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President – Jenny Foster 2017/18

May 1st 2018

Volume 83, Issue 39

Secretary@RCE.org.au Chartered 27th March 1935 www.RCE.org.au

Jenny Foster

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT:

Dear Fellow Rotarians & Friends,

Today at the Club meeting we welcomed PP Neil Henderson as our Guest Speaker. Telling us about his & wife, Mary’s, fantastic trip

seeing so much of Australia that many of us have never even thought about, let alone have visited. Where life takes us is such an

interesting journey & we all have a story to tell. Best of luck Neil & Mary at your new home at Anglesea & enjoy your “Sea Change”.

Thank you from so, so many for your years of Service to Rotary & for such friendship & laughs along the way.

A story to tell…here is a another great story. "Rotary started with the vision of one man – Paul Harris. The Chicago attorney formed

the Rotary Club of Chicago on 23 February 1905, so professionals with diverse backgrounds could exchange ideas, form meaningful &

longline friendships, and give back to their communities." Perhaps Neil is not an attorney but he has certainly achieved what Paul

Harris asked Rotarians to do.

I also encourage you to think about this…….."In February 1907, Harris was elected the third president of the Rotary Club of Chicago, a

position he held until the fall of 1908. Toward the end of his club presidency, Harris worked to expand Rotary beyond Chicago. Some

club members resisted, not wanting to take on the additional financial burden. But Harris persisted and by 1910 Rotary had expanded

to several other major U.S. Cities". Imagine if Paul Harris had not persisted! Imagine if Paul Harris did not have a vision! I encourage

every one of you to think of this as you journey through your work, family life & Rotary. Dream big!!

What I do know is that this is exactly what RCE Member, Bernadette Schwerdt, did when she dreamt of writing her latest book that I

was privileged to attend the launch of last week. Congratulations Bernadette.

How far the world has come since Paul Harris dared to dream about the future of Rotary. In 1908 Mr Harris had to tell the story in

such a different way as we do today. Today we absolutely need to be telling the story about all we are doing through social

media…Rotary has a many, many great stories to tell. Want to know more about our new world of online business….I hope so.

Bernadette’s book is certainly worth the read to learn so much.

http://www.bernadetteschwerdt.com.au/book/

This Club will shortly be launching it’s very own book. A collection of many stories about many amazing people & projects both locally

& internationally. Today RCE past members PP Alan Murphy & Andrew Muir attended the Club Meeting. Again 2 more men that RCE

have much to thank them for. They both are a story themselves & I thank them both enormously for allowing the Rotary Club of

Essendon’s great story to be told as we celebrate 110 years since Paul Harris had a dream & 30 years this year since one of this Club’s

very own, Royce Abbey, became RI President. How proud are we to see the Rotary Club of Essendon on the following list.

List_of_Rotary_International_Presidents

Enjoy the week ahead & think about all the stories making a difference every day!

Kind Regards

President Jenny

PS THANK YOU TO DARYL LEE FOR BEING THE “CONTACT” EDITOR IN SUNIL’S ABSENCE FOR THE NEXT 3 WEEKS. THIS IS MOST

APPRECIATED.

Proposed Annual Foundation Dinner:

Following on from our successful Foundation Dinner a few weeks ago, where we heard David Abbey tell us all about the Royce & Jean

Abbey Scholarship, many Rotarians from within and outside RCE have expressed interest in holding it as an annual function. Each year let’s hear more about this Scholarship & the Awards & about Rotary’s Foundation. Well why not!!

An idea started to emerge….what would be a good date to hold this in the future that is meaningful….why not the anniversary of the wedding of Royce & Jean Abbey. A great partnership!

This wedding date was also celebrated by 2 other long-standing members of RCE, in later years dining together. Special people with special memories. Let’s keep these memories alive each year. a. Jack & Pearl HONSON’s Wedding Anniversary is April 17,

b. Andrew & Joan MUIR’s Wedding Anniversary is April 17, and

d. Our own Royce & Jean ABBEY’s Wedding Anniversary is April 17.

