Hello to our members and friends, and welcome to our second issue for this 2012 year, we hope it finds you all well. We started off with a great time at the home of PN Kim, and this week we were straight into the business side of things, a little more on that later.
Some news sent out late last week was very good in fact exciting. India had just about two weeks ago passed its first year, out of three, Polio free. And that is exciting another two years and they will reach the pinnacle and be considered Polio free. So here is just a little more information.
One has to stretch the mind to get around the figures that are involved in the program, in the Indian State. On the latest Nominated Immunisation Day, 174 Million Children were immunised. What a huge effort, incomprehensible for most of us, and the effort will need to continue. One or two other stats of interest are the number of immunisation points in India, 709,000, and the number of volunteers mobilised, to man those booths, 2.5 Million. The reduction rates in India from 150,000 in 1985 to a nil status in in 27 years indicates the massive work undertaken, but hard to get ones head around those numbers.
And so what great news, is tempered by the knowledge that India will need to remain vigilant, but being close we know that this will remain so. Now the offensive in another area, will begin. But the real excitement is for India and the step forward that country has taken leaving the end closer now than it was before.
And then of course the news from GETS in the US that the target set to match the Gates foundation has been reached, and so well was this news received that the Gates Foundation dropped an additional lazy 50 Million Dollars into the bucket and that has to be good.
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Latest news about our RI President for 2012/13 Sakuji Tanaka;
His theme for that year is ‘PEACE THROUGH SERVICE”
And the theme logo
So there you go Folks all up to date, with the theme and Logo
Our RIPE, is a Japanese Rotarian and has business interests in his home country, where he has been a member since 1975, no doubt we will hear more in due course.
Well as mentioned we had a working evening with our first board for the year, that proved good value and sorted a few thing’s, out and others for future action.
Most exciting thing was the Nomination at second reading of a proposed member Miss Vanessa McKinnon, who believe it or not is aged 19 Years, a slip of a girl. Vanessa, is in reception at Howden’s Motors, and is a local girl. Vanessa has already made herself well known to the membership by attending meetings, and assisting with Raffle sales, and having a ready smile, her interests are based in Community, she likes the idea of giving back, within the community, and so very late in the board ,meeting a unanimous vote result was achieved for admittance to the Club by Vanessa. All being equal Vanessa will be inducted on the 21 February, when we celebrate Rotary Internationals 107 Anniversary. So that was a great start and end to the evening.
We had Friends of Rotary, Joyce, and Kay along, that was terrific to see them both, and although they are regulars at our meetings, we would like to see them even more often.
Several items from the last board, have been held over, they all are in areas under New Generations, and students from the Secondary College are not back until mid-next week, so those items have been held over.
We were to have a sample of the new Polo Shirt , but it was unavailable for last evening, so that will come to an ordinary meeting as it becomes available. PDG Ted mentioned, and thanked the members for their assistance so far for the 60th anniversary book for the Club, and asked for that assistance to continue..
Our RYE Student Jacob, will be very happy as his Mother Christina and Father Stephan will be visiting Australia, and in particular, Stawell from the 26 February to 1 March 2012, so the 28th looks like another very special evening, where we hope to invite those people who have been a caring for Jacob, to come along and meet his parents.
We are also to continue to pursue information on an electronic Banking facility, while we will be at the Halls Gap Jazz festival on 12 February 2012, all hands at that please PN Kim has this sorted.. In Regard to the Art show, all entry forms have gone out, thanks to PE John. And we now have in hand the MOW Roster for the 2012 year.
Wotsgoingon:
NOTE: We are not meeting at our usual venue or on our usual day next week, we are meeting at Rotary Maryborough on Thursday 2 Feb 2012., 6.00 for 6.30 PM at the RSL Hall.
Please note this is taking the place of our usual meeting, so attendance is required for members, please contact the Secretary for any further information.
Rtn Vaughan is looking after us during February, and the focus of that month is World Understanding.
7 February Board meeting
12February Jazz Festival
14 February T.B.A Speaker required]
16 & 17 February MOW
18 February Assistant Governors training Ararat
19 February District AGM Ararat
21 February The Clubs celebration of the 107th anniversary of Rotary, including the induction of Miss Vanessa McKinnon
24 February Leukaemia Foundation sports night BBQ
28 February Another special evening with the visit of Jacob’s parents from Sweden
So a full month again, with a very interesting last couple of weeks..
Norman’s nonsense;
This student received a 0% mark for these answers
Q1 In which battle did Napoleon die? his last
Q2 Where was the Declaration of Independence signed?. at the bottom of the page.
Q3 River Swan, flows in which state? Liquid
Q4What is the main reason for divorce? Marriage.
Q5 What can you never eat for breakfast? Lunch and Tea.
Q6 What looks like ½ an apple? the other half.
Q7 How can you lift an Elephant with one hand? you will never find an Elephant with one hand.
Q8 How can a man go for eight days without sleeping? No problem he sleeps at night.
Q9 How can you drop a raw egg on to a concrete floor without breaking it? Any way you want it is difficult to crack concrete
Q10 If it takes 8 men 10 hours to build a wall, how long would it take 4 men to build? No time at all, the wall is already built.
Some late breaking news, Cr Dorothy Patton the Mayor of the Northern Grampians Shire will be attending the 21 of February
Meeting.
And the Ed has been contacted by Eleanor Clark our Christmas Photo lady and this year’s total is $508:00
So that’s sensational news.
That’s all for the moment, have a great week in Rotary, and if you’re not feeling so well, or the heat is getting to you, we hope you are feeling very much better very soon.
Remember, Old age takes away from us what we have inherited, and leaves us with what we have earned. Cheers Ed.