Councillor Natoli, Marilyn Keely, and Eve Fraser Catch up at the club breakfast meeting
The breakfast meeting last week had the above distinguished guests, and we heard first from Marilyn who has been the driving force behind the learn to swim and surf awareness programs on the Coast. This was a personal journey for Marilyn who has first hand knowledge of tragic drowning and a lengthy history in helping migrants and refugees on the Sunshine coast. Councillor Natoli got behind this effort and we recently saw graduates from this brilliant initiative.
"Here is the photo of our first excited graduates from the swimming program for international students on the Sunshine Coast. They attended the wonderful surf awareness program at Maroochy SLSC and attended eight 45 minute learn to swim classes at Cotton Tree pool. Now they can join the surf club and enjoy our beautiful beaches."
We also heard from our Eve Fraser on how the Solstice Swim will help support the program she has developed following her work on the Rotary Water Safety Project and her experiences in Asia in delivering train the trainer and learn to swim programs. We'll hear more about thi sas we get near the sharp end of the Solstice Swim, meanwhile the club is focused on sponsorship, and of course helping with the HUGE Multi draw raffle and selling raffle tickets in future.
Big thank you too everyone involved in Bunnings BBQ on Sunday, especially a certain treasurer who bravely did a double stint, when lesser folk would have had a rest.
Also special mention to a certain scribe who master plan came together superbly well . In charge of ordering gear fo rthe BBQ he managed to over order massively as we ended up with over 30kg of unsold sausages. But, the plan came together as your club donated these to Brigit at Urban Angels and to Graeme took a few kilo's to the local food bank that he supports as well.
Well done John S for advertising the swim...
Also, on Bunnings, big thanks to major general Craig, who managed the BBQ logistics and also attended the Bunnings community forum. This is a new initiative from Bunnings and has led the club into a possible partnership / support with the Young Parents Centre working bee's.
Call out for volunteer to help with teenage driving skills RYDA on 26th April
Important message from Geoff, on the upcoming driver awareness workshops...if you can help, email the club secretary RCAHsecretary@gmail.com. Skye has put a call out at the local cluster so hoping for some help from other Rotary Clubs in the district. Meanwhile if your availability has changed, please let Geoff or the club secretary know.
We are 2 persons short for RYDA on 26th April 2023. So far I only have the following:
RYDA Schedule of Volunteers 2023
26th April
15th May
1
Peter Deane
Craig Laidlaw
2
John Malloy
John Malloy
3
Rae Smart
Wendy Gilson
4
Patrice Robinson
Mike Storkey
5
Graeme H
Patrice Robinson
6
Help needed
Angela Quigley
7
Help Needed
Val Saunders
8
We really need 7 volunteers plus me as there will be 220 kids on 26th. With only a week to go, its getting tight.!!!
Multi draw raffle - Big thanks To Anisha, Mark and Dave W, who need your help
The swim registrations are open, and that means swimmers are supporting your club by buying raffle tickets in the registration process for the Solstice Swim multi draw.
So please get out there are source some amazing prizes for our multi - draw on Sunday morning.
Minimum prize value is suggested at $50 and we're hoping for at least 20 prizes for the run down from our major prizes.
So that means each member can help the club raffle by bringing one prize. So the contacts for your prize notifications are Anisha, Mark and Dave who are standing by to offer suggestions, let you know how the multi draw prize collections are going.
Big Thanks to Mooloolaba Yacht Club for helping out with the Solstice Swim
Once again the folks at Mooloolaba Yacht Club have joined in to help with staging the Solstice Swim at Alex Beach. There oversize buoys will be on show as swimmers are guided through an avenue of buoys, clear of the surf to commence their 1km, 3km or 5km swim.
The oversize buoys are complemented by the HUGE buoys from Surf Life Saving Australia and Alex SLC to guide our swimmers through the three courses.
While on the safety bandwagon, just to note that for your safety this year the swim will be limited to the first 300 swimmers registered.
The predicted long range weather forecast is for calm conditions and a bright sunny morning.
The courses and details are shown on the club webpage, and here below. The courses will be manned by the great Alex SLSC volunteers on paddle boards, jet ski's and rubber ducky's. A big shout out to Chris, Lex and their team of volunteers.
This amazing Sunshine Coast Charity Swim could not happen without the great folks at Alex SLSC.
Young Parents Project Update - Do you know a flooring supplier who would be interested in helping?
The club funds are a bit short to complete the Young Parents shaded area upgrade, so if anyone knows a supplier of outdoor flooring that would be suitable for a kids shaded area, we need about 48m2 of material to turn this barren concrete base into an inviting play area.
