Fellow Rotarians and Friends of the Club, welcome to my first President’s Message. I am not big on writing messages for the sake of writing, so it is very likely that you will not be presented with my utterances on a weekly basis – more likely when there is something that I wish to share.
I am however a big supporter of Members making contact with each other as regularly as possible. If you cannot make it to our weekly gatherings, please do so as time permits. For some of us it is via email or the telephone sharing jokes and witticisms, for others it is sharing business, a meal, a round of golf, or a coffee. Sharing keeps us relevant and young at heart. To that end of sharing and a great day out, Warren (our earnest Treasurer) and his team are in the midst of planning a day out at the Races in Caloundra at the end of March 2020. Watch this space for more details as they firm up in the betting.
To Rotary business:
Last Monday (July 29) we entertained our new District Governor (Darryl Iseppi) at lunch. Darryl strikes me as a very pleasant chap and has most likely forgotten more about Rotary than what I will ever know. Thank you to those members who were present to hear his presentation and quiz him on his vision for Rotary and plans for the coming year.
Dan Adler and his Team have RotaryShip and the promotion of our Club to the public moving along nicely and we will let you know when the finishing touches on the rollout is complete.
RYPEN (Rotary Youth Program of Enrichment) have written to us asking for applicants (14-17yrs) – August 23-25, 2019. Last years program was postponed. If you know someone who is suitable and interested in a weekend away learning Team Building, goal setting, personal values and meeting a new network of friends please let your Committee know about them.
Those of you who have been at our last several lunches might be tired of my sign-off of the meeting with the invite to join me in a hearty rendition of the first verse of our National Anthem. Not that I could recite it – let alone sing it, here is the second verse….
Beneath our radiant Southern Cross
We'll toil with hearts and hands;
To make this Commonwealth of ours
Renowned of all the lands;
For those who've come across the seas
We've boundless plains to share;
With courage let us all combine
To Advance Australia Fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing, Advance Australia Fair.
If you were not aware of the above– feel free to drop a dollar in the Sargent’s pocket.
The Rotary Club of Brisbane received the sad news on 27th July that its long-serving member, Stan Francis had passed away peacefully with his family that morning. Stan was a member of Rotary for over 45 years, more than 40 of those with the Rotary Club of Brisbane. A stalwart of the club, Stan was instrumental in the establishment of Donations in Kind in Queensland and a long-time supporter and organiser for Rotary's Youth Exchange Programme just to name some highlights. Generations of Brisbane Rotarians learned the Rotary way of cooking sausages for fundraisers from Stan. Stan will be sorely missed at meetings for his gentle but sharp sense of humour. It is fitting that Stan's Rotary In Memoriam be written by our longest serving member, Wal Bishop AM.
VALE STANLEY JAMES FRANCIS PASSED AWAY 27 JULY 2019
R.I.P.
BY WALLACE BISHOP AM
Stan is a legend to me in his time and one of the most loyal supporters I have had the pleasure to number among my many business supporters, Associates and friends.
Stan joined me at Wallace Bishop when I advertised for Watchmakers. He and Pauline moved from Charleville with 3 very young boys to help with the Workshop overload.
My first shop outside the Brisbane CBD was in Toowoomba and Stan moved there as Manager for the shop. Joining Stan was Len Clyde, a member of Rotary Club of Toowoomba who soon got Stan involved in Rotary.
From there Stan and Pauline moved to Brisbane to Manage our shop on the corner of Queen and Edward Streets and Stan moved his Rotary Membership to Rotary Club of Brisbane where he became involved in and interested in Rotary’s International activities with the exchange student programmes.
Stan helped so much with the growth of Wallace Bishop and assumed the role of General Manager which he fulfilled very well for many years until his retirement.
I missed his help very much and although Wallace Bishop went on to grow from strength to strength, Stan’s legacy and natural understanding for business were of immense value to me personally and the business.
I thank Stan and Pauline for their support, loyalty and friendship over the many years of our wonderful association.
Wallace Bishop and Rotary are the better for Stanley James Francis being involved.
