The purpose of the event at the ‘Brears’ was to provide an opportunity to bring all up to date with the ‘Cath Lab’ projects and to raise funds to assist Peter Koens with his future endeavors.
Approximately 50 members, partners and friends attended.
The food, provided by Len, Jill and a few others, was competitive with the best restaurants around town. Vietnamese salad, curries, some delightful well cooked sausages, Pekora, prawn GEEZAS, (correctly spelt GYOZAS) and quiches were masticated and thoroughly enjoyed by all present.
A virtual plethora of food for all, including a delightful array of sweets, tea and coffee to conclude the banquet.
The company (always delightful) made for a very pleasant gathering.
The success of the evening could not have been achieved without the generosity and hard work of Len and Jill. I am sure all those who attended, and those that would have if they could have, and those that didn’t just because, pass on their appreciation. The purpose and objective of the evening was achieved in abundance.
Dear Mr. Wittick and the Rotary District of Nunawading,
How do I even begin to explain the National Youth Science Forum? The two weeks I spent in Canberra over the summer holidays were, and I hope will always be, two of the best weeks of my life. The experiences I was given, the people I met and the places I went have given me huge insight into the world beyond year 12 and high school and personally, I feel that those two weeks have helped shaped me into a new and different person.
To be perfectly honest with you, I was in two minds about attending the NYSF. This is mainly due to the stigma around summer camps. All my friends were telling me I was lame and silly for going on “nerd camp”. At first I tried to block these comments out but towards the departure date they really started to affect my disposition. What if everyone there was anti-social? What if all we did was lectures and intense preparation for the studying requirements of year 12 and university? What if I had the most miserable time and would lose two weeks I could have spent at home, procrastinating and lazing around the pool? However, from the moment I stepped onto the bus at Southern Cross Station at eight o’clock on that Monday morning, I knew that my friends were completely and utterly wrong.
From the first second I stepped on the bus, I made friends with incredible people from my area and we all became incredibly close after eight hours in the confined seating of the bus. It is actually amazing how an eight-hour bus trip can turn complete strangers into life long friends.
Not only did I meet new people from my area, but I now have made lasting friendships with young people from all over and Australia and even international students. In particular, Rochelle, a girl in my floor group, was from Zimbabwe and we have all promised to one day visit her home and stay in touch. My floor group became my family for those two weeks, replacing the rowdy younger brother and sisters I left in Melbourne. Together we formed strong bonds and many inside jokes crept their way into our friendship.
My interest group was Blackburn, named after the extraordinary woman that is Elizabeth Blackburn, and was, obviously, a medical/biology group. It was amazing to spend the majority of my day with such incredible and like-minded people and it’s fair to say that we will be friends for a long time. Together we participated in some unique and privileged lab visits such as a tour round the pathology lab of a hospital, trying our hand at gel electrophoresis and learning all about optometry. However, my favourite and most memorable visit would have had to been the behind-the-scenes tour of the Australian Institute of Sport. I love me exercise and my sport so being able to see how science and sport work together in a professional setting was truly inspiring and the practical components, such as running on the indoor track, were amazing experiences.
One very interesting aspect of the NYSF was that we were able to meet many PhD students at various institutions and universities who were interested in the same areas as us. They gave us handy advice and listening to them explain their research topics and experiments was inspiring and insightful into what we could do in the future.
Aside from the science part of the NYSF, there was a strong social connection. We attended many amazing forums where we debated current scientific issues such as nanotechnology and funding in a comfortable and reassuring setting. Also, the semi-formal dinners and events were wonderful opportunities to network with distinguished guests who had given up their time to inspire us with their incredible life stories.
However, none of this would have possible without the tireless enthusiasm that radiated vibrantly from the staffies. Not much older than us, they were amazing role models, mentors and friends to us students and listening to their inspiring advice and stories has helped me to consider paths I would never have previously given a second glance. The staffies were always willing to help and always gave us the energy to chant crazy, nonsensical rhymes on buses, play childish but surprisingly difficult and fun games and to get to know as many people as we possibly could. Without the staffies, the NYSF would be nothing.
