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Town & Country Weekly

Your e-Zine from District 9800

Volume 3  Issue 36 31 March 2007

 

DG Bernie's Weekly Message
THE ROTARY WHEEL CONTINUES TO TURN

We are closing on another year's end for Rotary and everyone is busy making sure that all the plans for the year are fulfilled, all the tasks will be completed.

Our District is a combination of Clubs supported by Rotarians and in this edition I will report on this fantastic week of Rotary. No, it was not like any other as you will read.

On Wednesday, the Interact Club of Keilor Downs College, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Brimbank Central, was chartered and what a great night it was as there were eleven charter members inducted and the Charter President is Muhammed Akbulut, a Year 12 student who is an eloquent debater with ambitions of entering politics after completing an Arts/Law degree. Nine of the other ten members come from migrant families and that is not surprising, given that the City of Brimbank boasts around 70 different nationalities among its citizens, according to the Mayor, Cr. Margaret Guidice who was also present at the Charter.

I congratulate the Rotary Club of Brimbank for this initiative, particularly, President Robert Chessell and also John and Barbara Rafter who were instrumental in driving the project with Keilor Downs College. On behalf of District, I presented the Club Banner to the College Principal, Peter Starford.

The second good news story is about the fantastic five, the Group Study Exchange Team from District 1580 in the Netherlands. After five sensational weeks, the young team of professionals with their masterful leader, left on Saturday for home, waved off by a teary contingent of Rotarians and their families. During their stay in our District, they endeared themselves to all who met them and, I am sure, there will be lasting memories and many future contacts back in the land of the tulips.

I congratulate Neville John who chaired the GSE Committee with professional ease and to all host families and those who assisted in arranging vocational visits. Well done also to the Rotary Clubs of Kew and Bendigo who organised the very successful Welcome and Farewell functions respectively.

These events give us great heart for the future of our communities, both here and abroad, and I believe we have witnessed a further step towards world understanding and peace with the GSE experience. I look forward to sending off our team to the Netherlands later in April and know that they will acquit themselves as great ambassadors for our District and Rotary in general.

What a great move to have an Interact Club start up in our most culturally diverse Club and I can see this as a sign of the times and part of Rotary's future in our District as we continue to support our youth who, hopefully, will take their place, not only as future leaders in our community, but also future Rotarians.

Lead The Way for future generations.

Bernie Walshe

District Governor

For Reports by the D.1580 GSE Team, log on to http://gsemelbourne.blogspot.com/ (SEE BELOW)

 

 

Calendar of Events:
Click here

THE OFFICIAL ROTARY MAGAZINE
As most Rotarians would be aware, RI stipulates that it is a condition of membership in Rotary that all active members are paid subscribers to either The Rotarian magazine or a Rotary regional magazine certified by the RI board. Here in Australia and the South-west Pacific, our regional magazine is Rotary Down Under.

According to the RI website there are some 1900 subscribers to The Rotarian in Australia and 1300 in New Zealand, which means a significant majority of Rotarians in our region support the local regional publication. RI prescribes a number of criteria essential to qualify as a regional magazine and these are listed in the Manual of Procedure.

The magazine is required to have at least 50% of its editorial content on Rotary or Rotary related matters and is required to include information about RI and is required to consider for presentation topics and such specific requests as the RI President or RI Board may request. Thus you will see in RDU the RI President's message for the month and in the March edition you would have read an article about RI President Elect Wilf Wilkinson, similar to that available to the readers of The Rotarian. Readers of RDU also have the advantage that it is available on-line, unlike The Rotarian, which has only selected articles available online.

RDU is responsible to a Council of all District Governors in Australia and New Zealand and is overseen by a Committee whose members include our own PDG Vance Hilton. The publication must be adequately financed and without financial responsibility of RI so appropriate advertising is essential as well as a subscription by Rotarians.

RDU is our magazine and can only be as good as the information that is sent to the Editors for inclusion. Information about PHF recognitions and those called to Higher Service is always published and information about Club or District events that are newsworthy or of wide interest are also almost always published.

There are other RI publications including Rotary World. A hard copy of this is sent to each Club President for sharing with members but also may be downloaded from the RI website.  
 

