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President – Jenny Foster 2017/18

October 28th 2017

Volume 83, Issue 22

Secretary@RCE.org.au Chartered 27th March 1935 www.RCE.org.au

Jenny Foster

1st – 3rd Dec 2017 Days for Girls weekend away Sugarloaf Retreat more info to come

5th Dec 2017 Club Committees to present – Club speakers The Anglers Tavern 12.30 pm for 1pm to 2pm

12th Dec 2017 Christmas party – Fellowship – Dress to Sparkle Post Office Hotel 229-231 Sydney Road Coburg

NIGHT MEETING 6pm for 6.30pm

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT:

Dear Fellow Rotarians & Friends, Today the Rotary Club of Essendon held the Annual General Meeting. Thank you to PP Maria Kouppas for presenting to the Club the Presidential Report for 2016/2017. We had just over 40 members attend this meeting. How pleased we were to see so many Members come along. There was a buzz in the air, perhaps this was because it was also Maria’s Birthday…Happy Birthday! To me this just shows how much this Club cares about who we are, what we do & what the future holds. Thank you PP Maria for an excellent “wrap-up” of your wonderful year & to Treasurer & PEN Kelly Abfalter for providing to all Members the Financial Audit for 2016/2017 that was accepted by RCE. Further details of the day’s proceedings outlined below. Kelly Abfalter & Grant Stephenson were also thanked for their terrific work in putting together RCE’s Bi-Annual Golf Day last Friday which was a great “hit”!!! Time ran short as we opened up for questions from the floor. Membership, Attendance, Project work are amongst the things that we all want to talk about. No-one has the right or wrong answer. We need to have much more discussion about this. My ideas are different to Members that have been with the Club for many years. New Members joining will have different ideas to me. We need to hear them all. What we will all agree with is that this is a Club with a long & proud history that needs to be sustained. All ideas are most welcome. May I encourage you all to think about your own children…why would they join Rotary today? They are our future……go ahead & ask them? I know I joined Rotary because of all the fantastic things that Rotary are doing around the World. Do our kids say…good on you Dad / Mum…isn’t it great that you had lunch today or do they say Wow…isn’t it brilliant that you part of an Organisation that is eradicating Polio, speaking up about how wrong Human Trafficking is, trying to make sure that every child in Australia is Trachoma free by 2020….& on the list goes. Rotary is a strong Brand that can be heard & together we need to be a Club of Action so we continue to Make a Difference!

WHAT’S ON NEXT WEEK – Club Committees to present – Club speakers

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. (Martin Luther King Jr) Have a fabulous week. Stay cool & get ready of the crazy Festive Season. I hope you all love it as much as I do. Just remember though….”when in Doubt…just add Sparkle!!” Kind Regards President Jenny NEW MEMBER NOMINATION Carmel Lamanna has been nominated for membership of the Rotary Club of Essendon. Her details are as follows: Name: Carmel Lamanna Classification: Community Administration Proposer: Maria Kouppas If anyone has any objection to this nomination could they kindly notify me by 3 December 2017. Stephen Roe Secretary The Rotary Club of Essendon

BOARD DECISIONS

1. That Board has decided that "The Silver Pot” money will now be re-directed to the Administration Account. 2. Confirmation of the 2016/2017 President’s & Treasurer’s Report & See (Fong) Long accepting the position as the Club’s

auditor for 2017/2018 3. Kelly Abfalter confirmed to be President of the Club 2019/2020 4. Veronica O’Sullivan announcing part of her Board for 2018/2019

DAY FOR GIRLS

https://www.daysforgirls.org

Please join the Rotary Club of Essendon & Rotary Club of Keilor East "DAY’S FOR GIRLS” sewing group tomorrow, Wed, 29 November.

Everyone is welcome…sewers & non-sewers! Kits currently being made are to be given to girls in East Timor….we need your help to make the 500 that have been asked for.

MESSAGE FROM THE GROUP’S SECRETARY:

Well here we are….. our last SEW-IN-DAY for 2017.

