The Rotary Club of Alexandra Headland had a successful Fundraising Fashion show at Blue Illusions last Saturday by Fundraising for two iPads for some students at Papunya Indigenous  School in the NT.  The support of some Rotary members including two gentlemen from our club and their partners, along with representatives of the community, made for a entertaining  afternoon. 

Chris the manager of Blue illusions, regaled all by her professional knowledge of the designs and history of each of each garment. The models represented the different age groups who could wear the Styles.

It was a very personal friendly event, when friends and fellow Rotarians did their best to make the models feel at ease. It was like having best friends over for cocktails and nibblies in ones own home.

Everyone enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere of an afternoon in a Shop that highlighted an afternoon on the Champs Elesse perhaps , sipping Champagne and surrounded by beautiful fabrics and silk garments- watching the models showcase the fashions designed in Paris.

After the fashion show the rush was on to purchase the garments.   A number of credit cards got a good work out. Apparently it was one of the best fashion sales in a long while.

We were out in 3 hours. However our show was booked for another two hours, so Chris intimated that the sales that came to their shop within the last two hours could be accredited to us. Hopefully. We also have been promised a further discount of 15% from a friend who works in America at Apple. We may be able to purchase two new Apple ipads what with sizeable donations and discounts.

The use of Technology that is inherent in Apple’s new iPads will utilize the Bitsboard , that provides Interactive activities, that will allow students to explore the rich environment, that is a feature of this beautiful part of the world. Students will conduct studies of the plants and birds and wildlife that surround their school. They will be able to document their learning outside the classroom. 

The students will utilize Apple’s Photographic component within the iPad to capture the true colours  and hues of the environment in which the students live.

 Students will study the tracks of animals and record their characteristic behaviours.

The ipads will facilitate students having a video record of engaging with Elders and Local rangers, who hold precious cultural knowledge.  These interviews  are important for documenting the history of their ancestors. They will also utilize this technology to capture the local Luritija language . This Interactive process of preserving the language of this area, will strengthen students sense of identity and self -worth and assist in the development of literacy and numeracy skills throughout all areas of the curriculum.

In providing two iPads for students at a remote Indigenous school, then we are also supporting one of Rotary foundations Areas of Focus and that is to ensure that children have access to quality basic education and literacy.

Alex Rotary wins "best small charity group" award

Alex Rotary has 28 friendly, community minded members and club friends aged from 28 to 83 who try and practice the Rotary motto of “Service above Self”. 

Activities include. 

• Organising Winter Solstice Swim with Alex Surf Club attracting 200 open water swimmers raising around $12,000 for Salty Souls Legacy programme for disadvantaged kids. Previous beneficiaries include Young Vets, White Ribbon. 
• Organising the Surf Show and Shine surfboard and Kombi fun day attracting 4,000 to the coast raising funds for a 4WD and around $80,000 since beginning a few years ago. Beneficiaries include Sunshine Coast based Care Outreach for drought affected farmers, Nambour’s “The Shack”, Salty Souls Legacy and the “ The Board Meeting” Surf charity.
• Promoting personal development of young community leaders through Rotary educational and international youth exchange programs. (Mark Jamieson and Fiona Simpson are past Rotary youth exchange students).
• Developing and mentoring youth at other end of the social spectrum though the club’s “WorkLife program” and supporting local troubled kids programs such as Salty Souls Legacy.
• Creating a $100,000 “Care Garden” for the IFYS safety house at Landsborough and smaller one at Maroochydore, Kids kindergarten makeover, and helped with “Casey’s backyard”.
• Conducting “mock interviews” day at Maroochydore High School, preparing kids for that all important first job interview.
• Supporting the Australian Golfing Fellowship of Rotarians annual golf tournament on the Sunshine Coast which raised $20,000 for Wishlist and brought Rotarians from all over Australia.
• Working closely with IFYS on the “homeless” hub programme at the sportsman hub, helping clients with work preparation through the Alex Rotary WorkLife programme. The “WorkLife” program has been held in several local high schools and adopted by Rotary clubs in NSW, Victoria, Tasmania, UK and at an Alaskan Rotary club. 
• Supporting community mental health awareness via the Rotary “Lift the Lid” program and annual walk at Mooloolaba Rotary Club’s event every October. 
• Collecting pre-loved mobile phones for people escaping from domestic violence
• Supporting the Alex Headland Community organisation at their Annual “Christmas at Alex” Christmas Party in Buhk Park.
• Supporting the Rotary and University of the Sunshine Coast scholarship programme providing financial support for students to continue their PhD studies.
• Supplied used medical and educational equipment. and packing containers bound for Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Nauru.
• Providing financial support for plastic surgery to cleft palette and disfigured children through ROMAC (Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children)
• Supporting the Rescue helicopter service on the coast for 20 years, one of our members raising six figures in donations. 

• Surf Show and Shine - Celebrating the Coast while helping the outback. We always need volunteers to help run this annual community event.

• SunnyCoast Solstice Swim - Supporting our Young Veterans and other Rotarian community causes. It's getting bigger every year. 

• Worklife Program - Rotarians are generally business people who are passionate about giving back. So its only natural that when they see businesses complain that the young are not "work ready", and they see overloaded school curriculums, and stressed out kids going into the workforce that they want to help. So Alex Rotary has been delivering and promoting a program to help first time workers transition to work, in a practical and positive way. Already we've been to high schools on the Sunshine Coast , Rotaract at USC and IFYS community worker work start programs. 

• Golf Day - Last year we hosted a charity golf day to raise funds for Sunshine Coast helicopter rescue - an initiative started by Rotary here on the Sunshine Coast. 

• Christmas at Alex - Every year we host a BBQ at Christmas at Alex, to raise funds for our local battlers at Christmas.

• Christmas Hampers - Last year we gave 400 hampers to the Carers of Children to give a helping hand over Christmas

• Mooloolaba Triathalon - we're delighted to help the organisers host this event that attracts thousands to the coast

• Mooloolaba Ironman - For many years Rotarians have managed the gear tent for this great event

• Clean Up Australia Day - every year we organise a BBQ for our volunteers who help clean up the coastline around beautiful Alexandra Headland