July 1st 2019 marked the changeover of the Rotary year, with outgoing president Chris Muir passing the reins to incoming president Michael Stephens. It is satisfying to look back on a year of steady but constant achievement.
PRESIDENT’S ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19
As some of you may have realized, I was somewhat reluctant to succumb to the Presidency but the persuasive skills of Graeme Whitmore, honed in the rugby scrums in New Zealand, and Keith Watts , master deal maker, finally prevailed. I look back, however, on a very interesting and enjoyable year in which I have met many good people with valuable ideas and life experiences whose paths I would otherwise never have crossed as well as learning a lot more about Rotary and, I hope, having vacated the position with the club in a reasonably healthy state.
The Club’s strategic 3 year plan, initiated by Daniel Vankov, provided a framework of evolution which prompted a number of changes, the value of which remains to be fully assessed. To encourage members to contribute to the direction and activities of the club we have instituted a club assembly, on the third Monday of the month, at which directors reports can be discussed before they are presented to the board meeting, and a number of these have witnessed some spirited discussion while others have been non-controversial.
The suggestion that the timing of meetings be varied to allow younger members to attend more easily, and have lower cost and a more social dimension, was initiated with two breakfast meetings but with fairly poor attendance. Considering this, a switch was made to holdiong one Friday evening cocktail hour gathering a month at the United Service Club. These meetings were generally quite well attended and attracted a modest number of family members and visitors as well as Rotarians from other clubs. The board has also had a preliminary look at the possibility of establishing a satellite club which could meet at a time more suitable for younger Rotarians. We have also introduced a reduced membership fee for family members living at the same address to encourage partners, and perhaps adult children of members, to join, and to date my wife is the first of two to accept this offer, the other being Michael Roetteler. It was very pleasing that Dymphna was one of three new female members inducted this year, out of a total of seven, and it would be wonderful if we could continue to attract more female members.
President Chris talks about his trip to islands off the coast of NT and the plastic pollution problem there at one of our Friday evening social meetings.
The guest speaker program has provided many excellent presentations, a number of which attracted significant numbers of guests and Denise Schellbach is to be heartily congratulated for her work in this area. It is not easy to attract top speakers when we can only promise a relatively small audience but Denise has again done a wonderful job this year.
Club activities have been quite numerous and varied and my apologies if I have missed any in the following list:
The public appeal for drought assistance in the Macarthur Centre, initiated by Wal Bishop and directed by Cameron Bishop.
The Melbourne Cup Trifecta fund-raiser, directed by Graeme Whitmore, which raised over $2000.
Our club members contributed significantly to running the Eddies van, directed by Denise Schellbach, over the Christmas Holidays.
The International Women’s Day Breakfast, directed by Daniel Vankov, was not only a great success but also raised $4000 for our charity fund
The Alex Haslam dinner, attended by 15 Rotarians from 3 clubs and 29 non-Rotarians which was also a great success and made a small profit even though I attempted to just break even with the pricing.
The RSPCA Million Paws Walk BBQ Breakfast which was manned by 5 members and 3 non-members was enjoyed by all the workers but unfortunately failed to make a profit as a result of a much smaller attendance than was anticipated.
The Mundubbera Golf Day attracted 6 members and raised $1600 for the club.
The Club’s Annual Golf Day, directed by Graeme Whitmore and Michael Stephens was another social and financial success with a final profit of almost $10,000.
Work has begun, under the direction of Warren Walker, on a major Race Day event at Caloundra in March 2020 and this has potential not only to be great fun but also a very significant fundraiser.
Graeme Whitmore has suggested a truly major project to celebrate the Club’s centenary in 2023. This would be the construction of a building complex to provide accommodation for “YoungCare” and is being considered by the board
RCoB Members with other charity golf day contestants in Mundubbera
Rotarians Jaqui De Lacy and John Smerdon collecting for the Western Queensland Drought Appeal
PP Daniel Vankov with the keynote speakers at the Women's Day Breakfast, Margaret Sheil AO and Councillor Adrian Schrinner
Rotarians hard at work packing a container destined for PNG at the Donations in Kind warehouse in Kingston
We have donated $50,000 from our foundation in 2018/19 but with generous donations from a number of members and a successful year for its investments the fund is now worth $50,000 more than at 1 July 2018. Major donations from the foundation were made to the following charities:
Kyeema PNG Chicken project
Western Queensland Drought Appeal
North Queensland Flood Appeal
Donations in Kind
Australian Rotary Health
The Rotary Foundation
At Left: Work starting on the Kyeema chicken breeding project in PNG
Smaller but still substantial donations were made to the following.