Open afternoon between 1.30pm and 5.00pm on Wed 29th, NOVEMBER

At Essendon Baptist Church, 138 Buckley Street, Essendon.

Our next gathering will be on Wed, 31st January 2018.

Take care, keep well.

Warm & caring thoughts, and to those we don't see until next year….

Happy and Safe Christmas and a Huge THANK YOU for ALL your Help and Support during

2017.

Presidents Report Rotary Club Essendon

2016 – 2017

President Maria Kouppas - Secretary Stephen Roe

Report presented at the Annual General Meeting

28th November 2017

The 82nd Rotary year officially commenced on 5th July 2016, despite that the previous year was one of planning, and considering

the direction that my Board and I would take the club. We only had 365 days to honour the theme of the year - Rotary Serving

Humanity.

In my inaugural speech I reminded the membership that I joined Rotary to make a difference and to make a difference in the

community, and by doing so set an example for my own children.

We can all make a difference in the world working together rather than on our own.

In my year I wanted to continue with the many projects our club had started both locally & internationally. Business as usual,

steady and continuing to engage all our members in the club’s activities.

In 2016 -2017 our membership was the lowest it has been, but members are enthusiastic, energized and support each other

which is what is important to achieve club goals. Our individual strengths need to come together to work as a strong team. Past

president Michael Baker said; club life must go on. We needed to consider this for our club’s survival.

Individual strengths must be tapped into, for a successful team to make progress

The Board was a selection of Rotarians with experience, passion and likeminded people. With differing skills and strengths, but

as one a powerful and effective Service Club

The board comprised; Dr Peter Condos – Vice President, Kelly Abfalter –Treasurer, Stephen Roe, - Secretary, Roger Leask – Club

Service Richard Lawrence /Stephen Chandler Community, Jane Carbone – Fellowship, Cathy Nicou – International, Boris Struk

Marketing / Program, John Odgers Youth and Vocational, Immediate Past President Peter Halaseh and President Elect Jenny

Foster .

My philosophy is that Rotary is made up so many different people;

Builders; Motivating us to the finishing line

Champions; who stand up for what they believe

Collaborators; who seek friends with similar interests

Companions; they are the ones who are always there, rain hail or shine

Connectors; building bridges, sourcing what we need, when we need it.

Energisers; the fun friends the ones who make us feel welcome and involved as part of the club

These are the strengths of what the Board and club members bought to the year.

Our club welcomed District Governor Neville John and his wife Rebecca, Assistant Governor Colin Styles and his wife June This

would prove to be the first of many visits to our club over the Rotary year.

Our visiting speakers included members from our own Rotary club, the Rotary Family, and the broader community all making a

difference in so many ways;

1. Catherine Scerri – Bahay Tulian International project 2. Mark Rusic - Australian Author and Painter 3. Nina Lovengreen - Exchange Student Denmark 4. All community chairs presented

5. Peter Duras - The road to the Olympics 6. Ron Adams - Australian Rotary Health 7. Kerry King - Compassionate friends 8. District Governor - Neville John 9. Rick Milne -People Paraphernalia 10. Barry Davis - Essendon Heartthrob 11. Greame Ware - Essendon Fields CEO 12. Steven Wells Royal Talbot Mental Health Unit 13. David Whiting - Legal Advisor Rotary 14. Peter Baker World Wars 15. David Abbey 16. Leon Lewi - Interplast 17. Kokoda travelers; Roe, Lawrence, V. Abfalter, A.Lowcock. 18. Bob Chalmers - Essendon Historical Society 19. Hannie Rayson- Hotel Sorrento 20. Claire Halliday 21. Stephen Chandler – down memory Lane 22. Snr Sgt Ian Jones Moonee Ponds Police 23. Steven Romanov – Multicultural Commission 24. Peter Stubbs – 3AW 25. Ross Butterworth WERN 26. Greg Ross – Lifting the Lid 27. Bill Kusznirczuk Town Planning 28. We celebrated Charter Night our clubs Birthday with the Past Police Commissioner Neil Comrie.

