Its THIS weekend, Salty Souls and Board Meeting Surf Charity, Rotary Business (Sep 22, 2020)

Kerry & Mark talk to club

On Friday we heard from Mark and Kerry how their brilliant community work commenced, and it was a revelation. Mark's group started out with a small group of surfers (3) getting together to help with wheelchairs and the like to grow into a group running "legends of Surfing" lunches and the like raising over $100,000 for kids and mums in need. Then NDIS came along and Mark and his team took on board helping out with the things that NDIS does not support that make life that little bit more bearable for those who need a bit of help. Interestingly Mark and his team are now turning their attention to mental health issues and helping out in that area.

Mark's team will be running an amazing raffle on Sunday from their kiosk showcasing a hand made surfing board. And dont forget the "online" raffle is available from their website.

Also on Friday Mark mentioned that his team were now running a kids minibus to help parents with disabled kids get to the hospital and other treatment areas without having to negotiate the numerous buses that are needed from the Coast to get to them.

At that point, Dean Stuart, who is a great supporter of many community groups on the coast came to the rescue with a generous offer to service the kids bus!...Thankyou Dean, you're a champion.

The IT gremlins contrived to defeat Kerry with his talk on the genesis of Salty Souls. Here is a couple (Tamara & Kerry) who have turned a 2017 family tragedy into a legacy for "disengaged kids" and boosting their self worth through surfing programs, and most importantly lifting kids up and setting them on the right course to be good citizens. The Covid year has been a challenge for Kerry and Tamara but though it all they have been able to run programs of kids (5-17yo) taking around 16-18 kids at a time and running refreshers and the like. Actually they have 35 kids organised for 3rd October, so they'll have work cut out there.

As always with Kerry, you feel the passion for helping kids and when he tells the personal stories, it is truly inspiring what the Salty Souls team does. Very happy to support these two great community causes.

..And our major sponsor Dean from Cricks Volkswagen joined us for breakfast and stayed on to hear how preparations are going for the Surf Show and Shine.

Dean's crew will also be escorting the Kombis on Th eSaturday Parade, which is promising to be quite something with a Cavalcade of Kombis (is that the collective noun ?) heading up and down the beach front to generate interest for the AMAZING Sunday show.

Signs are Up !!

Surf Show and Shine Signs (try saying that out load) go up

An intrepid band of volunteers headed out on Sunday to put up the car park closed signs and the corflutes for the show. They must have worked because on Monday morning the Secretaries in box was full of enquiries, and apparently the Facebook communication went up a notch.

So Paul, Tony, Errol, Craig and John managed to put out 40 corflutes and 50 metres of banners before the sun went down. Now hopefully we can remember where we put them as we'll be taking them back down in a weeks time !!

This car park will be full of Kombis, Music, Artists, Surfboards, sculptures, the latest in VW vehicles and hundreds of visitors on Sunday 27th.

Our old signs came in handy to attract the passing traffic.

Sea FM on site from 9 - 12am

SeaFM Broadcasting and MC'ing from 9 am - 12 on Sunday

Our mates at SeaFM will be onsite and broadcasting from the glorious beachfront car park. Be sure to say high to Edie, Sophie, Mel and Ethan.

Surf Show and Shine Kids area

Green Frogs Adventures putting on a show

While the mums and dads are enjoying the Great Rotary Surf Show Kombi show, the kids will be kept entertained by Green Frogs adventures who will have climbing walls and all sorts of kids adventures at the park in front of the car park.

Rotary Surf Show and Shine Bands confirmed

Bands at the Rotary Surf Show and Shine

The following entertainment has been confirmed for Sunday 27th Sept........stay tuned for more info on the amazing Sunshine Coast Surf artists headlined by Owen Cavanagh

Siena School Band...

Karrie Hayward....

The Dreggs.....

Tay Oskee.....

Anna & Jordan......

Transition to a home and to work ..too much to ask?

On Friday secretary John briefed the club on the ZOOM meeting with IFYS and Holly Humphrey from Passport Rotary. Its early stages, but hopefully in the next few weeks IFYS will have funding for a "job club" at the Stadium Hub to help the folk there transition to a job - most likely in the hospitality industry. The team at IFYS have been engaging with some special employers who have put their hand up to help the clients at the Stadium get into work.

Rotary have been asked to work with IFYS to help fashion a basic advanced modules in work preparation areas, giving practical advice on getting and staying in work.

Regular ZOOM meetings have been set up by the Project team, so stay tuned, and we hope to detail how this will all work in the next week or so.

Rotary Virtual Conferences

Rotary Virtual Conference

The Virtually Alice Zone 8 Conference had an excellent line up of speakers from Rotary International and local presentations. You can access it on the Zone 8 website soon. Jennifer Jones spoke about “Modern Rotary” and how throughout the pandemic Rotarians have shown their ability to adapt. Clubs are inducting members and chartering new clubs. Grants have provided much needed PPE and ventilators to communities. The videos from the finalists in the Zone competition gave us an insight into various club projects and the standard was very professional. Mike McGovern spoke about Polio Plus and the annual target of $50 million funds to be raised and matched by the Gates Foundation. This target translates to $1,500 per club. Polio cases have been reduced by 99% which is an amazing achievement for Rotary and our partners.

