THE ROTARY CLUB OF ESSENDON President : Peter Halaseh ABN P.O Box 161 Essendon 3040 Australia

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1 THE ROTARY CLUB OF ESSENDON D9800 President : Peter Halaseh ABN P.O Box 161 Essendon 3040 Australia Contact us and follow us on facebook Volume 81, Issue 16, 20 October 2015 Editor Sunil Perera Next speaker 27 th Oct Our next speaker on the 27 th October will be Daniel Kuzeff finalist of the Victorian Young Achiever Award who is involved in tackling issues amongst youth through alleviating poverty. He has experience with students that are under-performing, having disciplinary issues, personal issues or instigators of bullying, he runs a program to help get them back on track. He says, We run a three stage personal development and leadership program. It also fits in well with the PDS (foundation and intermediate) of the VCAL program. Part of the program includes an immersion to the Philippines. Daniel, who is working for free at the Bended Elbow pub to raise the money to build a village for 40 poor families in the Philippines, has gained the North Albury Rotary Club s support. The club donated $5600, which is enough for two homes. Daniel, 22, has raised about $50,000 for the walk from Melbourne to Albury, which, on top of the $70,000 he and Bended Elbow owner Gavin Grant have raised, has made the village a reality. 20 th October Tuesday meeting Keeping Our Kids Alive will be on youth ICE and mental health, the keynote speakers will be: Doctor John Sherman Dr Sherman is a medical doctor specialising in the treatment of heroin dependence and has spent his professional life working and caring for addicts in St Kilda and Footscray. He says he knows firsthand the trauma suffered by families when a loved one develops a drug problem. He has treated over 1,000 patients on pharmacotherapy substitute opiate therapies like Methadone or suboxone. There are 14,000 patients with substance abuse issues in such treatment in Victoria alone! He will also speak about the ICE Epidemic effecting youth. Alan Eade (Paramedic) will speak on ICE and the problems that they face as first medical responders. A Police Officer will speak on ICE and the problems that they face when dealing with ICE affected members of the public. Dr Alfred Veloso will wrap up the evening. Keeping our Kids Alive forum at St Bernard s College, a combined project of our Rotary cluster, was attended by some people on 20/10/15. Although our newspapers would have us think that there is an ICE epidemic, the reality is that it is only 2% of the drug use but the effects can be unpredictable and severe. Alcohol is still the major problem by far. ICE use has increased in the last 2 years mainly because it is cheaper (0.1 Gram costs $40) and 4 times the strength of Methamphetamine (SPEED). There is rapid progression from recreational use to dependence. According to Dr Sherman of the 7% of those who ever used ICE, only 3% are daily users. Drug use should be redefined as a health issue and social problem rather than a crime. Side effects include strokes, addiction, and withdrawal symptoms when they may become disillusioned, aggressive and psychotic. Professor Tony Jorm gave the keynote address and stressed that drug addiction needs to be looked as an extension to the mental health problem affecting 26% of 16 to 24 year olds.

2 Depression affects 6%, Anxiety 15%, Substance abuse (binge drinking mostly) 13% and psychoses rarely and If ignored there are long term effects disrupting their life. Most can be effectively managed by psychological treatments and medication only in the severe cases. Family and peer support is paramount. Self-help pamphlets can sourced at ww.wha.com.au A heart rendering account was given by a mother who described the hell she went through with her addicted son, who was eventually jailed. Her advice was don t give in to their demands and always present for them in a nonjudgmental way. It s all they have, NEVER GIVE UP HOPE. Mr Allan Eade, an ambulance officer, described the various forms of methamphetamines and likened the physiological effects of ICE as when you experience a shock with raised blood pressure, racing heart, dilated pupils, and shunting of blood to the muscles to prepare to fight or flee from the perceived threat. Psychologically you are on a high and hyper-vigilant, with distorted sensations so that sounds are amplified and even touch can provoke an extreme reaction. The mainstay of management is to calm the person down. These effects can last up to 4 hrs after ingestion. The police presentation emphasised their reaction to drug incidents was to support the ambulance officers who treat the person and their main aim is in Harm Minimisation. Supply Reduction and Demand Reduction. Drug users are mainly males aged and drugs are obtained from friends. They were mainly used for fun, work related stresses or mental health issues. Drug users are not prosecuted unless they are a dealer. If you are suspicious of drug manufacturing in your neighbourhood call 000 or Crime Stoppers Finally Dr Alberto Veloso, a child health psychiatrist from the Royal Children s Hospital, talked about mental health and Self Harm used as a means to alleviate acute mental stress but then guilt sets in and the process repeats itself. Suicide was less common but usually in boys. These episodes were precipitated by some triggering event. The school has a vital part in diagnosing young people in distress and education is very important in their recovery. (Editor s note A big Thank you to Peter Condos for taking notes on the day) Note from Dr Peter Condos Bill Early Trophy Ten Pin Bowls night RCE vs RC North Essendon 6.30pm Wednesday 28 th October 2015 at the High Point Bowls Centre $27 per person We need 20 Bowlers!! Peter requested the members who are attending the bowls night to please pay up before the event! Thank you note from Ellen Andersen Our ex-exchange student Dear Rotary Club of Essendon! So much has happened since I've left you and I thought it was about time I wrote to you all to let you know how it's been going for me since I've finished my exchange and returned to Denmark. I've started high school here and I'm enjoying it so much. It's a lot more challenging than school used to be! I'm doing a course in school where our main focus is social studies (politics, economics and sociology). I'm also, of course, doing English on the highest level possible - thanks for teaching me! My English teacher has had quite a few giggles over my use of Aussie slang and my Australian accent - I hope I still have it when I come back to visit one day! I didn't know anyone in my class when I started, but thanks to the exchange program I have no trouble meeting new people and being open and acceptant of others. This is another thing you've helped me realise, and I'm so grateful for that! Now, it feels like I've known my classmates for years, even though I've only known them for about 2 months. We're a very social class, and we enjoy spending time together outside of school as well. School pretty much takes up all of my time, with assignments and social life, so there's not much time for anything else. I've been on the look for a job and hoping to get one soon. I've also gone back to the gym - farewell TimTams and Lamingtons! I've done a final presentation for my Rotary Club here in Holbaek. I showed them heaps of pictures from my amazing year in Melbourne and they absolutely loved it. I also gave them the Essendon Club flag - they loved it and send many thanks! We've also just had our "exchange debrief". All of the rebounds from my district in Denmark met up near my city and we were presented with a certificate as a proof of having completed our exchange. It was very

