The Rotary Club of Northbridge gratefully acknowledges the generous sponsorship of Northbridge Plaza
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Member Birthdays
Ranald Stewart
April 8
Joanne Coleman
April 17
Bob Farrar
April 19
Bob Edwards
April 29
Mike Cocks
April 29
Spouse Birthdays
Jan Duggin
April 3
Audrey Hodgson
April 10
Anniversaries
Peter Grinter
Di Grinter
April 25
Bob Farrar
Christine Altmeier
April 28
Join Date
Peter Russell
April 9, 2019
1 year
Peter Grinter
April 19, 1988
32 years
Anthony Clifford
April 24, 2007
13 years
Jon Gidney
April 26, 2016
4 years
Club News
Welcome to our 3rd Stay-at-Home Rotary Bulletin. Just to keep us in the zone, below is some Rotary news.
Rotary and the Gates Foundation
One of the core Rotary initiatives is its polio eradication program. On 22 January 2020 Rotary International and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced they had renewed their long term fundraising partnership and under the agreement, Rotary committed to raising $50 million a year over the next three years with each dollar raised being matched with an additional $2 by the Gates Foundation. Bill Gates said that the Gates Foundation’s longstanding partnership with Rotary is vital to fighting polio. The funding will support eradication efforts such as disease surveillance, technical assistance and operational support for immunization activities.
Peter Grinter sent through a message he received from Dave Banks:
“Just dropping an update on Nambucca Valley bushfire projects.
We are assisting people to buy & install caravans as temporary accommodation.
Bushfire fundraising amounts and spend to date are:
Income:
Louise Welsh - $7,500
Macksville concert - $6,500
Northbridge Rotary - $15,000
First Rotary Grant - $4,000
Macksville Rotary reserves - $5,000
Latest Rotary Grant - $10,000
Total - $48,000
Outgoing:
BlazeAid - $12,000
Cheques to people who lost houses - $12,000
Tool Library -$6,000
First caravan - $2,000
That leaves $16,000 still available.”
Member News
A couple of our members have written about their time in isolation.
From Angie Fernandes
It’s good to hear from all you fellow Rotarians. You all sound sane and adapting to our present circumstances. Welcome to our new way of life!
Fay, I suggest you stay away from the twigs. I have a six month supply of toilet paper and can lend you some. I’m like a squirrel and when I learnt about the pandemic, I slowly started stocking my pantry with food and toiletries to last six months plus. Can assure you it wasn’t panic buying (hee hee).
I still cannot find masks and hand sanitisers in the market though. I paid a hefty price for masks to an online company in San Francisco last month but still haven’t received the order. Been advised that it is arriving from China end April or maybe even later when we no longer need them. So in the interim, we asked our associates in China to courier us some N95 masks only to find that the crooked local courier re-directed our order to his friend in Melbourne. Now, we have to wait for a new order to be sent out to us…argh!
Now for some serious ranting. The Chinese are at it again, the wet markets have started trading again. The next pandemic will be far worse than the present one according to leading health authorities, a time bomb waiting to explode - tick, tick, tick.
And who stated that coronavirus is not bias? Look at Donald Trump, in spite of being surrounded by infected people, he still hasn’t caught it…even the virus doesn’t like him. The Evangelicals’ prayers must have been heard by the Dark One (one brownie point against me in the Book of Records for humouring my fellow Rotarians in these dark times).
I miss my bridge days, Rotary, movies, dining with friends and window shopping. On the upside, besides work, I’ve caught up with local and overseas friends, family, children and a grand kid, Xander, who is very active at 4 months. Keeps his parents on their toes, sounds familiar?! I will get to meet him at the end of the year as my son resides in New York.
I go for walks alone or with friends, one on one and fortunate enough to have a six month old kitten who wants to play hide and seek for several hours daily.
Caught up with Doug Herridge for a cuppa after his 15 day self-isolation. He’s well and happy to be back.
