Geoff welcomed everyone to the meeting and acknowledged that the meeting was being held on the lands of the traditional custodians, the Wurundjeri People and paid respect to their elders, past, present and emerging. Geoff also reflected briefly on having been a charter member of our Club. He then handed the microphone on to Julian who welcomed all of those in the room (22) and on the zoom screen (7) to the meeting.
Julian reminded everyone that this is the last formal Club meeting of the year, with a break up barbecue scheduled for next week, Wednesday 14 December. He welcomed Wendy Tomlinson back from Fernie BC to the meeting in the room, and our guest speaker, Allan Turner of the Zaidee’s Rainbow Foundation (https://www.zaidee.org/home ).
Further points to be noted are:
District AGM, a special seminar for 2023 was announced and two members deemed to be ‘young and open-minded’ were invited to attend from each Club. Julian advised that President Elect Reg and Satellite Club Chair Tess would be attending for our Club.
Our Board meeting on 6/12/22, it was agreed that
the Club will donate $2000 vis RAWCS to flood relief projects in Victoria and near-boarder (NSW and SA) communities
the Club will donate $1000 to the Whitehorse Rotoract Club to support seven of their members to attend the 2023 District conference in Canberra
Reminder that the registration fee for the 2023 Rotary International Convention (27-31 May 2023) will go up from the early bird price of USD $475 on 15 December
Our Club has exceeded the 10,000 points necessary to win hoodies for all members in the District drive for greater engagement. Well done to everyone whose efforts in connecting with other Clubs, and being more involved, led to this achievement!
Reminder that this weekend’s Farmers Market will be held in the two-story car park adjacent to and behind the Council buildings as the Craft Fair will be setting up in our usual spot, and
Timely reminder about cybersecurity risks in using email to circulate bank details for donations. Ensure that the bank details you have been provided with are those for the intended organisation (eg RCBHC or another charity). A phone call to a trusted contact can ensure your money goes to the right account. Hackers can access emails and change just the bank account details so they get the money instead of the charity.
Club Notices:
Notices from Club members included:
Kath took the opportunity of having Geoff Limmer in the room as well as in the Chair by presenting him with his Centurion Club certificate and badge which she had been looking after for several months
Greg reported that our amazing Rotary Recycle shop and its extraordinary tribe of volunteers had made several recent donations to the Club, and have now reached $55,000 of the budgeted $70,000 target. Congratulations and a huge thank you to Annette, Maura and the team!!
Mark reminded everyone that he and Annie are moving to Lancefield on 22 December, so he will be appearing on zoom more often. He also distributed copies of his sister’s recently published book, “Cycling Together”. Which makes the links between poverty and menstrual cycles... a connection we have often heard about in the context of Operation Toilets.
Malcolm brought members up to date about a recent gathering of Interact Club members (school-based Clubs for students from 12-18 years, sponsored by a local Rotary Club) from around the District. Sounds like everyone had a great time!
Tess reminded members of the Satellite Club’s end-of-year fundraiser, Hoyts movie ticket packs. Funds raised will go toward projects focussed on reconciliation in 2023. The Satellite Club will also be selling photo blocks at the Surrey Hills Market and the Heide Market before Christmas.Their first meeting of the new year will be on 24 January.
Craig advised members that he will be receiving treatment over the next few weeks having been recently diagnosed with cancer. All members of the Club, and the Chair, Geoff Limmer, offered Craig any support he might need.
Stephen Fisher reiterated the barbecue end of year breakup message, Wednesday 14 December 6:00pm at Blackburn Lake Sanctuary (in the picnic area adjacent to Central Road, Blackburn). Parking is available along Central and Lake roads as well as in some side streets. Barbecue and picnic table access is first come-first served. BYO everything, including chairs. No need to book. Please make your own judgements about the likelihood of rain on the day!
ED note: This is what was reported BUT, the arrangements have changed - see the updated detail in this newsletter
John Elrington thanked all Club members who completed the survey recently sent around by the Environmental Sustainability Committee. This will help the Cttee decide on priority projects in 2023-24.
Owen provided some news on the Whitehorse Performing Arts Centre development... it will be one of the few venues in Melbourne with a round concert hall. Completion is scheduled for late 2023.
Julian had received a small sized Club polo shirt, and a file of International Women’s Day material from a former Club member. If interested in either or both, please contact Julian.
