Venue: Damien on Fisher
Guest Speaker: Judith Orr
Guests: Rtn Oleh Bilyk, Haydn Baillie, Vivienne Woods
Attendance: 22 members 4 guests plus Virginia Cossid and Mavis Martin zooming in
In the absence of President Nathan, PDG Jerry opened the meeting and welcomed visitors.
Guest Speaker: Judith Orr - The Hope Foundation
David Middleton introduced Judith whose career spanned nursing, managerial and retailing. On retirement she was determined to 'give something back' and decided to volunteer in Vietnam.
Judith explained that she and her husband (an army historian) established the Hope Foundation charity in Canberra. HOPE - Helping Other People's Efforts. She was attracted to volunteering for 2 months with the Christina Noble Children's Foundation operating in Saigon. However this was not what she was looking for and moved to a small catholic charity school (St Joseph's) in Bien Hoa. The conditions were primitive.... hot with no relief under a tin roof. The school was in urgent need of fans, nutrition for the kids and teaching resources. And so began the relationship which saw the school benefit greatly from fundraising through Hope. Judith taught arts and crafts and English. Important achievements over the 17 years of engagement have been:
- supply of basic needs
- financing of a vital student heart operation - $1700
- establishing a financial foundation of some $12,000 to enable the school to be sustainable
- arranging the head of school to become proficient in English through tutelage by Philippine nuns
- providing $750 for school uniforms
Judith's other major endeavour in Vietnam has been with the Xomo Moi Clinic in Saigon which provides support for parents and children suffering from HIV. Aids sufferers are treated like lepers in Vietnam. This clinic headed by Dr Phan treats the sufferers and in concert with the local priest provides food, accommodation and education for the kids. Hope has helped with the provision of decent premises, medical equipment and drugs (plus milk and candy for recovering patients) and more recently a large van for transportation. Saigon is a tough place to be for those veterans who served on the side of the south during the war, and for older women displaced from their homes. Hope has supported the work of the Mother Teresa nuns who are helping these people. Recently money was provided for Covid injections.
When previously asked why she continued providing what was perhaps a drop in the ocean, Judith responded by saying she had been happily dripping away over the last 17 years.......and making a difference.
Judith was thanked by acclamation
Rajat Nagpal - Public Image
Rajat provided a summary of the Club's activities in social media, and their importance.
- Instagram advertises the Thrift Shop and inserts are aimed at Millenials and Gen X
- There are two Facebook sites - the Club and the Thrift Shop. Updates are made about once every fortnight but we should be aiming for every 2 days. In relation to the club site we need to do more on ethos and achievement eg explaining the splendid projects financed through sausage sizzles. Judy Barton had scripted a story about POOTY 2021. Pam has been keeping Thrift Shop happenings up to date. This site attracts about 500 regular followers. Of particular note was the 10,000 people who learnt about the special bag sale. Signifying a like to each insert, sharing with acquaintances and placing favourable comments is vital.
- Google placements average 1700 hits a month; last month the Thrift Shop had 16,000 views.
The moral of the story is that members should be feeding material with photos into Rajat.
Rajat was thanked for his efforts and his presentation.
SPOTS
Christina Way - Do not forget the Stamps!
Trevor McGuirk proclaimed that there would be a Tops and Bottoms Sale at the Thrift Shop next week.....the mind boggles.....wonder who is looking after the fitting room. Pam Trimmer expressed pleasure that interest in the Thrift Shop had risen dramatically on Facebook (134-500 pm)
Vera-Ann Stacy is looking for a good carpenter
On the sick list.....Genese Mullins had been rushed to hospital and Alex Jonson is slowly recovering under the care of Irene.
Finale
No money or fruchocs to be won.....a major issue to be sorted by the Board!
Jerry thanked Ken and all those who had helped on the two consecutive Bunnings BBQs last year and we have another next Sunday.
He announced that next week we will have the AGM and Committee discussions.
And then we had an early minute!
Rotary International News.....awaiting new year contributions
Coffee Chat at Impressa, Unley Shopping Centre
10.30 am on the first Friday of the month is good for a chat with Rotary friends and a caffeine fix! Next one is Friday 4 February 2022
Upcoming Meetings
Tuesday 25 January 2022 6 for 6.30pm Damien on Fisher
Event: AGM and Committee Consultations
Set-up and Welcome...........Chris Davis and Paul Duke
Tuesday 1 February 2022 6 for 6.30pm Damien on Fisher
Guest Speaker: TBA
Set-up and Welcome...........Ken Haines and Geoff Hill
Meeting Enquiries to: Secretary Greg McLeod on 0417 811 838 or email to secretary@unleyrotary.org.au
Venue Set-up Enquiries to: Bulletin Editor Stephen Baker on 0403 687 015
Saturday Thrift Shop Roster
Early Shift: 10.00am to 1.00pm Late Shift: 1.00pm to 4.00pm
Week 1: 5 February 2022
Early: Jerry Casburn & Jurgen Stahl | Late: Robyn Carnachan & Leonie Kewen
Week 2: 12 February 2022
Early: Greg Mcleod & Virginia Cossid | Late: Wendy Andrews & Heather Kilsby
Week 3: 19 February 2022
Early: David Middleton & Nathan White | Late: Pam Trimmer & Vera Holt
Week 4: 22 January 2022
Early: Stephen Baker & Judi Corcoran | Late: Jason Booth & Rhonda Hoare
Week 5: 29 January
Early: Bob Mullins & Wendy Andrews | Late: Jerry Casburn & Paul Duke
Rotarians, who are unable to attend as rostered, please arrange a swap or as a very last resort contact: Pam Trimmer (T) 8293 2612; (M) 0415 238 333; e-mail: pamela.trimmer@bigpond.com
Mitre 10 and Bunnings Barbeques
The Mitre 10 BBQs are the first and third Saturdays of each month. Morning shift 8.30am - 12 noon; afternoon shift 12.00 - 3.30pm, then clean-up.....next one is this Saturday 5 February 2022
ALL the Bunnings Mile End Barbeque shifts are from 8am to 5pm
Morning shift: 8.00am – 12.30pm | Afternoon shift: 12.30 – 5pm
We have been allocated the last Monday of each month.....next one is Monday 31 January 2022 BUT have also been assigned next Sunday 23 January 2022
The Tale End.....
More pun education (Continue to groan, or smile, whatever makes you happiest).
- I lost my girlfriend’s audiobook, and now I’ll never hear the end of it.
- Why is ‘dark’ spelled with a k and not c? Because you can’t "c" in the dark.
- Bono and The Edge walk into a Dublin bar and the bartender says, “Oh no, not U2 again.”
- Prison is just one word to you, but for some people, it’s a whole sentence.
- Scientists got together to study the effects of alcohol on a person’s walk, and the result was staggering.
- I’m trying to organize a hide and seek tournament, but good players are really hard to find.
- I got over my addiction to chocolate, marshmallows, and nuts. I won’t lie, it was a rocky road.
- What do you say to comfort a friend who’s struggling with grammar? There, their, they’re.
- What did the surgeon say to the patient who insisted on closing up their own incision? Suture self.
- I’ve started telling everyone about the benefits of eating dried grapes. It’s all about raisin awareness.
Below are very positive aspects of Covid
