I would like to say that I did enjoy my meeting night at Jim Cundy’s on Tuesday night. The fellowship was excellent, and I thought the night went very well, and a lot of business was discussed over the meal. Also, the calendar photos for next year look quite interesting and I wish the calendar committee all the best.
My year as President is fast becoming to its end and I hope you all have advised PE Gordon of your preference at what committee you would like to be involved with.
With our declining club and member numbers it is pleasing to see that we have a new club joining us. On the 4th June, the Rotary Club of Lightsview will join our organisation and I have attached the invitation should you be available to attend.
The Mallee Bulls are a Mallee car entering the Variety Bash 2023. They are having a Seafood fundraiser to raise funds to go directly to Variety for kids in need. Your support will be greatly appreciated. The Oysters are from Smokey Bay Seafoods and will be supplied fresh and closed at $16 per dozen. The prawns are new seasons Spencer Gulf Prawns from the Lukin Family. You can either purchase cooked or green whole snapped frozen prawns for $38 per kg in 5 kg lots. Donations can also be made on the order form. Pick up will be on Friday May 26th between 8am - 12 noon at either Adelaide or Lameroo. For more information contact Brad Zerk 0408 814 110 or Steve Hall 0418 809 998.
At this week’s Board meeting, I am sure we will be looking at supporting our normal commitments as we have over the past, so please keep an eye on my reports to inform you of our commitments.
See you Tuesday night.
Community Impact EXPO Speaker List
3rd June 2023
RI Convention - District EXPO Centenary Celebration Dinner
The District has organised a Community Impact Expo to be held on 3rd June in Bonython Hall, North Terrace. The aim is to connect Rotarians and the community and showcase the impact we have as Rotarians across the state. During the afternoon there will be a series of keynote speakers who will highlight volunteering, diversity, equity and inclusion.
Following the Expo will be a celebration Dinner.
The dinner will highlight the achievements of Rotary over the last 100 years as we celebrate the centenary of Rotary in South Australia. I am taking bookings for the dinner and hope to have a table of 10.
The Rotary International Convention is being held in Melbourne May 27th to 31st. Its not too late to register and attend.
Please contact Robin for information about any of the above or to confirm your attendance at the dinner.
Click image to register
Smith Family Meeting Report
The Smith Family was the topic for Tuesdays Rotary Club of Murray Bridge meeting with Graham Jaeschke via Zoom. Graham is the Gen Manager SA & NT of the Smith Family. joining in June 2008 . Since that time the Smith Family has more than tripled the number of students on their Learning for Life scholarship with around 7,000 students sponsored and around 24,000 students assisted. The Smith Family has identified seven major areas in SA which have the highest concentration of families living in economic disadvantage. Playford, Salisbury, Port Adelaide, Port Augusta, and Whyalla are the main areas of focus in SA. The Smith Family believe that education is one of the worlds most powerful change agents and that is why the focus is on helping young Australians to overcome educational inequality caused by poverty. Today there are more than 1.2 million Australian children living in poverty. Disadvantaged students have significantly lower, 30%, year 12 completion rates and are two plus years behind in reading and maths. Programs on offer by the Smith Family include Arts Programs, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, Community, Financial, Learning for Life, Lireracy, Mentoring, Numeracy, Technology and Work Experience. John Scarvelis
ROMAC Newsletter Extract
Things are really moving again on the ROMAC front. We are currently treating 7 children in New Zealand and Australia and we have at least another 20 under consideration. We are updating our systems and processes. We have recently completely revised our By Laws which, in line with Rotary practice, now clearly limits the time our office bearers can hold a particular position to 4 years.
In this regard, two of our long-serving Regional Chairs, Jill Oliver (Southern) and Wayne Litherland (Northern) have recently been replaced by Minh Nguyen and Adele Hughes respectively. Our sincere thanks go to Jill and Wayne for their outstanding contributions to ROMAC over the last five years and we welcome Minh and Adele. We also thank Jim Prokhovnik, who after five years, is standing down as our Meeting Secretary.
