steven Despotellis a NYSF student participant wrote to the club outlining his experiences at the NYSF in Canberra. He will speak to the club on April 17th.Alan mentioned that more Humanity in Motion books have been received and that they will be distributed in various ways. He also mentioned that he will be having a meeting with Ram, the Nepalese Rotarian who is organizing an agreement with our club to become sister clubs so that we can participate in projects for his country.

Sergeant Arthur Lewin stung individual members many gold coins for their misdemeanors.

($31.00)

Alan Jones called on members to register for conference, and pay the $35ea. for the Friday Night Dinner. PP Ern Wardell called for people to help out at the Ballarat Conference Registration Booth this March. The raffle prize for early registrants has been donated by the Mercure Hotel. It is accommodation at the Mercure for the 2 nights of the Ballarat Conference.

Peter Hodge requested members to consider hosting Beatriz during the conference and for a few days afterwards until she goes off to the “Rockadoo” trip as he and Jacqui will be travelling at that time. He also mentioned that another family is needed to host Beatriz for term three.

Peter and DGE John Gatt attended a Rotaract Board Meeting last night to support and advise them regarding protocol. Peter will send out a roster to the three sponsor clubs so that there are always two Rotary members in attendance at each of the Rotaract meetings.

Greg Adams suggested that the booths for Early Bird Registration for the Ballarat Conference and the Shelter box display be next to each other so that relief for breaks can be easily organized.

PP Geoff Swan has organized a weekend in June for a Mystery Weekend away. Cost will be $250 each and will cover almost everything except drinks. This is based on a bus of 45 people. We would leave at 8am on Saturday and return at 4pm on Sunday .Peter Hodge asked the club to sponsor Beatriz and the reply as a vote was yes. The club voted for the 16th/17th June.

Alan Jones mentioned that Greg Adams and Ern are collating a book on the History of the Rotary Club of Diamond Creek, and requested photos. An advertisement will be placed in the D/Valley Leader Newspaper but at this stage negotiations are still in progress.

DGE John Gatt and Eileen presented a DVD on the Bike ride to Conference for 2011 and requested support for their ride and swim.

Con Proussalis, (Rotary Club of Eltham) presented a DVD about the RAWCS Rota Homes in Lautoka Fiji, calling for volunteers to assist in their next trip from the 26th May to the 9th June2012.

For next week, Alan Jones requested the members to think about the highlight of their scatter night and what they would bring back to Diamond Creek.


comes to us from

Spain where she and

Leili Sreberny‐

Mohammadi of

Banana Asylum

( both normally based in London) are working as

collabora ve team with a rural community Penaranda‐

Spain.

Madeleine Hodge is an ar st, writer and researcher

exploring par cipatory performance prac ces across

live art, site based performances, installa on and

video. Through her solo works and in collabora on

with Panther, The Agency for Collec ve Ac on, Mimic

Mass and Field Theory she has created a space for

cultural enquiry, audience ac va on and social

cri que. She has produced works in residencies,

fes vals and venues throughout Europe, Asia and

Australia, including; West Space Galleries, Melbourne,

Centre for Contemporary Art, Glasgow ANTI Fes val,

Finland, PACT, Germany, the Singapore Fes val,

Melbourne Arts Fes val, Arts house, Melbourne,

Performance Space, Sydney, Australia Council for the

Arts and South Project, Indonesia.

Leili Sreberny‐Mohammadi is a writer and researcher.

She holds a Masters in Science with Dis nc on in

Digital Anthropology, from University College London.

Leili has conducted research in the fields of visual

culture, media and technology with a number of

organiza ons including the BBC World Service,

Wieden & Kennedy and The Open University, using

film and photography to conduct and present her

research. She has worked within television and arts

produc on for a number of years, producing

contemporary dance, music, film and literature events

in London at The Southbank Centre, The Tricycle

Cinema, London Diaspora Music Fes val and The

School for Oriental and African Studies.

Banana Asylum are a team interested in the cusp of

art and anthropology, in the place where one thing

becomes another and in the conversa on that can

take place between the 2 prac ces‐ the bridge

between these two fields of encounter. Through

their projects they are a emp ng to map this

terrain of connec ons and mishaps, traffic signs and

detours. The primary concern is exploring the

disciplinary boundaries between art and

anthropology, while crea ng interven ons in which

the two prac ces may mimic and diverge.