We had;

12 Board meetings

10 Committee meetings for each of the committees = 70 meetings over the year

The various committees engaged themselves as;

Youth & Vocational Committee

National Youth Forum

Youth exchange program

Education first in association with Kangan Institute

Student mock interviews at Kangan

Vocational trip to the Toyota Plant Altona

Community

Men’s shed

Relay for Life,

Graffiti clean-up day

Caroline Chisholm wool program, food program, prams and pushers as well as the building maintenance

Breathalyser program

Traffic school

Scout camp

International women’s day

Steam train day – Essendon Historical Society

International

Peru project – grant from District approved

Myanmar & Cambodia, medical supplies to Cambodia shipped

Philippines, BT held a fund raising dinner and 230 people attended raising $20,000

Philippines, water needs and a rice farm

Kenya project

DIK, handled by Jenny Foster & John Odgers

(Sending of the 500th Container)

Timor & Bangladesh containers were also dispatched.

Fellowship

Back up for Relay for Life

Dinner party raffle

13th September “Friends of Rotary”

Art Show Gala Function 25th March 2017

Christmas Dinner

Charter Night

Presidents Night

Themed Lunches

Marketing / Program

Weekly speakers

Re-branding & marketing

Club Service

front of house

Lunch meetings

As is tradition we celebrated - the traditional Australia Day BBQ, Relay for Life ($295.00), (successfully merged with the

Brumby’s Babes), the Annual Dinner Party raffle, our joint involvement in the Strathmore Men’s shed ($100.00), Caroline

Chisholm Foundation (knitted garments, food parcels and ($1,000.00) of prams) Breathalysers $240.00, the Essendon Traffic

School, Rowallan Scout Camp $1,000.00 (water tank replacement) , sponsoring of a table at the International Women’s Day

breakfast $660.00, Supporting the Moonee Valley Foundation Awards ($500.00) Book club, St Patricks Day, a football themed

day, and our Christmas Dinner complete with a visit from the man in “Red”.

As well as;

6 cluster Meetings

Numerous sub-committee meetings that our members were involved with; Planning for the Steam Train, Moonee Valley Art

Show, DIK commitments, Men’s shed, Days for Girls, Royce Abbey Scholarship Award meetings, Book club meetings

Our members supported;

Easter Egg Hunt

Lunch on a cruise liner

Country fellowship luncheon

Annual Conference in Shepparton

Bahay Tullian fundraising dinner

Foundation seminar

Visiting Father Ray at the Columbines mission

Care for Cambodia Dinner

Blue Illusions Fashion Night

Kangan Awards

Moonee Valley Festival Cluster project.

International Women’s Breakfast with Buckley Park College

Moonee Valley Foundation Awards

Caroline Chisholm Opening

And sadly we lost the prestigious Bill Earl Trophy.

Our partnerships saw another successful Art Show, Days for Girls, Men’s Shed and the support to DIK.

We welcomed four new Members; Jenni Mann, Andrew Johnston, Larry Marshall and Bev Smythe. New members are the life

blood of the club so we can continue our work both locally and overseas.

We honoured our very own Jack Honson for 100% attendance and 50 years’ service with a Paul Harris Recognition as well as a

Royce Abbey Award presented by David Abbey

Maurice Mollica also received a Royce Abbey Award.

Service Awards were also presented to Wal Dibben and Pat O’Connell.

Paul Harris Recognitions were also presented to Veronica O’Sullivan, John Odgers, Peter Condos, Roger Leask, Roger Priestley.

The jewel in the crown for the club was the presentation of a Royce Abbey Award to the then incoming World President Mr. Ian

Risely. How better to get the award onto the world stage.

The cluster was able to have a fund raiser to raise funds for toilet blocks in Bangladesh a project close to Dr Ejanul assistant

Governor within the Gateway East and West cluster.

We welcomed visitors from other Rotary Clubs and from overseas clubs to our lunches and to Charter night.

Goran Civkroski Rotary Club Skopje West

Felipe Huerta Rotary Club Pembroke Chile

Uddhav Prassa Rotary Club Nepal

We also welcomed Past President Alan Murphy, Past President George Verginis Rotary Club Kew, Mayor of Moonee Valley

Andrea Surace, as well as the many partners, family and friends of our own membership.

