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Jenny Foster

Sergeant Maurice Mollica called on Dr Peter Baker to say grace and Dr Michael Portelli proposed a toast to Australian facing our

flag.

The sergeant next called President Jenny to the podium, President Jenny welcomed all the guests, Gaye Cariss, Jane Odgers,

Cecil Schalkuche (President West Footscray), Cherrie Osborne, Marianne Potgieter, Pauline Hanley & Andrew Hanley

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT:

“Welcome to the new Rotary year. Now that the Changeover & partying at President’s Night is over…let the work begin for

another exciting year ahead.

Not just for me & my Board but for this whole Club. One of my greatest passions in life is teamwork & connecting people

together, that is the Rotary Club of Essendon and that is Rotary International.

The word “International” is always there in our Rotary wheel & to me, it is always very important to remember that. Australia is

part of that International wheel…we are part of the World. Yes, we work with local organisations & this is fantastic, but equally

we are so fortunate to be able to make a huge difference to so many who do not choose to be born to a life of poverty. Let us

together play our part. What gives anyone the right to say we will only help children that are born in Melbourne? Of course we

can do both & with Rotary International we have done, we do & we will continue to do so into the future…if we embrace

change.

I challenge each one of you to read Page 10 & 11 of July’s issue of “Rotary Down under”. Then ponder the question….can RCE

remove the baggage? Can we make the changes to our Club that will encourage people to want to join our Club? We need a

vision for the future to regrow this Club. I have a vision, now I need to merge this with everyone in this Club. Please help me do

this.

Let’s hear your ideas & thoughts at our Club Forum on Sat, 29 July. Please email all topics you would like to be discussed on this

day to Veronica O’Sullivan by Mon, 24 July.

This year we will also focus on our Club’s long history & be proud of it. That is what makes us a very special Club & sets us apart

from all the other Club’s in our area.

Published in the July 1936 Bulletin, it was written by the RI President, Will R Manier Jr:

“First let us develop a greater knowledge & a sound understanding of Rotary itself……..Constantly foster meetings to develop a

sound knowledge of Rotary on both the part of the new & the old members”.

How true this is today as it was back in 1936. Let’s do it!!

Today I read in "Rotary Networker”:“This week is a time to reflect on the great initiatives of last year (thank you so much PP

Maria & her team that did such a wonderful job), while setting the bar higher this year.”

Yes, I like a challenge & I hope that every member of this Club does also!!! Let’s do it together!!

Thank you”

President – Jenny Foster 2017/18

Volume 83, Issue 2

July 11th 2017

Secretary@RCE.org.au www.RCE.org.au

President Jenny also mentioned the upcoming talk on the Men’s Shed and said that this project had collected $14,830 so far,

she congratulated the club members involved.

NEXT WEEK’S MEETING IS A NIGHT MEETING TUE, 18 JULY 6 FOR 6:30PM

GUEST SPEAKER: Russell Hayes –East Coast Co-ordinator for “WHEELCHAIRS FOR KIDS”

"Wheelchairs For Kids has a history of twenty years and is an official Rotary project sponsored by

Rotary Club of Scarborough WA and is based in Perth where a substantial workshop operates. It is

incorporated as a not for profit charity with tax deductible status for donations, and has the support

of up to two hundred volunteers who are mainly retired people.

Wheelchairs For Kids provides substantial numbers of wheelchairs free of charge to disabled children

in developing nations"

I encourage every member to bring at least 1 guest next week. Please invite family & friends. Let’s showcase Rotary

with one of our very own projects that will make us all so proud.

RSVP – Jane Carbone No’s of Guests - 0417–329 005

Jane Odgers was born in Sydney and lived in NSW until the age of 17 when she moved to Melbourne to attend university. She

has two adult daughters and is married to John whom she met in RMIT library when they were both students.

The speaker for the day Jane Odgers was introduced to the members and guests by John Odgers

Jane has an Associate Diploma of Librarianship from RMIT, a First-class Honours degree majoring in Geography from Melbourne

University, and an Executive Certificate of Event Management from Victoria University.

She has worked as a specialist librarian managing libraries for ACI, Touche Ross and Co and BHP. Later she moved to Victoria

University, where she was a reference librarian, and the manager of the Australian Tourism Index.

A change in direction saw her move into the School of Hospitality, Tourism and Marketing as the Communications and Projects

Co-ordinator. Other positions included as a Co-operative Education Officer; Alumni Relations Officer; and a team member in the

Vice-Chancellor’s Making VU Project.

After a failed attempt at retirement, Jane commenced working with migrants and refugees with positions at a Migrant

Resource Centre and the Department of Immigration, while simultaneously becoming a team leader at Ascot Vale Leisure

Centre and later Kensington Community Recreation Centre.