So, as is pretty clear from the large ramble above, my time at the NYSF was an absolute whirlwind of a good time and I would give anything to go back in time and relive every single moment of those two weeks. If I was to say one thing that I learned form my experience it would be not to judge people to quickly and to be open minded. The NYSF has helped me to see that nerdy is okay and it is not “lame” to spend two weeks with the most amazing people you will ever meet and to participate in once-in-a-lifetime events. I would encourage anyone and everyone to apply for the NYSF because it has given me confidence, inspiration and skills that I can apply not only to year twelve and university, but to the rest of my life.
Finally, I would just like to thank you and your team at the rotary club for giving me the opportunity to attend the NYSF as it has changed my life and given me so much confidence within myself and my abilities as a youth of this nation. I am now inspired to aim high for my goals and to pursue the things I want out of life with determination, confidence and humility. Thank you.
Save Sunday 12th April 2015 for our Golden Anniversary! Yes, Rotary Club of Nunawading is turning 50! Lunch at the Karralyka Centre in Ringwood. More details later...
Our club meeting on February 25th will be a chance for us to organise our photos and other memorabilia. Your contributions are sought before this but this will be a chance to sort and organise them.
This is our club, and our history come along prepared to be amused, immersed in nostalgia and most of all to help .
You could start bringing in your photos. Email or place in a zip lock bag with your name on it.
Don't forget your social group activity!
The Rotary Club of Nunawading has a Face Book page. Look for Rotary Club of Nunawading
Start looking for local businesses who will nominate employees for Pride of Workmanship. See Peter Schoner.
February Board Meeting will be on Wednesday 25th February.
Please save the motel soaps or similar size for the 'Days for Girls' program which is a program for sending sanitation products in a wash bag for teenage girls overseas. Give them to Judith. Thanks to the members who have already given me some. RC Monash was delighted on Wednesday morning!
Also save used stamps with a good deal of the envelope! They pay by weight!
Foreign coins are being collected in a container at the desk
RC Nunawading members are rostered on to attend the Whitehorse Rotaract Club on 2nd and 4th Wednesday - 7:15 for 7:30 pm - at Melbourne Baseball Club Surrey Drive, Box Hill. Opposite Aqualink Box Hill.
In the spirit of Inter-Club and Inter-District fellowship we have been invited by the Rotary Club of Eltham (District 9790) to a special evening with the Hon Ted Baillieu, Chairman of the Victorian ANZAC Centenary Committee.
If you would like to join us on the night of 5th March 2015 in Eltham, please contact Ann Lynch on 0419 008 759.
Know the speaker's title or position. Do not turn and ask the speaker "Is it Associate or Assistant Professor?"
Be brief. Aim for between 45 seconds and two minutes. Five minutes is too long.
Smile and be enthusiastic in tone, gesture and choice of words.
Know enough about the subject to sound knowledgeable. Do not turn to the speaker and ask if the topic is epidemiology, epistemology or episiotomy.
Announce the speech title as given to you by the speaker. If you have any questions about it, ask the speaker before the introduction. Many speakers select specific titles for a reason or for a pun. If the speaker is not using a title, make sure that your description matches the speaker’s.
Introductions are no place to use slides, overheads or presentation software.
< > are good but should pertain to the subject and be in harmony with the mood of the presentation. Avoid using canned jokes.
If the credentials of the speaker are so outstanding that they must be shared with the audience or if there are publications the audience will want to know about, insert them in the program or prepare a separate commemorative handout.
Never use the old cliché that the speaker needs no introduction. If the introduction ties the speaker to the audience and the topic then each introduction is unique, plus there is always something new about every speaker. There may be audience members who don’t know the guest.
You are the catalyst, not the performer. Do not try to upstage the speaker with your knowledge of the subject. Do not dwell on your relationship with the speaker, even though he or she is your boss, relative or significant other.
Thanking a guest speaker
Be brief.Do not repeat the speech.
Again, you are the catalyst, not the performer. Do not try to upstage the speaker with your knowledge of the subject.
If there is a presentation do not say this is a ‘small token of our appreciation’.
Rather ‘We would like you to accept this gift in appreciation of your time spent with us this evening.’
