Our regular Thursday meetings at Heidelberg Golf Club got away to a flying start for 2018 with an interesting presentation last week on electric bikes. Judging by the questions and the discussion after the meeting, electric bikes appealed to many people interested in supplementing their own pedal power. Thanks Brett for introducing your tennis partner to the Club! And a reminder to all: if you have an idea for a guest speaker, please send details to Alison and/or John O’Callaghan for their consideration and inclusion in the speaker program.
As announced at the meeting last week, we will not meet this Thursday at Heidelberg Golf Club but will assemble instead on Sunday 11 February at 12pm at the home of Graeme and Lyn Hardiman in Rye. We had a great day last year and this year promises to be just as much fun whilst raising funds for Foundation. Be prepared for a relaxing day on the deck with great food, great company and spectacular views across Port Phillip Bay. Thanks again Graeme and Lyn for hosting us next Sunday.
On 15 February we are very lucky to have genetic scientist and long term Eltham resident, Dr Jenny Graves AO, as guest speaker. Jenny won the 2017 PMs Science Prize and is Distinguished Professor and Vice Chancellor’s Fellow at LaTrobe University, and also Professor Emeritus at ANU, Thinker-in-Residence at the University of Canberra and Professorial Fellow at the University of Melbourne! Jenny has titled her speech ‘Sex, genomes and the future of Men’. Should be a very interesting night so bring along your partners and friends.
Josh Ogden (Macca’s son-in-law to be) has advised me of the change of date for the David McFarlane charity golf day at Greenacres Golf Club in Kew. The event will now happen on Friday 6 April. There will be an after party for those of you who are not golfers but would like to attend. Cheers
President Judy
Lower Eltham Park BBQ 9:30 am - 2:30 pm
You are responsible for finding a replacement if you are unable to do your rostered duty and to notify Lyn Truran ljtruran@bigpond.com
BBQ Team captains, please submit your report after each BBQ (email with instructions has been sent to Team Captains)
Sunday 11 Feb
Sunday 18 Feb
Sunday 25 Feb
1st Eltham North Scouts
Kevin Hadingham (TC)
Les Coath (TC)
Nick Ikonomou
Andrew Sheppard
Denese Billings
Melissa Anderson
Kevin Darling-Filby
Sally Squires
The team did well at the BBQ on Sunday under the leadership of team captain John O'C - $760 + $50 donation from a very generous visitor from England! We were also very fortunate to have the additional assistance of Lorraine Englefield who (while Mike was starring as head BBQ chef), not only arrived with a delicious morning tea but patiently chopped onions (the electric gizmo being broken), and also dashed to the shops for emergency supplies of paper napkins when they ran out. All in all, fabulous teamwork.
Long term Eltham resident Dr Jenny Graves’ PHD is in molecular biology. As an evolutionary geneticist Jenny works on Australian animals, to discover how genes and chromosomes and regulatory systems evolved, and how they work in all animals including humans. Her laboratory uses this unique perspective to explore the origin, function and fate of human sex genes and chromosomes, and famously predicted the disappearance of the Y chromosome. (What – no men?)
Jenny is Vice Chancellor’s Fellow at La Trobe University, Professor Emeritus at ANU and “Thinker in Residence” at University of Canberra. In 2017 she became the first woman to be a sole winner of the Prime Minister’s Science Prize.
Jenny has kindly agreed to come and speak here on 15th Feb on “Sex, genomes and the future of men!” You are welcome to bring partners to this special opportunity.
Judy Sharp: No meeting next week – function at Hardiman’s on Sunday 11 Feb. Board meeting at Golf Club on Wednesday 6.30pm – 9.30pm. RSVP Ann by 2 Dec. David McFarlane’s son-in-law, Josh Ogden, is organising at Charity Golf day at Greenacres, Kew. Date Friday 6 April
Ann Lynch: There will be an 'After Golf function after 5pm. At meeting of 22 Feb, training organised 6.30pm – 7.30pm in Eaglemont Room re CPR and use of Defibrillator by local First Aid provider. Dinner/meeting to follow. Eltham Jazz Festival Sat 24/Sun 25 Feb. Roster will be available for members volunteering to help with traffic management.
