First meeting back at the Golf Club for 2023. The last meeting was a Vocational visit to the new Wishlist building opened 4th November 2022. 30 CALPAC’ians (including partners) enjoyed the visit organised by Tony Long and Peter Hovey. As you would have seen by the photos last week on the Website (Editor a little tied up last week and ran short or time to complete CAPERS), a very impressive building and equally as impressive for functionality.

President Frank welcomed Guest Speaker Donna Duncan (Member RC of Mooloolaba) and Sunshine Coast Citizen Advocacy and Jacqui Castorina
He also shared one of three brief stories; the first about Frenchman – Voltaire a 17th Century historian, philosopher and writer known for his wit. He was controversial, radical and a thinker who refuted the Roman Catholic (RC) teachings. He was urged on his death bed by the RC Clergy to renounce Satan. Alas, his last words before he died were “This is no time to make new enemies”. The point: All of us have had a frustrating experience of perhaps arguing / discussing something and said something that later on we realised could have been really effective if we had thought about it more. We missed a chance!!
International Toast:

Ian Aspinall proposed a Toast to the RC of Hong Kong. The Toast inspired by the ensuing Chinese New Year - KUNG HEI FAT CHOI (Happy Chinese New Year).
Established in 1931 the Hong Kong Club was the first Club to be established in Hong Kong followed by four more Clubs the next year. Rotary Club were allowed to continue during WWII until the war in the Pacific began. RC Hong Kong was suspended until 1946, from then on Rotary began to grow. There are now 81 Clubs in Hong Kong.
The English speaking RC of Hong Kong meets on the 1 st and 3 rd Tuesday of the month at the Bankers Club for lunch. (strict business attire required – no shorts jeans or thongs) (Ed: where does that leave some of our members).
Local Projects - Clear Bot Project (rubbish eater) for clear water, sanitation and hygiene with HK$300,000 (A$55,000) raised in the three years to 2022.
Other projects include: Colour Your Life – training programme for low income women to obtain higher income employment, distribution of Moon Cakes (apparently an acquired taste not yet acquired by Ian) at the Autumn festival to the under privileged and programs for the elderly.  2019 saw Club Members assisting with vaccine injections, distributing self-test kits and fever relieving medicines.  Kath Aspinall was offered the position of becoming the first female member of the RC Hong Kong in the 1980’s however due to work pressures she declined.

Peter Hovey highly of the Wishlist facilities confirming the Club’s donation was very well invested.
Events coming up:
16th Feb – Bulcock Street History Walk (followed by Fish and Chips)
20th April Pride of Work Awards – Nominations (2 or 3 required)
15th to 19th May – annual visits to other Coast Clubs.
Will Waterford advised a new (transfer) Membership application has been received from Jacqui Castorina and will be considered at the next Board Meeting.
Members Moments:
Win Fowles advised the list of Guest Speakers has now been filled out to 23 March 2023 (other are booked post that date also) with the following Speakers having accepted;
 2/2/23 Mark Paton – “Hear Here”- Clinician Hear4Good
 9/2/23 Neil Collier – Silver Fox for Mental Health
 23/2/23 Mark McArdle – Life After Politics
 9/3/23 George Fraser Australian Diplomat (Retired) – Our Pacific Neighbours – Today and Tomorrow
16/3/23 Malou Deakin – Philippines Outreach Program.
Bonnie Lynn was Guest Speaker at RC Mooloolaba and receive a donation of $250.00 for Share A Meal”
Peter Higgs advised profit from the Trailer Raffle was $17,000 this year. Great job Peter and all who were involved.
Eve McCorkell advised Di Latham has significant spinal issues and is (or has been) in hospital. Get well soon Di.
We were advised late last week, Patti Wilson’s father passed away. We know Pattie was very close to her father and this is a great loss. Our thoughts and sympathy are for Pattie and family.
Guest Speaker:

 

Mark Paton introduced Donna Duncan – Sunshine Coast Citizen Advocacy (also Rotarian RC Mooloolaba). Donna has been involved with the organisation for 26 years. Not part of Government bureaucracy, church or political group and it isn’t a complaints service.
Citizen Advocacy aims to recognise, promote, protect and defend the rights, welfare and the interests of people with intellectual disabilities who are vulnerable and / or at risk of abuse, neglect and / or social isolation.   It does so by establishing and supporting one-to-one relationships between a person and a disability (protégé), who is vulnerable in important areas of their lives and a responsible citizen who is resourceful and principled, free of conflict of interest, and who makes a personal freely given commitment to protect the protégé’s interests as if they were their own. This support may take many forms, from spokespersonship to emotional and material support.

The Citizen Advocacy Office, which is independent of service providers, is responsible for recruiting, orientating, and matching the citizen advocate and protégé and the supporting the advocate in the relationship as they respond to the advocacy needs and interests of the protégé.
Each Citizen Advocacy relationship is unique. The Citizen Advocate may in some instances speak out to protect the protégé from abuse; or give the protégé the experience of family, new experiences and opportunities for friendship.  Donna presented three cases where Advocates had made remarkable differences to the protégé’s life.
If you would like more information or you see this as your calling, please contact Donna Duncan or Les Pearce at Sunshine Coast Citizen Advocacy on 0418 714 695 or Donna on donna.duncan@citizenadvocacy.com (Web site: www.citizenadvocacy.com)

Michael Berris thanked Donna and included an anecdote of his (and most of us) inability to see what was right in front of him.

 
Vocational Talk:

Kath Aspinall shared her involvement in several (over a few years) drama productions for her granddaughters school. This involved hair, makeup and other props to compliment productions like;  The Adams Family, The Three Musketeers (boys really needed to grow their hair however this was strictly outside school rules!!), To Kill a Mocking Bird, The Lion the Witch and the wardrobe, Oklahoma, Shriek the Musical to name a few.   All productions were held at the Events Centre at Caloundra each a week long commitment. Sets were made at school and transported to the Events Centre. Costumes were sourced from other drama groups on the Coast, Op-Shops and from China (cheap!).
A rewarding and very memorable experience for Kath.
Sergeant Fines:
Greg Rayment extracted some dollars from members whether they agreed or not.
Riki Tiki:
Peter Hovey delivered Riki Tiki which kept many in the game until the last question which saw Eve McCorkell the eventual winner.
Raffles:

Les Pontin and Graeme Bowden
Many prizes were won and enjoyed around the tables with the lollies shared around in traditional manner.
Finished as usual with the Australian National Anthem sung by all and led by Frank Lunt and Michael Berris.