Rotary Club of Parramatta City Newsletter 26 September 2011

1. Rotary Club of Parramatta City
COMMUNITY NETWORKER
ROTARY CLUB OF PARRAMATTA CITY
PRESIDENT MESSAGE OPERATION
CLEFT
This Monday we the have our District Governor David Cook and his
wife Carolyn to hear how our current theme “reach within to embrace
humanity “ can focus us on the way we do Rotary this
year and beyond. I believe that we have an extra
ordinary International President with Kalyan Banerjee
and what a team he has with him, not only with Operation Cleft Australia is committed
David Cook at a local level, but with Past President to improving the life
prospects of the children of
Bill Boyd sitting in the Chair of the Rotary Foundation Bangladesh by providing free
reconstructive surgery to repair cleft
in what must be turbulent year with the financial markets in a roller lips and palates
coaster. There are around 300,000 people in
Bangladesh with an untreated cleft lip
What a wonderful guest speaker we had last week and what a and/or palate and another 3,000 to
4,000 babies born with this affliction
surprise as Louise Zajac, Manager of Parramatta Chamber of each year
With the support of more than 350
Commerce reviled her hidden identity. Many of the members were Rotary Clubs in 22 Districts in
surprised to hear her Rotary family background with her father and Australia plus 5 international
clubs, Operation Cleft has changed
mother being known to many members as Bob Roden Past President of the lives of more than 4,500 children.
The Operation Cleft model is simple
Granville and his wife Mary Past President of Parramatta Inner Wheel. and cost effective. Local surgeons in
What I believe was excellent in the way her childhood was based on Bangladesh performing
cleft operations in local hospitals. The
Rotary ethics and community involved, a quality Louise and her other average cost of each operation is
around
siblings are continuing on with. We eventually did hear Louise speak on $AUD250.00. Where else in the world
could you change someone’s life so
her topic which was the 100 years celebrations of the Chamber in the
dramatically and permanently for such
Parramatta area. David Ross and myself after the meeting both a small amount?
Operation Cleft is now part way
agreed it is a great comfort to realize that the things we do in life are through a five year strategy that
includes:
possibly passed on to our children. • Funding a minimum of 1,000
Next week is a public holiday so we will not be meeting, but over surgical procedures a year.
• Expansion of our speech therapy
the next week David will forward to all members the summary of where services.
• Support of the in-country project
we are at with the Club vision and members will be able to use this team and administration structure.
• Ongoing training of surgeons,
when we cast the rest of votes at the Club Assembly on October 14, as
speech therapists and community
advised by email this will be a full meeting with formalities dropped so health workers
we can jump straight into the vision plan.
Help us give the children of
Bangladesh “A Smile for
One final item is as part of the zone meeting of Presidents it was Life”
agreed that we will be inviting members to attend other Rotary club For more information:
www.operationcleft.org.au
functions, so another concise merged calendar will be produced of Tel:+61 03 9898 2952 • Email:
info@operationcleft.org.au$$
these events, stay tuned……….Barry Antees

2. Rotary Club of Parramatta City
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
September
26 District Governor Visit
October
3 Public Holiday
4 Sister Club Ramon Magsaysay- Induction Evening
7-9 RYPEN Camp
10 Club Assembly- Club Vision Continues
13 Business Excellence Awards
17 Alana Wilson- Past President Rotaract Australia
28 Pre PETS
29 District Social Media workshop-RDU House
31 Gary Raymond-Police Chaplin, Christchurch Earth Quake
November
1-7 Parraamasala- stay tune for news on this event
4 Trivia Night- Parramatta Workers Club
7 Bruce Allen- Manager Rotary International Foundation
14 Steven Maronese-“Insurance Fraud and the Science of Detecting Deception”
29 Foundation Lunch- Waterfront Homebush
December
7 Australian Rotary Health Christmas Dinner
January
14-21 RYLA Camp-Blue Gum Lodge
February
23 Rotary Anniversary
March
2 ARH- Golf Day at Riverside
3 Multi-District PETS- Campbelltown
5 Pride of Workmanship Evening
23-25 District Conference- Penrith
April
29 District Assembly
30 Police Officer of the Year
May
6-9 International Convention-Bangkok

3. Rotary Club of Parramatta City
GUEST SPEAKER
David Cook- District Governor
David has had a strong community service involvement all his adult life, firstly with scouting and then, for
seventeen years with Apex Australia. He was a member of seven clubs as his employment took him to various
towns around New South Wales and, at the compulsory retirement age of 40, David received life membership
of the Apex Club of Weston Creek ACT.
His first involvement with Rotary was in 1972 when he, along with his wife
Carolyn, was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga to attend
District 9700 RYLA. In 1994 he joined the Rotary Club of Canberra South but
following another job relocation joined the Rotary Club of Lower Blue
Mountains in 1995.
He has been a board member almost continuously since then holding the
position of President in 1999-2000 and almost all other board positions
including several years as treasurer. He has been a long standing member of
the Australia Day committee, as part of which he initiated the Australian Gnome Convention serving as Chief
Gnome for the last six years. He and Carolyn have hosted eight youth exchange students and numerous
PACE, GSE and friendship exchange members. They have both been recognised as Paul Harris Fellows and
have been Rotary Foundation Centurions since the program’s inception.
David has served D9690 on the membership committee, MUNA committee, as Assistant Governor, District
Insurance Officer and has completed Rotary Leadership Institute and Club Visioning training. In 2008 he led
the D9690 GSE team to D7870 in New Hampshire and Vermont USA and was GSE committee chair for 2009-10
MEMBERS MATTERS
David & Karen Ross are now proud grandparents of a little boy who for a while was only known as TBA,
but a name has been chosen for little Isaac Stephen Nicholson and all are going well. Nicole had lsaac on
Monday afternoon and on Saturday she is still sitting for her University Exams, super Mom!
While on the subject of super mom’s, Lisa is on the count day for her next baby and how organised is Lisa,
she has in her draft email box emails queued to send out when the baby comes with name and weight only
to keyed in.
Figure 1 Nicole, Skye, Isaac & Adam

