Muslims fast for 30 consecutive days during Ramadan, from dawn until sunset. Iftar is the special meal prepared daily at the end of the day when the fast finishes. Muslims are encouraged to reach out, to build bridges and to work with colleagues and neighbours around them who are not Muslim, to share their faith and build on their shared values. The Iftar meal is a special time of day, as this is when Muslims open their fast and give thanks for the food they are eating.
Andrew is well known to club members. He is presently Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner for the North West Metropolitan Region. In recent years he has managed the counter terrorism coordination unit, led a project team to establish the Australia New Zealand Policing Advisory Agency, worked as a Divisional Manager based at Knox and then as the Assistant Commissioner for the specialist units of the Operations Support Department.
Ali is the son of Turkish Muslim immigrants who knows first hand the experience of being vilified at school in Melbourne's northern suburbs. He has done considerable reading on Islam and this knowledge of the religion has assisted him greatly with multicultural liaison work within Vic Police.
Members are reminded there will be a Special General Meeting convened during the regular club meeting on Tuesday 10th June -purpose to adopt changes to Club Rules from recent RI Council of Legislation decisions.
Formal notice of this meeting was circulated to all members on May 12th.
Chair – Herb Greenwood | Sergeant – Michael Bromby
Reporter – George Mackey | Photographer – Allan Driver
Visitors – No visitors this week
Speaker – Gordon Morrison, Director of the Art Gallery of Ballarat
Our meeting on 3 June proceeded with reduced numbers – about 20 members - as we had a fair contingent of members participating in the Rotary International Convention in Sydney. Neville Taylor ably demonstrated that no person is really indispensable, as he calmly and methodically filled a number of roles during this meeting including that of President Doug, who was attending the International Convention.
Announcements
Frank O’Brien, . a call for volunteers for the next DIK project, Saturday 14th June.
George Mackey . 200 chairs donated by the TWU have been placed with the Lentara Asylum Seeker Project;
. a few more volunteers are still required to fill the support roster for our visitor from the RC Houston, from 17 – 25 July (thanks for the responses from Alan, David, Doug, Mary, Richard, Rob and Tony). All that is required is a bit of driving around the city;
. our candidate for the Rotary Peace Scholar Award was unsuccessful – he was too young!;
. interviews for RCCMS sponsorship for the next National Youth Science Forum are underway.
Director’s Report (Club Admin)
Neville Taylor delivered the Club Admin report, which demonstrated the very high level of activity underway at this time of the year. Activity, events and general announcements include:
The finalisation of the events schedule and duty roster for July to October, inclusive
The imminent handover of the Club Administration Chair to Roger Thornton
About 130 confirmations for the Victoria Police Leaders Mentoring breakfast on 17 June
Organisation for the changeover dinner at the Athenaeum Club on Friday, 27 June, is well underway
The club planning forum (Horizons) is scheduled for 8.30am to 12.30pm on 22 June. Venue is the Montague Continuing Education Centre, 100 Montague St, South Melbourne
The last regular club meeting this year will be 10 June.
Sergeant’s Session
The Sergeant’s session featured an historical walk through significant events which have occurred on 3 June, or there-abouts. Events mentioned included the wedding of Edward, Duke of Windsor, to American divorcee Wallis Simpson, which precipitated his abdication in 1936; the Battle of Midway (1942); the first space walk by a US astronaut (1962); the resignation of John Profumo, the British Secretary of State for War (1963 - he would do that, wouldn't’t he?); the sustained attack by Israeli forces on the USS Liberty, during the Six-Day War (1966). An astute member pointed out to the Sergeant that he has missed the most significant event of all to occur around this date: the D-Day landings in 1944. The Sergeant showed his appreciation for this information by promptly fining the before-mentioned astute member.
The Sergeant showed a slide indicating a pilot’s view of night-time aircraft carrier landings, followed by Mary’s above-averagely-eloquent contribution to “the epic poem”, which is mercifully shuddering to a close.
Sgt Michael and Mary. [Ed Please ignore Sgt's words on the slide in background].