The University of Qld. Crown of Thorns starfish research
The University of Qld Groups4Health research.
James Peterson'ss "Beaking Free" mental health charity
Royal Flying Doctors Mental Health Unit
Operation Cleft Palate
The Salvation Army
Surfers Sunrise Rotary Wheelchair Trust
At Right: One of the wheelchairs we sponsored for PNG
We also made donations from our general charity fund to:
RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership awards - sponsoring two group leaders)
The Club’s Rotary Peace Fellow, Morgan Marks to help her attend an academic conference
Gaba Gaba village in PNG to assist with severe cyclone damage.
We have been successful in partnering this year with the Rotary Club of Genoa Golfo Paradiso to win a Rotary International Foundation Scholarship to support an Italian medical science researcher come to the University of Qld. We have also made successful applications for District Grants for the Alex Haslam membership development evening and our Kyeema Chicken Project in PNG.
At Left: "Our" Rotary Peace Fellow, Morgan Marks
The membership committee under Keith Watts has had a very successful year with 7 new members inducted to give us a current total club membership of 38. The advantage of a club this size is that we all know each other well and we have a very friendly atmosphere at our meetings which I hope is conducive to attracting and keeping members. The disadvantage is that we have limited numbers available for projects which means we have to co-opt friends and relatives for some activities although this does have the advantage of exposing them to Rotary which may in time pay off with an interest in joining. We are very optimistic, however, that Dan Adler’s “Rotaryship” initiative will significantly increase our numbers in the years to come.
The Club administration has been admirably managed by Mark Williams and Warren Walker with the assistance of Jillanne Myers and Mark’s inauguration of “Club Runner” means our running costs are much reduced. The board decision to increase the membership fee by $50 a half-year but reduce the meal cost for members from $45 to $35 also appears to have been well received
A small committee, comprising Daniel Vankov and myself, arranged to recognize the dedication of a number of members during the year by awarding Paul Harris Fellowships. These members were: Stan Francis, Don O’Donoghue, Keith Watts, Graeme Whitmore, John Smerdon, Michael Stephens, James Delahunty, Wal Bishop and Denise Schellbach. Mark Williams and Warren Walker will also be recognized in this way
Five club members and one spouse attended the 35th Anniversary Celebrations in Taiwan of our Sister Club of Taipei Tatung. We were overwhelmed by the hospitality and left with very many happy memories of our five days in the company of our Taiwanese Rotary brothers and sisters. Our club was also very pleased to donate $5000 to Taipei Tatung’s charitable endeavours.
Kira Keeley-Watts, One of our sponsored RYLA attendees, draws the raffle under the watchful eye of Sgt-At-Arms Tony Pilkington
In conclusion I thank all of our members for their support and I happily pass on the chain of office to Michael Stephens in the sure knowledge that he will also receive the same support and enjoy his year as president at least as much as I have. And finally my greatest support has been from our member and my wife Dymphna who has devoted many hours valiantly deciphering and typing my hand written reports and triaging and prioritizing the many emails which I receive and to her I extend my most sincere thanks and gratitude.
Yours in Rotary
Chris Muir
Past President Chris Passes on the Chain of Office to President Michael Stephens
Chair for the day was Pres. Michael Stephens, who kicked off the meting with a toast to Rotary International and welcomed guests Carmel Delahunty, wife of Rtn James Delahunty and Suraksha Shakya who hails from Nepal and has settled in Australia after completing studies in Japan sponsored by Rotary International.
Chair Michael then called for spots:
Mark Williams reported that 3 Rotarians from the RCoB, Jaqui De Lacey, Jillanne Myers and Mark Williams, ably supported by prospective member Chi-chicheery Keister and several members of PP Chris Muir's family had packed a container due to be sent to PNG on the previous Friday.
