Volume 78 Issue 35 Tuesday 26 th March 2013

Transcription

1 President: Grant Sheldon Editorial Executive: Stephen Roe Volume 78 Issue 35 Tuesday 26 th March 2013 This Week s Meeting: Today s speaker was Dr. David Smyth, a 28 year veteran member of the Rotary Club of Brighton and Chairman of the Family Violence Prevention Foundation of Australia. Violence Free Families (VFF) is an independent, nationally registered charity which works towards the reduction of all forms of family violence. The fundamental belief of the organisation is that every person has the right to live in his or her family free of fear and intimidation. There is a special focus on the protection of children. Violence Free Families was created as a community service program of the Rotary Club of Brighton with the support of Lifeworks Relationship Counselling and Education Services. In 1995, the Rotary Club of Brighton became aware of the alarming extent of family violence in the community. As an all-male club, it adopted the slogan: "Men taking responsibility for men s behaviour". Since then the club has: established a non-profit company to deliver and support men's behaviour change programs and the safety of participant's partners and children. with Lifeworks, Australian Rotary Health and Monash University, sponsored research into the issue. raised over $500,000 to support these initiatives. been joined in this work by D9800. formed Violence Free Families (in 2009) to focus on the prevention of family violence. with Monash University, commenced a new long term research study. David told us that one in four families suffers from violence initiated by a male and that family violence is the greatest cause of injury and death for women aged It is also a leading cause of youth homelessness and costs our communities a staggering $10 billion each year! Children are always the victims of violence, either directly or indirectly. Fundraising is a key issue for VFF and it was the beneficiary of 50% of moneys raised through the recent International Women s Day function at Crown which was attended by more than 1000 people.

2 David invited Bernadette Schwerdt to read a case history of Susan, a woman who had suffered violence at the hands of her husband. After legal intervention and completion of the VFF program, the family was happily reunited. Although currently an Australian program, David is hoping to extend its reach internationally and is keen for assistance from anyone who would like to donate their time to help raise awareness of the issue. A thought-provoking and devastating topic, but David and the Rotary Club of Brighton are to be commended for their initiative in creating a program which is having such a beneficial effect for so many families. For further information please visit President Grant then handed over to Ian Thomas who closed the meeting with a story of a recent visit to the washroom at Fredricks. Said Thommo, I went to the toilet and the sign said WET FLOOR, so I did! They re Racing! Black Caviar was in fine company when Graeme and Josie Wood s horse Gotta Take Care ran at Moonee Valley last Friday night. It was first past the post in Race One proving a nice little end-of-week earner and may just have inspired Black Caviar to her 24th consecutive victory. The dangers of home handyman-ship Michael Pepi had a lucky escape recently when the angle-grinder he was using caused a fire which nearly burnt down his soon-to-becompleted home. The following is printed for the benefit of all do-ityourselfers. WorkSafe Victoria has released new guidance on the safe use of angle grinders following 31 serious workplace injury reports in the past 12 months. The 31 were among 117 injuries involving grinders of all types in the past year, which resulted in workers compensation claims. WorkSafe s new publication, Safe Use of Angle Grinders, identifies the potential hazards and consequences, and what can be done to prevent them. In the past two months, 11 safety incidents with angle grinders have been reported to WorkSafe with eight resulting in injuries. These included severe lacerations to hands, arms and legs, electrical shocks and fires caused by sparks that landed in rubbish or vehicles. The Metropolitan Ambulance Service reported similar injuries from domestic usage, including a man who lost the sight of an eye. Correct techniques should be employed with appropriate protective clothing worn at all times. Even with these precautions, people with considerable experience can suffer injuries because angle grinders are powerful tools and can easily kick back. To read WorkSafe Victoria Safe Use of Angle Grinders guide, click here. To read safety tips about angle grinders, click here. Stay safe Michael!