Guest Speaker
Gordon Morrison, Director of the Art Gallery of Ballarat, presented an engaging dissertation on the history of Scottish migration to Australia. The Art Gallery of Ballarat is currently exhibiting the contribution made by Scots to the development of Australia as educationalists, missionaries, philanthropists and entrepreneurs. [Exhibition “For Auld Lang Syne: Images of Scottish Australia from First Fleet to Federation” Open ‘til Sunday 27th July 2014]
The presentation included the early history when Scots were transported to the colony of NSW as political prisoners and forgers. Gordon explained “the good the bad and the downright ugly” of Scottish migration, ranging from Mary MacKillop to Governors Macquarie and Brisbane, David Syme (co-founder of The Age), and the great outback explorers Major Thomas Mitchell and John McDouall Stuart.
Not beyond a little polite sledging of the English, Gordon explained that very few convicts of Scottish origin were ever transported to Australia. The reason for this was attributed to regular reading of the bible on Sundays by the strictly Presbyterian population of Scotland at the time and the high level of literacy that this caused (Ed: I think this was a subtle way of implying that the canny Scots were too smart to get caught although the Scottish justice system had a third verdict category of ‘case not proven’, unlike the remainder of the convict donor countries.)
A viewing of the exhibition at the Art Gallery of Ballarat is highly recommended. In the best tradition of Scottish stereotypes, together with the long memories of most Europeans, Gordon recommended our attendance on 24 June 2014. On that day entry to the exhibition is free, in memory of a rare victory against the English at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314.
Questions had to be curtailed owing to time and between them Herb and Neville closed the meeting only two minutes late.
Guest Speaker Gordon Morrison with Mr Fix I/T and Chairman Herb.
Do you [or spouse] have little free time between 17 July and 25 July 2014?
Are you up for a little driving (a day or half day) around our beautiful city in support of a visiting Rotarian from Houston?
Would you like to contribute to the hospitality being offered to three young people visiting the 20th International Aids Conference being held in Melbourne?
If so, then please read on…..
The 20th International Aids Conference (http://www.aids2014.org/) is being held in Melbourne from 20th to 25th July 2014. We’ve had a request for support from RC Houston Skyline, to help between 17th and 25th July 2014. This is Michelle Heard’s sponsoring RC - Michelle is the Global Peace Scholar we are currently hosting. There are three young people from Botswana involved, and we’ve been asked if we could provide hoc transport and logistics support around the city.
If we can supply names to populate a roster for a day/half day each that would be good.
Every year we have a Club Planning Forum to allow firm directions and budgets for our club. As you would expect, a large percentage of the work and the outcome is from our executive - committee chairs / directors and it is hoped that each of these people will attend the Forum.
However, all members are welcome! If you have some special ideas for our club's direction next year or just want to know more about others' ideas, please feel free to come along.
I will be circulating more info over the coming weeks: an agenda, times and a venue for a start but for now the starting time on 22nd June is 0830 and finishing time 1230 (sharp!)
Please let me know if you plan to attend and please give me some preliminary notice if you have special matters you would like included on the day.
District 9800 is looking for two new leaders to help with key District programmes.
1. A volunteer Rotarian to coordinate Rotary Australia Benevolent Society [“RABS”] activities in 2014/2015.
Position brief;
Rotary clubs may apply for registration and gain tax deductibility for projects that arouse the compassion of the community and will provide direct relief to people in need in local communities.
The Coordinator will report to the District Chair of Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS) and will be required to:
• review RABS applications for their suitability for registration
• attend bi-monthly RAWCS Committee meetings
• submit a brief monthly summary of RABS activities.
2. Rotary Overseas Medical Aid for Children (ROMAC) is inviting applications for a Chairperson for District 9800 for 2014/2015.
Position brief;
ROMAC assists children aged fifteen years or younger, by bringing them to Australia or New Zealand for lifesaving or dignity restoring procedures to improve their quality of life. Cases are accepted only when the required medical treatment is not available to them in their own country. Patients come from developing countries in South East Asia and the Pacific Islands.
The ROMAC District Chair is appointed by the District Governor. Primary responsibilities will focus on:
Awareness of ROMAC within the District and its Rotary Clubs
Fundraising and promotion
Care and support of ROMAC patients and their parents/guardian.
A background in the health sector is desirable but not essential. Applicants should have sound administration skills. You will not be expected to do all of this on your own; you will be assisted and supported by others within the ROMAC “family”. There are also guidelines and procedures available in the ROMAC Manual of Procedures to guide activities. A hand-over by the experienced incumbent will also be arranged.
Any member who is interested in either of these positions please contact President Elect Roy.
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