Last week we met in Committees.  Directors will report on deliberations at the next Board meeting.

 

On Monday night our guest speaker will be Victoria Didenko,

Co-Founder and Chair of Tinnitus Australia.

Her talk will be on the topic of

 

 

Susanne, Dan, Pauline and Ken, Malcolm and Jane Horton attended the 2022 District Conference last week in Tanunda which was extremely well organised by members  of the RC of Campbelltown. Everyone came away re-invigorated and confident in the future of Rotary in Australia.

 

DG Jeff Neale revealed that a  proposal led by Zone 8 (Australia and New Zealand) will be presented in May at the Council on Legislration seeking approval for a restructure and the eventual abolishment of  Rotary Districts. More information to follow.

 

Polio eradication is progressing well with only one new case so far this year (12 throughout 2020).  The virus is currently endemic in only two countries Pakistan and Afghanistan) so the end may be in sight but it is not yet time to celebrate or scale back the campaign.  We still need to raise funds for 50 million vaccinations a year to complete the task.

 

A seventh area of focus, added this year, is Environment joining peacebuilding and conflict prevention; disease prevention and treatment,  maternal and child health, basic education and literacy and community economic development.

 

Radiation Oncologist Associate Professor Peter Gorayski outlined progress on the new Australian Bragg Centre for Proton Therapy and Research being built next to the SAMHRI which will include twin, 3 story particle accelerators in the basement!  This state of the art facility will offer much better targeted proton radiation therapy dramatically reducing other tissue damage and side effects associated with conventional radiotherapy.

 

Julie Robertson, Director, Business Development and Education, Australia Landscape Trust based at Calperum Station, described a number of exciting environmental programs in Calpernum and Ceobhan Webber, an Indigenous Ranger, enthused about her traineeship and further study and career options..

 

Dr Kay Danes OAM.  Rotarian Kay Danes had an extrordinary and first person story to tell about  coordinating covert operations to assist 160 Australian Embassy contractors and their families to evacuate Kabul following the fall to the Taliban.  She and her team also coordinated the evacuation of over 3,500 Afghani-Australians and visa holders of other countries in an exceptionally grueling and dangerous time.  She is a multiple Paul Harris Fellow and was awarded an RI Avenues of Service Award. Her talk, unsurprisingly was about resilience.

 

Lisa Dallow, a member of the RC of Adelaide, shared her story about the events of 9 December 2019 while on the rim of the volcano on Whataari Island in NZ.  She had never shared her personal  story before and would not do so again.  Some of the photos she showed had never been seen before publicly.  

 

Tragically, her husband, Gavin and daughter Zoe, died that day.  Lisa suffered abrasions and burns to 70% of her body and was lucky to survive.  The force of the explosion blew her well down the slope where she remained semi conscious for several hours before being evacuated by helicopter.  She woke up in the RAH days later where she remained for 6 months, most of it in ICU, after losing several fingers and toes.

 

She broke her story to thank her brother, her club and the Rotary family for their unfailing love and support throughout her ordeal.

 

Elaine Benstead, Chief Executive of Zoos SA, outlined the increase in membership, improvement in the financial position and developments at both the Zoo in the city and in Monarto.

 

In exciting news, she introduced the new Visitor Centre and described a new accommodation facility on the site scheduled to open in early 2024; a $40 million resort and glamping accommodation (Luxury safari tent accommodation) with open back 4 wheel drive safari touring.

 

    

 

David Peterson, CEO of the SA YMCA, also works in the international development space and assists many small, local NGOs.  

 

Michael Keelan, a well known gardening broadcaster and writer on Five AA and in the Advertiser described how gardening is good for health and for the soul with every sense enhanced (smell, sight, touch, hearing (birds and trees) and taste.

 

When one speaker was unable to attend due illness, Penny Hamilton-Smith put out a call to her brother then in Melbourne.  

 

After a rushed return trip to Adelaide, Martin Hamilton-Smith spoke about Leadership and Resilience, embellishing his remarks with anecdotes from his distinguished military and political career.

 

DGE Paul Thomas said that planning for the 2023 Rotary International Convention at the Rod Laver Arena from 17-22 May, is well advanced and because Rotary South Australia will celebrate its 100th Anniversary next year (The RC of Adelaide was granted its charter in 1923), big plans are afoot to make attendance a feature of the celebrations.

 

The launch of SA's 10th anniversary will be held at Port Adelaide the night before the SA contingent boards real party starts after we board the Overland to Melbourne.  District 9510 has selected the Great Southern Hotel in Melbourne as the host for SDA's contingent with EVERY member across the state invited to attend.  Anyone who has ever attended an Rotary International Convention describes it as a life affirming event.  

 

Upon our return to Adelaide, we will host a Rotary Expo in Bonython Hall on North Terrace to feature all the amazing projects and achievements of Rotary in the past century.

 

A spectacular Dinner at the Adelaide Oval will cap off the year!

 

The fun Quiz Night was won by our own Pauline, Malcolm, Jane and Susanne with some help from members of the Rotary Club of Mt Barker,  Ian and Margaret Rose, and of the Rotary Club of Adelaide Parks (Kathy Cotter and Lesley Grady)

 

To the winners go the spoils!

 

...and on the subject of Winners.....

 

Guess who won the Newspaper Costume prize at the Gala Mascarade Dinner?   

 

A great night was had at Wallis Cinemas on Friday night for our End Polio Now! Movie night. The Duke was well received by the 64 people who attended and we expect to raise about $700

 

Our thanks to Pauline, Susanne and Michelle for organising the event and for amassing so many spectacular prize baskets.

 

Click HERE to view a short video which describes how "Europe" as we know it evolved and how they got into the mess we now see play out every day...