President's Message

30TH AUGUST 2002

On Friday 16th August 2002 our Club hosted District Governor Jeff Crofts for his official visit to his home Club. The Board met with DG Jeff before the usual meeting for a very informative and productive discussion on his plans and objectives for the District and the individual Clubs during his tenure.

At the meeting Jeff gave the Club members a very informative presentation on Rotary, and its history, function and objectives. We were all reassured that the District is being led by a very dedicated and capable Rotarian who will provide us all with direction and the necessary inspiration to continue the great work that Rotary does as a community service organization.

Last Friday a large contingent of members enjoyed the visit to the sustainable house built in Junction Street Edge Hill By Max Bryant. Max gave the members and guests a very informative talk on the concept of a sustainable urban dwelling constructed from local timber species grown on Graham Cossins plantation on the Tableland and utilizing renewable energy sources and natural water. The members and guests enjoyed sandwiches and refreshments provided by the Hilton. Many thanks to Max Bryant, Graham Cossins and Robin Goodwin for providing our members with this unique opportunity.

Congratulations to the Club thespian, John Lipscomb, on having two of his plays performed by Cairns Little Theatre at the Rondo. Your President had complimentary tickets by virtue of the fact that our firm is the Honorary Auditor of the Cairns Little Theatre, but only realized at 10.00pm on the night that he was supposed to be at the theatre. However, by all reports it was a very enjoyable and successful occasion. A quiet achiever our John.

This week we will be visited by Rtn Phil Dempster from Cairns Earlville who is the District Chair of the Rotary Foundation and Polio Plus Campaign. Phil will no doubt provide us with a thought provoking and entertaining talk on the work of the Rotary Foundation and on the need to complete the program for the worldwide eradication of polio - and then hit us up for some money.

The Club Board has already committed to meet DG Jeff Croft's goals for contributions from the Clubs to sustain the invaluable work of the Foundation and the Polio Plus campaign.

The Rotary Community Car Art Union is progressing well, thanks to the dedicated efforts of John Quinn, Herman Ehrlich and David Kirchner. Thank you to those Members and Rotary Partners who gave of their time to sell tickets at Earlville Shopping Centre on Monday.

We have since entered into an arrangement with Smithfield Shopping Centre to sell our tickets in the Centre and display the prize car at the same time. Herman and John will contact everyone soon to ask for your assistance in doing one shift at Smithfield Shopping Centre to help clear the remaining tickets. Please help out by committing to this worthwhile community service project - it only requires a couple of hours of your time. And remember, if you have sold your quota of tickets then please return the ticket butts and money to John or Herman urgently.

Thank you to Robyn Goodwin, Gayle Plunkett and the team of Club members who assisted at the recent Business Liaison Association Careers Expo. Thanks to their efforts in continuing our Clubs support of this very important event for our future leaders, the three-day program was a huge success and a credit to all concerned. That's about it for this week.

See you all at the Hilton at 12.30pm for 1.00pm - remember the parking arrangements. Take care of each other, and be sure to talk to someone about Rotary this week.

Garry Shirvington

President Rotary Club of Cairns-Mulgrave 2002-03

Rotary 4-Way Test

1. Is it the TRUTH? 2.
Is it FAIR to all concerned?
3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

Recent Photographs

Ted Elliot Testimonial Youth Assisitance Fund

Rotary radio in a community

Rotary Grows 4.6 Per Cent In 2001-02

ROMAC

INTERPLAST

John Lipscomb

Cairns Mulgrave Rotary Club

Boxed Gift Pens Available Now

$15.00 each.
Please see Secretary Mike if you would like one

Art Union Tickets:
Please hand in sold tickets

Lawrence Edward (Ted) Elliot
Testimonial Youth Assistance Fund

Donations are being sought to establish the Lawrence Edward (Ted) Elliot Testimonial Youth Assistance Fund for the assistance of disadvantaged and isolated youth achievers throughout Far North Queensland.

Rotary radio in a community

A recent issue of The Rotarian magazine had an article describing a Rotary hour on a community radio station in Canada. This raises a question regarding the number and extent of similar programs broadcast in Australia and New Zealand.

The Rotary Club of Upper Blue Mountains Sunrise, N.S.W., has now a weekly Rotary Hour that, it is hoped, can spread Rotary and community group news not just from our club but from the other half-dozen very active clubs within our area.

The program is aired from 5:00 p.m. Tuesdays on 2BLUFM (89.1Mhz) with a signal that reaches well into Sydney suburbs.

There is never a shortage of interesting guest to be interviewed - Group Study Exchange teams, Rotary Youth Exchange students, visiting Rotarians, local business identities and even District governors!