Guest Speaker – Allan Turner, Co-founder with his wife Kim of the Zaidee Rainbow Foundation
Allan provided background about the origin of the Foundation named for their daughter Zaidee, and the nature and success of its work to date in promoting organ and tissue donation in Australia. Some of his kay points were:
Zaidee Rose Alexander Turner, aged 7 years and 22 days, died suddenly on 2nd December 2004 from a cerebral aneurysm. At the time of Zaidee’s death, the Turner family had been registered organ and tissue Donors for five years. Zaidee donated her organs and tissues at as were her wishes at the time. From this gift, the lives of seven other people were improved or saved. Zaidee’s parents, Kim and Allan, founded Zaidee’s Rainbow Foundation to raise awareness of the need for increased organ and tissue donor registration in Australia.
At the time of Zadee’s death, Allan and Kim were advised that Zadee was the only child in Victoria that year and one of only four children across Australia to donate their organs and tissues to benefit others.
Allan and Kim wanted to develop a Foundation whose work would be to raise the awareness and importance of organ/tissue donation in Australia.
They wanted a small product that could be sold to raise funds for this purpose and came up with Zaidee’s Rainbow Shoelaces; each package offers a pair of multicoloured shoelaces and the fund raised go to support the Foundation and its education mission
Allan then outlined how he went about telling the story of his daughter, her shoelaces, and organ/tissue donation. His efforts included:
appearing on Andrew Denton’s show and hoping to sell 5,000 pairs from that
contacting an Athlete’s Foot retail outlet and being advised they could offer all 100 of their stores nationally to sell 14,500 pairs
getting the AFL involved. At the 2006 Geelong/Melbourne game all players wore Zaidee’s shoelaces and Tom Lonergan (who had lost a kidney) of Geelong became an ambassador
contacted Adidas to see if they could develop a rainbow shoe; they did so for their contracted A League soccer players
this challenge was then taken up by Nike and Puma who also developed rainbow shoes for their players to wear
with the AFL’s permission, Sherran footies were sewn with Zadee’s Rainbow laces for all matches held on that day
Hawthorn and Port Adelaide football clubs played for a Rainbow Shoe trophy for four years
horse racing became involved with all jockey’s wearing rainbow striped breeches for a day
when the McGrath Foundation came up with the idea of having cricketers in the Sydney test match wear pink shoelaces along with their pink caps in support of the funding of breast care nurses, Allan realised another rainbow direction was needed for cricket and came up with the idea of rainbow bat grips.
The Foundation now has Australian cricket captains, Aaron Finch and Meg Lanning as ambassadors
To date all sporting codes in Australia have been involved to various levels and for various periods of time...and the result is that over 17 years since the laces first appeared, over two million pairs have been sold!!
Allan then offered some sobering stats on organ/tissue donation in Australia
1,800 people are waiting for a transplant; of these 100 are children (who often can only accommodate child sized donations)
only 450 people donate organs/tissues each year
children under 16 can no longer register as organ/tissue donors
with our opt in system, Australia ranks 21st in the world in proportion of the adult population who are registered organ/tissue donors (34%)
17 of the 20 countries ranked better than us use the ‘opt out system’ ie you are assumed to be an organ/tissue donor unless you choose to opt out...in the UK which recently changed to opt out, only 5% of the population have chosen to do so, ie, 95% are considered as prepared to donate organs/tissues after their death
Allan feels the most important thing everyone can do is to have the conversations within families about one’s wishes regarding organ/tissue donation. It is a personal decision but one better to be very clear about far ahead of when it will need to be acted upon.
When asked about where the campaign is up to, to get Australia to move to an opt out approach, Allan said Victoria and WA will probably be the first states/territories to make the move but once they do he is confident that others will follow likely over the next 3-5 years.
Quite a legacy for seven-year-old Zaidee!!
Year End Club Social Event BBQ Picnic at Blackburn Lake Sanctuary
Now relocated to the Melbourne Baseball Club Rooms, Surrey Drive where we will still have our BBQ, and then join with our Rotaract Club
6-8:30pm Wed Dec 14
Due to forecast inclement weather this Wednesday, our BYO social event is being held at the Melbourne Baseball Club Rooms at Surrey Drive, Box Hill.
We will be sharing the space with the Rotaract Club of Whitehorse for their club meeting and Christmas Card Making Night.
BYO – food, drinks and happy spirits to celebrate the coming festive season.
Provided: Club rooms, toilets, kitchen with BBQ hot plate.
Join in the fun with BYO scissors and glue stick to support the Rotaractors making Christmas Card for Ages Care Residents our area.
Inquiries – Stephen Fisher 0417 508 192
Note – no morning meeting. Next morning meeting will be January 18th 2023 at 7:30am
Above is the message that Craig has shared, to be shared with everyone, through the newsletter.
We will have the links in the next edition of Club Connections - Water and Sanitation Action Group will feature program at Melbourne Convention, May 26, 2023.