3 strange receiving the certificate - it felt like a huge smack in the face, followed by the realisation that my incredible, wonderful year in Australia is officially 100% over. However, it was also an extremely proud moment and I'll cherish the certificate forever. Currently, we have an exchange student from Argentina, Luna, staying with us! It's a lot of fun being a host sister and I can almost re-live my exchange through her - I suppose that's what all ex-exchange students do! Luna will be with us for another month and we will receive a new exchange student around January - perhaps from Australia! I imagine it would be warming up in Melbourne at the moment - however, you never know with the Melbourne weather! In Denmark it's getting freezing cold. I ride my bike to school every day and I need to wear 2 jumpers, a coat, a scarf, mittens and a hat. And winter hasn't even begun yet. I feel like I've got so much to share with you guys - I mean, you were all a part of my extended family, and you always will be. I miss Australia every single day and I have so many fond memories to think back on whenever I need to have my spirits lifted. I cannot thank you enough for being such an extremely welcoming club and treating me as your own daughter for a whole year. I hope you're all healthy and happy and that you're enjoying the weather - I sure could use some of that Australian sun! I hope this message reaches all of you, because I really want you to know what a huge difference the exchange program makes. I feel as if I've got so much to teach the world around me and I've got so much to bring to the table. The exchange program is a huge confidence boost and I feel so ready to face the world and follow my dream of studying psychology in Copenhagen in 3 years time - thank you so much for everything you've done for me. I hope to stay in touch with the Rotary Club of Essendon, my 2nd family. Lots of love and best wishes, Ellen Andersen, Denmark, exchange student 14/15

4 Joke for the day At St. Peter's Catholic Church, they have weekly husbands' marriage seminars. At the session last week, the priest asked Giuseppe, who said he was approaching his 50th wedding anniversary, to take a few minutes and share some insight into how he had managed to stay married to the same woman all these years. Giuseppe replied to the assembled husbands, 'Wella, I'va tried to treat her nicea, spenda da money on her, but besta of all is, I tooka her to Italy for the 25th anniversary!' The priest responded, 'Giuseppe, you are an amazing inspiration to all the husbands here! Please tell us what you are planning for your wife for your 50th anniversary? Giuseppe proudly replied, "I gonna go picka her up."

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6 Maria Kouppas made a special appeal to members to attend the March District Conference

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8 Rotary Club of Essendon door roster October 2015 Daryl Lee, Roger Leask & Jack Honson November 2015 Daryl Lee, Roger Leask, Michael Pepi & Maurice Mollica December 2015 Daryl Lee, Roger Leask & Maurice Mollica January Daryl Lee, Roger Leask & Maurice Mollica February Daryl Lee, Roger Leask & Maurice Mollica March Daryl Lee, Roger Leask & Maurice Mollica April Daryl Lee, Roger Leask & Maurice Mollica May Daryl Lee, Roger Leask & Maurice Mollica June Daryl Lee, Roger Leask & Maurice Mollica EVENTS CALENDAR DATE SPEAKER/EVENT VENUE 27 th October Daniel Kuzeff Finalist of the Victorian young achievers Award 3 rd November No meeting due to Melbourne cup Thoughts for the day Anglers Club 12.30pm to 2pm No meeting "If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself but to your own estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any time." Marcus Aurelius Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future John F. Kennedy Finally Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names John F. Kennedy

9 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 John L Gregory Certified Practising Accountant 272 Keilor Road, North Essendon, VIC 3041 jgregory@netspace.net.au Telephone: