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WHAT'S IN THIS BULLETIN

28th January 2020 

  • NEXT MEETING

  • MEETING REPORT JAN 2st

  • GOLDEN BALL INVITE

  • DIK WORKING BEE 

  • NEW PROBUS CLUB

  • PENINSULA BBQ 

  • GALLERY

Meeting Report January 21st
MEETING REPORT 21 January 2020
 
Posted by Doug ROBERTSON
Chair:
Francesco Fedele opened the meeting with a toast to Rotary International.
Guests Welcomed:
Visiting Rotarian Edgar Saenz from West Chester, Los Angeles. Guests Dilip Shankar and Alan Lim were introduced by President Warwick both of whom he had met at Toastmasters when he attended as part of RI’s new relationship agreement.
Member’s Milestones:
Birthday: Pip Thornton 27 January
Wedding Anniversary: John and Raylee IIott 25 January
Announcements:
  • Roger Thornton asked to be advised of members and partners attending the Peninsula BBQ at Lorraine Meehan’s in Mt Martha on Sunday 9 February 2020.
  • Gerard Hogan mentioned that bookings for the District Conference are still open.
  • Herb Greenwood reported that rather than Opera on the Yarra, we will have an entertaining evening “Stage to Screen” on 7 March at the Dock. Bookings will be via Try Bookings and details will be out this week. One for our diaries.
  • Russell Rolls confirmed that our next DIK Working Bee date is Saturday 22nd February and he needs to be advised of volunteers.
  • Peter Duras was pleased to confirm that from recent Bunnings BBQ’s, $2800 had been donated to the bush fire appeal. He though is still looking for volunteers for midday and afternoon shifts at Port Melbourne particularly on Saturday 5 February and Friday 20 March.  Other dates are Sunday 5 April and Friday 26 June.    
  • President Warwick’s announcements followed:
    • International Women’s Day Breakfast will be on 7th March and he is looking for a table from Members.
    • Confirmed that RI has established a relationship with Toastmasters International and he is keen to see this relationship extended locally.
 
Launch of Probus Bearbrass:
President Warwick set the scene regarding the launch of Probus Bearbrass at the Docklands.  Rotary since 1976 has been setting up Probus Clubs to enhance the lifestyle and friendships of active retirees. Probus Clubs do not fund-raise for charity.
 
There are 124,000 Probus Club members in Australia and New Zealand, about four times more than Rotary members. Membership though has been in serious decline in the past decade, but this fall has now almost been stopped, with only a 1% decline last year. District 9800 has not set up a Probus Club since 2016. Probus now is harnessing its own resources for growth and is spending $350,000 a year on membership promotion, including full-time staff. This means our Bearbrass marketing launch is very much a joint effort with Probus Headquarters.
 
Tony Thomas then commented that it is nine years since Rotary Central Melbourne launched Sunrise Probus in Docklands. Now, Sunrise Probus has grown to 120 members and closed the door to new applicants.  City of Melbourne reports that the retiree populations in CBD, Docklands and Southbank is now 6200 and growing rapidly.
 
The marketing blitz has seen flyers and publicity go out to a lot of inner-Melbourne Rotary Clubs and other referrers. Probus is financing two display ads in Sean Car’s CBD and Southbank News, and Sean will post an editorial in all his three newspapers. Along with trying community radio, there are 1000 flyers and 20 laminated notices to distribute. The new Club will meet at The Dock Library, in Docklands, which has a splendid modern auditorium.
All RCM members have in their emails, the flyer for the Bearbrass launch and are asked to pass it on to any potential Bearbrass members. All are welcome to come to the launch at 10am Wednesday February 12.
 
Guest Speaker: Club Member - Brett Jones.
One evening in 1979, a 24-year-old police constable working with the Search and Rescue Squad in Auckland received a knock on the door.  The policeman on the other side advised that an Air New Zealand plane had crashed into Mt Erebus; communications were jammed with calls, hence the personal advice that Brett would be part of the recovery team. He had ten minutes to get his gear together and leave for Antarctica.
 
Brett, along with the other members had no Antarctic experience and on the eleven-hour flight, he was re-assured that there was a broad skill set in the squad and problems would be addressed and solved as they arose. The recovery team included experts from NZ Civil Aviation, the USA equivalent, the plane maker McConnell Douglas and GE the engine manufacturer.
 