Funding through “Connexiones Improbables”

enables the team to work with the Germán Sánchez

Ruipérez Founda on, through its Sociocultural

Development Centre (a library and cultural centre) in

Peñaranda de Bracamonte (Salamanca, Spain). They

working with the community and staff of the centre

to explore the impact of change as they respond to

changes that result from their communi es use of

the internet. Libraries are places that are naturally

interdisciplinary, porous and open to imagina ve

trajectories. In an increasingly digital

world, libraries are seeking new ways to engage

audiences and readers with changing bodies of

knowledge. In this context Banana Asylum are

working with the staff, to imagine the ‘Cultural

centre for the future’’. The aim of the project is to

reconcile cultural consump on in an emerging

culture of cloud technology with a physical space of

encounter, making conversa on a fundamental basis

of the rela onship between ci zens, culture and the

community.

“A book isbounded. It has a beginning and

an ending and a discoverable way of

knowing that you’ve read the whole thing,

you finish a book. Websites, like space, can

go on forever.”

Theo Gray, the author of The Elementshttp://

bananaasylum.wordpress.com

This week’s guest speaker Madeleine Hodge


literacy facts Nearly half the population struggles without the literacy skills to meet the most basic demands of everyday life and work. There are 46% of Australians who can't read newspapers; follow a recipe; make sense of timetables, or understand the instructions on a medicine bottle.

Literacy is a bridge from misery to hope. It is a tool for daily life in modern society. It is a bulwark against poverty, and a building block of development, an essential complement to investments in roads, dams, clinics and factories. Literacy is a platform for democratization, and a vehicle for the promotion of cultural and national identity. Especially for girls and women, it is an agent of family health and nutrition. For everyone, everywhere, literacy is, along with education in general, a basic human right.... Literacy is, finally, the road to human progress and the means through which every man, woman and child can realize his or her full potential.”

- By Kofi Annan (Ghanaian diplomat, seventh secretary-general of the United Nations, 2001 Nobel Peace Prize.)

Literacy is the foundation for emotional and physical well-being, intellectual growth, and economic security. The right to read and write is a fundamental human right and belongs to all people.

Worldwide at least 793 million people remain illiterate. Two-thirds of them are women. All over the world, children are hungry for learning and for the power it brings. Research shows that children learn to read and write best by writing and telling the stories of their own experiences. Yet it is rare to find safe spaces where children feel fully comfortable to do so.

Despite many nations’ best efforts to make it possible for every child to get an education, more than 100 million primary school-age children are not in school. Not being able to read or write has a direct bearing on their quality

of life today and tomorrow—from health to employment to participation in the political process.

Indigenous Literacy

By the age of 15, more than one-third of Australia’s Indigenous students 'do not have the adequate skills and knowledge in reading literacy to meet real-life challenges and may well be disadvantaged in their lives beyond school' .(PISA cited in Bortoli and Cresswell, 2004, page 11).

The development of English literacy skills is important for the life opportunities of Indigenous children and youth. Literacy 'provides them with the necessary skills to interact within mainstream society and avail themselves of the broadest range of civic, social, educational and employment possibilities'. (Mellor and Corrigan, 2004)

For every five kids living in remote Indigenous communities, only one will be able to read at the minimum standard.

The gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students emerges early and in remote and isolated communities. Non - Indigenous students far out-perform Indigenous students in benchmark tests for reading, writing and numeracy in Year 3 and Year 5. By Year 7, the gap has widened, particularly for numeracy. (DEET NT 2006)

Indigenous homes, particularly those in remote communities, have fewer books, computers and other educational resources than non-Indigenous homes, making it very difficult for young children to have the kind of continuous contact with books and reading that is necessary for developing early literacy skills.

In the Northern Territory, only one in five children living in very remote Indigenous communities can read at the accepted minimum standard. By Year 7, just 15% achieved this benchmark, 47 percentage points behind their urban Indigenous peers and 74 percent less than non-Indigenous students. (DEET NT 2006)

More than half of Indigenous families living in very remote communities speak an


Indigenous language in the home. (ABS, 2001) Their children need extra assistance at school and from the community to learn English as a second language.