Still keeping sane for the moment, can’t guarantee it will last till end June…
And from David Robertson
As you know, I went to Fiji recently for supposedly three weeks but which ended up being only 8 days and then back for self-isolation, something now, to some extent, we are all in. I’ve been stuck out at my sister’s semi at Hunters Hill and was told you’re having a holiday out there only to be hit by multiple texts and emails daily and a request to tidy her cupboards and do the garden! I said to myself I'll do the garden but I'm not thinking about touching any of her cupboards. This is meant to be my break! Anyway, I have been drawing pictures to go into a book on Fiji, doing the garden, doing some reading.
During my all too short stay in Fiji I managed unexpectedly to get an appointment with the Hon. Alexander O'Connor, the Asst Minister for Health, and we had a chat lasting 2½ hours about medical supplies and Fijian hospitals and nurses stations etc. In the off chance that I could make this appointment with someone in the medical field, I had taken all the medical supplies with me down to Suva so as to show a small sample of what we could supply if assistance was available. All in all, I thought it was a very productive meeting and is something that the Northbridge Rotary Club could build on in the future if they so desire.
Whilst in Fiji I managed to see my two families, or rather the families that have adopted me as one of their own. With one of the families, just out of Suva at a place called Cunningham Stage 1, I was deeply moved and saddened as I visited the mother of Emali, who first invited me to Fiji some 33 years ago. She is now 79 and this is the first time that she hasn't recognised me (she did last Aug). She is a lady who years ago, on arriving once said to me “you don't know who I am”, to which I replied “yes, you’re my second mum” and to see her face light up was something unreal.
I then travelled on to Navua to see Emali and family where I stayed a few nights before going to Semo Village which is up the Coral Coast to visit family no 2. Here I was to find out the youngest daughter, who is to be married in June, asked me to walk her down the aisle of the church and sit next to her as her father at the traditional wedding ceremony (this really took the wind out of my sails). What an honour and privilege for a westerner to be asked, not one of the relatives. Her father passed away December a year ago. I am deeply saddened about this as with COVID 19, I'll be unable to travel . . . I'm wondering if the wedding will be cancelled because of COVID 19 and moved to some date in the future! That will be their decision.
I think I packed a lot into those 8 days, when on day 6 my family phoned and said come home. After being back two days, my whole immune system collapsed as it did in Fiji last year. I got all the Rotary stuff done, saw friends fast, then the body says “OK time to rest” and everything collapsed as my poor body is just worn out with stress and being over tired.
Here are some positive things since being in self isolation - I've not watched TV, listened to radio and I've been sleeping in till 7.30 am, which is unheard of!
President's Message
Malcolm Lye
I thought that our club’s first meeting by Zoom worked really well on April 7. We all seemed pleased to see each other after three weeks’ break and many of us were intrigued by the technology. The key to success was Kevin’s excellent management of the meeting and Jon’s interesting talk about the current state of the stock market and the impact on it of the coronavirus epidemic. Members participated well in the question and answer session. Afterwards, there was general discussion about future meetings.
Following the meeting, we sent out a series of questions about what kind of meetings members would like to see in future. I have seen the responses from a couple of dozen members. It is clear that, so far, ALL responders want to continue with Zoom meetings, on either a weekly or fortnightly basis. Members would like to start at either 6pm or 6.30pm. And everybody had ideas about the format and content of meetings, some quite innovative. It’s clear that the club is ready to embark on what will be for us a brand new kind of Rotary meeting!
With this input, the Board will meet on April 16 to make decisions on future meetings by Zoom. The Board may also consider whether members will be asked to contribute to meetings as a way of raising funds for the Charities Account.
Keep well!
Malcolm
DID YOU KNOW
In 2007 Dr. Terence ‘Terry’ Burke A.M., PhD was inducted as an active member of the Club. Terry had then recently retired as the Deputy Director of Education for N.S.W. He was assigned to the Vocational Service Committee and quickly steered the Club into becoming associated with programs run by the Department to support students generally and in particular students of Aboriginal And Torres Strait Island origin. 2008 ushered in financial awards for the male and female student of Indigenous origin who received the top marks in the HSC of the preceding year. Also the Club financially sponsored 4 Nanga Mai Awards made by the Department, 2 awards to members of the general student body for demonstrating leadership qualities and 2 similar awards for Indigenous students. The top student awards continued in 2009 & 2010 but were then discontinued as it was found that these particular awards were being presented to students who were already receiving considerable benefits from other sources. Also the Nanga Mai sponsorship was discontinued as the Club had no involvement with the program or participants.