APRIL IS ROTARY MAGAZINE MONTH

 

WHAT'S HAPPENING IN CLUBS


RC Albert Park     NEW
The Club will not meeting on Wednesday April 25 due to the Anzac Day public holiday

RC Bendigo-Strathdale       
RC Bendigo-Strathdale will be presenting a musical "On The Road Again" at the Capital Theatre, View Street, Bendigo; Friday 13th April, 2007 at 8pm.  Tickets $33.00 from the Capital Theatre 54346100. 
Presented in conjunction with Focal Point Australia.
"On The Road Again" celebrates the songs & music that have made Willie Nelson & Roy Orbison true legends.  In the last 12 months the show has been sold out at many National & International venues.
Click here for details

RC Daylesford             
Easter Art Exhibition & Golf Day
Daylesford Town Hall - Easter Saturday, Sunday and Monday (April 7th, 8th and 9th)
Free entrance to Exhibition. Cocktail Party on the Saturday evening 6.00 till 8.00pm - $12.00 per person.
Booking 53 48 1112 (essential for catering purposes).
Golf Day April 21st - Hepburn Spa Golf Course.
2 Person Ambrose Competition. Contact Paul Johnston on 53 48 1122
Click here for details about both these events

RC Keilor       NEW
On Sunday the 6th May the Keilor Monthly Market will include a CAR SHOW. Cars displayed 9.00am - 1.30pm
Adults admission is $5.00 (children under 16 free).
Display Car entrant fee $10.00          Contact Joe Raimondo Mob. 0418 349 465
Location: Historic Keilor Hotel, Old Calder Highway Keilor, Melways Map 14, Ref J6

RC Flemington        
Past Runners Easter Gift Breakfast - $15 Full Breakfast, per person
Will be held Wednesday 4th April 2007      7.30 For 7. 45 am Start   
Reservations essential for catering & seating
Call Vance Hilton  03-  9743 0118
Click here for details

RC Keilor East     
RC Keilor East is running a Gala Trivia Night on Friday 4th May at the Italian Club , Keilor Park Drive , Keilor East commencing at 6.30 pm for a 7.00 pm start.
Tables of 10 are available at $10 per head and the night will include a silent auction as well as the usual trivia night games. Proceeds will go towards our Western Autistic School's playground replacement project . Click here for details

RC Melton Valley      NEW
The Rotary Club of Melton Valley is conducting its annual Sing With the Stallions event on 15th April 2007. The Victorian Concert Orchestra will be playing at the Concert along with a number of Equine displays of national standard. For further information Click here
RC Toorak       
DINNER with GEMMA SISIA - Monday 30 April 2007 6.30pm for 7.00pm
Founder of the School of St Jude in Tanzania to launch her book "St Jude's"                     
Royal South Yarra Lawn Tennis Club
Williams Road North, Toorak
Ticket price $50 
Click here for Details and registration form

RC Woodend     NEW
Normie Rowe concert and Dinner to fund raise for an International Water project in PNG.
Dining Hall Braemar College Woodend - Friday 11 May 2007 7pm
3 course dinner and show $75 per person.      Drinks at bar
Bookings: 54271629 Tables of 8 available.

  1. DINNER WITH BILL & LORNA BOYD     

    Dinner to be held on 2nd June at 6.30 for 7.00pm
    Moonlight Receptions, 622 Nicholson Street, North Fitzroy
    Pre-dinner drinks and canapes followed by two course dinner (includes beer, wine, champagne and soft drinks)
    Car parking has been arranged
    All Clubs should be represented for this visit by our World President
    Booking details will be advised soon

  2. APPLICATIONS FOR AMBASSADORIAL SCHOLARS, WORLD PEACE FELLOWSHIPS & UNIVERSITY TEACHERS NOW OPEN FOR THE 2008 / 2010 ROTARY YEAR
    Application process & eligibility: www.rotary.org/foundation/educational            
    Please contact District Foundation Chairman Chris Don     for additional information                      

                   

  3. APPLICATIONS FOR ROTARY WORLD PEACE SCHOLARS        
    Click here for details of how Rotary Clubs may nominate a suitable candidate to apply for a Rotary World Peace Scholarship

  4. FAREWELL DINNER FOR OUR GSE TEAM             UPDATED
    The     farewell dinner is being hosted by the RC of Chadstone/East Malvern for our District GSE team travelling to the Netherlands will be held at The Kooyong Tennis Club on April 24th at 7.00PM.  Cost $45.00 - Drinks at bar prices

  5. GSE TEAM UPDATE   NEW
    The team now has a weblog which is fully up and running. Add http://d9800gse.blogspot.com/ to your Favourites so that you can keep track of what the team is doing now and when they start their exchange in District 1580 in The Netherlands. To date, it includes profiles of the team, events they have spoken at and attendance at the District Conference.     Also don't forget the team's Farewell Dinner on 24th April. Information is on the blog!

