THE ROTATOR of the. ROTARY CLUB OF SOUTHPORT Queensland, Australia. Service Above Self

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1 THE ROTATOR of the ROTARY CLUB OF SOUTHPORT Queensland, Australia District: 9640 Chartered 20 th August, May 2016 Charter No: Club No Service Above Self RI President K.R. Ravi Ravindran! DG Anne Egan President Lea Rickwood Lea Rickwood President 2015/16 TREASURER S BIRTHDAYS 1955 President Lea Rickwood Secretary Andrew Middleton Treasurer Mervyn Powell President s Message 26 th April In 2000 I visited Verdun and last year Gallipoli including Anzac Cove and Lone Pine. The horrors of World War 1 are well documented, but it was interesting to hear stories and see memorabilia in the possession of some of our members. The war to end all wars sadly did not have that outcome. I often think that if there is life on other planets it would stay well clear of Earth. Humans are a very destructive species. That excludes Rotarians of course. Tracy Narain raised the bar with her Rotary minute on Tuesday night. She highlighted some of the achievements of our club and projects we have supported over the years. Particularly touching is the following: - What is not on the website is the heart and soul of our club. This is a club when help is needed by a member or their family, there is an unspoken rule: We will be there to help no matter what. Tracy went on to list a number of examples. Personally I will never forget members turning up with home cooked meals and other acts of kindness, including gardening and mowing the lawns when Garry was ill. As Tracy said, a pretty special group of individuals that make a pretty special club. Thank you to Leanda and members who have contributed items and cash for the silent auction to be held at District Conference next week. I am looking forward to some inspirational speakers and learning more about the avenues of service available through Rotary. The board approved a donation of $4,000 which will hopefully be matched by a District grant for the Bairo Pite Clinic. Sarah Moulton and Helen Moorfoot will be speaking next week about the Clinic and where this money will be spent. I look forward to your company then. Lea Rickwood President 2015/16 Chair Sgt Attnd Treas Chair Sgt ROSTER 10 May Jim S Allan T Attnd Peter O Treas Sahlee O Rot Min Graham J Thanks Greg D UP/Dn Scribe ROSTER 3 May Graham J David R Neil R Tony S Rot Min Marion J Thanks Michael L Up/Dn Scribe M&G Lionel P Michelle W All members Steve P Bill C M&G All Members 3 May

2 TREASURER S REPORT Merv Powell NOTE: All members who fail to send in an apology for non-attendance will be charged as per our club policy, which was agreed by all members at previous club assemblies. Attendance; 21 members, 1 Visiting Rotarian, Total 22. Polio Plus Donation $42, Fines $ BIRTHDAYS ROTARY Induction 19 May 87 Merv P Rotary Carousel Funds Year 1/7/15 to 30/6/16 ANNIVERSARIES 2 May Michael and Roz I 4 May Gary and Michelle W Spouse Birthday Last Year Week Ending Weekly Qtr YTD /04/2016 $3, $12, $109, st Qtr $31, $29, nd Qtr $33, $38, rd Qtr $32, $32, th Qtr $12, $26, YTD $109, $126, ROTARY GRACE & FOUR WAY TEST ROTARY GRACE Oh Lord and giver of all good We thank Thee for our daily food May Rotary friends and Rotary ways Help us to serve thee all our days FOUR WAY TEST 1. Is it the truth? 2. Is it fair to all concerned? 3. Will it build goodwill and better friendships? 4. Will it be beneficial to all concerned? This Week :Bairo Pite Clinic Date Claimer 6,7,8 May District Conference 4 June Rotary race day 28 June Change over dinner Apologies to Marion Jones Club Service Director Apologies must be received before noon on the Monday prior to Tuesday s meeting. There are three ways to apologise if you cannot attend a meeting. Fill in the apologies book on the attendance table. marion.r.jones@gmail.com Telephone or text The board has ruled that the cost of a meal will have to be paid for by the member if an apology is not received DUTIES ROSTER If members are unable to fulfil a duty, it is their responsibility to find a replacement. CHAIRMAN- The chairman is responsible for telephoning the members on duty to confirm their attendance. 3 May