Graeme Whitmore reported that the surplus from the annual golf day had been just over $10,000, the bulk of which would be donated to Youngcare, and the balance of which would go to the club charity account for other charitable activities.
Almost Done: Packing the container for DIK
President Michael exchanges our banner with that of RC Omiya West in Japan with Rotary Alumna Suraksha Shakya
L-R: Daniel Vankov, Jaqui De Lacy, Michael Stephens, Carmel Delahunty, Wal Bishop, James Delahunty, Suraksha Shakya, Gerard Holtmann, Graeme Whitmore
There being no guest speaker, members enjoyed the fellowship until the drawing of the raffle. Graeme Whitmore did not manage to find the joker so the rest of the attendees sang the national anthem in high spirits to close the meeting at 1:45pm.
Chair for the day was Rick Tamaschke, who opened the meeting with a recital of the Rotary Vision Statement and toasts before asking President Michael Stephens to the posum for weekly messages.
President Michael informed members that he had receives a thank you letter from the Rotary Club of Taipei Tatung thanking us for our contribution to their charities in honour of their 35th charter anniversary. Michael also reported that $6000 had been donated to Youngcare from the proceeds from the annual golf day. Michael also offered commiserations to the Australian Rugby team.
In spots:
Rtn Matt Christopher reported on a conversation he had had with an Aboriginal elder he had met at at an event, noting that many of the Aboriginals who had served in wars had not been appropriately recognised. He will be doing some more research before possibly recommending a project addresing this issue.
PP Keith Watts talked to members and guests about the homelessness problem and things that other Rotary clubs have done to address the issue. There is a homelessness problem in Brisbane that we do address in a small way with our support of "Eddie's Van" over Christmas, but perhaps we could do more.
President Michael Stephens congratulated PP Wal Bishop on behalf of the club for the induction of the Wallace Bishop chaiin into the Queensland Business Leaders' Hall of Fame. More details here.
Our Guest speaker for the day was Rtn Jillanne Myers who was "Member in the Spotlight". Jillanne gave members an entertaining summary of her story so far, in which she has been a milliner, an accountant, financial adviser to a millionaire and a Queensland public servant amont other things. Jillanne is currently finishing an 18-month break from employment but now looking to re-enter the workforce. The future is unclear, but "Bring it ON!".
Sgt Pilko kept us laughing while picking our pockets before the drawing of the raffle. Gerard Holtmann had the ticket to disappointment and the jackpot grew just a little more.
President Michael closed the meeting at 1:40 with the singing of the national anthem.
Chair for the day was Mark Williams, who asked members to stand without applause to observe a period of silence in honour of Rtn Stan Francis, who passed away on the morning of the 27th July.
After this observance, Chair Mark opened the meeting with a recitation of the Rotary vision statement followed by toasts to the Queen and people of Australia and to Rotary International before inviting President Michael to the podium for weekly messages, which can be read in the President's message above. Michael welcomed District Governor Darryl Iseppi and our well-known Rotary friend Bruce McNaught.
In spots:
Mark Williams announced that this year the Burnett Cup golf day in Mundubbera had been set for Saturday 26th October.
Bruce McNaught drew attendees' attention to the flyer for the Polio fundraising dinner which this year will have a vaudeville theme and is being held on 20th August and bookings can be made HERE.
Speaker for the meeting was District Governor Darryl Iseppi who spoke to the small group present about his priorities for the year, his vision for Rotary and membership initiatives. Darryl also answered several questions about the forthcoming districts amalgamation and how it was impacting his governorship. Darryl foreshadowed a potential major project for the new district 9602, which is to purchase permanent premises for Donations in Kind, which looks like costing at least $3M to do.
Following DG Darryl's presentation Sgt Pilko lightened our wallets enough to make us all look forward to winning the raffle. As it turned out, Graeme Whitmore had the ticket to a card other than the joker for the second time this month. Loud calls for a fine at some future meeting were entertained willingly by the sergeant.
President Michael closed the meeting with the singing of the national anthem an 1:50pm.
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