President's Message

20TH SEPTEMBER 2002

Apologies for the absence of the Presidents message last week - I simply could not get it Steve Baker in time to meet his bulletin publishing requirements

The visit to the Club by the members of Robyn Goodwin's GSE Team members on 6th September 2002 brought a very interesting and entertaining presentation that was thoroughly enjoyed by all. Thanks to Robyn for organizing the visit.

Rtn Kev Robinson has nominated as a GSE Team Leaser to Turkey next year and with the selection process now happening, we wish Kev the best of luck.

Last Friday was of course Amateurs Ladies Day and was our "Black Friday Boys Only" meeting. Given the activities around town the meeting attendance was surprisingly good. We even enjoyed the pleasure of Gina's and Sandy's company. It was a very relaxed meeting with very little Rotary business and plenty of fellowship. With the benefit of hindsight I realize that an "off-the-cuff" remark that I made during the meeting may have embarrassed or offended some people. I can assure everyone that, whilst my remarks may have been ill-considered, they were certainly not ill-intentioned. Having said that I offer an unreserved apology to anyone who may have taken exception to my lousy attempt at a bit of humour.

At our meeting last Friday we also welcomed Nei Ungvisitwong to our Club for the next 12 months. Nei is our second YEP Student for this year and comes to us from Thailand, the home country of our incumbent President of Rotary International. Nei is currently staying with Chris & Jill Lord on a short-term basis before moving to Col & Jenny's place for a stay. Please introduce yourselves to Nei who is a delightful young lady with an excellent grasp of our language.

Cheryl Williams (now somewhere on the way to India) has published a roster of dates when each Club member will be expected to take the YEP Students for an outing or a home visit during their designated week. Please familiarize yourselves with the roster and ensure that you organize something for the 1 or 2 occasions during the coming year when you will enjoy the company of the students.

By involving the students in your family activities you enrich your family's life, you offer something a little different to the student, and you take a little pressure of the wonderful host families who take the students into their homes. If you have any problems with the roster, then please do not simply ignore it - talk to Cheryl Williams, Bev Cheeseman or myself about it. Aimee is coming to the meeting this week to meet Laura and Nei and to hopefully arrange a coffee and shopping fix with them.

.There has been some comment on the fact that our Club is hosting 2 inbound YEP Students this year when in the past we have had to rely on a small group of host families and members to make one student's stay with our Club a success. The simple fact of the situation is that we have been successful with our 2 outbound YEP student nominees with both being selected to go out next year, and under the District YEP policy we can only send out 2 students if we take 2 inbound students.

The alternative to the Club taking 2 inbound YEP students was for us to tell one of the successful outbound students that they couldn't go - just imagine if that student was your child. It will be a challenge for the Club, but at the end of the day I am confident that our members will step up and we will make both of our students stay with us a success.

I would like to take this opportunity to publicly express the Board's and the Club's sincere gratitude to those members and their families who take on the roles of Host Family and / or Counselor to our inbound YEP Students. Without these wonderfully generous and committed members the program would simply not happen and our Club would be the poorer for it..

At this weeks meeting we should have the opportunity to discuss the results of the recent survey of members on your preferences for the future projects and commitments of the Club. The survey produced some interesting (and surprising) results and these will be published by Steve Baker in the Bulletin to give all Members a chance to consider them.

One thing that has become obvious from the results of the survey is that the Club will need to come up with a project to raise funds to support our commitments to District for the Foundation and Polio Plus. The Show Car Park & Stall are our major fund-raisers for the year and the funds raised there will simply not be sufficient to meet the Clubs obligations. We are currently looking at a couple of options, so if you have any ideas then please put them forward for consideration.

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 supporters who continue to work hard to bring this project to a successful conclusion. We have 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. Whilst this project is not every members "cup of tea" 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.

Gina is working very hard on our Club's Rotary Awareness Week feature for the Cairns Post next week. Gina will want to take a passport photo of each member to go in the feature as part of our membership drive. Please support Gina and the Club with this project by contributing $ 25 to the cost of publishing your personal photograph, and if you have a business please also talk to Gina about a supporting business advertisement for the feature. This is a project for our Club that will run in conjunction with our Rotary features during Rotary Awareness Week.

Any members who are considering attending the RI International Convention in Brisbane on 1st - 4th June 2003 should attend to your accommodation bookings as soon as possible. Joanne has already experienced considerable difficulty in securing our accommodation and with some 25000 people expected to attend, it will only get worse. So get your Convention Registrations in as soon as possible to make sure that you do not miss out on this unique opportunity.

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

A MESSAGE FROM THE R.I. PRESIDENT

Past R.I. President dies:

Cooma has a chuck wagon:

A sniffer dog for land-mines:

St Heliers Probus celebrations:

Another great Rotary family

Global Quest continues in 9600:

Men's health in District 9700:

ROTARY AT A GLANCE

Humour

COURTING RIDICULE

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

A MESSAGE FROM THE R.I. PRESIDENT

Dear fellow Rotarians,

One year ago, the world changed forever with the attacks of September 11 in New York City, U.S.A. Their impact sent shock waves of horror and disbelief throughout the international community.

