We had a busy but happy lunch on Tuesday, with Architect Craig Tan giving a lively discourse on modern architecture, with some lovely slides on how buildings can be integrated into the environment.
Visitors Amanda Low and Christine Tee, who both performed as dancers in the recent “Orient Express” revue at International House, gave us an update on TREAD. Students from International House travel each year to rural Thailand, to assist in education and development. Our donation was gratefully received, and will be used to further the TREAD Program.
Visitors Dr Tilak Dissanayake is making himself known to members, and Dick Menting of Bendigo Bank gave us an update on the formation of a branch in Hawthorn West: make sure you fill in a survey to assist him in this. Bendigo Bank, of course, were major sponsors of our wonderful conference in Albury last year.
Graeme Jacobs was introduced by Noel Halford, as a former Melbourne ruckman and organizer of “Relay for Life”. We presented Graeme with a Paul Harris Fellowship, in recognition of his fundraising for cancer research.
Anne Scott reported that Myanmar has been re-admitted as an associate member of the World Association of Girl Guides and girl Scouts, which is an excellent outcome following the Girl Guide Training scheme earlier this year.
I was delighted to welcome Lawrence Reddaway back to the club, after his absence following the death of his daughter. We give Lawrence and Ginia our sympathy, and pass our good wishes to the family.
Who could forget Exchange Student Anemone last year? This year we have the opportunity to join with the Rotary Clubs of Yarra Bend and Kew in sponsoring Doriane Remond from France. Anne Brown has already organized the hosts and school, so we can brush up our French and look forward to her arrival.
DIK: At the Donations-in-Kind store in Footscray last week, Bill Troedel joined me to help pack a container headed for Cambodia.
The store is packed with goods: perhaps we can assist in sending a container of school desks and chairs to Timor. They are badly needed in Baguia District, where bamboo huts and tables are the norm. Is our contribution to helping with the rent a sufficient contribution to this magnificent organization?
Next week, you can enjoy an Informative And Relaxing Fellowship Meeting with Chairman Phil Stewart, while a dozen members whoop it up at the Rotary International Convention.
All aboard for the Sydney Harbour Cruise? Sheila and I are certainly looking forward to this event at the RI Convention: This year, the reunion is split over two decks . . . the Club Deck which is the mid-level deck and the Sky Deck which is the top deck on the ship. You can move freely between both decks throughout the evening in order to socialize with fellow Rotarians.
With the Fellowship in mind, this should be a great RI Convention: Daily evening “Happy Two-Hours”: 5.00 – 7.00 p.m. June 1-5 in the Novotel “Murray Room” on level 1 – exclusive use for Rotarians. Especially negotiated with the Novotel, this provides a great opportunity to get together at the end of the day to renew acquaintances, and/or meet and share experiences with others.
I closed the meeting with a thought from Samuel Butler, following Craig Tan’s discourse: “Every man's work, whether it be literature, or music or pictures or architecture or anything else, is always a portrait of himself.”
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