Meeting Report 3195
Apologies for the evening-
Colin Bazeley, Michael Jacob, Anthea John, Gayle Joyce, Sherine Allouche,
Guests
Dr Sandra Marshall – guest speaker, Peter Heinrich – guest of PP Kathy Heinrich, Harrison Clinch – guest of PP Leanne Clinch, Ava Koezen - past Exchange student, Marie-Louise Lees – visiting Rotarian.
|
This evenings Formalities:
Fines to: Code Read
|
|
Toast
|
Grace
|
Chair
|
|
PP Patsy Johnson
|
PP Ron LLoyd
|
PP Julie Tekell
|
PP Barry Stewart introduced the chair for the evening- Julie Tekell who officially opened meeting 3196 and welcomed members and guests to the meeting before asking Members who wished to have a Rotary Spot to come forward.
Angela Moore
- Asked members to vote on whether the club can support an inbound or outbound student in 2024 or 2025.
Members agreed that 2025 was a better timeline for us.
PP Brian Burt
- Brian Congratulated Dr Bruce Eastick on 70 years in Rotary and asked members to sign the card that was circulating. Brian also reminded members that a copy of the club charter was on display and encouraged everyone to read it.
PP Steve Barilla
- Reminded members about the 4X4 show and asked everyone to indicate their availability to assist.
PP Mike Williams-Almoner
- Mike said Bob Ahola has been moved into Eldercare but is at present ill in hospital and asked members to keep him in our thoughts.
PP Kim Potger
- Kim reminded members that when their police check comes back they will need to copy and give the copy to Beth to keep on file.
PP Mark Smeaton
- Mark asked all members who were attending the vocational visit on the 18th to please read the information (copy on tables and will be emailed out). There is a strict dress code and please note the site is unsuitable for members who require walking aids. Information will also be sent out re dinner beforehand.
PP Chair Julie thanked members who had spots and invited everyone to enjoy fellowship over dinner. After dinner she introduced PP Barry for his sergeants session before conducting the wheel spin. Winners were PP Ron, Tom K, and PP and DGE Marie-Louise Lees.
Julie then passed to Beth to introduce the first guest speaker Dr Sandra Marshall.
Dr Marshall is a GP in Gawler who has a passionate advocate for adults and Children who have trouble learning to read.
She has lived in Gawler for 20 years and a GP at Gawler Medical centre for that time.
in 2010 Sandra co-founded DAGBAGS (Dyslexia Action Group Barossa and Gawler Surrounds) of which most schools in the district were members. In 2014 Gawler Primary school was officially announced as the first public Dyslexia Aware School in South Australia. Dr Marshall said our own Rotarian PP Lance Hatcher provided significant assistance in the early days of the group.
In 2015 DAGBAGS became Dyslexia SA before taking it national in 2017 and became Code REaD Dyslexia Network.
Dyslexia is a neurologically based, inherited condition and students with Dyslexia and other reading difficulties struggle at school because school is predominantly about reading and writing. Like many things Dyslexia is a spectrum with varying degrees of difficulty. Globally approximately 15-25% of all students have Dyslexia and 5% experiencing severe dyslexia. Sandra explained that Dyslexia is as common as Asthma but not as well known and commonly affects one’s mental health because people hide their shame of not being able to read and write and also the anxiety of knowing there are expectations that everyone should be able to fill in a form or read a document.
DR Marshall was a huge advocate for the implementation of the Year One phonics screening check in South Australia and now the rest of the country are following. This means that difficulties are picked up early and interventions can be put in place. Students with Dyslexia are supported by remedial instruction; accommodations e.g., more time to complete a task, the use of aids such as technology; Modifications e.g. the length of the task is reduced; Provide explicit or break instructions down so they don’t have to remember them; Provide alternative ways to show learning eg verbal recount instead of an essay.
|
Common Myths
|
Facts
|
- Dyslexia is something children grow out of
|
- Children with Dyslexia continue to Face challenges as they grow
|
- Dyslexia affects more boys than girls
|
- Dyslexia affects boys and girls equally
|
- A dyslexic person can’t be a good reader
|
- With intense systematic instruction a person with dyslexia can become a good strong reader
|
At the conclusion of her presentation Dr Marshall answered lots of questions posed by members with many sharing their own difficulties growing up.
Please click on the link to learn more.
President John Lyons thanked Dr Marshall and presented her with her certificate of thanks. Chair PP Julie said she would like to donate tonight’s fines and proceeds from the wheel to Code REaD.
PP Julie then introduced the second speaker for the evening our past exchange student Ava Koezen.
Ava is visiting Australia and taking the chance to catch up with her host families Marie- Louise and Graham Lees and Kathy and Peter Heinrich.
Ava shared news of her studies at university and also her downtime as a Racing car driver. She is also a tattoo artist and said she certainly has more ink than when she was here! Since going home, she has had visits from Graham and Marie- Louise and later their youngest son and she had enjoyed showing them around.
Ava also took questions from the floor with many members interested in what has been happening for Ava.
President John then closed meeting 3196 with the four way test and reminded members that there was no meeting next week due to the public holiday and the following week was the Vocational visit and he hoped to see as many people there as possible.
Did you know?
A new regular Column compiled by PP Brian Burt
Gawler Rotary’s First Year
The summary of projects for the Rotary Club of Gawler’s first year indicates that Rotarians got down to work immediately. It states:
1954/55
- “Aesthetic (sic) machine for Hutchinson Hospital.”
I think that means anaesthetic machine which probably looked like the one below.
- “Tree in caravan park to commemorate Golden Anniversary.”
(The Golden Anniversary of Rotary was in 1975.)
Does anyone know if the tree is still there?
- “TB testing of cows supplying milk to Gawler.”
I suspect Dr Bruce Eastick was the instigator of this project. In those days tuberculosis could be transmitted by milk from infected cows and probably could still happen if there was an outbreak of TB
- “Redecorate Gawler Institute front and interior.”
Without modern scissor lifts and scaffolding, painting the very high front and interior of the Institute must have been a dangerous and enormous job.
I have visions of ladders on trestle tables and 44 gallon drums as Rotarians painted the ceiling of the main hall.
This was certainly an ambitious programme for the first year of a new Rotary Club and set a pattern which has continued for 70 years.
