Wonderful meeting thank you to MC Sheridan Brown and all who came, many highlights. Guest speaker Amanda Donohue CEO at Servants Community Housing gave us an informative account of the plight of the homeless. The clubs donation of $4000 to Servants for a commercial refrigerator continues our association with them.
Guest Rotarians always add to our meeting and Alan Brown, a Scot, from Thailand exemplified that. Finally congratulations to Anne Scott for further Rotary recognition here as a Paul Harris Foundation recipient.
Looking forward to attending at the District 9800 Conference at Shepparton this weekend. We(HRC attendees) will report on the happenings next Tuesday.
Last guest speaker was Amanda Donohoe the new CEO of Servants Community Housing. She succeeds Matt Maudlin.
Amanda has a long history with Servants, recently as Operations manager from 2010 and years before from 1989 -1992 she served as a live-in housekeeper at Carrical House. In the interim Amanda with her husband resided in the Northern Territory working among indigenous communities in crisis housing, development and education roles.
Amanda’s background and current role meant that she could expertly tell us of the problems of the homeless and their needs. In Booroondara there are over 380 homeless.
Consistent of the examples of individuals in the many heart rending stories which she described was the fact that mental health issues prevailed. Often difficult to determine the origins of these conditions, there was the sad fact that they were commonly exacerbated by substance abuse. Younger people stood a better chance for rehabilitation and a full life. The older homeless essentially wanted a place to exist.
The mental issue/substance dependency combination drove many people away from regular community and family connections. Homeless and isolation was an eventual outcome. Often a personal space in one room of a safe rooming house was refuge. Servants has three such homes staffed by housekeeping staff and is looking for similar real estate in our area for another, specifically to cater for homeless women.
Amanda noted how connecting with these people (albeit at times difficult and dangerous) was key and very often rewarding. The typical Servant “house” has trained housekeeping staff, and was centred around a meal area/kitchen---eating meals together developed a connecting experience which could be built upon. The model was financially self sustaining by drawing on each individuals welfare payments(charging rent) but any expansion and special items needed invariably came through external financial sponsorship----here Rotary as evidenced by our own club was a regular partner.
There were many questions from the audience before Amanda closed. Simon O’Donoghue gave a final thank you for the address and took the opportunity to present a cheque for $4000 for Servants to purchase refrigeration facilities at one of its homes. (see photo above)
Anne Scott is already a recipient of Rotary's highest award "Service above Self". Last Tuesday at our regular meeting her personal financial commitment to Rotary Foundation was acknowledged with the appropriate Paul Harris award. Here's District Foundation Chair Dennis Shore conveying that special honour to Anne.
Mostly, The Shadow reports on (let’s be honest!) trivial matters. This week, however, the report is on a matter of national importance.
On Monday, TheShadow was in touch with Lorraine and NoelMcInnes, hunkered down in their apartment on HamiltonIsland, while “. . . awaiting cycloneDebbie to arrive with 200 to 400 mm rain a day and 170 km/hr winds. No flights or boats in or out for 3 days and beaches are closed. Low level accommodation areas are being evacuated; but we are on 19th floor, and our Reef View hotel houses the evacuation centre, the cyclone command centre and the emergency medical centre. It is certainly interesting. We go into lockdown in our room at 6pm tonight. Debbie is due to arrive at daybreak tomorrow which is the 50thanniversary our honeymoon on Hayman Island. We have 2 bottles of Scotch and 5 bottles of Shiraz. We estimate that we can hold on for 2 days until help arrives.”
TheShadow
invites speculation about the estimated alcoholic consumption (will the drinking water remain drinkable?);
expects every Hawthorn Rotarian to applaud Noel and Lorraine for 50 years of marriage; and
We sponsored two Auburn High students at the recent RYPEN weekend. Thank you to David Owen and Ralph Treloar for transporting them to and from the camp near Malmsbury.
The National Young Science Forum is on again in January 2018. Its a 2 week live-in session in Canberra. Rotary is the conduit by which applicants, year 11 at the time, are chosen. Rotary clubs must receive applications by June 2017. Subsequent review by District narrows down the number to a final 20 or so. As always HRC is happy to receive applications and will alert local schools, members too can spread the word. The course costs about $3000 and HRC budgets for 50% of the cost of one.
Pleased to note as Youth Director that the mock interviews at Auburn High a couple of weeks ago went well. HRC coordinators Geoff Wright and David Owen remind us that there is a second set in May (24th).
The Camberwell Rotary shop has changed its name. It is still at 654 Burke Road at the back facing the car park side. It is now the "Good Reads Good Deeds Rotary Shop".
Set up by fellow cluster club Kew, its aim is to support both DIK, the Donations in Kind store which recycles equipment and goods and sends useful items overseas and to disadvantaged communities in Australia and to also support Camcare, while continuing to support Rotary Fair Trade enterprises in East Timor, Nepal and Laos.
A report by manager Jill Forsyth lists some highlights.
District 9800 has decided to share the information below with our Rotarians and partners as some may wish to participate in this study and they may wish to share with friends and family. It has asked clubs to advertise.
AUSPICE: Australian Study for the Prevention through Immunisation of Cardiovascular Events requires volunteers to participate in a national study
Participate in a national study to test whether a one-off vaccine can reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Recruits are wanted for the AUSPICE trial, aged 55-60 with two of three cardiac risk factors (high blood pressure, high cholesterol or overweight/obesity) for this national study examining the effect of pneumococcal immunisation on reducing strokes and heart attacks.
6000 Australians are needed to help change the health of a nation and test whether a safe, existing vaccine can reduce the risk of heart disease.
The Rotary Club of Southbank is proud to host this Centennial Foundation Dinner and auction and along with corporate sponsors and the Australian Rotary Districts have set the challenge of raising AU$1,000,000 in contributions and bequests which will help set up the foundation for an even more exciting 100 years and beyond.
Lawrence Reddaway always seeks to finalize numbers by Sunday 10pm by collating responses to attendance at the next meeting. So please try the electronic response (or phone) or even carrier pidgeon! Forewarn of any guests at the same time. This minimizes catering costs.
Geoff Wright collates the attendance information. He needs to know of "make up " events.
Anne Scott is already a recipient of Rotary's highest award "Service above Self". Last Tuesday at our regular meeting her personal financial commitment to Rotary Foundation was acknowledged with the appropriate Paul Harris award. Here's District Foundation Chair Dennis Shore conveying that special honour to Anne. )
