We thank Graham Farey for updating us all on CPR and the use of a defibrillator last week. His time and expertise were much appreciated. I was also very pleased to receive a posthumous certificate of recognition in honour of PP PHF Bob Osborne from the Shine On Awards. Thank you Thea and Terry for attending the award afternoon on behalf of the club.
Thank you also to Thea and her helpers, who have organised and are attending the RYPEN camp at Creswick this weekend. The 25 or more young people attending will receive valuable life and leadership skills. We look forward to hearing, in the near future, from the two students our club sponsored to attend.
Please take note that our Service and Governance Committees have been postponed until May 2nd , and that at our meeting on 25th April, we will be completing a very important survey on our club, as a lead in to our new Strategic Plan. Be sure to be there to have your opinions registered. We will be ordering in a meal on that night and will take orders this week.
Keep in mind, also, that District Training Assembly is on Sunday 28th April in Ararat. The club pays and names need to be given to Martin asap.
I look forward to seeing you at breakfast at Peppa's next Thursday.
Stay safe over Easter and inspired.
Last Thursday, Manager of St John's Ambulance in Maryborough, Graham Farey, provided members and guests with an important and engaging update on the latest guidelines for saving lives. His first piece of advice was that any emergency assistance is better than none - many untrained people have saved lives. But, it is better to have some knowledge such as the latest version of the acronym for responding to an emergency situation: D.R.S. A.B.C.D. (Danger/ Response/ Send for help/ Airway/ Breathing/ CPR- Mainly Compressions/ Defibrillation). The key difference is that we need to get onto chest compressions as soon as possible if the victim is unresponsive, and if at all possible, use a defibrilator - safely! See the chart by clicking "Read more...".
Rotarian Murray was going to propose an International toast to the Rotary Club of Hamburg - the first stop of his recent European tour - but the web site was all in German! So instead of taking a crash course in the German language, he decided to toast the Rotary club of Launceston in Tasmania - well, it is technically overseas!
PP Thea attended the recent Shine On Awards ceremony in Melbourne on behalf of our club. At that ceremony, a posthumous recognition was given to PP Bob Osborne OAM, and a special acknowledgement was presented to our club. PP Thea passed on this certificate to President Meryl at Thursday's meeting.
Last Thursday, club members enjoyed the hospitality of the local Girl Guides group as we met in their recently refurbished hall. CEO of Guides in this area, Lyn Curry (pictured), outlined the history of the Guide hall and of the recent renovations costing over $83,000.
At Thursday's club meeting, PP Garry Higgins OAM shared his recent experience of receiving his OAM regalia from the Governor of Vistoria at Government House. Members were also given the opportunity to see the OAM medals "up close and personal" in their presentation case.
At the recent club meeting at the Guides hall, DG Anthony presented Guides CEO, Lyn Curry with a cheque for $500 to say, "Thank You" to the Guides for providing our First Aid presence at the recent District Conference.
Over 40 representatives from local businesses and organizations attended last week's Gender Equality Forum conducted by the #SayNO committee in our club. This is part of the new phase of education aimed at the prevention of Family Violence. Culture, Living the Values and Flexible Hours are some of the things that companies can work toward to achieve Gender Equality in the work place.
On Saturday afternoon and evening, President Meryl was part of the judging panel used to judge the District final of Lion's Youth of the Year program. Five very impressive young women from Melbourne, Bendigo, Ballarat, Sunbury and Wedderburn answered very tough questions and spoke about their passions during the evening. It was great to see the local Lions group invite Rotarians to be part of one of their signature programs.
A willing and able crew turned up on Thursday night, 21st March to start the process of setting up for this year's Rotary District Conference in the Town Hall and Tren du Bourg Hall - Thank you to everyone for your valued assistance!