This year’s dinner was in April so let’s continue that Annual Foundation Dinner on Apr 17 & together always remember these & many more special partnerships.

Guest’s:

Andrew Muir, Alan Murphy OAM, Mary Henderson and soon to be Guest Neil Henderson and the Always lovely Gaye Cariss,

Snippets of Bernadette Schwerdt’s Book – How To Build An Online Business:

Other matters Raffle winner was Grant Stephenson But, he left the Joker and dollars behind for another week and lucky person! It Could Just Be You if you attend next week. Proposed Club Directory - 2018-19:

As members can now download an “App” from Club Runner and have every RCE members contact details in their own Contacts on their Mobile Phone, Veronica is wondering if we should pursue printing a RCE Club Directory as at $1,400 it is money that could be better utilised elsewhere on projects and the like by the Club. Members can login in to www.rec.org.au and go to the member area. The Admin page advises how to down load the “App” and Contact details held for each RCE member held in Club Runner. The reason Veronica is seeking to implement this strategy apart from the dollar savings is, that District is following the same initiative for 9800 Clubs/members. You will have Veroinca’s contact details in your current directory, please contact her for information, help about getting into Club Runner, your thoughts on the acceptability or otherwise of having what is the current RCE Directory on your Mobile and the rest on the current RCE Directoy on the RCE Website that will be updated shortly with the non contact detail info of Board members, Directors, RAAward info, Honorary members etc etc etc. currently printed in the RCE Directory. This is Your Chance to have your say. If you sit back and say Nothing, Board may well force it upon you. Please Speak Up if you hold a view – Any view! Proposed change of meetings Roger Leask also put out a proposal to be discussed before deciding, to change the frequency of meetings to once a month, and charge a higher fee per person (suggested $40 per person) he stated that this will generate a greater number of attendees and would make it easier to book good speakers as well. Roger further suggested that in order to make up for any loss in revenue that an increase in the annual subscription be made, suggested $100 more, he acknowledged that the financials will need to be worked out to ensure the members benefit as well as the club with a larger attendance. He further suggested that all the committee meetings could be held on the same day at the same venue (perhaps new one) and the duration of the meeting to be two hours perhaps at night. President Jenny asked members to forward their views to Roger so that the proposal can be evaluated.

Speaker Details - Would the real Neil Henderson please come forward

Neil Henderson was President of RCE in 1995 marking the 60th Anniversary of RCE and at the time the Club had 76 members.

Neil then took us on his road trip with 4WD & caravan from ………. To …………. And back to Byron for his daughters Wedding

with all the trials and tribulations of writing off their beloved Mitsubishi Pajero 4wd that inadvertently tried to become a

“Submarine” at a river/puddle crossing BUT, took a costly slightly wrong turn, the consequences of which were to hit their hip

pocket rather severely However, on a positive note, they did gain a new 4wd Jeep, that of course, was missing the “Oh What A

Feeling!” they might just have preferred!

Following the Henderson’s move to Torquay last Monday, Neil was back to give a final luncheon address to the Club. Rather

than a boring autobiography Neil decided to present a travelogue on their caravanning holiday through Northern Queensland

in 2016. Their route took them via Adelaide and the Flinders Ranges before heading up the Birdsville Track to Birdsville. Just

west of Birdsville is Big Red, the largest sand dune in the Simpson Desert and a “must do” for 4 wheel drive tragics. Heading

north their next stop was the camel races at Boulia then onto the gulf country and over the great divide into Cairns.

Here their caravan was put into storage and together with their car they boarded the Trinity Bay, a small coastal trader, for the

3 day “cruise” to Cape York. After visiting Horn and Thursday Island they docked at Seisha near the tip of Cape York. The plan

was to travel south via The Old Telegraph Track back to Cairns. But after taking the obligatory photo at Cape York they had only

gone about 100kms south before trouble struck. Neil endeavoured to cross a creek which turned out to be too deep – and the

trusty Pajero drowned. With help from fellow travellers the car was winched out and towed to a nearby camping area. Next day

via the Ranger’s satellite phone they arranged to be towed back to Cape York. Neil went white when presented with the

“recovery” bill of $3615!

