Posted by Bruce McBAIN
Visitors:
  • Jill Tabart and Jim Dixon (Melbourne Sunrise Probus Club); and
  • Guest seakers Meyer Eidelson & Joe Eidelson.
Immediate Past President Roy Garrett opened the meeting and handed the Chair to Neil Salvano who toasted Rotary International
 
Announcements:
  • Koren Harvey and Peter Duras reminded members of committee meeting dates;
  • Mik Wells advised he had received a donation of 6000 DVD’s from a failed video store, after selecting those appropriate for young people the remainder were available for a gold coin purchase with all proceeds going to support Shine for Kids;
  • A further call was made for volunteers to assist with the Farmers Market. Volunteers were asked to assemble in Goldsborough Lane at 2pm ready for the 3.30pm launch on Thursday 3rd September.
  • Neil Salvano advised that he was arranging a table for members to attend an International Day for Older Persons on 6 October at 7.15am-9am. Although the meeting clashed with the Club’s Breakfast he felt that the breakfast presented an opportunity to network and promote club membership. Further details contact Neil Salvano.
Foundation Project Team Report.
Roy Garrett advised that planning was well advanced for the Paul Harris breakfast on 24 November.
 
Melbourne Sunrise Probus Club. 
 
Jim Dixon, President of the Club and Jill Tabart, Secretary were introduced. Jim a past Assistant Auditor General Victoria and Technical Director CPA is active in community affairs including the Black Hole Puppet Theatre and Has lived in the CBD for 22 years.
 
Jill worked as a GP in Tasmania. In 1994 she became the first National President of the Uniting Church and has gained wide experience in church governance and is currently chair of the Centre for Theology in Parkville.
 
Jim and Jill then provided a history of the Club, from foundation through the efforts of the Rotary Club of Central Melbourne Sunrise and the work of Gillian Farrell, Kay Stevens, Doug Robertson and Tony Thomas who Jill described as the midwives to the successful birth. (not sure I can see Tony as the typical midwife)
 
The Club, similar to the Rotary Club of Docklands, had a nomadic existence in various venues before settling at the Dockland Library where they meet on the 1st Thursday of the month for business, an excellent speaker program and ample opportunity for fellowship before lunch in a nearby restaurant. The mission of the Club is 3 F’s (Friendship, Fellowship and Fun). The Club has about 49 regular attendees and has established a number of interest groups (Arts & Culture, Sunday Breakfast, Cinema and others). The Club continues to recruit and has inducted 17 members during 2015.
 
Guest Speakers:  ‘History as a series of Stories’
Meyer Eidelson a local historian and his son Joe a film maker student have combined their strengths to capture history. Meyer described history as story telling which captures the lives of ordinary people at an unique meeting point in the wider historic flow and the importance of capturing oral histories of people not only to preserve family histories but also as a narrative of the times.  
 
Preserving history was critical in explaining who we are and underpinning our values as individuals, families and a people. Meyer illustrated their approach to preserving history through 4 video’s each of which was themed. One, “History of Lunacy”, was a series of oral interviews demonstrating the impact of Luna Park as a Melbourne & St Kilda icon on the lives of ordinary Melbournians.
 
According to Meyer one of the problems in compiling and preserving social histories is the printed word quickly becomes dated and frozen in time and overtime digital media such as DVD’s & CD’s deteriorate and become less accessible. To address this problem Meyer and Joe have developed the Silver Chronicles an interactive archive and private ‘cloud’ website as a way of recording and sharing family history and bringing together in a private family website, interviews, film, photographs, correspondence and certificates such as war histories or academic achievement. To view Silver Chronicles click on Family History Projects - Silver Chronicle
 
The meeting concluded with a drawing of what Tony Thomas described as the weekly swindle, leading to some muttered discussion as to whether the Joker really exists, still to quote Tony ” it’s all a bit of fun and saves the weekly testing of Rotary knowledge and other trivia.”
 
At 8.45am IPP Roy reminded us “Be a Gift to the World”