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Vocational visit to Sports Hub

Vocational visit at Sports Hub

 
We visited the sports hub on Friday and saw first hand the amazing facility that has been such a success in helping the Sunshine Coast homeless during the pandemic. Renee and Vicki were our hosts, and we learned how quickly the IFYS team and others responded to the crisis, but also how the unique model that they set up has been successful in transitioning people from homelessness to a more permanent footing in our community. 
 
And all of this has been done on a relative "shoestring" budget. 
 
The average number of people now staying at the "Hub" every day is around 40 and the length of stay is just over 30 days, hundreds have been through the facility and thousands of meals. The model is to manage and mentor the "guests" to more permanent lodgings, and in some case to permanent employment.
 
The facility itself is well suited to the task for adult accommodation, with good size accommodation and common areas, and a fantastic outlook over Lake Kawana. So much so, the IFYS are looking to replicate the model in Sippy Downs where the land and build requirements are well advanced. 
 
Vicki and Renee also want Rotary to help out with supporting the hub guests transition to work by giving then preliminary work skills and encouragement to engage again work situations and with the community. This would be similar to a course the club did a few years ago at Maleny where older trainee community workers who had been out of the workplace for a while were given several sessions with club members on basic work skills. 
 
 
Conference room at the Sports Hub
Errol, Craig and Skye
 
Temperature checks before arrival...Secretary John so disappointed he didn't top the charts !
 
Wallis and Fiona in deep discussion
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...
 
 
Saara got accepted for NYSF
 
Way back in May we heard from Ainsley Lea about her fantastic experiences with National Youth Science Forum and how this had influenced her career choices. At that time your club also heard from Saara Silvola who had applied to go on the latest NYSF with support from Alex Rotary.
 
Well stop press...... we are delighted to let you know that Saara has been accepted from a strong field of candidates and we send her our congratulations and look forward to hearing about her experiences when she returns !! 
 
Here is part of Saara's application (its impressive) - and we also understand that her interview with the Rotary District team blew them away!
 
"I consider myself very STEM-oriented - I study chemistry, biology and psychology in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme and am very interested in their study and research. I find science in general very fascinating as answers and explanations always exist, even if they have not been discovered yet. I am also interested in volunteering in the community through events such as the Mooloolaba Ironman, the Mooloolaba Triathlon (2019/2020) and LifePoint Baptist Church’s Christmas Lights (2017-2020). I also participate in fundraisers such as The World’s Greatest Shave and Cancer Council’s Relay for Life (2019). 
 
My hobbies include reading for leisure, swimming, playing the piano, playing netball and going to the gym to keep a balanced lifestyle. 
 
Over the past few years, I have discovered my true love for STEM through the various opportunities and extra-curricular activities I have been involved in, such as the QLD Regional STEM GirlPower Ambassador program in 2019 (alumni for 2020 and 2021), the 2020 UQ Science Ambassador program, USC’s STEM connect program in 2019 and ‘Meet the researcher’ webinar meetings through QUT’s STEM Internship program in 2020. 
My biggest achievements include being an International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme academic scholarship winner in 2019 and 2020, receiving a Mountain Creek SHS Community Service and Leadership Award in 2019, being named the academic DUX of the grade in 2017 and 2018, participating in the USC Maths Modelling Challenge in 2018 and 2019 (1st place in 2018) and being a school leader since 2017. I anticipate that being a part of the National Youth Science Forum will be as rewarding as my previous experiences."
 
This is a young lady we wil be hearing a lot more about in future.
 
Congratulations Saara
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
 
 
Future Club Projects 

Club Calendar

While the Surf Show and Shine is taking up most of the Clubs activity at the moment we're also looking to keep the club active through the year ahead.
 
Its clear that the pandemic has hot many community organisations hard, and so we'll be looking to keep up our fundraising and community help. There are at least 3 potential projects that will come to fruition in the next few weeks.
 
Rotary & IFYS
 
  • WorkLife job skills. The club has been asked to help out at the Sports Hub with supporting the temporary residents in that facility with early job seeking and job keeping skills. Things like work preparation, interview skills, communication, etc. for 24-40 year olds.
  • Kitchen / Workshop. The club is also exploring how we could help with practical job skills around retail or small machine / bike repars
  • Major Youth sports / homeless facility. We're fortunate to have close relationships with IFYS and will be looking for wider Rotary (Cluster or District) support to support the developmemt and operation of the proposed Sippy Downs facility to help homeless or disengaged young sport people transition to a stronger relationship with the community, through mentoring and work skills transfer. 
 
 
THRIVE
 
  • The club has also been discussing with the Dept of Education on how we may be able to help support the youngsters that are in the THRIVE programs. This would be a much younger cohort of kids and be held in the Aerodrome Road THRIVE complex
 
 
 
We also recognise that we're a small club, so will be looking to use our network and other Rotary and volunteer clubs to help. 
 
Here's some of the things that will be going up:
 
September
 
12th - Bunning BBQ
26th & 27th - Surf Show and Shine 
 
October
 
11th - Walk for Mental Health along Alex Foreshore
 
November
 
Thrive & IFYS programs
 
December 
 
6th - "Christmas at Alex" 
 
January 2021
 
Alex Rotary Charity "Solstice" Swim 
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. 
 
Sunshine Coast Care 

Volunteering on the Sunshine Coast

John James from Suncoast Care was our speaker on Friday. John is no stranger to Rotary, as he is a past Paul Harris fellow, but this was his first visit to Alex Rotary.
 
As it turned out we had a lot in common with Suncoast Care group as it has strong links to Bill & Melissa at Care Outreach and also works with "The Shack" on the the community problems on the Sunshine Coast. 
 
John gave a very positive and inspiring talk on the work that his team does on the Sunshine Coast every day of the week, rain hail or shine. We were reminded of the relentless nature of community work as John went through the food bank activities that his colleagues do every day of the week to provide support, physical and social to those in need. 
 
Trucks and utes and volunteers as far south as Rocklea markets then all around the Sunshine Coast to help out those who quite simply, would not manage without this kind of help. 
 
When you listen to people like John talk about what they and other community work leaders do ...then you realise what a debt the community owes to these selfless citizens who put in every day to "make a difference". Well done Suncoast Care. 
 
A little bird told President Wendy that John had lost his Paul Harris fellow badge, attracted a fine and which was corrected at the meeting, as you can see below.
 
 
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. 
 
 
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