Rotarians worldwide immediately responded with funds for victims, letters of sympathy and other expressions of support and goodwill. Clubs and Districts also redoubled their efforts to support programs that foster international understanding and peace.

Today, more than 30-armed conflicts ravage the world. In these precarious times, Rotarians feel an even greater sense of urgency and purpose. The wounds from September 11 may never fully heal, but the tragedy has strengthened our resolve to fight terrorism and hate.

Rotary founder Paul Harris once remarked "Love is mightier than hate. Give it one-half the advertising that hate has had, and there will be no more war."

I have served as a politician and Cabinet member for many years in my home country of Thailand. But I still believe that an organization such as Rotary, which has no hidden agenda, can accomplish more than a government in building world peace and goodwill. Each of us can sow the Seeds of Love through Rotary's many peace programs and international service projects.

To commemorate New Generations Month in September, we must support programs that will provide a better future for our youth. The next generation holds the key to resolving the conflicts of today. Rotary World Peace Scholars, Ambassadorial Scholars, Rotary Volunteers, Youth Exchange students and Group Study Exchange teams all contribute to world understanding.

It is this person-to person contact that seems to make the greatest impact at the grassroots level. When we reach across borders and oceans to collaborate on international service projects, we turn strangers into friends. And a world filled with friends is a world filled with love and understanding.

The Rotary Foundation's Ambassadorial Scholarships program, launched in 1947, is the world's largest privately funded international scholarships program. These scholars go on to become instruments of peace and outstanding leaders in their own right.

Sadako Ogata, who studied in Washington D.C., in 1951, was one of the first Ambassadorial Scholars from Japan. She went on to serve in the United Nations and as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Another Ambassadorial Scholar, American journalist Bill Moyers, was an architect of the U.S. Peace Corps Program. He later became a Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper editor and an Emmy award-winning television news reporter.

One of our latest initiatives is the creation of a Rotary-sponsored academic program to promote global understanding. The first 70 Rotary World Peace Scholars are beginning two-year graduate programs at seven Rotary Centres for International Studies. They represent 32 countries and will study international relations, mediation and conflict resolution.

It is our hope that these scholars will be the next generation of diplomats and world leaders who will be instrumental in forging world peace.

Paul Harris viewed Rotary as a way to unite cultures and countries under the umbrella of service. He observed in 1945, "The way to war is a well-paved highway and the way to peace is still a wilderness." Rotarians have the vision and the tools to chart that wilderness.

The anniversary of September 11 should not only be a day of remembrance, but also a day of promise. Together, we will Sow the Seeds of Love to realise our dream for a more peaceful world.

Bhichai Rattakul,
President, Rotary International.

Past R.I. President dies:

Past R.I. President Edward F. Cadman, of the Rotary Club of Wenatchee, Wash., U.S.A., died on April 17, 2002.

A Rotarian since 1955, Cadman served R.I. as District governor, International Assembly discussion leader, committee member and chairman, The Rotary Foundation trustee and chairman, director, vice-president and president (1985-86).

He received the PolioPlus Pioneer Award for his extraordinary service to the PolioPlus program.

Edward Cadman was a senior partner and chief or orthopaedic surgery at Wenatchee Valley Clinic. He was a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the Western Orthopaedic Association, and the North Pacific Orthopaedic Society and a fellow of the American College of Surgeons.

Cooma has a chuck wagon:

Design of Rotary barbecue units is becoming quite a passion with many clubs.

In 1999, the Rotary Club of Cooma, N.S.W., decided to purchase a box trailer to carry two heavy barbecues. The trailer was parked in Dave Libauer's panel shop, and of course Dave could not resist a little spare time developmental work. The trailer now is complete with gas cylinders, tools, preparation tables, hot plates and washing up facilities!

Club members are proud they have a great moneymaking resource.

A sniffer dog for land-mines:

The Rotary Club of Frenchs Forest, N.S.W., in conjunction with Killarney Heights High School and Austcare, have raised more than $A8,000 toward adopting a sniffer dog for land-mine clearance.

The Rotary club hosted a successful golf day at Roseville Golf Club, supported by Austcare, and Rotarians and students have been raising further funds by selling toy stuffed sniffer dogs and pens at Forestway and Warriewood shopping centres.

Frenchs Forest President Gil McGrath said the next major fundraiser would be a Celebrity Art Auction at North Sydney Leagues Club on September 27, 2002.

Grant Hackett, Gillian Armstrong, Gretel Killeen, Wayne Gardiner, Vanessa Amerosi, Mark Taylor, Roy and HG, Tony Lockett, Reg Mombassa and Michael Whitney have donated items.

Further information: PDG Bruce Downey (02) 9663 4999.