However the incident was claimable on insurance so the towing was covered and a payout received. The car was last seen in

the 4WD drive grave yard at Cape York. It was officially written off due to water damage to the computers and electrics, even

though the engine was running again.

Mary and Neil eventually repatriated themselves back to Cairns and lived in the caravan for a week or so whilst purchasing a

new vehicle for the trip home. There was still a deadline to achieve as their daughter was being married at Byron Bay on 30th

October – a mere 2000kms south of Cairns. With 6 days to go the new Jeep was delivered and the Father of the Bride made it

on time.

The outback adventurous spirit was somewhat subdued after this trip and the caravan was sold not long after returning to

Melbourne. However the urge has returned and a new caravan has been ordered for mid 2018. Watch this space…

Mary, President Jenny and Neil Henderson Sadly at their last meeting as RCE members

The Way We Were…

To attend Charter Night you need to:

Make your booking now @: http://rce.org.au/event/charter-night-1/

Relay For Life & Thank You from Brumbie Babes

Hello Brumby’s Babes Supporter

The Moonee Valley Relay Weekend was held 20-21 April and we are pleased to announce our team raised

$10,711. Without your support we would not have achieved this result. Thank you to everyone who attended our

events throughout the year.

Our next function is a meet and greet with Hannie Rayson, followed by her play, Hotel Sorrento.

The evening will start at the MV Civic Centre, followed by the Clocktower for the play.

Number are limited so please make a booking soon if you wish to attend.

Hope to see you there.

Regards

Deb Stuckey

Team Leader

Brumby’s Babes Relay for Life

Hotel Sorrento late Addendum:

Please Note: The RSVP for Hotel Sorrento will be on TRYBOOKING and available from Thu May 3rd.

I was going to interrupt this man (presumably an ex: farmer or local worker) and endeavour to try to help him but thought

better of it in the end. It’s 8.40am on last Monday morning in the Park next to the Broken River in Benalla near the local library.

Close to “Weary Dunlop” attractions. I felt if I offered him money it might have gone on cigarettes, gambling or alcohol that

would only have further encouraged the problem. Whilst I saw him digging on several occasions (over several hours), I don’t

think he found anything – A Pretty Sad reflection of our society that these are the lengths to which some feel they need to go.

Of course my assumption could be completely wrong but, in a rural community, I suspect not. The area he was meticulously

trolling would have to be 5 acres or more and hardly gold country! Editor.

Help yourself and help the Club by banking with Strathmore Community Bank. For example, take out a home loan

and the club will receive up to $500. Take out a 3 month fixed term deposit and the club will receive up to $50.

For more details drop into the branch at 337 Napier St or call branch Manager David Porter on 9374-2607.

EVENTS CALENDAR DATE SPEAKER/EVENT VENUE

8th May 2018 Kurt Smyth – The battle of Long Tan The Anglers Tavern 12.30 pm for 1pm to 2pm

15th May 2018 Charter Night & Book Launch- Guest speaker Alex Lavelle – Editor The Age & Alan Murphy

Ascot House – 6.30pm for 7.00pm

22nd May 2018 Alan Murphy – RCE’s Book of History The Anglers Tavern 12.30 pm for 1pm to 2pm

29th May 2018 Paul Cariss – Notary Public The Anglers Tavern 12.30 pm for 1pm to 2pm

5th June 2018 David Abbey – Memories of the day Royce Abbey became RI President in 1988

The Anglers Tavern 12.30 pm for 1pm to 2pm

Have you taken any photos on your iPhone, or camera in

this past Rotary Year?

Can I please have them forwarded to:

M.Kouppas@hotmail.com

Many of these photos will form a special memento of this

past year, and I would like to use them as part of the

year in summary.

I appreciate your help with this. Remember any Rotary

function or event….

Thanking you in anticipation