President Peter's (Words of Wisdom).
I would like to commit to print some commentary about two significant people in the history of the Rotary Club of Barossa Valley.
On Tuesday this week, a significant group from this Rotary Club, both members and spouses/partners attended the funeral service for Mollie LePage. Mollie was the widow of Clive LePage; Clive was an absolute gentleman highly respected both within the Rotary Club and the Barossa Valley. He embraced and lived by the Rotary motto “service above self”. Mollie embraced Rotary and Club members respected and enjoyed her company. Eulogies at the service, described Mollie’s life also as service above self.
Club members were also saddened to hear of Jim Miller’s passing. Rotarian Don Farley had a final meeting with Jim, whom he reported appeared well but within a couple of days, Jim passed away. Jim was a Rotarian for 43 years (inducted on 1st March 1979) and served the Club faithfully and with a minimum of fuss. He was a man of few words, but when the Rotary club required someone to roll up their sleeves, Jim was always willing to assist. A quiet but committed champion of the Club.
On the 25th September, members of the Rotary Clubs of Barossa Valley and Morialta met for fellowship at Kroemers Crossing. Members of both clubs mingled and enjoyed each other’s company. Whilst not on an agenda, both Clubs explained their individual activities, Morialta members being particularly interested in the Barossa Airshow and we shall have several Morialta club members attending next year’s event. Both clubs have similar service activities, Morialta have an international project in Papua New Guinea seeking to educate the indigenous populations to train as mid wives, and our Club’s Birthing Kits project. We shall see Morialta members attending the Birthing Kits assembly in the near future.
Perhaps this could be a template for future cooperation between Rotary clubs..... clubs embracing joint projects and a breakdown of a silo mentality where a club works solely on its own projects. The Barossa Airshow 2021 is an ideal example where several Rotary clubs partnered with us resulting in the Airshow being a very successful event.
I have been advised that the Regionalisation Pilot Project has received overwhelming support from Australian Rotary Clubs. The next step is to develop a structure to implement this important project. A working party will devise a structure with implementation expected on 1st July 2023.
The following are commitments that shall require member support:
- Catering for a lunch for Probus club on Tuesday 11th October at Greenock Oval, contact Community Director James Dunn
- Parking for Murray Street Vineyards event at Greenock over two days- 29th & 30th October. Shall require 4 people per day; Club shall receive $25.00 per hour per person
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Movie Event - 'The Lost King'
For many years, the Polio Movie Event has been a very popular way for clubs to raise funds for Rotary's number one priority, ENDING POLIO.
It is also an opportunity for Rotary Members and your friends in our communities to have some fun together. President Peter will follow up on this opportunity in the coming weeks.
This film will be released to interested Rotary Clubs during the first week of December 2022 (Thursday 1st to Wednesday 7th).
We will need to find out how many of our members and their friends would be interested and then perhaps we can then link with other Rotary Clubs close by for the selected night.
This year's movie is THE LOST KING, the story of the rediscovery, by an amateur historian, of the five centuries' old remains of Richard the 3rd..in a Leicester carpark. Critics describe it as "an incredible and inspiring true story about perseverance and not taking no for an answer".
Editors note: Peggy and I have in the past joined with the Gawler clubs for these special picture releases and enjoyed them. It is just a matter now of establishing whether our club is interested in being involved...but please not Tuesday the 6th of December as we are already booked.
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Guest Speaker - Emily Harman
Emily joined our meeting on Thursday the 6th of October and, along with her partner Arie, she brought us up to date with her efforts to raise funds for wheelchair bound Cerebral Palsy affected people. Many of you will remember her coming to our club in September 2021. This time around she brought us up to date and said, "Thank you so much for taking the time to hear my story once again for 2022. We have raised $13512 currently for our project this year and since 2019 we have raised $30000 for the cerebral palsy alliance.
Through the kindness of the members of Barossa Valley Rotary club, on Thursday night when our donation tin was passed around
you donated $215 to go towards our project. I can only express my
sincere gratitude for your generosity, knowing that every dollar raised goes towards equipment for people living with the diagnosis of cerebral palsy."
On her first visit in September 2021 the club donated $614.85 making a now grand total of $829.85.
Robert, Emily, President Peter, and Arie, Emily's partner.
These people are Emily's colleagues at Novita. They are able-bodied but use wheelchairs to participate in the 6K wheelchair race in the annual City to Bay event.
