YEP News – Jan 2010

MADDY STROOT

Last Saturday, January 23 2010, we went to the airport to farewell Maddy Stroot as she set off for her year as a Youth Exchange Student in Germany. I think there were some 22 students heading off on exchange with 10 from our District. Maddy has arrived safely with her host family after 30 hours in transit. She said that her host family are lovely and she loves the food already!  We can look forward to lots of interesting stories from Maddy over the coming year.

President’s Report 21.1.10

I do hope that you have all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year and that you are well rested and ready to get stuck into the year ahead.

It does seem that not a month can go by when we don’t have some terrible disaster somewhere in the world. Once again, Rotary is at the forefront with help – over 3300 Shelterboxes have been sent to Haiti.  I am very proud to say that Ritchies Community Benefit Program is also right there when needed with a donation of $50,000 to Oxfam Australia and a fund set up to raise further funds. Oxfam have a team already in Haiti and sadly lost one of their team members in the earthquake. Our club recently donated $1,200 for a Shelterbox and it would appear that our next fundraiser might need to look at donating another one.

On a happier note, please make sure that you put the evening of Tuesday, February 23, 2010 into your diary. A special Nepean group event will be held at George Pentland Gardens to raise money for the eradication of Polio. Wise Choice are doing the catering – I think it’s a BBQ – does that mean a sausage sizzle?  Anyway, the cost will be $20 which will go to The Rotary Foundation. This will be a fantastic opportunity to showcase Rotary and invite your family and friends along to enjoy the evening. The more people our club brings along the bigger credit we will get with Foundation. Credits all count towards funding a Paul Harris Fellow (PHF) Award. I believe there will also be a jazz band playing so it should be a fun night. Don’t miss out – put it in your diary now!!

The Rotary Club of Rosebud have extended an invitation to  the welcome dinner for the Group Study Exchange Team from District 1940 in Germany on Tuesday, February 9, 2010. I will bring the details on Thursday. There are so many fabulous opportunities for our young people through Rotary.

At our last meeting prior to Christmas, Maddy Stroot, our outward bound Youth Exchange student  gave us a taste of the presentation that she has prepared for her trip to Germany. What a delightful young lady, so full of enthusiasm, intelligence, humour and love for her family.  This Thursday she will be attending her last meeting with us for 12 months as she departs on Saturday. We wish her every success with her YEP Exchange in the knowledge that she will be a wonderful ambassador  for both our club and Australia.

Our last meeting also saw us warmly welcome our newest member, Archie Slamet,  whose autobiography can be read on the member’s profile page (password protected).  If you don’t know the password check your emails from Richard or ring Richard or myself. There are a few new autobiographies published this week so I hope you enjoy reading these, but I am still waiting on more!!! Yes, you know who you are! So far, I only have 6 out of 22 members, so get busy writing!

Our casual Vocational meeting on January 7 was a great success with the visit to the Old Tyabb Aerodrome where we were treated to a guided tour around a heap of old war birds.  There was  a B42 ( I think), a Hurricane, a Vampire Jet, a small helicopter, a WW1 Tiger Moth, a Wirraway training plane and a couple of frames under construction.  Rick, our guide is ex US Navy and was very informative and entertaining.  I always wanted to be a pilot – I think it was all those Biggles books I used to read as a kid. Many thanks to Alan Gamble and Roy Travis for arranging this tour. Everyone who attended really enjoyed it.  We also enjoyed a wander around the Tyabb Antique Packing Shed and lunch in the cafe. All in all, a good day!

And now for some very exciting news! Our Rotex Student, Laura Bird has been very busy over the holiday period and now has 15 young people interested in forming a Rotaract Club in our area. It looks like we will be arranging the charter of  this club very soon. Congratulations Laura! We are all so proud of you!

We are also pushing ahead with plans for our “No schoolies” project which should enable us to send 20 students to Tanzania and 10 students to Siem Reap, Cambodia. We will be publicising this program once school goes back to give interested Year 12 students the chance to save/raise the money to do something really worthwhile, instead of drinking themselves into oblivion on the Gold Coast.  Exciting times are ahead for our club!

I hope to see all of you this Thursday. Don’t forget it’s Maddy’s last meeting so make sure you come along to say farewell to her!

Cheers

President Judy

Shelterbox

Shelter Box Australia has advised that to date 3300 boxes have now been flown from the UK by Virgin Atlantic to Miami for onward transit to Haiti.