Our club needs to decide if we wish to host an exchange student for the 2020-2021 Rotary year.
Dave Griffiths will discuss this in a Spot at this Monday’s meeting. To host an exchange student, our club would need to appoint a counsellor to oversee the exchange, and identify 4 hosting families for hosting an exchange student for 12 months (or 2 hosting families for sharing an exchange student with another Rotary club). We need to respond to the Chair of District 9500 RYE Committee (Ian Howlett, Clare Rotary Club) as soon as possible as he has 5 applications from overseas students (from Germany, Denmark, Indonesia, Switzerland and Sweden). Ian has also advised that initially clubs need to have the first hosting family established prior to any allocation (which would allow clubs a few months to find the remaining hosting families). Please note that hosting families do not have to be Rotarians, nor have children in them – they just have to be homes where the overseas student can live for a short time in a secure and happy environment whilst they study and absorb some of our culture. Please consider if you, or someone you know, would like to be involved in our club hosting an exchange student in 2020-2021.
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Meeting opened with guests Paige Klingner, Guest Speaker; Grace Barilla, guest of President Steve; Marj Ahrens, guest of PP Bob Ahrens; Keith Weiner, Friends of Rotary; Trevor Briggs and exchange student Sara Di Lauro.
PP Kim Potger suggests the club supports the communities effected by the recent fires by having a lunch at the Mt Torrens hotel on a Sunday in the near future. The towns are struggling to attract visitors and tourists and would welcome our visit with open arms.
PP Brian Burt suggested Lobethal would be another area we could target with our lunch patronage. The club has agreed to organise a trip soon.
President Steve reported to the meeting the final presentation of Televisions to the Gawler Health Service. This latest presentation bought to 32 sets donated over the past few years. Many Rotarians were involved in the project but the efforts of PP Ron Lloyd were particularly mentioned for his efforts in coordinating the purchase, collection and presentation of the TV’s. Brereton jewellers were also thanked for supplying the plaques for attaching to the sets.
Gawler Blue Light Pool party helpers were thanked for their efforts on Sat 22nd at the Gawler Pool. They cooked a sausage sizzle for a large number of young attendees and had a lot of fun doing so.
Gawler races gate keepers were again thanked for their continuing efforts at the local meetings. They have generated a considerable income from their regular attendance.
President Steve advised the members that the March 2nd meeting will be for committees to hold their meetings. A major topic for discussion will be to consider the latest information regarding a proposed move of meeting venue and the ramifications of such a move. The pros and cons will be outlined on the night.
PP Barry was in his usual form and entertained the meeting with a photo collection from the Pool party barbeque. It appeared to be a fun event for most but whatever he tried he could not get a smile from PP Ron Lloyd. The Bunyip round up demonstrated how active our members are in our projects and our community generally. Sara was given the bell ringing job for the meeting but the loud noise was too much and the bell was returned to the front table. Well done Barry for your continued efforts in the role.
Wheel winners for the week went to PP Wayne Murphy and Stan Roulston
Guest Speaker Paige Klingner
Paige was one of our sponsored students from the Clare High School who attended the National youth Science Forum in January 2019. From this event she applied and was chosen to attend an international science school in Hamburg Germany in July 2019.
This experience was described as a life changing few weeks and has increased her interest and enthusiasm for science and the multitude of opportunities it will provide for her. She was able to participate in tours and experiments in very advanced scientific establishments and laboratories. Her recollections were a demonstration of her love of science and her joy of learning.
Apart from the working aspect of the trip we heard of the social aspect of the camp and the meeting of similar students from around the world. The result is a collection of life long friends and memories of a spectacular experience
Having completed year 12 in 2019 and having achieved an ATAR score in the high 90’s Paige has now commenced a degree course at the University of Adelaide in advanced Science. Her future is now in her hands.
Paige is now an alumni of our club and her future will be followed closely by those who have been impressed by her talents and enthusiasm.
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THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF STORIES (TOO MANY TO MENTION) WHERE VOLUNTEERS HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THE RECENT AUSTRALIAN BUSHFIRES
THIS ONE IS LOCAL
The bushfire that ripped through the Adelaide Hills just before Christmas stripped trees bare, set alight hectares of pasture and destroyed houses. It also killed and injured hundreds, if not thousands, of native animals, with Adelaide Koala Rescue treating more than 300 koalas and other animals since the bushfires began on 20 December. However, not all hope is lost, with up to 200 volunteers, including several vets, working around the clock, to save as many animals as possible. Adelaide Koala Rescue director Jane Brister said the bushfire had devastated the Adelaide Hill, leaving an unfathomable amount of damage in its wake. “Every time I go out there, I’m blown away by the scale and how extensive the fire zone is and how bad the damage is,” she said. “We can’t even fathom how many animals must have perished and how many must still be out there.” When the bushfire began, Adelaide Koala Rescue saw an influx of wildlife suffering from burns and had to set up an emergency centre at Paradise Primary School. Now, they’re finding koalas who are starving. “There are some koalas from Cudlee Creek who just can’t go back to their home because as far as the eye can see, there’s nothing lift, or it might be that there’s one tree on the property,” Ms. Brister said. The volunteer group is working with property owners in the Adelaide Hills to find homes for the displaced koalas and develop new habitats. In the past month they have re released about 80 koalas into the wild. But this is only the start, and only one small story, in what will be a major problem, for both people and native animals in what has become Australia’s worst major disaster.
You can help Adelaide Koala Rescue by donating at ake.org.au or at any other bushfire appeal.
TEACHER IN A BOX PROGRAM
An innovative idea from a Queensland club is helping with laptops loaded with educational programs and donated to remote areas of developing countries. As part of its commitment to basic education, one of Rotary’s areas of focus, District 9600 is providing the program to people in remote areas around the worldThe program continues to grow and has been invaluable to schools in Liberia, Tanzania, Kenya, Cambodia, PNG and the Philippines. It has been, and will continue to be, beneficial to so many third world countries around the world. ANOTHER FIRST FOR ROTARY.
