News about our President

As advised in last week's newsletter our President, Sainab Sheikh is currently travelling in Somalia and then heading to Saudi Arabia with her son Khalid. Well, I can assure you all that she hasn't forgotten our club or her duties as President. during this week she still logged onto a District meeting for Presidents and immediately texted me with instructions for me to follow up.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT MENTORING PROGRAM

One of the things that came up in Sainab's meeting was that they were looking for quite a few more Mentors for this new Rotary program. At the meeting, Philip Archer was asking presidents to provide mentors from their clubs and Sainab thought he mentioned my name. I rang Philip and he explained this is a different program from the Global Grant Scholar program where we already host Atsuya Tazoe who is being mentored by Dr. Ida Whiteman.

This program is designed to help students build their connections and networks in Australia while they are studying here. To help them create a home away from home in Australia and make their study experience in Australia the best it can be.

International students not only represent Victoria’s single biggest export market but also are vital to our local economy for other reasons, often providing casual and part-time workers to segments of our local economy. After graduation, many will become members of the next generation of our professionals, often in areas of skill shortage, or will drive high-value engagement with Victoria when working back home

International students have not always had the best of experiences when they study in Australia. They have often reported feeling isolated and alone in Australia. This problem has been accentuated over the COVID lockdown periods.

The goal of this mentoring program is to help mentees connect to the Australian way of life and to feel at home in Australia. It is about socialisation, and not about assisting mentees to find employment nor is it to help them get permanent residency in Australia.

Rotary District 9800 Conference 2022

Nearly there now. It starts next Friday 22nd April.

Judy and I will be picking up Herbson and we will stop off at Benalla for lunch and after we check in Albury we're all set to register and go to the opening and then we are going back to the old days where we join with the West Footscray Rotary Club for the club dinners that night. After dinner, I have to remember to pick up Atsuya from the station.

Past attendees will be aware that at every conference the International President always provides a senior Rotarian to represent him. This year the representative as senior as it gets in that it will be the Rotary International President-Elect in Jennifer Jones. I am sure she would also be here to check out the facilities for next year's International Convention in Melbourne.

Clubs have also been asked to bring a "Big Cheque" with the club's donation to Foundation. After speaking to Philip Archer we decided our club does not support this as the amount each club donates should be kept private otherwise it can look unfair for a small club to display a small cheque next to a big club that might be donating up to $30,000.00. I can advise that as agreed at our board meeting we have this week made a payment of $1,000.00 to the Rotary Foundation and expect that it will be acknowledged at the conference that we have made a donation.

 

UKRAINE FUNDRAISING CONCERT

Well, everything is in place and we are just now having to wait for the sales and donations on Try-booking. As the sales are actually quite slow and disappointing at the moment I think Ted is finding this stage even more stressful as the organization.

Every effort has been made to promote the event by sharing the flyer on Facebook, I have placed a quarter-page ad. in the local paper, and Manjula has organized an entry in "What's on in Melbourne".

https://whatson.melbourne.vic.gov.au/things-to-do/concert-for-ukraine

Ted also has got the promotion on the front page of the Travel Agents 6-page Newsletter

So, hopefully, with all this promotion sales will start to get going. To our members that have not booked yet, please do so. It will put a smile on Ted's face.

 

So the details are as follows:

Date:     Saturday 7th May 2022 at 3.00pm

Venue: Melbourne Town Hall

Cost:     $25.00/person,  $10.00/child 12 and under

The concert will feature singers, choirs, dancers and Keynote Speakers

TRYBOOKINGS ARE NOW OPEN

Log onto Trybookings http://trybooking.com/BYPWE

Thanks to our sponsors,

Strathmore Community Bank Branch of Bendigo Bank  &

Major Sponsor - Downer who is making it possible to hold the event at the iconic Melbourne Town Hall

RIMERN

We are still looking for volunteers for Saturday 30th April

Please let me know if you are able to do a 12.30 pm to 3.30 pm shift  on that day on page@ghp.biz

Upcoming BBQ's

As previously advised we still have 3 more BBQs coming up.

ELECTION BBQ

We now have the date and it is on Saturday 21st May 2022 and it will be at the North Melbourne Primary School. We have made contact with the school principal, Sarah Nightingale and she has confirmed her agreement for us to run this BBQ, naturally on the basis of sharing the profits with the school

MOTHER'S DAY CLASSIC BBQ

Naturally, it is on Mother's Day, 8th May 2022 at Alexandra Gardens - Melbourne

METRO TUNNEL BBQ No. 2

This is on the day after the election BBQ on Sunday 22nd May 2022. So apart from all the work, we'll have to do at the BBQ there will be plenty to talk about after the votes are in.

Please contact me if you are available for any of these other BBQs at page@ghp.biz

Upcoming Meetings

Thursday 14th April 2022 at 6.45 for 7.00 pm at the Mercure Hotel, Cnr Harker St & Flemington Rd North Melbourne 

Keir Paterson- In Person

Keir is the Federal Labor Candidate for the local seat of Melbourne
 
 

Dad Joke of the Week

A genie granted me one wish, so I said

"I just want to be happy"

Now I'm living in a cottage with 6 dwarves and working in a mine

 

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