Access to community radio is one that more Rotary clubs could support and encourage as a low-cost, self-controlled opportunity to reach to communities. Rotarians in business may appreciate the chance to obtain economical promotion through sponsorships.

Perhaps other established programs could contact us with ideas, advice or special recordings. Is there room for an informal Confederation of Community Rotary Radio to help spread the Rotary message more widely?

Rob Quodling

Past President
Rotary Club of Upper Blue Mountains Sunrise, N.S.W.
robquod@mountains.net.au) P.O Box 502, Katoomba, N.S.W. 2780

Rotary Grows 4.6 Per Cent In 2001-02

Rotary clubs added 54,939 members in their rolls in the 2001 - 02 Rotary year, bringing net membership worldwide to 1,243,431 a 4.6 per cent increase over the previous year and the Rotary's best one-year growth.

More than 1,100 Rotary clubs were chartered in the year ending June 30, 2002, bringing the net total to 31,256 clubs in 163 countries.

The greatest percentage membership growth was in Asia, where Bangladesh, India, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, and Thailand registered double-digit percentage increases. Membership in Rotary clubs in India grew almost 18 per cent.

A major impetus for the growth was Rotary's Global Quest, the campaign that called for each Rotary club to induct at least one member a month, with a minimum net gain of five members for the year. I also asked each District to form a minimum of three new clubs.

The five Districts that led the way in raising membership levels and organising new clubs were 3150 (India), 3260 (India), 3700 (Korea), 3790 (Philippines), and 9140 (Nigeria).

ROMAC and INTERPLAST

Two great Australian-based humanitarian programs.

Have you been asked by people in your community what is Rotary Overseas Medical Aid for Children (ROMAC) or what in Interplast?

This article sets out information to help you answer in some detail questions about two great Australian-based humanitarian programs. The information has been supplied by the Nation President of Interplast, Professor Don Marshall, A.M., and the National Vice-President of ROMAC, Past President Paul Fitz, of the Rotary Club of North Balwyn, Vic.

Professor Marshall and PP Paul have been meeting informally two or three times a year for the past two years to discuss matters of mutual interest to a void possible overlap of each program's respective aims and where possible to support each other's activities.

This has resulted in a clear understanding of and respect for the activities of these two great humanitarian programs. ROMAC Rotary Overseas Medical Aid for the Children

ROMAC is a program of the Rotary Districts in Australia which brings children from Australia's neighbouring countries in Asia and the Pacific to Australia for a wide-ranging variety of significant medical procedures.

These children are usually 15 years and younger who have a life threatening condition or a level of disfigurement, either congenital or acquired, that has or would result in very low self-esteem and subsequent poor quality of life.

The children come from developing countries where medical resources are scarce and the escalating cost of establishing modern hospital facilities make it impossible to receive appropriate treatment in their own countries.

The medical procedures are done by leading surgeons from a wide variety of disciplines, ably supported by other medical and nursing staff, who mostly give their time free of charge. Public and private hospital also provide their facilities free-of-charge or at reduced rates.

The children and their minders/guardians (usually a parent and one a child) are home hosted by either expatriate family networks or by Rotarian families. The patients are selected by Rotary driven committees in the patient's own country.

Initial medical reports/test are discussed with surgeons here before the patient is accepted. All arrangements are made and all cost paid by ROMAC. Follow-up checks are done on each patient and where necessary, the patient is brought back to Australia for follow-up surgery.

Currently, surgeons and hospitals in capital and regional cities in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania are involved in the program. In the near future, patients will be sent to Western Australia, Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory. Periodically, ROMAC assists with some of the costing of sending a non-plastic surgeon overseas to do selected procedures while, at the same time, training local surgeons in these procedures.

To date, more than 150 children have been assisted in this way.

ROMAC was the initiative of Past President Barrie Cooper, AOM, of the Rotary Club of Kangaroo Flat, Vic., when in 1987 he brought a Fijian girl to Australia for surgery. With the assistance of this club and other Bendigo clubs, District 9800 and other Rotary Districts the program has grown to the stage where at the 2001 Zone Institute it was officially endorsed by all 23 Australian District governors as a national program of Rotary in Australia.

It is funded by the Rotary clubs, Rotarians and the public. ROMAC is a registered charity so donations are tax deductible. ROMAC is currently being registered in Australia as a company limited by guarantee. It is managed by a national advisory committee comprising 14 Rotarians and has a regional and District structure similar to that of Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS).