As well as Service and Governance Committee gatherings, last Thursday's meeting was spent reviewing our club's involvement in last week-end's District Conference here in Maryborough. A slide show of images was shown, whilst District Governor Anthony and President Meryl thanked members for putting their golden hearts into preparing, setting up and running this year's event. Everyone seemed to agree that we could call the conference a "complete success!" Pictured are Rotarian Peter completing, with assistance from Bronwen, their amazing 2000km plus ride around the District, the hall as people gather for the start of one of the sessions, the very successful "Rotary on Show" in full swing, Meryl and Marj just before the Gold Rush Dinner in an impressively decorated Highland Society, and the dessert at the dinner - a delicious, and apt golden heart.
Last Thursday, members and spouses rolled up their sleeves and assisted the Conference Planning Committee to prepare the booklets for next week-end's District Conference here in Maryborough. The evening was also used to brief volunteers on the jobs to be done and provide a guide to setting up Conference venues: the Town Hall, Tren Du Bourg Hall and the Highland Society.
Peter and Bronwen Haywood are on their way riding over 2000km around District 9780 and they've already checked in from Ballan, the Fairy Park, Ballarat where they caught up with past Maryborough Rotarian (now Wendouree Breakfast), Trevor Lea, and Torquay - where they caught up with past member, Ray Hannan. Travel safely folks! Click "Read more..." for 10 more pictures of other locations.
At Thursday's meeting, PP Mallee Rowe introduced this year's Footy Frenzy competition and already, a number of squares have been purchased. Proceeds from this year's effort will go to a new International project in Sri Lanka. The first stage of this project is to connect electricity to a community hall built back in the post Tsunami days when a group of Maryborough people went there on a working bee to assist recovery efforts.
Which way to the Conference? Maryborough Rotarian Peter, and Bronwen Haywood are just about to set off on the Great Inter-Club Exercise Challenge. Next Thursday, they set off to travel over 2000 kilometres in the 9 days before the District 9780 Conference to remind all Rotarians of the importance of activity in their lives. The challenge is out to all clubs to keep a record, in hours and minutes of the amount of exercise-level activity their members complete during those same nine days. The activity can be walking, running, bike riding, dancing, skate-boarding, house-work, gardening, in fact anything that gets the heart level raised to at least mild exercise level. The total number of hours in each club will be divided by the number of members to give a score that is to be officially registered at conference. Being Rotarians, we know the estimates will be truthful. We've even had a special trophy commissioned to present to the winning club on the final day of the Conference. Pictured are Peter and Bronwen in front of the Town Hall along with DG Anthony, President Meryl and Past President Heather. If their directions are anything to go by, Peter and Bronwen could end up travelling a long way further than two thousand kilometres!
Last Thursday, Highview school captain and Year 12 student, Kate Winkleman provided members with an engaging account of her January visit to the National Youth Science Forum. Kate enjoyed her whole experience thoroughly. She made many like-minded friends from around Australia, and was particularly inspired by a lecture on recent research into the human brain. Kate now has a long term goal of eventually doing similar research to improve the lives of people with a whole range of brain related diseases. This is, of course, exactly what NYSF is meant to do, and it more than justifies our support of this Rotary inspired program.
At our meeting, Rotarian Tracey Smith proposed an International toast to the Rotary Club of Huntly in Scotland. Trace was particularly impressed by the wonderful castle in which they met - also a place she and her family stayed at when they were touring Scotland - but also their interesting Christmas festival, which maybe a future fund raiser? Here is the link to a short video of the festival: 
PP Derrick gave the International toast to an Indian Rotary club which is the home club of a friend he made at the recent International Cricketing Fellowship event in Melbourne. He then went on to share the saga of our Club Shed. After we complained about a annual lease for our shed land in the thousands of dollars, the Administrators have come back to us with a much more reasonable annual lease amount of $104. However, there was a clause in the contract that seemed to suggest that after a year, the shed building (which our club built) would become the property of the Shire! Derrick and Rod Brown are continuing meetings with the Administrators to sort this all out and will come back to members with a suggestion once all the facts are known. Watch this space.
