The Rotary Club of
West Perth

 
Weekly message from President Stephen Lee 
 
Wow 3 months into the current Rotary Year and our programme is really starting to gain some momentum.  Easy to think (and want) to solve all the worlds’ problems in a day, but that’s just not the way things work – at least for where we want real and sustainable solutions.  Getting the foundation and course right underpins great outcomes.
 
Great feedback from Angus after significant effort to align all the stakeholders in the All Abilities Play Space Sensory Garden project and really pleased at the opportunity to expand the scope to include a Rotary 100 collaboration effort with President Melissa and the Rotarians from Nedlands. Watch this space.
 
Results are in from the Survey following Mally’s investigations in our Wellbeing projects area.  Again this has been a collaborative approach and our buy-in will ensure some amazing outcomes and opportunities to leverage our participation and skills.  I’m really looking forward to our visit this Friday (2nd October) to Foyer to better understand one of those organisations where our contributions will add value.
It is also with great pleasure that I can formally announce to the club Elizabeth Gory has stepped up as Director for Annual & Continuing Programmes.  Elizabeth will be kindly mentored and supported in the role by Geoffrey Hick.  I have no doubt together this formidable partnering will further deliver great opportunities for the club to deliver on our mission.
 
Our joint meeting with Nedlands and Western Endeavour, our outstanding guest speakers programme, our NYSF involvement, Nathan Blockley’s ARHRF Mental Health fundraising initiative which delivered over $5000 to the ARHRF (An initiative of 4 (crazy) men who could see the opportunity to do more just from their intent to run a marathon).  And amongst an endless list of achievements, it can’t go without comment the Swapmeet sales record of over $500 – well done Tina, Nathan & Peter (well supported of course by Geoff & David from the early shift…!)
 
Yes, 3 months can pass really quickly, but with this as our foundation, with our continued focus, I can only imagine what the next 3 months will bring.
 
Yours in Rotary Service,
Stephen
President 2020-21

Breakfast meeting 24 September 2020 - Update

Attendees present: 22 attendees 
Zoom Attendees: Mally Rall, Steve Wilton, Angus Buchanan 
Guests: N/A
Apologies: Elizabeth Gorey, Jill Smith
Make Ups: John Holman, David Arrowsmith, Hayley Lethlean, Stephen Lee, Dennis Hartley
 
Announcements: 
  • Stephen Lee asked those who are in contact with old alumni of Rotary to please send through a list of names and details to him 
  • Stephen noted he is keen for the Club to host a morning tea for past Rotarian spouses. Geoff Simpson has offered to facilitate this and further details to come in the future. 
  • Dennis reminders all members to please ensure they have paid in advance of the meetings and if not, to please pay 
  • David reminded us of the importance of sending through an apology if we are unable to attend breakfast meetings. We are trying to track our attendance for the year so it's important we know if people are attending or not. 
  • Hayley thanked those who had donated to the MDWA mountain bike ride, noting they had raised over $20,000. 
  • Angus provided and update on the sensory garden project, noting he will be meeting with the City of Nedlands next week and with Nedlands Rotary Club. 
  • Tony noted SwapMeet is ticking on with just over $200 taken this week. 
  • Ian Hutton noted that the proposal for the signage erection will be sent to the Cambridge Council that afternoon. 
Fines: 
  • Garry Leighton for looking strange
  • World Hobbit Day - so fines went to New Zealander Nigel, and Geoff as he married one. 
  • John found an interesting flyer in his post Box from an astrologer and spiritual healer, and with that he proceeded to fine many of the members in relation to the solutions this healer could provide. 
  • Enemy problems - Dennis and Stephen for their Dockers loyalty as the Dockers have many enemies. 
  • Geoff for his financial problems
  • Tony Delich for house problems
  • Protection for 91 years - Garry and Byron
Both Byron and Garry were fined this week for being nearly 91 years old... well so said the sergeant! And Neville joined them for the photo opportunity.  
MENS SHED UPDATE from John Holman 
 
John have us all a verbal update of the Men's Shed. John noted they are doing really well and the Club can be proud of our support. Currently they have 161 financial members and it is growing at around 11 a month. Their sales this month are over $2,700. They now have an online platform for sales of the products they make. Details on this will come. 
 