3 SCRIBE S REPORT 26 th April 2016 Chair Liz Hamilton opened the meeting by leading us in the Four Way Test, followed by a toast to the Queen and the people of Australia. Being the day after Anzac Day Michael Irving recited The Ode. Tracy Narain s Rotary Minute highlighted the history of our club with reference to the many members who were founders of the Gold Coast and some of the early projects that we did. There were also specifics of some of the social events of the club. President Lea welcomed members and visiting Rotarian Joachim Ulrich for the last time until September. Lea has received a thank you text from Jennie Hobart for the flowers sent to her and Peter. She and Duncan will be presenting the IRB to the Pacific SLSC on Sunday. We have a plaque on the IRB even though we only contributed a part of the funding, in recognition of our previous assistance. The Rotaractor s trivia night raised $2500. Director s and member announcements: Leanda is still looking for donations for the hamper for the conference; however you need to get in touch with her to arrange delivery. A carousel distribution meeting will be held Thursday 5 th May at Leanda s house. She has received 7 submissions so far. Deadline is the end of April Gary Watcher reminded members that the carousel is closed 3 rd May until 13 th May. Friday 9-12 and Sunday 3-6 still need to be filled. Secretary Andrew reported that there were 21 members, 1 visiting Rotarian for a total of 22. Graham Jones reported that the satellite club had their first sausage sizzle grossing $800 with a net of $400. Sergeant Duncan plied money from most in the room in his usual light hearted way: David Randall for being cheeky to the chair; Lionel for having the carousel running perfectly; Mervyn for not serving in WW1; Joachim for using an American (Fred) as his ghost writer; and Tracy for not being anywhere exotic when not at Rotary. David Randall identified all who had not greeted him as the secret greeter. (He was sitting quietly away from the main traffic area) The raffle was won by Michelle and Heads and Tails by Liz. Guest Speakers: Our own members, Graham Jones, Neil Russell and Andrew Middleton each told stories of relatives who fought in WW1: Graham spoke of his Uncle Edgar William Powell who arrived in Gallipoli in November 1915 after the August battles of Lone Pine and the Nek. He was evacuated to Pozieres in 1916 where7000 died and there were 23,000 casualties. Edgar Powell was wounded and then moved to Ypres. After recovering he fought at Ypres he was shot and his resting place is the Bedford House Cemetery. Graham and Marion were able to visit the cemetery to visit the uncle that I never met. Neil Russell s Grandfather Leslie Charles Russell went to the Salisbury Plains with the 2 nd Battalion and in 1916 was sent to France. On 25 th February 1917 he was hit by a shell. Neil is in possession of a letter sent to his Grandmother Lil from 4 soldiers describing how 8 soldiers were killed by the shell and Leslie was killed instantly. He was buried with a cross on his grave, by three of his mates. Neil also has a plaque ordered by King George V that was given to families of all that died and a brooch with one stone for each family member killed. Graham Jones finished the story by saying how he and Marion found L. C. Russell on the Memorial Wall at Villiers Bretonneux. 3 May

4 Andrew Middleton stated that both his Grandfathers fought in WW1. 15 years ago his mother gave him a little brass box with some medals in it and it was only recently that he found out what was inside and what the significance was of everything. The box was a Christmas box that Princess Margaret wanted to give to all soldiers for Christmas Each box had a raised picture of Princess Margaret and a message. It contained a pencil with a metal tip, paper and/or tobacco and some cigarettes. They made 450,000 boxes for Christmas and a total of 2,300,000 although the later ones were tin as they ran out of brass. Andrew also has a silver British war medal, and a bronze victory medal engraved with The great war. On the edge of the coin is the name, regiment, and rank of all recipients. He also has a badge which was used to identify soldiers when they were in civilian clothes so that they were not targeted as cowards by the white feather brigade. One Grandfather, at 17 was a member of the Black watch and was sent to the front on 15 December In the Battle of Passchendaele in 1917 he was shot through the cheeks. His other Grandfather, although a Scottish boy, was educated as an engineer in Germany and so spoke English badly. In view of that he joined the army as a private but was quickly promoted. As an engineer he worked on the tunnels and fought at the Battle of Arras. He was awarded the Military Cross and an OBE. Vote of Thanks: Elisabeth Schuhle thanked all three members for their very personal stories of family members who fought in WW1. President Lea closed the meeting with the singing of the National Anthem. Hugh S The Satellite Club had their first BBQ at Masters at Upper Coomera last Saturday April 23rd. They all enjoyed it and made about $ May

5 PDG Graham Jones had the pleasure of sharing a vocational visit with PDG Professor Hector Ortiz who is the leader of the Group Study Exchange (GSE) from District 7390 in Pennsylvania. The team is visiting our district for the next 4 weeks and will attend the District Conference on May 6-8.Hector is a lecturer at Central Penn College and spent the day visiting and observing activities at the Griffith University-Gold Coast and Bond University. DUTIES 3 May 10 May 17 May 24 May Chair Graham J Jim S N/A Elisabeth S Sergeant David R Allan T N/A Duncan P Attendance Neil R Peter O N/A Bill C Treasurer Tony S Sahlee O N/A Leanda C Rotary Minute Marion J Graham J N/A Allan T Vote of thanks Michael L Greg D N/A Neil R Ups and Downs Lionel P Steve P N/A Peter O Scribe Michelle W Bill C Liz H Greg D Meet & Greet All members All Members All members All Members GUEST SPEAKERS & CALENDAR 2016 Partners are welcome at all meetings and vocational visits. 3 May Bairo Pite Clinic Sarah Moulton and Helen Moorfoot 10 May US Elections Graham Jones 17 May Joint meeting with Broadbeach Club at the Hub 24 May Beekeeping Kevin Finn Contributions to The Rotator are most welcome, please tonyandmira@optusnet.com.au before 6.00pm Thursday. Copies to Sue Dux suedux@hotmail.com. 3 May