Jules Aussems: Conference 22 / 25 March – at present only have 27x attending – need more. Would like to have 50x for Friday night dinner cruise. 3 rooms left at Country Club, 3 cabins at Yarrawonga Caravan Park, and one caravan site near cabins. Please confirm Sunset dinner cruise attendance by registering on Trybooking http://www.trybooking.com/303854 (Conference bookings to be done through District website)
Alan McCleary: Weekend before Xmas Vicki Ward MP requested assistance with BBQ – fundraising to rebuild playground at Eltham North park. This raised $745. State Govt has provided $50,000. Men’s Shed to help with BBQ on 7 Feb.
Alison Cooper: Thanks to John O’C for helping with program. Hardiman's lunch is a fundraiser day with raffles. ‘Crazy people’ riding bikes there. On 15 Feb we’re fortunate to have one of our locals - Professor Jenny Graves – a genetic scientist – as our speaker. She is 'Thinker in Residence' at National University Canberra and in 2017 won the PM’s Science Prize. If anyone has ideas for speakers please contact Alison, John or Irene.
Rob Kilkullen: See letter of thanks in Bulletin from RC of Hout Bay for our donation of $3,500 for a 2 year breakfast program for a small township in South Africa. Local residents who are supporting this great program will address the club on 29 March.
Ian Toohill: Students attended various summer programs i.e. Lord Somers, Lady Somers, Science Forum in Canberra. Japan Exchange student excellent.
Lynn Truran: Thanks to BBQ volunteers in January - $1,000 raised. Last week cancelled due to heat. Need TC and a volunteer for Monday.
We have been in contact with Sue and Len Horwood who are local Eltham people. They have been supporting the RC of Hout Bay for a number of years. Hout Bay is a fishing community in South Africa in the proximity of Cape Town. There is a black township attached to the main town of Hout Bay which is very disadvantaged. This is a typical situation throughout South Africa.
One of the initiatives RC Hout Bay has undertaken is to provide breakfast to a preschool crèche in the township. Through Len and Sue we have made contact with RC Hout Bay and we have transferred A$3,500 to RC Hout Bay. This will provide breakfast to an additional crèche with 50+ preschool children for just over two years. RC Hout bay have identified and arranged this with the new crèche.
Aquabox India
Central India suffers from flooding most years during the monsoon. This creates a clean water shortage in the towns with all of the attendant dangers caused by drinking dirty water.
We as yet have not been successful with getting Aquaboxes into India.I am visiting Kolkata in February and will be visiting at least two Rotary Clubs.I will attempt to find a way to cooperate with a RC in India to initially handle Aquabox shipments and ultimately preposition Aquabox in Kolkata.
On behalf of the children who will benefit from your generosity, we, the Rotary Club of Hout Bay would like to thank you and let you know that you are really making an incalculable difference in the lives of these little ones. We are privileged to be the conduit of your generosity and humbly thank you for giving us the opportunity to help our less fortunate communities.
We are extremely grateful to Sue Horwood for taking the plight of our communities to you.
Please would you be so kind as to pass on our sincere Rotary wishes and appreciation to President Judy Sharp as well as your board of directors and fellow members. I hope to have the opportunity of welcoming members of your club to our little village so that they can see first-hand how incredibly helpful your assistance is.
The Conference is now only seven weeks away and we need to firm up bookings. Currently some 31 Eltham Rotarians and partners have indicated that they are attending the Conference. Have you booked for the Conference on Trybooking? To book go to the link on the flier below. You can also book for the Conference dinner on Saturday evening at the same time - so far some 7 Eltham Rotarians are intending to go to the dinner.
Friday Night (23/3/18) We have booked a sunset dinner cruise on Lake Mulwala for our Friday night’s entertainment. The cruise is for 3 -4 hours, and includes dinner and entertainment from a band. Drinks at bar prices - $45 per head. Some 31 people have indicated they wish to participate but there is space for more. The cruise will take 48 people so we will also open up bookings to other Rotarians if not fully subscribed by Eltham. Please confirm your participation in this event by emailing Jules Aussems on aussems@optusnet.com.au . We will set up Trybooking for forward payments for this event so stay tuned.
Accomodation Jules has organised accomodation at Club Mulwala (the Conference venue), and at Yarrawonga Holiday Park. There are still 4 rooms available at the Country Club and three cabins at the Holiday Park. Please contact Jules by email if you wish to book one of these options. All caravan spots reserved for Eltham Rotary are taken but there may be more available by contacting the Holiday Park directly on 57443420 and mentioning Eltham Rotary.
