PRESIDENT PETER'S MUSINGS

Greetings to all. We met at the Smallbar on Monday. I was pleased to see Cyril Clark firing on all cylinders with his new pacemaker.

Our speaker Shelley Whittington was from Destiny Rescue – what a great organisation ; doing life changing things. It must be so hard to rescue isolated girls then provide backup to support and educate those girls back into society to enable them to achieve a livelihood that leads an independent life – very uplifting.

This week some news from the Board Meeting held last week..

The Treasurer; Simon intends to finalise our St George Accounts this week ; completing the move to Westpac – saving the Club money

RI Foundation : the club has taken up the challenge to fund $2650 to The Polio Plus Fund through Rotary Grants and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation matching 2 for 1 - this multiplies our contribution to about $19,000 – We cannot miss that opportunity!

International : Our planned Timor Project with AOP has stalled for lack of funding. Our planned Kenya Project with So They Can is progressing but at Kenyan time. We propose to support these two projects until a June 30 deadline before considering other options.

Administration: The meeting roster will be included in the eBulletin. I guess most members read the eBulletin but it seems that few of us remember what they had read! The ebulletin is the place to find out who our speaker will be and the BBQ rosters.

Community: We raised $700 at our Poker night and approx $300 at the Xmas Carol BBQ. These funds are earmarked for Delvina and Mary’s House – both local Womens’ Refuges. These funds will be used to purchase vouchers to support these Refuge's clients.

Membership: This very important portfolio is languishing from lack of action and support. We need a volunteer to take charge and drive it forward.

IMPORTANT – Meeting Venue – The Board has decided to trial meetings at the Union Hotel for the next four weeks. The facilities, food and customer service were very good last week. Parking has been identified as a possible flaw. Two hours free street parking is available in Waverton Streets (west of Pacific Hwy, McHatton St). Two hour meter street parking is available on Church and West streets.

Remember our trip to the Cremorne Orpheum Theatre – the premiere of "Hidden Figures" on Thursday 16 @3.30pm. If you have not bought tickets yet, you will need to contact Bill Lee. BBQ Bunnings this Saturday.

For your Diary:

– District Conference at Penrith: March 11.

- District Assembly, Parramatta, 23 April.

A final item – our 1^st January Member Subscriptions are due – please expect an invoice from the Treasurer. Subs are $120 for Members and $175 for Corporate Members. Bank Details WESTPAC BSB 032-298 A/c Rotary Club of Crows Nest 394298.

Regards Peter

MONDAY 20th February - Our Speaker is Terry O'Mara, from the local Mens Shed.

Terry O'Mara will be speaking about Rotary and Mens Sheds. Terry will explain how his club identified a need for something for men to be involved with once they’ve retired or been widowed as there is a lot available for women, single or otherwise, but nothing to address men’s health and wellbeing. They pointed out that there were many grown up men who were at a loss for something to do and Council agreed. After a well attended meeting Rotary held for interested men, the Hill’s Men’s Shed was started after much discussion and Council eventually
gave them a dilapidated old Scout hall and $35,000. This hall was renovated by skilled Rotarians and the new Men’s Shed members. There are now 50 members and even some women who expressed interest in joining. The Shed’s workshop has a more than a full complement of tools and machinery now The Dept of Veteran Affairs was encouraged to grant funds because several members are veterans and the Dept
complied well.
A year ago Shed members asked Council for funding to double the size of the shed and $160 K was given. Terry advised any Rotary Club that decided to initiate a Men’s Shed to ensure that its members had full responsibility and look after their own affairs; Rotary is not involved in anything. His RC made all members of the Men’s Shed Friends of Rotary for an annual fee of $10 so that they were covered by Rotary insurance. This saved the men a lot of money. Rotary’s only interest is that the activities of the Men’s Shed are legal and safe. The members have accreditation within their own Shed and have established rules of management for themselves.