We also have unfinished business as the Rotary year is never long enough. We made great inroads in trying to find out the

situation re the Royal District Nursing Service premises which our club was so involved in its building and establishment as a

highly respected service for the community. The questions are still being asked and the answers coming back slowly.

Friends of Rotary celebrated

Dinner with Gary Meaghan at the Boathouse

Supper Theater night with the Essendon Theatrical Society

and of course Greek Easter at Philhellene

Sadly, we fare welled Honorary Member Howard Seeley, Past President and Governor Graeme Allison and Rotarian and Royce

Abbey Awardee Henry Randell.

The wishing well in Queens Park, gave the Rotary Club of Essendon a real surprise - $5,772.00 in coins that dated back to

copper one and two cent coins returned to the club by the Moonee Valley City Council - money from the community which we

decided to donate back to the community – Essendon Traffic School ($1,000.00), SES ($1,000.00), Macaulay Women’s Services

($2,000.00), and the Pascoe Vale Boys Club ($1,500.00) all got to share in these funds.

Along with these funds a donation of $2,000.00 was made to the Rotary Club of Kew for the Rotary Club of Rhodes Greece to

assist with the Syrian refugee crisis for vaccines and inoculations. $1,000.00 to Muscular Dystrophy in gratitude for allowing the

use of their premises for committee meetings for 2 years and for the hosting of the server for over five years. The sum of

$5,000 was made to Rotary Foundation on behalf of the membership.

My sincere thanks to the members of my Board, to all the members of the club that accepted roles to ensure that the weekly

meetings, all compliance and communications and activities all ran smoothly, the Sergeant, Front desk, set up crew, Contact

Editor, MC, and all who ensured the club is a welcoming club to be proud of. I appreciate you one and all.

On a personal note I sincerely thank my husband John without his commitment and support the year would not have been

possible. To my three sons – guys I love your with all my heart.

I have had an amazing time and proud to have served and will wear the “Rotary Past Presidents” pin with pride.

Men’s Shed President Jenny will be presenting the inaugural Rotary Pride of Workmanship award @ the Strathmore Men's Shed (to one of the Sheddies who has been voted for by his peers) as a suitable recipient showing quality of workmanship and general good demeanour around the Shed.

The presentation will be at The Strathmore Men's Shed, 144 Mascoma St, Strathmore (opposite Eldorado St) at 11am on Sat

Dec 9th. All members and families are most welcome to another first for the Strathmore Men's Shed.

GOLF DAY - a great success

Pink jacket won by Andrew Gardner for the best golfer of the day, next to Andrew is Anthony and Ken Gilbert,

our very own Grant Stephenson – extreme left in blue shirt, obviously the smartest dude in the picture!

Donations in Kind

23 – 25 MARCH 2018

SPONSORS – CAN YOU HELP?

The Art Show committee has decided that for the 2018 show 5 prizes will be awarded. These will be

the previous four awards, best in Show, Best Oil / Acrylic, Best Watercolour, Best Pastel or Drawing,

and a new Best Youth Artist (under 25) award to encourage local young artists to enter, and to bring

their families along to the Art Show.

We would love to increase the value of our 5 prizes. This will help attract new entrants, continue to

improve the quality of the art for sale, and bring more people through the gate. To do this the

committee is currently focused on increasing the number of sponsors. We are particularly keen to

increase monetary sponsors, rather than in-kind. If you or anyone you know might be a potential

sponsor, the Art Show committee members would love to hear from you.

FACEBOOK

We have also recently commenced a facebook campaign. At the moment there are occasional posts,

but in January these will become much more frequent. If you use Facebook we would appreciate if

could you please search for the Moonee Valley Art Show (MVAS) Facebook page, and like and share

any posts you see. The more we can market the Art Show, the more attendance we will get, and the

more money we will raise for our projects.

VOLUNTEERS

Later on we will also be looking for volunteers to help out at the Show. So please have a think about

how you might be able to contribute some of your time.