It is accountable to the Institute of Governors and all participating Rotary clubs. Since 1987, ROMAC has brought to Australia more than 130 children from 15 countries in Asia and the Pacific for significant surgical procedures at less than one-tenth the cost these procedures and hospitilisation would normally cost.

Currently, 25 to 30 children are being treated each year.

INTERPLAST

Interplast Australia is a joint program between Rotary and the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. Interplast Australia was established in 1983 with the co-operation of Rotarian from Rotary Districts, 980, 979 and 981.

Interplast Australia is a company limited by guarantee and comprises three nominees from Rotary, three nominees from the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and one independent member.

The day-to-day operations are under the control of a board of directors comprising 12 members, plus a surgical committee and a development committee. The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons provides the office space free of charge for the three employees and the administration costs are covered by AusAID funding.

The mission of Interplast Australia is to provide voluntary programs of plastic and reconstructive surgery and to assist neighbouring countries of Asia and the Southwest Pacific to acquire self-sufficiency in plastic and reconstructive surgery.

To date Interplast Australia has conducted more than 273 programs to 20 countries comprising 20,054 all at no cost to the patients through the generosity of more than 400 volunteer medical personal.

Since January 1, 2002, 330 patients have been operated on at a cost to Interplast of $A484 a patient. Each year, teams consisting of plastic surgeons, anaesthetist and nurses visit around 20 countries, consult with patients al all ages and operate on those patiens who can be assisted.

Operations correct both congenital anomalies, such a cleft lip, cleft palate and acquired conditions such as burn scar contractures and trauma injures. Local medical and nursing staff working with the Interplast teams receive first-hand experience in dealing with difficult cases.

In addition, 48 doctors and nurses from 11 countries have received further education in Australia. Most patients treated by surgeons of Interplast Australia are treated in their own country.

However, some patients have conditions which are too complicated to be treated by the Interplast surgeons during a team visit and consequently 45 carefully selected patients have been brought to Australia for surgery since 1983.

In the 2001-2002 Rotary year donations have been received from clubs in 20 Australian Districts. In 2002-03 Interplast will be represented by a Districts chairperson in 16 of the 23 Rotary Districts throughout Australia.

Ten Rotarians have been overseas with Interplast since 1994 as observers with teams and have returns to their Districts as wonderful ambassadors for the program which in simple terms is "When you heal the patient you heal the family thus you heal the community."

In 1996 at the Rotary Institute in Brisbane, Qld., Interplast was recognised and commended as a Rotary program. Interplast Australia is a registered non-government organization with charitable status. Donations over $2 are tax deductible.

John Lipscombe

From The Cairns Post Friday August 23 2002

Hard act to follow

Where Our Shadows Fall Two one-act plays by John Lipscombe

Rondo Theatre Rondo Theatre August 21-23

Review by Leslene Woodward

One-act plays start off under a tremendous handicap - the fact they are one-actors. People seem to assume they lack the content, passion and depth of a conventional full-length play and tend not to bother going to a performance. Anyone who judges the Rondo's latest production Where Our Shadows Fall by that criteria will be making a huge mistake.

This is theatre at its best - controlled, passionate acting, taut writing and excellent production, never mind the evening consists of two one-actors. The actors are exhausted when they come off sage - a telling tribute to their involvement - and I suspect many of the audience also may feel they have been through a traumatic, albeit inspiring, experience.

Both plays offer that wonderful felling that comes when every actor is evenly matched so the only highs and lows in the playing comes from the ebb and flow of the dialogue and not from unevenness in acting quality.

Director John Hughes had excellent material and has used it to the full. Six actors are involved, tow in The Last Two Men and four in Telephones, and given the quality of the acting it would be unfair to single out any one person for commendation. It is sufficient to say all have magnificently risen to the occasion.

But then they had excellent material. The playwright, John Lipscomb, is not yet an established writer, but these two plays should catapult him into that class, because in them he has written two festival plays - plays theatre groups deliberately select for entry into drama festivals - which should go immediately into the repertoire of any serous group.

The Two Last Men already has appeared twice before, once at a Theatre Night at Rondo and again at the June FNQ Drama Festival in Julatten, where it won awards, while this is the first public performance for Telephones.

The writing style is minimal, encouraging the audience to fill in the silences with their own experiences. This leads to the interesting question of just how these plays will be perceived by audiences.

Are they both, in different ways, upbeat and full of courage and the triumph for the human spirit? Is one less heroic but no less sympathetic to the human condition in its final moments? Is the character of one of the actors negative yet groping for something she feels she has missed in the face of her inability to cower to other characters?

The possibilities are challenging. But one thing is certain - these plays deserve a large and responsive audience to bring them completely to life.