An interesting site you can browse when you have time - https://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/your-library-home. The State Library has a lot of interesting material you can access online.
And a clever little video someone who has plenty of time has put together –
It was a quiet Monday morning in September 2053 when John awoke with the need to go to the toilet. To John this wasn’t just any ordinary day. This was the day he would open the last roll of toilet paper his parents bought in the year 2020 ……
If anyone has any jokes or funny stories, feel free to send them to me for the humour section of the Bulletin! We certainly need a little humour in our lives at the moment!!! Email them to helen.gulson@ozemail.com.au
The Rotary Club of Northbridge is offering a Peace Scholarship in 2020-21
The Rotary Peace Fellowship is the premier educational program of The Rotary Foundation and supports Rotary’s mission to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace. It is intended for individuals who have chosen a career related to international relations, peace, and conflict resolution; who have work experience in these areas; and who have a commitment to community or international humanitarian service and working for peace.
These links explain the scholarships and where they are offered.
Due to COVID19 Virus Safety Restrictions this event has been cancelled until further notice
Looking for something different to do in Northbridge?
Get in the groove with the local band, Laneway 91. Enjoy the evening with popular music, catch up with friends over delicious food and a drink, and help Rotary raise money for rural communities in need.
Dave Banks (left), President, Nambucca Rotary Club presenting a cheque to a member of the community.
Photo caption:
L-R: John Turner, Marko Delatovic, Nick Hillyard and Peter Grinter.
Rotary President, Peter Grinter, presents cheque to Nick Hillyard for BlazeAid at the Charity Fundraiser at Northbridge Golf Club on 24 January.
Over the recent months our nation has been beset by numerous disasters on a national level. As you are no doubt aware your local Rotary Club, the Rotary Club of Northbridge, has approached you to assist us in raising funds to help alleviate, in some way, the suffering occasioned to our fellow Australians. We, the members of the Club, have been blown away by the response and generosity of the members of our local community to our requests.
In October last year we conducted a bucket appeal at the Plaza for funds for the relief of drought-stricken farmers and we raised an amount just shy of $20,000.00. This was followed the next month with another bucket appeal at the Plaza to raise funds for victims of the bushfires then devastating the mid north coast of New South Wales which raised just under $16,000.00. Two months later we were back again asking for money for the victims of the fires then raging down the South Coast and nearly $26,000.00 to date has been raised. This is a grand total of some $61,500.00.
In dealing with funds raised by means of these appeals when, quite often, there are national appeals being conducted to raise substantial funds for the same cause, we have found that while the needs of the individual victims of the particular disaster are being helped financially by those national appeals, quite often community amenities are destroyed. However, the repair or replacement of those amenities which would greatly assist the devastated community achieving some return to normality do not qualify for assistance and literally fall through the cracks. To overcome this problem, we try to work with the local Rotary Club in that area and direct funds to helping restore those amenities and allowing the local community to rebuild as an interacting community.
In the middle of all this we conducted our regular annual ‘Tree of Joy’ at the Plaza to solicit Christmas presents for The Smith Family’s Annual Toy and Book Appeal for underprivileged children. This appeal resulted in our collecting enough presents to fill 24 waist-high, 75 litre, self-standing green plastic garden bags. Another magnificent effort by the local Community.
We, the members of the Rotary Club of Northbridge, wish to gratefully acknowledge the generosity of our Northbridge Community and to place on record our sincere thanks and gratitude for the material and financial assistance you have provided so readily when asked by us.
Where does the money go?
“Two people cried as they were so overwhelmed by Rotary generosity”
Karin Eurell
In typical Rotary fashion, we partner with another Rotary Club that is located close to the disaster zone. In this case, we connected with the Nambucca Rotary Club and the $15,000 raised from our first bucket appeal has been distributed already to where it is badly needed.