Rotary International - supported projects

Dolly Parton’s IMAGINATION LIBRARY see www.imaginationlibrary.com

The International Reading Association see www.reading.org Ranfurly is a book-aid charity dedicated to the world campaign against illiteracy in the English language.

First promoted in Australia in 1986 by the Rotary Club of Sydney, it is now supported by Rotary throughout the eastern states of Australia. Since it began its operations, Ranfurly has shipped just over 3 million books to such diverse places as Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Thursday Island, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Western Samoa as well as some Australian Aboriginal communities.

What Literacy projects could the Rotary Club of Diamond Creek support? The Indigenous Literacy Foundation - www.indigenousliteracyfoundation.org.au

How can we help?

Get Great Book swap going on Indigenous Literacy Day - Wed 5th September 2012

Support a local school or a number of schools to Host the Great Book Swap

The Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation - www.alnf.org

How can we support this work?

We could set up a wall of hands see - www.wallofhands.com.au

This campaign raised over $225,000 in 2011. The 2012 program starts in June runs to September

Would we like set up a wall? How could we promote it?

Key dates and action we can support in 2012

National Literacy and Numeracy week 27th August – 2nd September 2012

see www.literacyandnumeracy.gov.au

2012 is the National Year of Reading see www.love2read

We could develop and foster our own life

long reading activities by – Join a or starting a local Rotary book club. We could all read the a set of eight books which were selected describe what it's like to live in, be from, visit or in some other way connect with the eight different states and territories. A collection that articulates the Australian experience - remote, regional, suburban and metropolitan.


In the first message I wrote for this magazine, last July, I quoted Mohandas K. Gandhi, who said, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” And in the months since, I have had incredible opportunities to travel the Rotary world and see how Rotarians everywhere are bringing those words to life.

Creating positive change means, at its simplest, using our knowledge and esources to solve a problem. But when we are talking about solving humanitarian problems in a real and lasting way, knowledge and ideas and resources are not enough to ensure results. We have to remember something else that is no less important: sustainability.

A sustainable solution is one that will continue to work even after the Rotarians who proposed and facilitated it are gone. This means that even though the project might have come from Rotary originally, the community will take ownership of it. That, of course, means that when a part breaks on a water pump, there will be a process in place to repair it and to keep that pump functional – carried out by the community, and without further recourse to Rotary.

The first step toward sustainability is understanding the need – for example, the cooking fuel problem common in much of the developing world. In many regions, solar ovens are a wonderful solution: They are inexpensive; they rely on a source of energy that is free, nonpolluting, and inexhaustible; and they are simple to use and maintain.

But before we step into a community and attempt to solve its fuel problem with solar ovens, we have to fully understand its situation – and look beyond the problem we see. Perhaps the local foods need to be cooked at a temperature higher than the solar oven can provide. Perhaps the area is windy, and the solar ovens would blow away. Perhaps it’s traditional in that area to begin cooking before dawn, which, of course, you cannot do with a solar oven. These are issues you simply might not have thought of, but that could soon lead to the solar ovens being used to patch roofs or keep animal feed dry instead of for cooking.

If we are trying to bring about change, it’s not enough to say, “My way is the better way.” We have to be listening and watching, not just talking. We can only help others if we reach out with an open mind – and with the knowledge, the commitment, and the perseverance to deliver on what we promise.

RI President Kaylyan Banerjee March 2012 My dear brothers and sisters in Rotary,


The Declaration of Rotarians in Businesses and Professions was adopted by the Rotary International Council on Legislation in 1989 to provide more specific guidelines for the high ethical standards called for in the Object of Rotary


Phone 03 9438 3044

Fax: 03 9438 4070 Email: [email protected]

Advance Australia Fair

Australians all let us rejoice, For we are young and free; We've golden soil and wealth for toil, Our home is girt by sea; Our land abounds in Nature's gifts Of beauty rich and rare; In history's page, let every stage Advance Australia fair!

Rotary Grace

O Lord and giver of all good

We thank you for our daily food

May Rotary friends and Rotary ways,

help us to serve you all our days.

The Diamond Creek Rotary Town fair 2012 starts in 186 days

And I thought

That'll Do Pig

That’ll DO

Rotary Club off Diamond Creek Bulletin 6/3/2012

Documents

Transcript of Rotary Club off Diamond Creek Bulletin 6/3/2012