There are now 930 Men’s Sheds in Australia whose members have skills that are diminishing in the world today. Terry said that anyone who wanted to start a Men’s Shed should get information from Council but should not let Council run the project as it is vital for the members to be empowered and independent. The Federal Government has invested $6 million for men’s health - physical, social and mental. We need to give value to their lives. Terry assured us that Rotary gave information and expertise but has not expended any monies. A manual of how to set up a Men’s Shed is available on the Internet.

Please note: Monday 20^th February our meeting will be held for the next four weeks, ie 20th February to 13th March inclusive, at the Union Hotel, Cnr Pacific Hway & West St. Suggested parking is the Council Car Park, Ridge Street, for $15.60 for under 2 hours and, free 2 hr parking in the adjacent Waverton streets (i.e. McHatton St), West of the Pacific Highway.

BBQ ROSTER

Our next BBQ at Bunnings Artarmon is on Saturday 18th February 2017.

View the roster here

MEETING ROSTER

View Meeting Duties here or refer to the foot of this bulletin

LAST MONDAY's Meeting 13 February 2017 - was Shelley Whittington, speaking about 'Destiny Rescue'

Child Sexual Exploitation And Slavery

"It’s a scourge on modern society. Millions of children around the world are trafficked or trapped in sexual exploitation with little hope for freedom. We bring freedom. We shine a light in the darkness".

Destiny Rescue was the first organization that informed Shelley about human trafficking and she was shocked into action after being made aware that slavery still exists today. Since then she has been passionate about making a difference in the area of child trafficking, and eight years later she has the privilege of working with Destiny Rescue and informing others about these injustices that are occurring around the world.

Announcements & other News

Celia toasted the Rotary Club of Auckland Harbourside, meet Mondays at 12:15 PM, Stamford Plaza, 22 Albert St, Auckland, North Auckland 1010
New Zealand. The Club's core project each year is bringing the World Press Photo Exhibition to Auckland. www.worldpressphoto.co.nz
Please register for the District Conference ASAP. Registrations remain low.
ROMAC is currently looking after a young girl from Vanuatu suffering from severe burns. She has been discharged and is living in Ronald McDonald House and is undergoing physiotherapy everyday for approx' 3/6 weeks until she can walk again.
The Movie afternoon fundraising for Polio Plus, is on Thursday 16th February at the Hayden-Orpheum in Cremorne, $15 to see 'Hidden Figures'.
Reminders

District conference is a one day event, on Saturday March 11th at Penrith, and costs $150 including the evenings entertainment.
Next Board Meeting - 14th March 2017

Feb 20, 2017

Terry O'Mara AM JP FAIM

Men's Shed

Feb 27, 2017

Rod McLeod

Angel Flight

Mar 06, 2017

Harold Sharp

Crows Nest Rotary membership

Mar 13, 2017

John Saunders

A life of science as a geophysicist

View entire list

BBQ - AM

Bunnings Artarmon

Feb 18, 2017
7:50 AM – 12:30 PM

BBQ - MID

Bunnings Artarmon

Feb 18, 2017
10:15 AM – 2:30 PM

BBQ - PM

Bunnings Artarmon

Feb 18, 2017
12:20 PM – 4:00 PM

BBQ - AM

Bunnings Artarmon

Mar 04, 2017
7:50 AM – 12:30 PM

BBQ - MID

Bunnings Artarmon

Mar 04, 2017
10:15 AM – 2:30 PM

eBulletin

Editor

Smith, Philip

Editor (back-up)

Staples, Mark

International Toast

Proposer

Condell, George

Proposer (back-up)

Bolton, Warren

Speaker Introduction

Introduce Speaker

Raveane, Sue

Introduce Speaker (back-up)

Warr, Mark

Speaker Thanks/Write-up

Thank Speaker - Write-up

Sullivan, Howard

Thank Speaker - Write-up (back-up)

Sweeney, Tom

Front Desk

Welcomer

House, Phoenix House

Welcomer

Clark, Cyril