3 39 Leigh Baker is in the good books with Peter for winning a lovely bottle of Grant Burge but the jackpot remains intact at a healthy $220 Bring a prospective member to lunch and pay only 50% of the cost of lunch for the first two lunches for your guest. Contact To facilitate its widest distribution, please forward to your editor any address to which you would like Contact sent partners, friends, other family members? Spread the good word! The Four Way Test: Of the things we think, say or do: Is it the TRUTH? Is it FAIR to all concerned? Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned? The Rotary Club of Essendon P.O Box 161 Essendon, VIC 3040 Club President: Grant Sheldon Club Secretary: Rob Thomas Birthdays: Debbie Dalmau 27 March Mary Patinyotis 30 March Barbara Wyatt 31 March Club Anniversaries: None this week WHO DO YOU KNOW WHO WOULD MAKE A GREAT ROTARIAN?. Today s attendance: 31 members plus guests Leigh Baker, Kerry Roe, Mary Isac, Giuseppe Barbaro and guest speaker, Dr. David Smyth

4 Vocational visit Thursday 11 April to the MCG (guided tour by Alan Joyce) followed by a visit to the National Sports Museum. Starts at 10am, MCG, Gate 3. Numbers limited to 25. Normal cost $30, to us $16! Please book ASAP through Peter Duras. (Next V-NG meeting 8 April at the home of Peter & Sue Duras) Graffiti Clean Up Sunday 21 April As part of the District Rotarians at Work initiative, we will hold a graffiti clean up on 21 April in Rose and Russell Streets Essendon. Moonee Valley City Council is generously supplying all paint and equipment for the event to be held from 9am pm. A BBQ lunch will follow for the many hard workers who will assist. Please contact Richard Lawrence if you can assist. Charlotte s home meal hosting roster: 15/04/13 Lisa Lowcock 03/06/13 Anne Rogers 22/04/13 Paul McDonald 10/06/13 Glenn Smith 29/04/13 Cathy Nicou 17/06/13 Sam Tartaglia 06/05/13 Veronica O'Sullivan 24/06/13 Rob Thomas 13/05/13 Roger Priestley 01/07/13 Graeme Wood 20/05/13 Michael Portelli 08/07/13 Anthony Taranto 27/05/13 Denis Rietdyk Please swap your assigned date with another member if it does not suit. Contact Barbara Wyatt if you would like more information. Letter from the Mayor of the City of Moonee Valley to President Grant Sheldon Dear Grant, Thank for your sponsorship of Council s International Women s Day Luncheon held on Wednesday 6 March for 82 guests. The luncheon was a resounding success. It was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the day, network with stakeholders of Moonee Valley and promote the Rotary organisation to our guests. I sincerely thank you for sponsoring a table, so girls from our local schools could attend the lunch. It is very important to involve schools in events on such a significant day and I hope we can work in a similar partnership role in Thank you for your on-going support. Yours sincerely, Cr. Narelle Sharpe Mayor

5 Relay for Life Numbers were down but enthusiasm was high for last weekend s Relay for Life at the Aberfeldie Athletics Track. Our tents were again the biggest and best with many an envious glance cast in our direction. The event began with a survivors and carers function followed by the traditional survivors and carers first lap. The light up ceremony was a special moment with the candle-lit bags on the hill spelling the word HOPE and providing a focal point for the night time walkers. Lisa Lowcock s superb organisation ensured our Club s successful participation and our President-Nominee topped it off with a show bag of goodies for every walker. Lisa would like to highlight the efforts of the following people: Peter & Sue Duras Bites & Lights fundraiser & BBQ cooking Veronica O Sullivan Friday night fellowship Shirley & Ray Kukk financial administration Michael Mahoney & team set up/pack up of our site Roger Priestley Saturday morning breakfast Rob Thomas relay participant roster Richard Lawrence sponsorship & shirt printing Roger Leask & Peter Duras overall support and liaison In what was a most deserved recognition, Peter Duras was awarded the Moonee Valley Relay for Life Spirit of the Relay Award for his sustained contribution to the event over many years. Well done Peter! As a result of our fundraising efforts, we should qualify for two research grants to be named after our team. The nature of the grants will be decided at a later date with a formal announcement to be made at a Tuesday meeting. Thanks again to all who contributed and assisted and congratulations Lisa on a wonderful achievement for an outstanding cause!