St Heliers Probus celebrations:

On June 11, 2002, the St. Heliers Ladies Probus Club, the first ladies Probus Club in Australia, celebrated its 20th birthday.

The club's foundation President June Gribble remains an active member. Other special guests included Tim Tomlinson, the Rotary representative who chaired the first meeting, Lady Jane Blundell, patron of the club since its inception, and guest speaker for the day, R.I. Past Treasurer Bill Boyd.

Another great Rotary family:

The Cockman family of Western Australia is setting a high standard for committed Rotary families around Australia.

Father and Past President Russ Cockman has enjoyed 26 years of service with the Rotary Club of Moora, including 13 years as secretary and two years as treasurer.

Three of his four sons have just thrown their support behind Rotary, Ken has been a member of Gosnells for about six months, son Russell was inducted at Wyalkatchem six month earlier and David is now a member at Mundaring. Russ's wife Pat, and the partners Beryl, Julie and Karen are also strong Rotary supporters.

It's not over yet as theirs still one son left!

Global Quest continues in 9600:

At the recent District 9600 Changeover, the Rotary Club of Brisbane Plantarium, Qld., presented incoming Governor Russ O'Malley with a perpetual shield for annual presentation to the club which achieves the highest percentage growth between July 1 and May 31 each Rotary year.

It was an appropriate gesture as Governor Russ is a Past District Membership Development Chairman.

Named The Errol Richardson Membership Development shield, the trophy recognises the contribution made to District 9600 membership growth by Past Assistant District Governor Errol.

Men's health in District 9700:

Too often a forgotten cause, men's health has become a coal point for Governor Ian Tooke in District 9700, N.S.W.

The combined Rotary clubs of Orange are linking with the Cancer Council N.S.W. and the Mid Western Area Health Service to sponsor a Prostate Cancer Awareness Forum on Thursday, September 24, 2002.

The forum will be in Kenna Hall, 90 Hill Street, Orange. Further information: Past President Ian Simpson (0419) 978 996.

ROTARY AT A GLANCE

Rotarians 1,243,431; clubs 31,256; Districts 530; countries 163. Rotaractors 169,119; clubs 7,353; clubs 8,617; countries 110. Interactors 198,191; clubs 8,617; countries 110. Rotary Community Corps 4,703; countries: 68. Down Under there are 1,194 clubs and 36,617 members in Australia, 13 clubs and 179 members in Papua New Guinea, 254 clubs and 10,373 members in New Zealand and 23 clubs and 590 members in the Pacific Islands.

COURTING RIDICULE

The following items are from a book called 'Disorder in the Court', and are the things people actually said in court, taken down and now published by court reporters, who had the torment of actually staying calm while these exchanges were taking place.

Q: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?
A: No.
Q: Did you check for blood pressure?
A: No.
Q: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy?
A: No.
Q: How can you be so sure, Doctor?
A: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar.
Q: But the patient could still have been alive, nevertheless?
A: Yes it is possible that he could have been alive and practising law somewhere.

Q: Are you sexually active?
A: No, I just lie there.

Q: What is you date of birth?
A: July fifteenth.
Q: What year?
A: Every year.

Q: What gear were you in at the moment of impact?
A: Gucci sweats and Reeboks.

Q: This myasthenia gravis, does it affect you memory at all?
A: Yes.
Q: And in what ways does if affect your memory?
A: I forget.
Q: You forget. Can you give us an example of something you've forgotten?

Q: How old is you son, the one living with you?
A: Thirty-eight or thirty-five, I can't remember which.
Q: How long has he lived with you?
A: About 45 years.

Q: What was the first thing your husband said to you when he woke up that morning? A: He said, "Where am I, Cathy?"
Q: And why did that upset you? A: My name is Susan.

Q: Do you know if your daughter has ever been involved in voodoo or the occult?
A: We both do.
Q: Voodoo?
A: We do.
Q: You do?
A: yes, voodoo.

Q: Now, Doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he doesn't know anything about it until the next morning?

Q: The youngest son, the twenty-year old, how old is he?

Q: Were you present when you picture was taken?

Q: So the date of conception (of the baby) was August 8th?
A: Yes.
Q: And what were you doing at that time?

Q: How was you first marriage terminated?
A: By death.
Q: And by whose death was it terminated?

Q: Can you describe that individual?
A: He was about medium height and had a beard.
Q: Was this a male, or a female?

Q: Is you appearance here this morning pursuant to a deposition notice which I sent to your attorney?
A: No, this is how I dress when I go to work.

Q: Doctor, how many autopsies have you performed on dead people? A: All my autopsies are performed on dead people.

Q: All you responses must be oral, ok? What school did you go to?
A: Oral.

Q: Do you recall the time that you examined the body?
A: The autopsy started around 8:30pm.
Q: And Mr. Dennington was dead at the time/
A: No, he was siting on the table wondering why I was doing an autopsy.