6 CAROUSEL ROSTER COMING DAYS 28 Apr Thu Ashmore Ashmore Robina 29 Apr Fri Robert Allen Lionel Susan McP 30 Apr Sat Jim Scotte Lambert Robina Susan McP 01-May Sun Rotaract Susan McP Date Day pm 3-6pm 6-9pm 02-May Mon Robert Allen Susan McP 03-May Tue painting till Fri May Wed 05-May Thu 06-May Fri 07-May Sat 08-May Sun Photos meeting 26 April Chair Liz H Tracy Rotary minute or two DGE Michael recites the ode Gary the carousel man Sergeant Duncan WW1 story from Graham J 3 May

7 Neil R tells a personal story WW1 Plaque Flag from the battlefield 3 May

8 Andrew M tells a great story WW1 Medal WW1 Badge WW1 Medal A gift to all troops Thanks from Elisabeth S Ian tells the New Zealand story Farewell Joachim Guest speakers with pres Lea and the WW1 flag 3 May

9 Thoughts for the week. How can you tell a fighter pilot at a party? He'll tell you. A general and a captain walking down the street passed a number of soldiers, and each time one of them saluted the officers, the captain saluted back and said, "The same to you." "Why do you always say that?" the general asked the captain. "I used to be a private, too," said the captain, "and I know just what they are thinking." A British General is addressing a company of Australian troops just before a battle during WWI, trying to rouse their fighting spirit. "Did you come here to die?" he yells. From the back a laconic Aussie voice calls back: "No mate, we came here yester-die." Much laughter. But the general persists, finishing with a rousing cry, "Onward to victory!" The battle commences. Half an hour later, an urgent message reaches him. It reads: "We've advanced as far as we can, but can't find Victory. It isn't on any of our maps. Need further instructions." Army: Another Retarded Misguided Youth Army: Ain't Ready to be Marines Yet Marine: My Ass Rides In Navy Equipment Marine: Muscles Are Required, Intelligence Not Expected. Navy: Never Again Volunteer Yourself. A new Ensign was assigned to a submarine, a boyhood dream come true. He was trying to impress a knot of sailors with his expertise on trim control and surfacing, all learnt in 'Sub School'. One of them cut him off quickly and said, "Listen, 'sir', it's real simple. Add the number of times we dive to the number of times we surface. Divide that number by two. If the result doesn't come out even, don't open the hatch." The Department of the Navy just announced that the Marine Corps could no longer perform burials at sea for those who have departed this earthly life. It seems that too many sailors have drowned trying to dig a grave. A young soldier was making his first parachute jump. The corporal explained the procedure, "You count to ten and pull the first ripcord. If the chute doesn't open, pull the second. That should do it. Then, after you land, there'll be a truck waiting to pick you up." The soldier checked his gear, called out the customary "Geronimo!" and jumped out of the plane. He counted to 10 and pulled the ripcord. The chute failed to open. He pulled the second ripcord and the chute still didn't open. As he plummeted downward, he said, "I'll bet the truck won't be there either. " 3 May

10 NEARBY CLUBS FOR MAKE-UPS Further information can be found in the District Directory Day Time Club Venue Address Monday 6.30pm Surfers Paradise Mantra Legends Gold Coast Hwy and Laycock St Surfers Paradise 6.30pm Coomera Valley Arundel Tavern 226 Napper Rd Parkwood 6.30pm Runaway Bay Arundel Tavern 226 Napper Rd Arundel Tuesday 6.30pm Parkwood Arundel Tavern 226 Napper Rd. Arundel Wednesday 7.00am Surfers Sunrise Southport Yacht Club Main Beach 7.15am Hope Is Sanctuary Cove Country Sanctuary Cove Club 12.30pm Mermaid Beach Quality Inn Markeri St. Mermaid Beach 6.30pm Ashmore Ashmore Steak and Seafood Cnr Ashmore Rd and Reed St. Thursday 7.00am Burleigh Hds Burleigh Hds Surf Club Goodwin Tce. Burleigh Hds 2 nd and 4 th 6.15pm Gold Coast Southport Golf Club Slatyer Ave Thursdays Central 7.00am Coomera River Waterlife Restaurant Gold Coast Marina Waterway Dv Coomera. Friday 7.00am Broadwater Southport Southport Yacht Club Main Beach 3 May