6 Press coverage for our Myanmar Delegation The following article appeared in a recent edition of the Moonee Valley Weekly. Thanks to journalist Eugene Benson for his ongoing support of our international efforts. Medical Bounty Bound for Burma By EUGENE BENSON, March 25, 2013 CONTINUING its close affinity with Burma, the Rotary Club of Essendon is again on a mission to the emerging Asian nation. Since 2001, the club has made annual pilgrimages, delivering supplies to help the nation's poorest communities. In recent years, the country has become more open to Western influence and the Rotary Club's networks have expanded. With these things combining, the quantity of supplies being delivered by Essendon Rotary has grown exponentially. While in 2001, two members of Essendon Rotary took one defibrillator, this year a team of Rotarians will deliver 600kg of donated medical consumables and 180kg of new medical equipment across four hospitals and a $360,000 CT scanner to the Yangon Children's Hospital. Burma delegate Simon Cookson said the club's connections had also organised Melbourne doctors to train doctors in the Yangon General Hospital on how to handle emergency situations. "This will be our biggest and best result with fewer in the party making the trip. The travelling group is smaller this year as the explosion of tourism in Burma has stretched the capabilities of their hospitality to the limits and so it will be easier for us to go as a smaller group. "The club is proud of its longstanding deeds and 12-year record in this country. Burma is opening up to the West and with the World Bank's involvement will now emerge as a powerhouse in Asia. The Rotary Club of Essendon was there when the chips were down and we will be there to watch the rise and rise of the Burmese people." The medical equipment being delivered by Essendon Rotary includes portable ultrasound machines, oxygen concentrators, ECG machines for heart monitoring, medical consumables and surgical instruments, and 1100 new spectacle frames for patients recovering from eye surgery. To make a donation to the Burma project, or for more information, contact

7 Rotary Youth Exchange A Life Changing Experience! Do you know a Year 9, 10 or year 11 student interested in Rotary Youth Exchange? Applicants are invited now to apply for a year-long exchange commencing in January Students must be under the age of 18 years, as at 1 st January in the year of departure. Rotary District 9800 exchanges with Brazil, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Japan, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Taiwan and USA. The closing date for D9800 Outbound Student Applicants to travel in January 2014 is Friday April 19 th Host Families Invited! Kind and caring Rotary approved Host Families are invited from the community, to assist local Rotary clubs care for excellent secondary school aged students from other parts of the world. A Host Family is a vital part of this cultural and educational exchange and typically hosts a student on a voluntary basis for a period of between 10 to 16 weeks. In so doing, a Host Family becomes a Friend of Rotary International and invariably makes lifelong friendships with families from all around the world. Please refer to the D9800 Youth Exchange website: information. for further Donations in Kind West Footscray Store In 12 years 100,000 hours have been worked by volunteers with an Overseas Aid value of $3,000,000

8 The lighter side of life.. Helpful tips for the week.. Take your bananas apart when you get home from the shop. If you leave them connected at the stem, they ripen faster. Capsicums with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating. Capsicums with 4 bumps on the bottom are stronger flavoured. Store your opened chunks of cheese in aluminium foil. They will stay fresh much longer.

9 Thanks to our valued sponsors.. Help yourself and help the Club by banking with Strathmore Community Bank. For example, take out a home loan and the club will receive up to $500. Take out a 3 month fixed term deposit and the club will receive up to $50. For more details drop into the branch at 337 Napier St or call branch Manager Philip Stewart on Please support the bank which supports us! Location! Location! Location! Your company s name and logo would look great here and you d be supporting our Club at the same time. Please contact Michael Mahoney to take advantage of this prime advertising spot!

10 For your diary.. DATE EVENT VENUE Tuesday 2/4/2013 Julie Davey Positive Thinking Fredricks Tuesday 9/4/2013 A/Insp. Graham Banks Victoria Police Fredricks Mentoring Program Tuesday 16/4/2013 Michael Kirk Operation Cleft Fredricks Sunday 21/4/2013 Rotarians at Work : Graffiti Removal Day Rose and Russell Sts. Essendon Tuesday 23/4/2013 LTCOL David Arden Risk Management in Fredricks Military Operations Tuesday 30/4/2013 Anthony Taranto - Behind the Badge Fredricks Tuesday 7/5/2013 Club Day Fredricks Tuesday 14/5/2013 Joe Bradbury Awardees Ben Roehlen and Fredricks Chantelle White Tuesday 21/5/2013 Charter Night no day meeting! Ascot House Tuesday 28/5/2013 Bernadette Schwerdt - Behind the Badge Fredricks Tuesday 4/6/2013 Des Malcolm Breathometer project plus a Fredricks speaker from the Fit 2 Drive program Tuesday 11/6/2013 Charlotte Salmon - Exchange Student Fredricks Tuesday 18/6/2013 President Grant - Year in Review Fredricks Tuesday 25/6/2013 No meeting in lieu of President s Night NO MEETING Saturday 29/6/2013 President s Night Sherwood Receptions Greenvale