  6. Advertise in the District Directory 2007-08         
    An opportunity now exists for Rotarians to advertise in the next edition of the 9800 District Directory. A limited number of advertising spaces are being made available, strategically placed to get maximum exposure for you club projects or members' business. Full or half pages in colour or black & white are available starting just $400 for a Half Page B&W. This is a wonderful opportunity to expose your clubs activities or a local business, for over 12 months of the Rotary year 2007-08. Remember every member in the district receives a personal copy of the District Directory.
    If you or someone you know may be interested please call:
    PDG Vance Hilton on 0418564273  or District Secretary Elect Colin Muir on 0412430998

  7. CAFE INTERNATIONAL
    Cafe International 2007: The Golden Globe" promises to be an exciting night of fine dining and sparkling performances inspired by film and television classics over the last 50 years. 2007 also marks the 50th anniversary of International House. In celebration, the student residents have decided to donate 100% of profits from Cafe 2007 to Interplast Australia.             Keep 5th May 2007 free to attend this event.
    Click here for essential details about Cafe 2007 and please indelibly mark Saturday night 5 May 2007 in your diary for "Cafe 2007: The Golden Globe".
    If you have further questions about Cafe 2007, please contact Cafe07@gmail.com        
    District 9800 Rotary Clubs will receive a formal invitation for Cafe 2007 soon

  8. TIMOR LESTE REUNION & CAMP GETAWAY            NEW
    PP Bill Dagg, who is well known to us all demonstrates yet another talent. Click here to read his update on the situation in Timor Leste and his report on Camp Getaway.

  9. COMPUTERS FOR KIDS PROJECT    UPDATED
    Computers for Kids Project is still seeking some steel shelving for the warehouse. Height say 1800mm and up to 30 bays would be very helpful.      Please speak with Jeffrey Bird or Dawn Watson

  10. RAGMSA      UPDATED
    Rotarian Action Group of Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Cocktail Party on Saturday 21 April to celebrate the 2007 Global Dinners for Multiple Sclerosis to raise awareness about MS.
    Venue: Junior Common Room, International House, 241 Royal Parade, Parkville. 7.30 pm 
    $25/pp for finger food, beer, wine, sparkling & soft drinks. 
    For information contact Teresa Hamilton  Telephone 9747 3445 or 0412 741 854,   Email     t.dhamil@bigpond.net.au
    Click here for more information

  11. Rotary Friendship Tour of South Africa    NEW
    Frank Lean of RC Bendigo has brought to attention the "Friendship Tours of South Africa", a project of the RC Knysna since 1985. Designed to promote better understanding of South Africa & its different cultures, the tours have created goodwill & lasting friendships among more than 600 Rotarians from 17 countries who have joined the tours.
    The 21 day tour is a kaleidoscope of South Africa's top attractions, including Cape Town and the Winelands, Mpumalanga's scenic Panorama Route, a wildlife safari in the Kruger National Park, as well as 2 nights at a private game reserve, Kwazulu Natal and the Drakensberg, the beautiful Garden Route and the tiny kingdom of Swaziland. The pace of the tour is leisurely and 1 night stops are generally avoided. Hotels and lodges have been selected for comfort and charm and 2 nights will be home hosted with Rotary families in Knysna. There will be opportunities for make-up meetings, exchanging of banners and fellowship with Rotarians in South Africa and Swaziland.
    The 2007 tour will be held in November and the itinerary and costs are available from James & Louise Pannell of the Rotary Club of Knysna, South Africa. Email james@pannells.com  Website: www.pannells.com/friendship.htm

  12. INTERPLAST UPDATE   NEW
    Interplast advises that at their Board Meeting on 27/2/07 accepted a proposal for a new logo incorporating New Zealand and to change the name of Interplast Australia to Interplast Australia & New Zealand.
    Click here to view the     new logo

    New Members -     A big Rotary welcome to:
    RC Albert Park -                                Robert Bell
                                                                    Phillip Schols
                                                                    Irene Hayes
                                                                    Damien Peile
                                                    Aleks Standish
    RC Central Melbourne-Sunrise -       Andrew     La Terra (Retail Menswear-Management)
    RC Laverton Point Cook -            Michael Nash (Textile Manufacturing)
                      
    RI Exchange Rate
    The April Rotary exchange rate for the AUD has changed to 1.24

    Speakers Bank Update:  Click here

    District 9800's website:     http://www.rotaryd9800.org/

    You can always check the back issues of Weekly News if you missed something:
    2005-2006 Issue  01  02  03  04  05  06  07  08   09  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20  21  22  23 24       
    25  26  27  28  29  30  31  32  33  34  35  36  37   38   39  40  41  42  43  44  45  46  47  48  49  50
    2006-2007: 1  2 3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13 14 15  16  17  18  19 20  21  22  23  24 25  26  27  28  29  
    30   31  32  33  34  35