Given we are in isolation and in theory very restricted as to what we can do I never ceased to be amazed at how busy my Rotary week continues to be.

 

Starting with last week's meeting  I must say it was a real eye-opener to get such a insightful talk on the world of providing services for the Homeless.  Robina Bradley from St.Mary's House of Welcome presented to us so well on how their organization has had to transform its services in these trying times whilst still providing an invaluable service. I know all our members at the meeting would want our club to support them this year.

 

After the meeting I contacted Robina to advise her both about our Phonse Tobin Awards and also the Sir John Reid Community Service Award run by the Melbourne Rotary club that involves a $10,000.00 donation to nominating organization of the winning Volunteer. Robina has got back to me to say they have 2 excellent candidates that they are having trouble picking from so I have told her to pick one and keep the other one to nominate for the Phonse Tobin Awards.

 

On Friday, I completed our quarterly article for the local newspaper and got it in before the deadline.

 

On Saturday morning I met with the MUNA committee which is made up of me, Susan Robb and Rosemary Kinyua (Immediate Past President of the Wyndham Harbour RC who was one of our Moomba BBQ helpers). We have chosen a new date of 5th & 6th December and are meeting again next Saturday morning to discuss possible guest speakers.

 

On Saturday afternoon I attended the President and AG's Training Seminar. This went for 2 hours and I picked up a few handy pointers that I will go into later.

 

I spoke to the representative of the Canterbury Rotary Club about getting a full pallet of Forameal delivered and on Monday Sainab got the delivery.  I can now also advise I was contacted by them again today to say they have another pallet that needs consuming before the end of next month and so I contacted Sainab and she jumped at the offer and i expect she will get that next week as well.

 

Yesterday, I was contacted by Peter Cribb from the Flemington Kensington Rotary to advise that he is doing a PHD on Education and Parenting in the Horn of Africa and though this will be of interest later his mentor at his course is a Dr Tung Tran who lives in North Melbourne and is asking if we can assist young local North Melbourne families that he has come across in his work that are struggling due to no work and as they are overseas students, no Government assistance. I have told Sainab and she will include these people in her list of families that they are supporting. Dr. Tran will be attending our meeting tomorrow where I will give him the opportunity to give us more details.

 

Today I attended the Melbourne Rotary Club meeting where Philip Archer was the main speaker.

 

One thing that is being highlighted in Rotary clubs around the world right now is that a milestone has been achieved in the fight to rid the world of Polio and that is that it is now official that the whole African continent is now officially free of polio and the only countries where is remains is Afghanistan and Pakistan.

 

I also contacted the people from the City of Melbourne that I met with last Monday to both keep in touch and invite them to this week's meeting.

 

 

Meeting ID: 881 2986 1734

 

 

 

Guest Speaker of the Week - 27th August 2020 Kathy Kaplan Founder and President of "Impact" (for women that are victims of Violence)

Thu 3rd September 2020 At 7.30pm Paul York "Private Investigations and Drones"