4. Rotary Club of Parramatta City
DAVID’S WISDOM SPEAK
Every day I receive from David Ross a few quotes on topics, this week I received these and I would like to
share these on the topic of The Future
The Future
I have always been delighted at the prospect of a new day, a fresh try, one more start, with perhaps a bit of
magic waiting somewhere behind the morning.
-- J. B. Priestly
Reality challenges and rewards. I believe our best days are yet to come.
-- George Bush
What is your vision for yourself and your life? Where do you want to be in five years?
-- Brian Tracy
The future belongs to charismatic communicators who are technically competent.
-- Patricia Fripp
If you would like to receive some pearler’s via email from David ask to be put on his list.
OUR COMMUNITY SERVICE
The Salvation Army Parramatta - Project ‘Christmas Hamper Bags’!
This practical mission opportunity to the “less fortunate” is being „launched‟ on Sunday 25
September. The project, should you choose to participate, requires that you to take an empty
shopping bag which will be supplied and tagged with a hamper shopping list (total cost of items
estimated at $50.00). By buying one item a week the bag should be filled ready for a celebration
service on Sunday 11th December when the hampers and other Christmas ministries „blessed‟ in
the morning service.
The tagged bags will be available from Edwin Cox for the next few weeks. Our past
experience tells us that individuals, families, small groups, work colleagues, community groups, are
happy take up the challenge to fill a bag.
A MESSAGE FROM NORTHCOTT'S 2011 CLIENT AMBASSADORS
Dear Barry,

5. Rotary Club of Parramatta City
On behalf of Northcott Disability Services, it gives us great pleasure to inform you of the outstanding
success of Northcott’s 2nd Annual Walk With Me event, which was held on Sunday, 18 September
2011 at The King‘s School in North Parramatta.
In its second consecutive year, Walk With Me is part of a national initiative aimed at bringing people of
all abilities together to encourage the community to see a person first and not their disability. Over 600
people were part of this wonderful family day out that promoted social inclusion and also raised funds
for Northcott‘s respite services.
Comedian and Northcott Ambassador Jean Kittson officially kicked-off Walk With Me. Families who
attended enjoyed a variety of fun activities including a performance from Street Kulture Breakers
(SKB), as seen on Australia‘s Got Talent, a demonstration from NSW Wheelchair Rugby League,
Cricket NSW sporting clinic with RTA SpeedBlitz Blues players Nathan Brain and Burt Cockley, ‗True
Community Band‘ The Golden Kangaroos, a visit from the Fire Brigade and NSW Police Force, petting
zoo, clowns and face painting.
We are pleased to announce that close to $30,000.00 was raised from this event - this fantastic result is
the embodiment of the unique community support, which we are so grateful to receive. All money raised
from Walk With Me will go towards Northcott‘s respite services, which provides children and adults
with disabilities the opportunity to enjoy various activities while their carers experience a break from
their demanding role.
If you weren‘t able to attend Walk With Me this year, it is not too late to show your support by
sponsoring one of our client families as the website (http://wwmnorthcott.gofundraise.com.au/) will
remain open to make a difference.
To view more photos from Walk With Me, we encourage you to like ‗Northcott Disability Services‘ on
Facebook and visit the album of photos we have uploaded.
On behalf of Northcott Disability Services, thank you for assisting us to meet our purpose of building an
inclusive society where people can live the life they choose.
Warm regards,
Ben Keyte and Diana Jelovic
Northcott’s 2011 Client Ambassadors

6. Rotary Club of Parramatta City
Figure 2 Ralph and John, looking very happy- Walk with me 18 Sept, 2011
Figure 3 Getting the message out
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
Guy Gundaker, President 1923-24
Rotary Club of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
―The essence of Rotary will likely continue to be as undefinable as life
itself. Therefore, we cannot hope for many results from definitions of
Rotary but must rely on Rotarians acquiring a working knowledge of the
appropriate activities which they are expected to perform, and then urge
them to carry those activities into practice in their daily lives.‖
— 1917 Rotary convention

7. Rotary Club of Parramatta City
PARRAMATTA CITY TRIVIA NIGHT
TRIVIA NIGHT.
Friday 4th November 2011 at Parramatta Workers Club, 163-165 George Street, Parramatta at
7.30pm.
The good news is that it will only cost $10 per person to enter. However, we need bottoms on seats so
all members are asked to bring along family, friends and business colleagues and make up a table of 10
people.
So far the following tables of 10 have been confirmed –
Barry A 2 tables
Phil 1 table
Johnny 1 table
Mark H 1 table
Keith H 1 table
Prashanth 1 table
David 1 table
Bob Aitken from RDU has agreed to be MC and question asker!
Come along everyone for a great night and fun and merriment!
There will be prizes, silent auctions and raffles – but more importantly, lots of fun!!!
Thanks
Joy

8. Rotary Club of Parramatta City
FACEBOOK
We have now available for the club a new facebook page the shortcut is http://alturl.com/wvqj5
Please visit, make comments, open discussions and for your initial visit please hit the “like button”. The
reason is the more members who like the page, we receive additional features. The Facebook page is not a
substitute for our website, but more of an additional way to reach our audience.