Jonathan Hepner was our chair and Past President Janine welcomed all including Tony's guests Peter and Yannick Cook and our Rotary Exchange student Leo from Taiwan who is in Year 10 at Geelong College and currently staying with Sue Beretta and family.
Ross reported on Elizabeth's health and we are pleased to hear that she is on the mend.
Leo with our Rotary Exchange students is fundraising and is selling raffle tickets with a trip to Tasmania as the prize. The draw will be at District Conference.
Leo is keen to get around with other Rotarians so contact Sue Beretta if you would like to have Leo.
December 3 will be a Bunnings Waurn Ponds sausage sizzle fund raiser. More details to follow.
Sam and Sue attended Part 1 of the Rotary Institute and part of the homework is a survey of members which will coming soon.
David Sykes on membership advised that two occasions for sponsored meetings coming up will be great for guests.
Tony Alsop has the opportunity for the Club to attend a daytime visit to Deakin and will investigate further.
Warren presented an International Service Committee report
The first meeting of the International Committee was held on Tuesday 1st August.
The focus of the meeting was on the following:
· Individual Objectives for 2017 (not programs)
· Review of Member Suggested Programs
· Decision on adoption of any of those programs
· Committee member ideas & commitments
The committee has a budget of $7,000.00 from the Board. It was decided that there should be a focus on obtaining financial support for projects from other sources this year, so that we can meet on-going commitments and fund new programs.
The members of the committee identified three key areas (not programs) that they would like to focus on this year:
· Hands-on Projects
· Use community skills, knowledge and finance to support the projects
· Identify additional sources of funding projects
It is the committee’s intention to support the following programs (based on member generated ideas):
· Purchase Shelter Boxes
· Support a Rotary Peace Scholar
· Fight Malaria
Two member generated ideas will be supported, and may not require funding this year.
· The Cambodian Water project will be supported (funding already in hand)
· DIK – this will depend on DIK finding a new home as the property at Osborne House has been closed by the City of Greater Geelong due to health issues
Three projects are being investigated by committee members. These are:
· International Dinner (Taiwan or France theme) – Jenny Acopian
· International Business Seminar – Stan Deans
· MUNA (Model United Nations Assembly) for local schools – Warren Norton
· Malaria Fundraising through schools – Sue Dunlop
Some of the work on investigating the feasibility of these potential projects has already commenced. However, all three of the members listed above will be on leave from the club over the next few months. This is likely to slow the work down.
We have recently been advised that 3 of the Shelter Boxes purchased by the club in the past twelve months have been used. All were sent to Cameroon to house families fleeing the conflict there.
In the last Rotary year, a Groups 9 & 10 International Committee was established. I have attended the first meeting for this Rotary year. We are considering supporting a water project in Tanzania brought to the committee by RC Kardinia.
A second project from that group will take place here in Geelong on Wednesday 25th October. That is the night following our ‘night off’ for working at the Show. I would urge all members to consider supporting this event. It is a dinner and will be held here at the Hub. There are flyers on your tables.