Jane has volunteered for over 30 years. Currently she is a member of our local Days for Girls group and the Moonee Valley Art

Show committee, volunteers with the City of Melbourne, and teaches English to migrants and refugees.

Today Jane will be explaining the City of Melbourne volunteer program, the Adult Migrant English Program and where that led

her, and briefly touch on Fitted for Work’s assistance to disadvantaged women.

Jane Odgers in her uniform she wears to greets visitors to Australia (Left)

LIFE AS A VOLUNTEER

I have been volunteering for around 30 years now doing all sorts of things. Today I’m

not going to talk about what it feels like to be a volunteer because you already know

that, but I’m going to explain 2 government programs that you might think you know

something about, but in fact probably know very little.

You may know that I am a Moonee Valley Art Show committee member, as well as

being heavily involved in Days for Girls. What you may not know is that my first

involvement with this Rotary Club was about 25 years ago when Stephen Chandler and

I were on the committee for the Essendon Community Playground. This was a

playground that was built by around 1000 volunteers over 5 days at Victory Park

opposite the Melbourne Showgrounds. It was the culmination of several year’s work. I

was the Volunteers Co-ordinator for that project and Stephen the co-Chair.

But today I want to talk about a couple of my current volunteer roles.

Firstly I am a City of Melbourne tourism volunteer

This program is the biggest and most sophisticated volunteer program I have ever seen.

Over 400 volunteers, Young to old Includes international students, longest serving volunteer 28 years, Oldest – about 90 Program Modelled on NY Commenced 1989 with a trestle cnr Bourke & Swanston Second largest in the world, Award winning

Range of services: City Ambassadors - Cnr Swanston & Flinders St, Collins St & Bourke St - answer questions from passers by

Melb Visitor Centre – Fed Square – all queries + regional Vic, Melb Visitor Booth – Bourke St – shops, transport, Melb Visitor

Desk – Jeff’s Shed – general queries, conferences etc, Fitzroy Gardens precinct – Visitor Centre & Cooks Cottage, Cruise ship

program – meet passengers on & off ships, & Art Centre – 56 ships this past season, Melb Greeter service – 3-4 hour free

walking tour (must book), Pilot Hamer Hall to September,

What I do

Alternate b/n Cooks Cottage and Fitzroy Gardens Visitor Centre

1 shift per week (4 hrs)

At VC q’s on Fitz Gardens, how to fill in the day/week, other gardens, walks, nearest…, getting around with/without a Myki

Cottage – self-guided, but provide info on Cook

Visitor costumes - dressing up

Many visitors – especially Asian – Chinese

Smile a lot, have photo taken a lot, take lots of photos Training

About 2 months

Roles & Responsibilities; Policies & Procedures; OH&S; Communication skills; CoM programs; Tourism info

Must go on: City Circle tram, Town Hall tour (free – anyone), Melb Visitor Shuttle ($10 for 2 days)

On the job training (varies with location – I did lots of walking!)

Review then let loose!

Ongoing prof development o Familiarise – feels like a perk eg Melb Star, MCG tour, Sth Wharf, Fox Car o Quarterly forums – what’s happening coming season in Melbourne

I also volunteer in the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) at Glenroy Neighbourhood Learning Centre as an English tutor

Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP)

Students

From all over the world eg: Italy, China, the Ukraine, Turkey, Tanzania, Azerbaijan, Russia

Come in waves – seems to depend on govt policy of the day, they are from Bhutan, Iran and Iraq and Now predominantly Syria, they are teachers, engineers, hairdressers, interior designers, actors, musicians, logistics and office managers, farmers, chefs, some educated others who have never been to school, never held a pen, left school at 12, and have no study skills, illiterate in their first language

Favourite volunteer role.

Amazing people. Resilient. Still smiling. Despite their terrible circumstances.

Want to learn English, want to assimilate. Grateful to be in Australia and for our work with them

Watch their growth. Eager learners. Working with migrants and refugees led to a couple of interesting paid positions as well. The most fascinating was as Independent Observer

Dept of Immigration

Working with Unaccompanied Minors (under 18) arrived alone, often by boat

Looked after welfare of the children: meetings with case workers, police, age determination interviews, migration lawyers, entering the detention centre (Broadmeadows), court

You may recall HR Commissioner Gillian Triggs report to parliament on children in detention – with her when interviewing children at the Broadmeadows detention centre – youngest was tiny and only 13 years old)

Role no longer exists (govt policy)

Lastly I want to mention FITTED FOR WORK

City based

4 years as a boutique volunteer

supports disadvantaged women - paid employment, financial independence

victims of domestic violence, recovering drug addicts or alcoholics, single mothers, released from jail, etc

transition to work programs, resume writing, mentoring etc

I worked in boutique

assisted with interview skills

clothes for interviews (depending on the job)

referred by employment and other agencies

complete outfit suitable for job interview

underwear to suits, dresses, accessories, shoes, coats, makeup

vouchers for haircuts Easy to help them out. Anyone can donate good quality clothing suitable for interviews. Clothing unsuitable for interviews can

also be donated, and will usually end up in one of their social enterprises such as the Conscious Closet which sells the clothes

and puts the money back into the service.

