Recent Photographs

President's Message

Polio Eradication

PolioPlus

Fights of Fancy:

PRESIDENTS MESSAGE

The Theme for Rotary for the year 2003/2004 is LEND A HAND

Another week has passed quickly once again. For all the members attending the races and race events over the next few days, I hope you really enjoy yourselves.

The team leaders for the two GSE trips to the USA next year have been named. ARIZONA D5500 Alf Gullotta from the Rotary Club of Fitzgerald-Innisfail
MAINE D7780 Dave Roderick from the Rotary Club of Townsville Sunrise

The appointment of District Governor 2005-06 Mr Peter Kaye of the Rotary Club of Mundingburra has been appointed as District Governor Nominee.

Both our exchange students Sophie and Yup have to attend the orientation in Townsville October 3,4 and 5 at the Cathedral School.

On the weekend of October 11 our club will be running a BBQ at the Passion for Life. The proceeds of the BBQ will be split jointly between Lifeline and ourselves. We will need volunteers for this, it will be two shifts one from 6.00pm until 8pm and the other 8pm until 10pm. We will have a roster for people to add their names onto at one of our next meetings.

The meeting of September 19 will be at the Balaclava Hotel not at the Hilton.

Our guest speaker this Friday will be Mr. Jeff Crofts, and as always will be an interesting speaker.

PRESIDENT ROBYN

News form The R.I. South Pacific and Philippines Office.
From Rotary Down Under

Polio Eradication

In May 2001, the Australian Government agreed to match Australian contributions to the Global Polio eradication initiative dollar for dollar up to a total of $A10 million.

In 2001 - 2002 contributions totaled $0.6 million and last Rotary year to May 31, 2003, $2.41 million was contributed to the program. These funds have been matched by the Australian Government. In June a further $1.2 million was received and will be matched next year.

Funds committed by clubs and individuals will continue to be received over the next two years and both the contributions and the match received from the Australian Government will help substantially toward making Rotary's goal of a polio free world achievable.

PolioPlus

When Past R.I President Chuck Keller talks about the Reinstated PolioPlus Partners program, he borrows a phrase from former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Chuck Noll. During the Stealer's run for Super Bowl American football championships in the 1970's Noll often said the team would do "whatever it takes" to win. "

I think that expression describes pretty well what's involved with PolioPlus Partners," Chuck Keller said.

After a yearlong hiatus, the expanded PolioPlus Partners program was reinstated on July 1 with Chuck Keller as the chairman of the PolioPlus Partners Task Force. It had been suspended so Rotarians could focus their efforts on last year's polio eradication fund raising campaign, which raised more than $US88 million.

Since it was launched in 1995 as a program of The Rotary Foundation of R.I., PolioPlus Partners has provided $33 million to support polio eradication projects. In the past, PolioPlus Partners sought funding for a wide range of resources needed in polio eradication priotity countries, form insulated vaccine carriers to promotional banners large enough to drape elephants and camels.

"The new program for PolioPlus Partners will be considerably broader," Chuck Keller said. "The Focus will be to maintain Rotary information and participation in the completion of the eradication project."

A noticeable change is that the reinstated PolioPlus Partners program will absorb the PolioPlus Speakers Bureau, which provided Rotary leaders to speak about eradication before Rotary clubs and other community groups worldwide.

The program also will work with the news media to respond to reports on polio eradication, and y correcting or clarifying news accounts that inaccurately describe or omit Rotary's role in polio eradication.

Perhaps the greatest challenge will be in Somalia. "There is on government and no Rotary club there," Bill Sergeant (International PolioPlus Committee Chairman) said. "We will be a little more stretched to define opportunities in Somalia."

Angola, while not adjacent to a polio endemic country, also presents difficulties. "Angola is at risk because of the long term insurgency of rebels. It's difficult to reach children," Bill Sergeant explained. "Even though Angola has gone over a year without a case there, it remains a high risk country."

But Bill Sergeant said a surprising success story in polio eradication has unfolded in Afghanistan. In 2002, the country had fewer than 10 polio cases, which kept it on the endemic list. "But the situation there is not nearly as serious as in India, Pakistan, of Nigeria," he said. "

A Rotary club has started very recently in Kabul, but there has been success there without on site Rotary help. The Pakistan Rotary clubs have been very helpful." Rotary efforts even received unexpected assistance form the Taliban regime, he said, followed by "a letter of thanks from the Taliban leadership in recognition of Rotary's contribution to polio eradication activities in Afghanistan."

Fights of Fancy:

From Barlfy

After every flight, pilots fill out a form called a gripe sheet, which conveys to the mechanics any problem they had with the airplane during the flight. The mechanics read and correct the problem, and then explain in writing what remedial action was taken. Some actual examples are below.

Pilot: Test flight OK, except auto-land very rough.
Mechanic: Auto-land not installed on this aircraft.

P: Something loose in cockpit.
M. Something tightened in cockpit.

P: Dead bugs on windshield
M: Live bugs on back order

P: Evidence of leak on right main landing gear.
M: Evidence removed.

P: DME volume unbelievably loud.
M: DME volume set to more believable level.

P: Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick.
M: That's what they're there for.

P Autopilot in altitude hold mode produces a 200 feet per minute decent.
M: Cannot reproduce problem on ground.

P: Noise coming from under instrument panel. Sounds like a midget pounding on something with a hammer.
M: Took hammer away from midget.

P: Left inside main tire almost needs replacement
M: Almost replaced left inside main tire.

P: IFF inoperative.
M: IFF always inoperative in OFF mode.

P: Suspected crack in windshield.
M: Suspect you are right.

P: Number 3 engine missing.
M: Engine found on right wing after brief search.

P: Aircraft handles funny.
M: Aircraft warned to straighten up, fly right and be serious.

P: Target radar hums.
M: Reprogrammed target radar with lyrics.

P: Mouse in cockpit.
M: Cat installed.