Nambucca Council provided Rotary with contact details of the 38 people who registered for Council assistance as they had lost their home in the bush fire.
The 38 names and phone numbers were allocated to 6 Rotarians to call and present them with a cheque for $300.
The President of Nambucca Rotary told us: “I have called 6 people so far, two cried as they were so overwhelmed by Rotary generosity.”
A further $1,400 is being donated to Out of the Ashes for porta loos –for people who have lost their home and are living in a tent.
The balance of $2, 200 will go to BlazeAid to assist farmers in the area by providing fencing materials which will be purchased locally.
Photo captions: The educators opened the box with mannequin torso at Christmas, and they were thrilled. It is the first clinical equipment that the hospital education team own themselves. Thanks so much 😊🙏Marg
A cry for assistance is certainly not uncommon in developing countries, especially when it concerns medical equipment. Northbridge Rotary Club heard the cry through two of its members Liz Grey and Ros Virtue, and immediately took up the challenge of fulfilling the needs of one of our closest neighbors, East Timor.
At Dili National Hospital, there are currently 12 Clinical Nurse Educators of which two are midwives. This year they became recognised as the first Timorese Clinical Nurse Educators at the Hospital to teach new nurses, midwives and student nurses on the wards.
Margaret McDonald-Ashe, a Nurse Educator for St John of God Nursing Development Program in Timor-Leste said “There is no budget allocation available for teaching equipment at the Hospital or the rural hospitals. We need assistance to carry on this really important work”
Past President Derek Matz ( Northbridge Rotary Club ) said “we managed to purchase or obtain via donation the vital pieces of equipment that were requested – mainly 2 adult and 2 child mannequins, a laptop and projector, stethoscopes, thermometers, 12 oxygen saturation monitors, a defibrillator with 10 batteries, bandages, medical tape and much more.”
“We can now continue the fantastic work the educators are doing, and even take on a few more people to move into the rural areas and train them as well.”
Margaret couldn’t thank Northbridge Rotary Club enough along with all the people who donated the equipment.
Children from the Wellington district enjoying their day out at the Dubbo Zoo with BBQ lunch.
Rotarians in Action:
Members of Northbridge and Wellington NSW at the Dubbo Zoo
Photo: Cheetah, Dubbo Zoo
The Rotary Clubs of Northbridge (Sydney) and Wellington (NSW) have embarked on a joint project to support the families of drought-affected communities in Western NSW. There are 744 primary school kids from the Wellington District and they are all being treated to a day at the Taronga Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo including a BBQ lunch.
The project is being run over a 7-week period. Rotarians from Northbridge are driving there to connect with their fellow Rotarians in Wellington and to jointly run the BBQ. Northbridge President, Peter Antaw, said that of the families: “The children are suffering as well, most of them don’t understand the financial and extreme pressures that their parents are going through.” The families are anxious about their future but there is also much determination to keep their communities alive.
Australia is experiencing one of its most severe droughts on record, with areas in NSW facing the prospect of running out of water by mid-2020.
The Burrendong dam is now at 4.5% capacity and dwindling rapidly.
The crisis is severely impacting the Wellington area and so special treats like a visit to the zoo is just not possible for many locals and their families.
3000 muesli bars, supplied free by Nestles, as well as 744 sausage sandwiches and a cold drink will be given to the children of the district which includes regional small towns such as Geurie, Mumbil, Stuart Town and Euchareena.
The joint project was launched on 11th September and Channel 7 Prime TV attended the Zoo to film the event. ABC Morning Radio interviewed the Presidents. The kids thoroughly enjoyed their day with most of them citing the Cheetahs and Meer Cats as their favorites.
Ben Shields (Mayor of Dubbo Regional) and Daryl Thompson (Headmaster of Wellington Primary) also attended the launch. They both congratulated the Rotary Clubs for identifying children as the hidden victims of the drought. President Greg Hart of Wellington Rotary also thanked Northbridge Rotary and the Rotary Australia Benevolent Society for their very generous contributions to the project, and for driving up from Sydney to help at the BBQ’s. Without Northbridge, Wellington would not have taken on this project.