We have recently been advertising another 6 Zone 8 positions, some new roles and some filling casual vacancies. It is very pleasing to see the level of interest in these roles, and to announce the following appointments:
Medical Director - Dr Nigel Stewart (South Australian Paediatrician and former Central Region Medical Adviser)
Meeting Secretary - Brendan Kenny (former Central Region Secretary)
HR, Recruitment & Training Coordinator (new position) - Jim Prokhovnik (former Meeting Secretary)
Australian Operations Manager (new position) - Jill Oliver (former Southern Region Chair)
We thank and congratulate these 4 people and welcome them in their new roles. We are currently working though the selection processes for the remaining 2 vacancies.
I want to point out that most Regional Committees are still looking for volunteers with a variety of skills in areas like fundraising, communications and media, hospital liaison, club involvement, patient care and hosting, and any other roles like Secretary and Treasurer. Please contact your Regional Chair if you would like to volunteer and help ROMAC continue to provide life saving and/or dignity restoring surgery to children from our Oceania neighbours.
As we get even closer to the end of this Rotary year, I make one last plea for donations to ROMAC if any Rotary club has any surplus funds. They will be well used to help mothers and children in need.
Yours in Rotary
Ian D'Arcy Walsh
Kim from Vietnam
Born in Vietnam with a Tessier Cleft in 1995, Kim was a ROMAC patient of Plastic Surgeon Prof. Tony Holmes at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne in 2001. Prof. Holmes reconstructed her face, reducing her brain deformity, rebuilding her forehead and moving her eye sockets together over several operations.
In December 2021, Kim graduated from college with a major in Tourism and Travel Management, aged 25. She has a job at the College, recruiting students to the school. She says she really enjoys the job and has a good life with the love of friends and family. Photos: Kim age 6. Kim at her graduation ceremony in 2022 age 25.
Melenaite Update
It was a very early 4am check in on 8 April at Mascot Airport for baby Melenaite and her mum Michelle. But it was well worth the effort as they were flying home after 9 months of treatment at the Canberra Hospital and Sydney Children's Hospital to be reunited with father Sione, whose only contact has been by phone and Zoom.
Melenaite underwent two major surgeries to remove a 2.5kg teratoma (growth) on her lower back, first in Canberra and then in Sydney when regrowth of the teratoma occurred. As a result of the teratoma, she also has lost bladder control and has been receiving treatment for that as well.
Melenaite will be closely monitored over the coming months by her Tongan paediatrician, Dr Toa. A MRI scan, most likely in Auckland, will also be required in a few months.
In all, a great effort by the Medical Teams at the Canberra Hospital and Sydney Children's Hospital, supported by the ROMAC teams in both cities. A very big thank you to Sandra Goldstraw and Debbie Whitfield in Canberra who shouldered most of the support effort, and to Richard Woodburn, Bob Richards and Anita Robinson in Sydney. Photo (l to r): Richard Woodburn, Michelle, Melenaite & Anita Robinson.
Senri Update
Thirteen-year-old Senri, from the Solomon Islands, is our latest patient at the Sydney Children's Hospital in Randwick. Senri was badly burned in 2021 when an old WW2 phosphorous grenade exploded as he was playing with it. He suffered full-thickness burns to his left hand, leaving it dysfunctional, and partial-thickness burns to his right hand.
Dr Sarah Tolerton, a Plastic Surgeon who specialises in hand and reconstructive surgery, and Registrar Dr Phaethon Karagiannis successfully operated on both his hands in a nearly 8-hour operation in April.
In a further blow to Senri and his family, his mother, who was to accompany him to Sydney, sadly passed away. Then his older sister agreed to step in but found she was pregnant and unable to travel. Rotarian and Past District Governor Ros Kelly stepped into their shoes and agreed to act as Senri's guardian for the trip to Australia.
The surgeons are very happy with Senri's progress to date. He will have a lot of physiotherapy over the next few weeks, with more surgery in about a month to "tidy up" his wounds. Photo (l to r): Anita Robinson & Semri.
CALENDAR WINNERS 9th May
Draw Date
Value
Winning No.
Winner
Location
Sold by
9.5.23
100
598
Diedre Cocks
Murray Bridge
G. Frazer
30
784
Cheyenne Maloney
Murray Bridge
Rotary
20
876
Steve & Cyndi Jones
Murray Bridge
K. Prosser
Rotary Club of Murray Bridge Facebook Summary
April 2023- Spot Check
Total People reached for April 6,827
59 Posts for the Month of April
Twenty of these posts reached over 100 people each.
