Tuesday’s Speaker Robin de Crespigny was well-received by her audience: her thought-provoking book “The People Smuggler” produced some feed-back from members: “Just a quick note to say what a great speaker Robin was today. Really enjoyed having a thought provoking topic and presenter.”
Although I'm a card-carrying member of the Australian Skeptics, I bought a book for further information about Ali Al Jenabi’s flight from Saddam Hussein's torture chambers, and his further trials and tribulations. We wish Robin every success in her plans to have a movie produced on the subject.
Julie Walker of PaperCut Software joined us for lunch. Julie confesses to long-standing and fond ties with Rotary, having been lucky enough to be a Rotary exchange student in 1986 through the Rotary Club of Bayswater. She says it was a pivotal point in both her career and personal life choices. We hope Julie visits again soon.
Café International is always a fun evening, with a great show produced by the Students at International House. Profits from their “Orient Express” this year will go towards “End Polio Now”. I feel I deserve a night out after all that hard work at Romana: after Rotarians at Work, let’s have Rotarians at Play! Tell me ASAP if you wish to join us, as tickets usually go quickly.
15th April: do they call the day after Easter Monday “Easter Tuesday”? In any case, if you are going to be away, please inform Noel Halford, so he can keep sweet with the caterers. We may have a less formal than usual meeting.
How do you like the new-look Bulletin? Robert Ball has been upgrading to the latest version of ClubRunner, so we should have more functionality and fewer glitches. Check out changes to the website at www.hawthornrotary.org.au Thanks Robert for all your efforts behind the scenes.
Next week's speakers are Bronwyn Stephens (RC Melbourne South) and Rithy Lay: we heard Bronwyn and Rithy speak at the District Conference, on their fantastic success with Volunteering in Cambodia. Chair: Meredith Hayes
Noel McInnes chaired the address by Robin de Crespigny. She spoke on the background to her research and development and the story of her book (framed in the first person) being a biography of Ali Al Jenabi an Iraqi. He reached Australia via the classic asylum seeking boat journey from Indonesia some years ago, however he became tagged as a "people smuggler" by the Australian authorities and eventually extradited from Thailand and charged and tried for the people smuggling offense in Darwin. Perceived by many as a "show trial" it went for 18 months at a time when the Australian community's interest in people smuggling and all that it involved was intense. In the course of that trial the presiding Supreme Court Judge described him as "The Oskar Schindler of Asia". Why? As Robin explained there were many extenuating circumstances and drivers to Ali's life journey.
Robin's background as a film maker,writer director and her thorough journalistic approach comes through in her book and her address. The extensive research which she conducted over several years into Ali Al Jenabi's story provided Robin with a strong factual background for her to relate the pressures which framed his courses of action, not always strictly compliant with the law. When one heard of secret police, torture and executions as everyday options for Ali in Iraq and then faced with the rhetorical question posed by Robin to the audience" What would I do in a like case" there was a thoughtful and sober silence.
Robin's passion for the plight of refugees and asylum seekers was clear and her book as demonstrated by the extracts which we were fortunate to hear provide a wonderful example of how putting a "human face" on an issue can promote people to more deeply consider it. The audience was enthralled. Robin explained that she may seek to write a screenplay and hence film the story but noted that such a task can take years to fruition.
Dress Code: Dress to impress, cultural clothing encouraged
Café International 2014
The Orient Express
Join us on a journey of intrigue and luxury, as we explore exotic destinations and cultures from all over the world. Come aboard the Orient Express, and experience 126 years of world-renowned sophistication and excitement in a night of entertainment, and adventure.
As is our annual tradition, students from our community will provide an evening of entertainment and fine dining. Don’t miss out on the wonderful showcase of this year’s talented students! Reflecting our dedication to the wider community, 30% of the profits generated from this year’s Café will be donated to End Polio Now, with the remainder going towards the International House Student Club.
The places are always at a premium: we need to get in early to ensure a good seat on the Orient Express.
Look out your best frock! (Ladies can dress up too . . . . ). Call me on 95002359 to book early.
The Romana centre in A'Beckett St, Kew is still in need of able bodied support from local volunteers. Current plan is for Wednesday and Saturdays. RCH individuals have been involved and survived despite a plethora of stiff limbs from muscle use hitherto untouched. Even Chris Hanson survived without the reward of the publication of a photo of him in action. Let me know if you can help
Rotary has an amazing capacity to generate ongoing loyalty from past members and award recipients, such as exchange students and youth program attendees.
Yet again we were reminded of this by the visit of Julie Walker an Australian exchange student (under the Bayswater Club banner) who spent some time in California 16 years ago. Certainly life changing by all accounts of her one minute talk to us. She went back to live there, married and only recently has returned to Australia.
She was a delightful refreshing addition to our meeting and President Gordon extended an open invitation to join our meetings at will.
The proceeds net of that portion to the winners will be shared between the nominated charities and the Hawthorn Rotary Club to use in our own programs.
Over to the prospective entrants.....probably last chance before recovering lost ground from default selections. Just go to www.aussiefootytips.org.au
We are closely associated to the Camberwell Salvation Army and mostly and especially through Norman Gale and our Second Bite food collections each Saturday afternoon. Norman has alerted us to opportunity to help them see below.
Folks, We are now in a bidding battle to amass as many votes as we can for our community project along with others which have been submitted.
Our project involves providing weekly gentle exercise classes for people from low income groups - for those who are familiar - typically people who attend our lunch program.
If you are willing to vote for our program please go to the following link:
Select the centre as " Stockland Tooronga" and then scroll down in the "organisation" field to find Camberwell Salvation Army. Be sure to put nor name and contact as indicated by the * and then Submit.
We appreciate your support
regards
Norman Gale
Director, Community Engagement | Camberwell Corps | Eastern Victoria Division
In Rotary there are regular meeting attendance goals for each member. On Tuesdays the front desk does more than take our money it records our presence for this purpose.
Also a member can undertake other Rotarian activities (maybe visit another club or spend time at some project outing) which actually can be recognised hence the phrase "Make Up".
Norman Hall collates all this information (when he is given it) to build up an attendance record of a member. Clever as he is he cannot know of all non-meeting efforts of members so invites us to let him know of these "make up " events which we attend.
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