Tourist flights had been undertaken safely for the previous two years, however on this occasion the flight path was changed 2 degrees. The outcome was that the DC 10 had crashed into the base of 14,000ft Mt Erebus on Ross Island, killing all 257 on board.  Wreckage was strewn over hundreds of metres.
 
Over a week, the squad was involved in the recovery of bodies or parts. Temperatures ranged from zero to minus 20 degrees. Brett contrasted the chaos and devastation of the immediate site with the sheer beauty of the unspoilt Antarctic landscape. He also found that the mission was a powerful personal experience and one that was ultimately empowering for him.  However, this was not the case for all.
 
The inevitable inquiry was blighted by political interference and unnecessarily impacted on some that were involved. For Brett however, once the mission was completed, he moved on to other roles, as did others from the squad.
 
In 2019, Brett was invited back to the site of the crash for a commemoration service to mark the 40th anniversary of the crash. This was also an outcome from the previous year, when the NZ Prime Minister acknowledged the obfuscation and blame that had occurred during the original inquiry. The trip also included a visit to the historic sheds at the Scott and Shackleton bases. It was noticeable that the photos from this trip were much brighter and clearer than the few grainy shots taken during the recovery in 1979.
 
In conclusion, Brett commented that there is great value in the Treaty arrangement protecting the continent, the importance of the scientific research being undertaken and the extraordinary and wonderful people undertaking work there.  And on a further positive note, for one member of the team that had been greatly and negatively affected by his role in the recovery, the visit 40 years on was a cathartic experience that unburdened him.
 
Meeting Closure:
Chairman Francesco thanked Brett for presenting a unique and personal perspective on the tragedy of Mt Erebus.  The raffle was drawn, and President Warwick closed the meeting.
 
 
 
NEXT MEETING - TUESDAY  28th JANUARY 2020
 
Oscar Clift, son of RCM member Nick Clift, will be talking to us on his experience at RYLA over the past two years.  The impact it has had and the changes he has implemented.  
 
 
 
NEW PROBUS CLUB
BBQ FUND RAISING SUCCESS
Hi Everyone
 
What a great day at Collingwood.......after the heatwave of 20 December 2019
 
With terrific support from Bunnings customers, we were able to take in $1312.70 plus a fantastic $239.65 in donations for Bushfire Relief (about 90% more than normal). After allowing for $230.70 in costs, $1321.65 will go to the Bairnsdale Rotary Club Bushfire Appeal.Thank you so much to you “diehards” for all your efforts, a really great team effort throughout the day. That means that between Peter’s Port Melbourne SS on 3 January and our Collingwood SS today, almost $ 2800 will go towards East Gippsland Fire Relief from our Club.
 
Frank
 
‘Sausage Team Port Melbourne’ has 4 more dates scheduled this Rotary Year.
  • Saturday    15th February
  • Friday         20th March
  • Sunday       5th April
  • Friday         26th June
Peter is keen to hear from anyone who can assist on any of these dates at Port Melbourne. [15th February morning shifts have been filled.]
 
Read more...
SOCIAL EVENT  PENINSULA BBQ  9th February
GALLERY
 
 Dilip Shankar & Alan Lim, from Toastmasters, with Pres. Warwick
 
 
Pres. Warwick with Edgar Allen, RC Westchester
 
 
 Guest speaker Brett Jones
 
 
 Chair Francesco Fedele

Meeting Responsibilities

Chair
MACKEY, George
 
Greeter
DURAS, Peter
 
Reporter
CARDELL, Stuart
 
Photographer
THORNTON, Roger
 
Door
LAURIE, David
 
Bulletin Editor
CLIFT, Nick
 
Social Media
LIM, Daniel
 

Upcoming Events

School Holidays
Dec 18, 2019 - Jan 28, 2020
 
Peninula Family BBQ
Feb 09, 2020
12:00 PM – 4:00 PM
 
Board meeting – RACV club
Feb 12, 2020 5:30 PM
 
Docklands dinner – social gathering
Feb 22, 2020 7:00 PM
 
Opera on the yarra
Mar 07, 2020
 
Opera on the Yarra
Mar 07, 2020 7:30 PM
 
Labour Day
Mar 09, 2020
 
Board meeting – zoom
Mar 11, 2020 7:30 PM
 
Saint Patrick's Day
Mar 17, 2020
 
Family picnic/bike ride activity
Mar 22, 2020 12:00 PM
 
View entire list
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