Ask the audience to thank the speaker with acclamation.
MEMBERS' ACCOMMODATION (Nights of Friday 13 and Saturday 14 March)
As advised previously, I have now booked 11 rooms for accommodation at the following:
The Ballarat Mid City Motel
Doveton Street Ballarat North
Room rate is $125 / night. (No Breakfast Included- own arrangements).
We currently have 21 confirmed starters and require a possible 11 rooms to accommodate all attendees.
This includes Judith Hoffman / Youth Exchange Student RC Healesville who is sharing with Carina.
$25 per room has been paid by the Club as a room deposit. I will need to collect this from members attending prior to the Conference. Attendees as follows:
Russell and Sue Warmington
Hank & Maria Gibcus
Maria and Ian Armstrong
Len and Jill Brear
Bob & Beverley Hoskins
Lesley Arnolda & Peter Koens
Judith Eadon & Gabby Knaepple
Carina Blank and Judith Hoffman ( Youth Exchange/ R C Healesville)
Ben Stennett
Peterand Karen Schoner
Marg Hodge & Harvey Lane
The Conference Program
The Conference will run from lunchtime Friday March 13 until Sunday 15 March 2015
A conference Agenda will available at registration.
Opening speaker for the Eureka Conference 2015 will be Steve Moneghetti AM
Other keynote speakers in Rotary’s six areas of focus are:
Peter Leahy AC- Peace and Conflict Prevention
Barb West – Culture – Water & Santitation
Ken Lay – former Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police – Domestic Violence - Maternal & Child Health
Mary-Ruth Mendell – Basic Education and Literacy
Professor Paddy Dewan – Disease Prevention and Treatment
Anthony Schinck – Economic and Community Development
A Club dinner has been organised for the Friday night at the Boatshed Restaurant on Lake Wendouree - 27A Lake Wendouree Foreshore Ballarat
The Gala Dinner for the Conference will be on the Saturday night at the Ballarat Lodge and Convention Centre, 613 Main Road Golden Point. Pre Dinner drinks will be organised at our Motel, prior to departure.
The theme for the Evening is “Beneath the Southern Cross”
We still have to find some idea to fit the dress theme. Can the girls attending give this some thought please? I would appreciate your assistance. Len has suggested a Chinese Goldfields theme.
The Conference will finish lunch time on the Sunday. A boxed lunch will be provided.
Conference Registration
Each member attending should have booked their Conference registration.
If this is not the case, booking details are as follows:
*Registration costs - $325 / person, the full Conference fee. Youth Exc $160
*This can be done on-line with a credit card @ http//2015conference.9810rotary.org.au/
I am available to assist, if required
Manual booking forms are available from myself or the above website. You will need to be quick with this option now.
These must be return to Steve Fisher with Credit card details or Cheque c/- P. O Box 823 Templestowe 3106.
I am looking forward to educational and fun weekend and promoting Interplast at the Rotary Expo. Len is organising this separately and may require some staffing support.
I would like to thank you all for personal support with your attendance at this District Conference.
Rotary Nunawading will again be seen as a good supporter of Rotary and District 9810.
After 35 years of devoted service to his parish, a priest was honoured with a retirement dinner.
A leading local politician and member of the congregation was chosen to make the presentation and to give a little speech at the dinner.
However, he was delayed, so the Priest decided to say his own few words while they waited:
'I got my first impression of the parish from the first confession I heard here.
I thought I had been assigned to a terrible place.
The very first person who entered my confessional told me he had stolen a television set and, when questioned by the police, was able to lie his way out of it.
He went on to say that he had stolen money from his parents, embezzled from his employer, had an affair with his boss's wife and taken illegal drugs.
I was appalled.
But as the days went on I learned that my people were not all like that and I had, indeed, come to a fine parish full of good and loving people.'
Just as the Priest finished his talk, the politician arrived full of apologies at being late.
He immediately began to make the presentation and gave his talk:
'I'll never forget the first day our parish Priest arrived,' said the politician.
'In fact, I had the honour of being the first person to go to him for confession.'
Moral of the story:- never, never, never ever be late!
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Introducing a guest speaker
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