FUNDS

As per last year, funds raised from the Art Show will be allocated to the club's general

projects fund for the Board to use as it sees fit. So please get behind this major local

community event.

QUESTIONS?

Don't hesitate to ask Veronica O'Sullivan, Steve Chandler or Grant Sheldon.

Help yourself and help the Club by banking with Strathmore Community Bank. For example, take out a home loan

and the club will receive up to $500. Take out a 3 month fixed term deposit and the club will receive up to $50.

For more details drop into the branch at 337 Napier St or call branch Manager David Porter on 9374-2607.

EVENTS CALENDAR DATE SPEAKER/EVENT VENUE

1st – 3rd Dec 2017 Days for Girls weekend away Sugarloaf Retreat more info to come

5th Dec 2017 Club Committees to present – Club speakers The Anglers Tavern 12.30 pm for 1pm to 2pm

12th Dec 2017 Christmas party – Fellowship – Dress to Sparkle

Post Office Hotel 229-231 Sydney Road

Coburg

NIGHT MEETING 6pm for 6.30pm

19th Dec 2017 Board meeting & Club meeting & club Xmas breakfast

Copper Spoon Fletcher Street Essendon

7.30am onwards

16th Jan 2018 Fellowship dinner with Nth Essendon or Cluster

Venue TBA

23rd Jan 2018 Club fellowship lunch – no speaker The Anglers Tavern 12.30 pm for 1pm to 2pm

30th Jan 2018 Committee’s vision for 2018 – Committee Directors

The Anglers Tavern 12.30 pm for 1pm to 2pm

6th Feb 2018 Brumby Babes – Gaye Carris & others The Anglers Tavern 12.30 pm for 1pm to 2pm

4th Feb 2018 RCE BBQ TBA

13th Feb 2017 RCE Fellowship Lunch – No Guest Speaker The Anglers Tavern 12.30 pm for 1pm to 2pm

16th & 17 Feb 2018 Relay for Life

20th Feb 2018 Foundation dinner with Cluster – Speaker TBC Venue TBA

27th Feb 2018 RCE Committee Reports – Committee Directors

13th March 2018 Possible speaker booked – Tree planting

20th March 2018 Dinner meeting

27th March 2018 No Meeting – Art Show

17th April 2018 David Sullivan – Lawyer Crownbet The Anglers Tavern 12.30 pm for 1pm to 2pm

15th May 2018 Charter Night TBA

15th June 2018 President changeover dinner TBA

19th June 2018 Meeting due to change over dinner

Have you taken any photos on your iphone, or camera in

this past Rotary Year?

Can I please have them forwarded to:

M.Kouppas@hotmail.com

Many of these photos will form a special memento of this

past year, and I would like to use them as part of the

year in summary.

I appreciate your help with this. Remember any Rotary

function or event….

Thanking you in anticipation

Maria

All profits from the wine appreciation fellowship will go to the fantastic work of “Interplast Australia”.

Other matters

Announcements – Maria Kouppas celebrated her birthday today and the members and guests present wished her a happy

birthday, she also had to pay a fine, we wish her many more fines in the years ahead!

Other birthdays – Terri Stephenson’s B’day, Grant had to pay the fine.

Michael Portelli’s and John Odgers induction anniversaries were announced and fines collected

Don Knee had a big one with another great grand-daughter, congratulations!!!

Veronica announced that she is finalising accommodation for the conference and to inform her early to get the reduced rate.

Shirley Kukk informed all that Pam Chandler is getting better, she also informed all present that Fong Loong was having tests

done and wished him well

The only guest at the meeting was Gaye Cariss, was welcomed.

Norm Mollica thanked all for the flowers that were sent to the hospital for Gwen, he informed all that Gwen was getting better

but need more time to recover completely.

Maurice Mollica spoke about the direction the club is heading and the matters that need to be addressed.

Last not least Tony Colicchia was fined for wearing purple shorts, the Calabrian paid reluctantly with a spark in his eyes and

disputing the true colour of his shorts!!