So, if you or the women in your life have good quality clothing they no longer want, I’d encourage them to consider donating to

Fitted for Work.

CONCLUSION

As Rotarians, you know all about volunteering and its benefits to the community as well as to ourselves. My attitude is that

volunteering is one of the best ways there is to learn, to meet new friends, and to get out there and do something worthwhile.

And I love doing it! Thank you.

Eulogy – Graeme H J Allison – Past President Rotary Club of Essendon

Graeme Herbert Joseph Allison was born in Melbourne on the third of June 1938, the only child of Herbert and Lila Allison. He

was educated at Essendon Baptist Kindergarten, Aberfeldie Primary School, Essendon Grammar and Wesley College.

He was a member of the Old Wesley Collegians Association and was made a Life Member in 1967.

Graeme was also involved in childhood clubs: Wolf Cubs in 1947, The Argus Superman Club 1950, Crusader Union of Victoria in

1951, Christian Endeavour 1957 and the Old Boy Ranger Club.

When Graeme left school he worked at Myer Melbourne in the silverware department.

He then worked at the family business, Joseph Allison Funeral Directors, and was instrumental in moving Joseph Allison from

Buckley Street where it was a small chapel to a larger premises in Mount Alexander Road, Essendon.

The business was sold in 1974 and he stayed on as a director of the company until 1986. He then worked for Tobin Brothers

Funeral Directors from 1986 until his retirement in 2000.

He was dedicated to the families he cared for, and over many years he was involved in State Funerals, funerals for Essendon

footballers and generations within the same families.

He was a member of the Australian Funeral Directors Association. Graeme was married to Deirdre from 1960 until 1982.

Father of Kerry, Deanne, Fiona, Ley and Naomi, grandfather of Emma, Nicholas, Jack, Emily, Tim, Ben, Jade and Connor and

great grandfather of Charlie, Billy, Oliver and Hamilton and God Father of Jenny Lack, Graeme then married Rose in 1986

Graeme has been happily married to Rose since then.

He lived in Essendon for sixty two years before moving to Clifton Springs in 2000 and only recently moving to Leopold.

In 1980 Graeme was part of the Essendon YMCA and was on the Victorian Board of the YMCA. He helped establish the

Essendon Little Athletics resulting in his children having to get up early every Saturday morning to compete.

He was commissioner of Affidavits. He has been a Justice of the Peace since the mid 1980's and for twenty four years a member

of the Royal Victorian Association of Honorary Justices.

Graeme has been a Justice of the Peace, Geelong branch and since 2008 has been doing Justice of the Peace duty at the

Geelong Police Station and Springdale Community Centre Drysdale.

Graeme attended the Melbourne Olympics and became a junior member of the Melbourne Cricket Club in 1956, then an

associate member in 1975 and then a full M.C.C. member in 1982.

He was a member of the Essendon Football Club from 1957 through to 1989 when Essendon moved their home games to the

MCG and still a mad Essendon Supporter.

Graeme was a member of the Masonic Lodge from the age of 18 until the early 1980's and was a member for many years at the

Essendon Thanksgiving Breakfast which had breakfast the week before Easter.

He was a founding member of the Moonee Valley Foundation which was set up as a trust for students to further their

education and had a part in establishing the Essendon Hospital.

In 1968 Graeme was inducted into the Rotary Club of Essendon and was a third generation Rotarian at Essendon. His great

uncle Joe Allison and his father Herbert Allison were also Rotarians.

He has a distinguished service record with Rotary: Graeme served on most club committees, he was on district committees and

involved in the Youth Exchange, Rotaract Committee (RYPEN) and he chaired all three of these.

He was President of the Rotary Club of Essendon 1978-1979, A member of Rotary on Stamps for thirty five years.

District Governor from 1982-1983 (District 980) and a member of District 9780 of Council of Governors- and a member of

District 9780 Council of Governors.

When he was Governor, he was a Paul Harris Fellow in 1983 at the Adelaide District 980 Conference.

He was a Paul Harris Fellow with Sapphire-1999 from The Rotary Club of Essendon Inducted into the Rotary Club of Drysdale in

2000. A Rotary Centurion Member 2006 with Rotary Club of Drysdale.

He was recipient of the Royce Abbey Award 2016 The Rotary Club of Drysdale. He was recipient of a Paul Harris double

sapphire on Monday night 26th June 2017 at the Rotary changeover of Presidents at the Rotary Club of Drysdale.