They will be running open days over the coming weeks on Sundays to sell the great they made in preparation for the Royal Show. 
Community Wellness Survey provided the following outcomes
 
Community Organisation Long Term Project which WPRC will support is Perth Inner City Youth Services and the program which will be supported is the Monday Brunch Initiative
 
Community Engagement on an ad hoc basis WPRC will engage with The Foyer on:
  • Learner driver program – assist young people with driving practice and getting their driving hours 
  • Job readiness program – assisting young people with practicing job interview skills; helping with writing resumes; assisting addressing employment applications 
Volunteers are required to accompany learner drivers for a couple of hours a week and to provide advice to young people on preparing and getting jobs
 
Community Support Short Term Project which WPRC will support is Extraordinary Lives/Prison Fellowship Christmas Appeal
  • Providing Christmas gifts for the children of prisoners
  • Providing Christmas food hampers for the families of prisoners  
Volunteers are required for donating the Christmas presents and for collecting items for the food hampers.
 
Thanks to all who participated. More to come on this at the next meeting. 
Duties for the following two breakfast meetings: 
 
Friday 2 October : NO DUTIES 
 
Thursday 8 October: 
Host:            Ian Hutton
Welcome:      Geoff Woods
Toast:           Guy Mattioli 
Thanks:        Mally Rall
Newsletter:   Geoff Simpson 
Duty:            Garry Leighton 
October Birthday Celebrations 
Wishing our members a very happy birthday for the following dates: 
 
Name:                    Birthday: 
Tony Delich             10 October 
Bernie Foley            15 October 
 
October Club Anniversaries 
Thanks for your continued support and congratulations on your Club anniversary for the month of September.
 
Name:                  Date Joined Rotary & West Perth:
David Arrowsmith   37 years as a Rotarian on 6th October 1983

Two minutes with Peter Blockley 

Peter gave us two minutes recollecting some of the more unusual aspects of his fifty five years working as an engineer after graduating from UWA in 1960. 

Not relishing the life of an engineer in government he travelled to Mt Isa where he was able to recoup the bond money returned to the government for his cadetship. At that time, owing to the number of strikes, Mt Isa Mines required all young engineers, apprentices and supervisors to be trained to keep the mine infrastructure in operation. Accordingly, he was trained to be a plant operator driving loaders, bulldozers and other equipment. He spent the period of one strike loading coal into the mine power station, which also supplied power to the township. He is still licensed as a plant operator in Queensland.

Leaving MIM After four years Peter was engaged as a design engineer with a British Consultant in London for the design of foundations for a new power station for the electricity supply to the south of England. The problem was that it was on the coast of the English Channel with a high tidal range and the foundations were 25 metres below water level. This was an interesting challenge and had the sea broken through the excavation was large enough to have comfortably floated the liners Queen’s Mary and Elizabeth.

A final reminiscence was from the Pilbara where iron ore railway bridges were often overtopped in cyclones. High water flows in the rivers eroded the river beds thus permitting the bridges to move. Being asked to assess the safety of one bridge Peter hired a local diver with hookah equipment. After training in its use Peter donned the gear and swam down to do an inspection of the foundations. Much to his surprise he discovered them sitting on remnant rock pinnacles and he was able to swim into the voids below the foundations. Naturally, speed restrictions were immediately implemented.

With no time for more Peter indicated that he could at some time talk about fire brigades, harbour pilots and the peaceful use of atomic explosions.
 

BREAKFAST MEETING FRIDAY 2 OCTOBER 2020 

Reminder to everyone that our meeting this coming week will be on Friday morning at The Foyer, Oxford. We will meet at the cafe at 8am for breakfast and at 9am we will do a tour of the venue.
 
Look forward to seeing everyone there.  
Parting thought... 
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