If you know of anyone, please email the club on RCAHsecretary@gmail.com
We've tentatively set a working bee date for the Saturday 27th May, so please put a few hours in your diary to help out at the centre with painting / general odd jobs around the centre.
Youth Exchange Program - The club tradition continues
The great news is that the YEP is back on, but unfortunately we only received the information last week from AG Bernie with cut off dates for applications being the end of April.
We are doubtful that we will get an applicant this time round given the rush and also that the age range has now changed with the emphasis being on year 10 students.
But we really want to find suitable candidates and potentially sending and accepting a student in 2024 for YEP.
So great news, that things are returning to normal, and hopefully we can make a life changing influence on a local student.
Promotion and Fundraising for the Solstice Swim and Solstice Art show kicks off with a bang
We're officially on teh run down to our mid winter Solstice Swim and Art Show, so all hands on deck to bring on board those all important sponsors and not forgetting the raffle pies for teh club multi-draw. Th team has been busy with poster design, website registration changes and brainstorming how to make this event even bigger. A certain scribe has provided the bullets to members to fire, to let folks know what a great cause we're raising funds for and what the weekend has in store with our mates at Alex SLSC.
Already a certain anonymous donor has already shot the lights out with an amazingly generous donation. Well done Peter. So there are folks out there who want to help, just waiting to hear our story on making a difference to preventable deaths on the Sunshine Coast. A certain scribe is looking forward to hearing more great stories from members.
Here's the amazing posters from our Solstice team now on the District Rotary GIST magazine.
Bowls on this Sunday
Don't forget that this Sunday there's a social do at the Maroochydore Bowls Club.
We are having our Social Bowls day on Sunday starting at 3.00pm with dinner afterwards at the bowls club for those who can make it. I already have the list of names of people going to bowls and those staying for dinner but if you are unsure of whether you are on the list or not send me an email.
It is at the Maroochy Bowls Club on the corner of Memorial Ave and Sixth Ave in Cotton Tree. There is parking in the back, if you turn off Sixth Avenue at the Library. If you get to the tennis court you have gone too far.
Listen to your Voice - Jazzman
Great talk from our guest speaker Jazzmyn on Wednesday about mental health, and specifically her programs to prevent Youth Suicide. Jazzmyn has been successfully running this program in Canada and looking to get a foothold on the Sunshine Coast where we have a severe problem with Youth Suicide. With some personal anecdotes and strong credentials Jazzman's "Magic Beyond Words Program" was very well received by the club and look forward to her program making a difference and helping eliminate this scourge of our young folk.
Jazzman is running a workshop on Friday 21stApril for teachers and educators …. At North Shore Community Centre, 701 David Low Way, Mudjimba. (A Friday evening)
A BIG thanks to the club from our mate Kerry at SalTy Souls Legacy
We received a very nice message from a previous beneficiary of the Solstice Swim, which makes it all worthwhile...
"Something that regularly comes into my mind that I continually fail to act on, is my (and SalTy Souls) appreciation for the storage containers the Alex Rotary Club provided through your fundraising.
My life has become infinitely easier since having a single place of storage for all our surfboards. Whilst we didn’t follow through on the big fit out and office space creation, simply having locked storage where all boards go, get repaired and prepared for our program participants, which just allows me to go to 1 place and load all the boards before they are given away (which I did yesterday before finishing another Stand Tall program tomorrow at Mooloolaba).
Anyway, I just want to say thanks to you and all the wonderful people at Alex Rotary. The containers have been a godsend for us."
Kerry Smith, SalTy Souls Legacy.
Youth Exchange Program is back
We've received a note from the Youth Exchange chair, and the good news is that YEP is up and running for our district !. This is truly a life changing opportunity for local school student to spend a year overseas with a Rotary family.
From Bernie Wilson,
"If your club is interested to participate in the Youth Exchange Program in 2024, it would be useful if you could visit your local school and let teachers and students know of the opportunities provided by the Rotary Youth Exchange program . Although initial application forms are normally due at the end of March we will be extending that to mid April 2024. The decision to become a Rotary Youth Exchange student could change their life for the better, forever."
President Skye has emailed all members for their input.
The Board Meeting Surf Charity home refurbishment at Mooloolah is nearing completion, here's an update from Mark..
"We have finished inside apart from the dishwasher. Hoping to plant out the yard tomorrow but am a bit shy on helpers. Hopefully, a couple of blokes will turn up to help our gardener in the morning.
Waiting on the front gate which is still 3 weeks off."
What's Buderim Rotary Up to?