1st April Rotary Club of Murray Bridge BBQ for MB Skate Park Event
546
1st MB Art Show Preview
103
3rd Mongolian Playground Project
609
4th Murraylands Yuntu-Walun Multicultural Festival Event
413
4th Ukrainian Dancing Video from the Festival
135
5th Annie Williams Breast Care Nurse Rotary Meeting
246
5th MB Rotary Art Show
563
5th Rotary Club of MB 3,500th Meeting and New Member Inductions
580
5th Veloo Foundation
146
6th Eastside Billabong Flooding & Sunset
104
8th Rotary Club of Goolwa Markets
196
13th Leigh Anne Payne-Rathburn Past Exchange Student
26th Why English is so hard to Learn Australian Migrant Resource Centre
132
27th MB Recycling Project Kitchen Caddies at the Market Place
264
Which ones did you miss ? You can go back to find them if you wish on facebook. Also the Rural City of Murray Bridge has just released a new Promotional Video which includes the last two Murraylands Yuntu- Walun Multicultural Festivals. It is currently pinned at the top of the Rotary Club of Murray Bridge Facebook Page which you can also access via our Webpage. This is our 7th Year on Facebook. Rotarian John Scarvelis
Paul Harris Fellow Recognition
Drakes Tags
Our Club has received another "gift card" from Dakes in the amount of $125.00 through their Community Dollars programme. Thank you to all members who have shopped at Drakes and registered their barcode. Please keep on doing this as it helps pay for groceries bought for bbqs etc. Any members who havn't a Drakes tag please see me. The tags are not just for members, you can give them to friends and family. You can use them at any Drakes store in South Australia.
Jenny Alexander-Walters
Food Business Notification Number Rural City Of Murray Bridge
Trading Business Name: Rotary Club of Murray Bridge Food Business Notification Number: RCMB118 This business is now notified with the Rural City of Murray Bridge. If there are any changes to the food business notification details, such as a change in address or ownership, please ensure Council is notified with the appropriate form. While Council has a responsibility for the administration of the Food Act 2001 to ensure compliance with standards and food safety requirements, we consider our primary role is to provide support. We can provide advice and guidance on all Food Standards Code matters.
Object of Rotary
The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster:
FIRST: The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service;
SECOND: High ethical standards in business and professions; the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations; and the dignifying of each Rotarian’s occupation as an opportunity to serve society;
THIRD: The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian’s personal, business, and community life;
FOURTH: The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.
Rotary Work Shirts
Darryl Webb has arranged with Grandisons to supply Bisley Rotary work shirts in various configurations.
Please visit Grandisons and select your shirt which will then be embroided with our Club logo.
Pay for the shirt and retain your receipt.
Upon presentation of the receipt to Sam Cozens, you will be reimbursed $20 as a subsidy
What's happening on our Facebook page
John Scarvelis has been posting up a storm with some great content.
Born in Vietnam with a Tessier Cleft in 1995, Kim was a ROMAC patient of Plastic Surgeon Prof. Tony Holmes at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne in 2001. Prof. Holmes reconstructed her face, reducing her brain deformity, rebuilding her forehead and moving her eye sockets together over several operations.
In December 2021, Kim graduated from college with a major in Tourism and Travel Management, aged 25. She has a job at the College, recruiting students to the school. She says she really enjoys the job and has a good life with the love of friends and family. 
It was a very early 4am check in on 8 April at Mascot Airport for baby Melenaite and her mum Michelle. But it was well worth the effort as they were flying home after 9 months of treatment at the Canberra Hospital and Sydney Children's Hospital to be reunited with father Sione, whose only contact has been by phone and Zoom.
Thirteen-year-old Senri, from the Solomon Islands, is our latest patient at the Sydney Children's Hospital in Randwick. Senri was badly burned in 2021 when an old WW2 phosphorous grenade exploded as he was playing with it. He suffered full-thickness burns to his left hand, leaving it dysfunctional, and partial-thickness burns to his right hand.
ged with Grandisons to supply Bisley Rotary work shirts in various configurations.