Comedy Corner

Most Rotary Club bulletins have a comedy section, and a certain reader of our "bully" keeps sending through clips from other clubs funnies...so here is a selection. "Enjoy" as they say in all the restaurants...

The bookie at the racetrack registered complete surprise when a horse stepped up to the window, and asked to bet on himself.
“What's the matter?” snorted the horse. “Are you astonished that I can talk?”
“Not at all,” said the man. “I'm surprised that you think you can win.”

The young man at the flower shop was taking an unusually long time to place his order. When the clerk asked how she could help, he explained that his girlfriend was turning nineteen and he couldn't decide whether to give her a dozen roses or nineteen roses -- one for each year of her life.
The woman put aside her business judgment and advised,
"She may be your nineteen-year-old girlfriend now,
but someday she could be your fifty-year-old wife."
The young man bought a dozen roses.

Whats that club?

It took a while but a few sharp eyed members realised that another Alexandra Rotary had hacked our web presentation..

Bill & Melissa visit club

Care Outreach comes to visit

Bill and Melissa from Care Outreach reminded us on Friday morning why we're so keen to support them with our fundraising. These amazing folks and their army of volunteers go to the far flung districts of western Queensland (don't ask me to repeat them) to provide practical support to farmers and their families "doing it ought" in the outback. We were amazed at the coverage Bill went through on "questions without notice".

We've also managed to drag Bill and Melissa away from their work on Sunday 27th, and they'll be putting up a Care Outreach stall at the Mooloolaba beach car park to let our visitors know what Care Outreach does for the farmers and their families, who are still suffering after 8 - 9 years of drought, and the crushing day to day lives that many of them have endured during that time.

A film documentary is being made of what Care Outreach do in the outback, and Bill related a "normal day" for one of his visits which ended after almost 20 hours on his feet, up to his neck in mud trying to pull a steer out of a waterhole.

...

Craig gave a vote of thanks to Melissa and Bill on behalf of the club..

The Art Precinct is taking Shape

Surf Art is coming to Surf Show and Shine

During the week Owen Cavanagh has been contacting his artistic mates and we'll be sending out a newsletter shortly with the artists who will be at our Surf Show and Shine event.

Also stay tuned for what Bands are coming and what the "special attractions" are at the kids area.

Owen has exhibited his work in Australia, Italy & Spain and we're fortunate to have him on our Sunshine Coast. Here's a taste on what you can expect.

We're also hoping to attract some other artists to the show, and designer in chief Steve has created a mini art gallery on the SSS plan which will have some sculptures and some truly mind blowing surfboard art work.

Also an honourable mention to Mark who helped the event out with putting Nathan from Sunrise skips onto the event. Nathan has done us a great favour by donating a skip for the event. We're on the look out for wheelie bins now...

Rotary / Toastmasters

The Toastmasters / Rotary relationship continues

Mike Storkey’s wife Lesley Storkey has just been announced as an International Director of Toastmasters International.

This is a two-year appointment to the International Board of Toastmasters; she will be the Director from Region 12 which covers Australia, New Zealand, PNG, parts of Indonesia.

The Toastmasters Convention was scheduled to be in Paris during August and was converted to an on-line- “virtual” convention because of Covid-19. Voting from around the world took place on Friday evening (our time) and results announced about 7.30 am today (Sunday) which would have been somewhat nerve wracking!

It is fantastic news for us given the new alliance between Rotary and Toastmasters.

On behalf of Alex Headland Rotary and District 9600, a big congratulations to Lesley.

Tony Freeman

Youth Driving Schemes

Special Rotary Minute from Tony

The terrible road toll on our youth was Tony's theme on Friday and the Rotary Young Drivers Scheme (RYDA). Tony's Rotary Minute spoke to a personal connection where a young girls life was lost not long after receiving their driving licence.

This led to other discussion and some other memories, some from Steve and the beginnings of the RYDA scheme as "U turn the wheel" to teach kids of the risks of driving started in the Moss Vale club.

From the Rotary Club of Mossvale website..

"The U Turn the Wheel program for Year 11 students in the Southern Highlands is now funded by generous grants from IMB Community grant , Mittagong RSL Community funding and Moss Vale McDonald's. The program includes presentations from NSW Police, NSW Ambulance, Driving school, Trade Practices, Road Accident victims and Youth Solutions. The program is run over 3 days. These Community members give their time freely to support the program and believe in the strong principles Rotary has instilled in the event. This has ensured the respect of the students listening to the message as well as the delivery of a quality, educational program with achievable goals.The U Turn the Wheel has always been provided to students FREE of charge. This has been a strong principle adopted by the Moss Vale Rotary Club which allows all students to participate and benefit from the important road safety event."

Then Graeme reflected on his experiences with Sunshine Coast kids when shown the horrific consequences of the road toll. And there are many other youth driving awareness schemes, including IFYS and PYC which the club has supported in the past.

Good to know that there are Rotarians all over helping the youth with their driving responsibilities.

Thank you Tony for a reflective Rotary "Minute" with everyone was pleased to contribute to.

First Female Rotary President

Rotary will have first female president in 2022 - 2023

Hot off the press and in your Rotary news....Some would say not before time. Rotary is to have its first female Rotary International President. Fantastic.

Mobile phones help prevent Domestic Violence

Next time you are out shopping and near the great folks at King IT, be sure to take along your old mobile phone and support these great people who are providing life lines to those in a DV situation. Well done King IT.