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The one-minute informers
Keith Millington is looking for volunteers to build scarecrows for the 2023 Vintage Scarecrow Competition. The display will feature a 2-metre model bi-plane (we inherited it from St Jakobi) with a wing walking scarecrow and a few spectator scarecrows. The theme will be the Barossa Flying Circus and will be used to promote the 2023 Barossa Airshow. The construction venue will be Kathy Millington's craft/work room (7m by 7m) which is insulated and air-conditioned, it is also in my shed with access to tools, Triton table saw, drill press, MIG welder etc.
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Funeral of Mollie LePage
Editor's note:
Ten Rotarians and four partners were among the gathering for the service in memory of the very likeable Mollie LePage. The service was held in the Clayton Scott funeral parlour. Mollie loved her garden and shared it with many. I recall the 'Bring and Buy nights that the club often held at Peter Lehmanns. Some of her plants then were up for auction. The orchids that I have bought from her flower every year. Rest in Peace Mollie.
Funeral of Jim Miller
On Monday the 10th of October, twenty Rotarians and five partners attended the funeral of the late Jim Miller, a Rotarian for over forty years and a friend to many. The celebrant, Tony Hurn, led the service. The eulogies were delivered by several family members and others in attendance. Following the service attendees were able to toast Jim's life with an aged Rotary port.
Rest in Peace
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Special Meeting - October 13th
Imagine a Barossa Valley Satellite Club
We all know that membership of Rotary Clubs is dwindling in many areas throughout the western world, and realistically the future for our own club is not looking particularly positive.
Of course, we want our club to survive and thrive, but despite our best efforts, we are struggling to increase our active membership.
However, there is another opportunity in front of us!
Recently we have heard of several clubs throughout Australia which have sponsored a Satellite Club.
What is a Satellite Club?!
Imagine that you are a regular Joe or Josie who sees there's a need in your local community, and you have an idea which might just address that need. What do you do?
As an individual, you might struggle to get in touch with the people who will even listen, let alone help you to convert that idea into something real. Oh, and by the way, you will need money to establish that service which provides information to people experiencing homelessness or domestic violence, or to encourage building owners to convert access to buildings to make them user friendly for people using wheelchairs, or to feed children who arrive at school without breakfast.
So where do you go to get the contacts, the money, the expertise?
Rotary of course - our members can assist with all those!
Recently Bill and I were privileged to be at a meeting of the Rotary Club of Loxton for a very special event - here's a quote from their Facebook page:
"History was made last night as 10 community members in Loxton set up a new Rotary Club to serve their community. The new Loxton Rotary Satellite Club is supported by the established Loxton Rotary Club, but is independent, and has been formed with just a focus on youth well-being and disability support."
By supporting a Satellite club attached to our club, we can enable members of our community to achieve more for our community!
DGE Craig Dowling, who was involved with the Loxton Rotary Club's process for adopting their Satellite club, has offered to tell us about the Loxton Club's experience.
Please come along to find out more on Thursday 13th October, at 7pm at the Vine Inn.
I have booked the same area as we had for Gavin’s Uganda report; it will be a smaller space, but enough room for you to bring partners and friends.
If you want to have dinner before the 7pm start, please book into the bistro at 6pm.
I need your confirmation of attendance by close of meeting Thursday 6th October so I can provide numbers to Vine Inn.
I hope that you will join President Peter, Area Governor Bill and me, 7pm at the Vine Inn on Thursday 13th October, to hear about Satellite clubs from DGE Craig Dowling.
Warm regards,
Sandie Simons
Secretary
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Rotary Club of Morialta - Midwife training scheme
On Sunday 25th of September, the Rotary Clubs of Barossa Valley and Morialta met for a get-together. A long time ago, PDG Peter Thomas was involved with a Barossa Valley Rotary Club international project in Papua New Guinea which included assisting Midwives in remote villages. After the project, there was some money left over and Peter wanted it to go to another project with a similar intent. A search for suitable projects led Peter to the Rotary Club of Morialta’s Midwife Training scheme and so the money found a worthwhile home.
The Morialta project is still ongoing, providing valuable training and support to midwives in remote villages in Papua New Guinea.
One aim of the fellowship meeting was to thank Peter and the Rotary Club of Barossa Valley for the funding that helped get the Midwife Training Program up and running.
The picture shows members of both clubs at the BBQ lunch
Community Team Leader James Dunn was also thanked for organising the BBQ and making the fellowship event so successful.
Morialta and Barossa Valley members sharing fellowship together.
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Attendance Report October 6th 2022