There have been years when Graeme had 100% attendance at meetings and has had 49 years of Rotary Service

Graeme collected stamps as a child. He was a member of Northcote Philatelic Society until it closed and is still a member of the

Brighton Philatelic Society for the last fifty years.

Since coming to Geelong he has been a member of Philatelic clubs of Ocean Grove and the Bellarine Peninsula and The Royal

Philatelic Society Ashburton.

Graeme loved reading one favourite author Wilbur Smith and he could not put the book down until he finished reading it.

He was a member of the Drysdale and Clifton Springs Community Association and was on the vestry of the Church of Christ

Anglican Church Essendon.

Graeme has been to every Shirley Bassey and Diana Krall concert in Melbourne. He loved his jazz and all music and loved music

from films through to country music and he liked a good soppy movie.

Graeme Loved going to his holiday house at Anglesea and relaxing and walking on the beach and doing a few gardening and

maintenance chores, Graeme has been very committed to his family, friends and community work all his life.

Graeme loved his family and we love him and we are going to miss him dearly"

Farewell to Nina our exchange student

More pictures from the President’s night

John, PP Lisa & Richard (in skit costume) & PP Maria

PP Maria & John

Fundraiser Movie Night

Bringing The Light Friday 4th August

Essendon Baptist Community Church

138 Buckley Street Essendon 6pm for Pizza

6.45pm Movie After the movie has concluded, Stephanie Woollard will

be available for a “Q&A” session with our audience, interviewed by

Bernadette Schwerdt (TED Talk Speaker)

This documentary movie follows a group of Nepalese women over a period of four years seeking to create a better

life for themselves, their families and other women in Nepal

Stephanie Woollard is the Founder and CEO of ‘Seven Women’. Stephanie is also a Rotary Peace Fellow and was

recently one of six winners of the International Responsible Business Award, which she received at the United

Nations. She has the desire to take the message to the world that every one of us can make a difference. This movie

will inspire and encourage us all.

www.sevenwomen.org

$20 per adult 15 concession/student $50 family

Entry price includes pizza and movie

Drinks, ice creams and raffle tickets will be sold on the night

* All money raised on the night will be distributed to the 3 organisations

RSVP: careforcambodians@gmail.com

Or phone or text Jane Carbone on 0417329005

Help Reduce Your Risk of Heart Disease

Aged 55-60?

Suffer from more than one of the following:

- High Cholesterol?

- High Blood Pressure?

- Excess Bodyweight?

If so, you can participate in a study of 6,000 Australians aimed at reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke through a single

vaccination.

For more information call 1800 199 108 or visit AUSPICE.apps.hmri.com.au

Grill'd Promotion

Thank you to all that supported our Men's Shed Project by visiting Grill’d Moonee Ponds and placing a token in our jar. We were the second most popular project for the month of June and as such our Men's Shed will receive a $100 donation from Grill'd Moonee Ponds.

EVENTS CALENDAR DATE SPEAKER/EVENT VENUE

18th July 2017 Russell Hayes – Wheelchairs for Kids The Anglers Tavern 6 pm to 7.30 pm NIGHT

MEETING

24th July 2017 Movie night “Paris Can Wait” – supporting Brumby babes

See details above

25th July 2017 Strathmore Men’s shed The Anglers Tavern 12.30 pm for 1pm to 2pm

29th July 2017 Club Forum Education Centre – St Thomas Anglican

Church 760 Mount Alexander Road 10am to

4pm

1st August 2017 Cancelled No lunch meeting

4th August 2017 Movie night – “Bringing the Light” Essendon Baptist Church – Evening time TBA

8th August 2017 Trevor Schwenke – CEO Kangan The Anglers Tavern 12.30 pm for 1pm to 2pm

11th August 2017 Rotary Club of Keilor East Trivia Night

15th August 2017 Stephanie Woollard- Founder “Seven women”

The Anglers Tavern 6 pm to 7.30 pm NIGHT

MEETING

22nd August 2017 Larry Marshall – Badge Talk The Anglers Tavern 12.30 pm for 1pm to 2pm

29th August 2017 TBA The Anglers Tavern 12.30 pm for 1pm to 2pm

5th Sept 2017 Clair Halliday – Author The Anglers Tavern 12.30 pm for 1pm to 2pm

12th Sept 2017 DG Visit – Peter Frueh

19th Sept 2017 TBA The Anglers Tavern Night meeting 6pm to

7.30pm

26th Sept 2017 Football theme – Grand Final week The Anglers Tavern 12.30 pm for 1pm to 2pm

3rd Oct 2017 Deb Slogget & Helen Penna - Cambodia 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

Maria

John L Gregory

Certified Practising Accountant

272 Keilor Road,

North Essendon, VIC 3041

jgregory@netspace.net.au

Telephone: 03-9379 1705

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 Philip Stewart on 9374-2607.