This was spotted in local media. Great work Buderim
..and here'e the GIST hot off the press...
Editorial - Controversy Corner
"HAVING YOUR SAY"
Club members have noted that getting old brings with it certain super powers, and one of them is invisibility. Unfortunately this super power is a bit unpredictable, but it always works when you are in a queue waiting to be served in a certain chain store.
You'll generally find that when you approach the shop counter the (usually) younger staff are engrossed in a deep philosophical discussion on human relations, and their discussion will be punctuated with lots of phrases such as "I was like" and "he was like" and "she was like" etc. etc.
Anyway, its certain that our human need is to be recognised and relevant, and to "have our say" is fundamental. So its incredibly frustrating it is when this right of recognition is taken away.
A certain scribe was reflecting on this during the weeks "development" on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament (not sure development is the correct word?. ed).
This lack of respect for others, does not affect only old people and First Nations people. I first noticed this at very senior business meetings where those women who held senior positions at the table, were nevertheless struggling to have their voice heard. Often when they came forward with good ideas, the conversation was highjacked by politically driven senior managers. Just saying.
There is no doubt in my mind that lack of respect has gotten worse over the past few years. But the response to the Voice threatens to take us to a new low.
How much worse then is it to politely request your say, only to be told that "we think we know better and will get back with you with our ideas" and "we really care for you" and "we'd love to help you if it wasn't so complicated" etc.
Now I am not in any way comparing the old people's invisibility with the plight of our First Nations people. Just saying that the lack of respect for others cannot continue the way its going in the community.
I also wonder what the situation would be if the First Nations people had the power of governance, and they refused a voice to the privileged minority?
I can think of quite a few folks who should have their megaphone removed, and made to sit quietly in the corner, well before First Nations People. I'd do it respectfully. Just saying.
Editor
Dear Ed,
I totally disagree, old folk are not invisible. I get beeped and waved at all the time when I am driving around. I always acknowledge this, and wave back to my new friends, most of whom who seem only to have one finger in their left hand.
Freddy,
Alex Heads
Thanks Freddy, I have forwarded your details to an optician. Ed
Dear Ed,
Politicians should not have a voice on matters of science. They should NOT be allowed to talk about pandemics, vaccine's or climate change. Most of them would struggle to explain the 4 stroke cycle, never mind a complex eco cycle.
Underwater islander, Fiji.
Agreed. Added. Ed.
Dear Ed,
People who think Facebook and Twitter are research tools and use them to voice their opinion.
Agreed. Added. Ed.
Dear Ed,
Radio shock jocks who promote community divisiveness should not have the voice to the public.
Shirley, Noosa
Agreed. Ed.
Dear Ed,
Noisy children in business class.
Privileged business traveller, Mooloolaba
No, just turn up your B&O headphones, and enjoy the flight. Ed.
Dear Ed,
Folks who accost me in the shopping mall with "can I ask you a question?" and then flog me some subscription or other.
Sue, Maroochydore
Suggest you change your appearance. Make yourself look older. Old folk are invisible. It's a known fact.
The views expressed in this column are the personal reflections of a certain scribe and club members who may contribute, and do not reflect the views of the club, or Rotary.
Dad's jokes
“Your mother has been with us for 20 years,” said John. “Isn’t it time she got a place of her own?”
“My mother?” replied Helen. “I thought she was your mother.”
—Joseph Lozanoff
“Once, my father came home and found me in front of a roaring fire. That made my father very mad, as we didn’t have a fireplace.” —Victor Borge
Did you hear the one about…
…the shepherd who drove his sheep through town and was given a ticket for making a ewe turn?
…the nurse who was chewed out by the doctor because she was absent without gauze?
…the crustacean accused of promoting his own shellfish interests?
Why don’t pirates take a shower before they walk the plank?.....They just wash up on shore.
Don't go bacon my heart. I couldn't if I fried. (Elton John)
What happened to the guy who sued over his missing luggage? A: He lost his case.
How did you get hit on the head with a book? Sal: I only have my shelf to blame.
I'm a big fan of whiteboards. I find them quite re-markable.
What do you call a thieving alligator? A Crookodile
Q: What do you call a lazy kangaroo? A: A pouch potato
Club Information
Our Meeting Details
Wednesdays at 6:45 a.m.
Alex Surf Life Saving Club
Alex Beach
Alexandra Headland , QLD 4557 Australia
Enter from the beach side, next to Coffee kiosk. Magnificent morning views of sun rising over the pacific*
(Technically it's the earth falling...but that took us a while to figure out. Ed)
