3rd February Meeting - Vicki Belcher - Traveller’s Tales

Chair
Gerry

International Toast
Norm led us in a toast to RC Davos, Switzerland.  Norm couldn’t find out much about them - I found this on the internet - a bit out of date but I guess the location is still right

Visitors
Les Pontin from RC Cal Pac, Anna Overton and of course Vicki

Apologies
Ron, the Hanleys, Mark, Merv & Julianna

Makeups
Board last night

President's Report
Welcome all.
Deborah met Anna at the Australia Day BBQ.
Board last night
Gerry is on the Golf Day warpath
Looks like we will be partnering with Vicki Taylor to do a Chilli Festival in November
Need a committee for the Car Boot Sale
Looking at another Probus Club
& need a PE for Juidy

Speaker
Sue introduced Vicki - Vicki is active in Inner Wheel & Probus

Vicki started and finished with the map of Turkey, and noted the many “not so tolerant” neighbours

 

 

Of course Vicki doesn’t like shopping, but faced with 3000 shops in the Grand Bazaar, well, the rest is history.  Rumours that she had to organise a container are completely untrue.    The Belcher household is now straining under the weight of carpets, bowls, silks and the like (Turkey was on the Silk Road)

Some samples were passed around.

(some even made it back to Vicki)

Perga - the marble meat hook advertised a butcher’s shop

 

 

ANZAC Cove - 30 monuments - 250,000 died during WW1

Throughout history, the strategic location meant wars, wars, wars.  This is Troy, or at least the top level of ten cities built one on top of each other.

Turkey is a mix of myth and fact (a bit like this blog actually)
Another sample from Vicki's container

Delphi in Greece - apparently the Oracle sat above a fissure venting gasses, so her prophecies were a bit muddled.  Fortunately there were 70 priests to interpret them

- for a price of course.

Ephesus had a population of 250,000 people, a library, and specialized in headless statues, sometimes with mismatched heads added.  This one Vicki had commissioned is a good likeness don’t you think. No wonder that container was so heavy

Every town had a stadium.  There is an 80% rule - if less than 80% is left they don’t restore the missing bits (seen here in white)

There was a Roman city above these calcium terraces.

This is Cleopatra’s heated pool, & Mary and the disciples swam here too

(if you believe the tour guide)

Caravanseriai (or is that Caravanseriais) every 40km

Cappadocia (this blog has been a real test of my spelling abilities)

 

Turkey is 98% Muslim so there is a mosque on every corner
The historic background of the Sunni–Shia split lies in the schism that occurred when the Islamic prophet Muhammad died in the year 632, leading to a dispute over succession to Muhammad as a caliph of the Islamic community spread across various parts of the world, which led to the Battle of Siffin. The dispute intensified greatly after the Battle of Karbala, in which Hussein ibn Ali and his household were killed by the ruling Umayyad Caliph Yazid I, and the outcry for revenge divided the early Islamic community. Today, there are differences in religious practice, traditions, and customs, often related to jurisprudence. Although all Muslim groups consider the Quran to be divine, Sunni and Shia have different opinions on hadith.

(and who said I wasn’t listening)  Apparently Turkey is fairly tolerant.

 

Whirling dervishes

These ladies with mobile phones are from Syria, not Turkey,

or maybe even from Vicki's tour group trying to get the local prices

Gerry thanked Vicki

 

Trivia Night promoted by Les

Les reckons if we put in four teams our chances of winning would be much improved.

Pity it doesn't actually work like that - the dog in the picture looks smarter than most of our team members.

BBQ this Saturday - set up at 9:00 at the Queen St Reservoir

Gerry re Golf Day - get out there and sell, sell, sell

Sergeant Ian left reeling at being given the last word after Vicki’s talk - but we think he may pay for it later (good thing he doesn’t read the Blog or Roger might have to pay up)

Rotary Club of Caloundra @ Australian Day Flag Raising Kings Beach 2015

27th January Meeting - Club Forum

Chair
Deborah

International Toast
Darryl proposed a toast to New Zealand

Visitors
PP Paul & Gay Fernyhough

Apologies
Ron, Lyn, John & Pauline - Lyn is “doing better”

Makeups
BBQ … & does arriving when everyone else had given up count?

President's Report & Club Forum
Welcome all.

First order of business is Judy’s team for next year.  Deborah has put her hand up for Treasurer and Alf will do Membership.  President Elect anyone?  Don’t be shy!

Two things…

One - We can team up with Vicki Taylor to do a Red Hot Chilli Festival.  Looks like the “bones” are already there.  Helen, Sue and Judy are red hot to be the committee.  We need to make some $$$’s from it.

Two - Car Boot Sale at Meridan State College.  RC Currimbin does a huge one.  Additional insurance for stall holders is available through District.  Need a committee…

Deborah called for further items from the floor.

Gerry re Golf Day - So far we have five gold & one silver sponsor and nine teams.  $120 to sponsor a hole.  Profit comes from sponsors but we also need the teams.
Ramp it up guys - we need more.

Alan - Gizo Trip.  There is $62,000 in the account.  Trips last two weeks, the first will be in April with another in Sept.  $2,200 is approx cost per volunteer. Main job is installing 1000 gal water tanks.

Darryl & Genta - Japan Trip - Will be on later due to delayed Cherry blossom season.  Experience the “real”Japan in a capsule hotel?

Bernie - Vocational - looking at a breakfast and tour at the bakery near Woolies
A special “Hi” to you Bernie.  We can carry on our secret communications in the Blog as I am well informed that you are the only one who reads it.

Alan - despite his best intentions as Treasurer, the General Account is “not quite there”
Seafood night?  Movie night?  Rob a Bank? - suggestions welcome

Judy - Mental Health month is October.  Good timing for a Fashion Parade with people needing outfits for Melbourne Cup. Shevita (no - not a breakfast cereal) opposite Spotlight already runs a parade and we could get involved.

Darryl - Melbourne Cup function.

Sergeant Noel kept us hopping as he emptied our pockets

 

Would you trust this man??

20th January Meeting - Glenys Powell - Currimundi Catchment Care

Chair
Genta

International Toast
Norm led us in a toast to RC Boroko, PNG.  Also i  District 9600, they meet in Port Moresby 6:00 for 7:00pm.  They run the Joke of the day competition in Pidgin English

Visitors
Stephanie and Glenys

Apologies
Ron, Noel, Gerry, Lyn

Makeups
Camping @ Borumba Deer Park Imbil

President's Report
Welcome all.
RYDA meeting at North Lakes 1st Feb
Aust Day BBQ
Men’s Shed - Alan to be congratulated for getting the grant for the new shed

Speaker
Pam introduced Glenys - Currimundi Catchment Care has been going since 2001

Glenys spoke of the various programs by the group.  When they started in 2001 erosion of the banks was a major issue, and they have been combating it with coir rolls backed up with lomandra plantings.  Other projects are tree plantings, and following the National “days” such as Rivers day, World Environment Day etc, and monitoring water quality in the system.  They have a good working relationship with Council.

The whole system comprises the I.C.O.L. lake and two river branches, and is now connected to Lake Kawana and the Mooloolah River.
 
Lights on the Lake started as a Christmas childrens’ activity by USC, but is now a major event with funding assistance from Council & Bendigo Bank.

Questions were about water quality indicators - turbidity, water flow, fish.
Friend of Currimundi Lake is a separate group looking at issues east of the Bridge.
 
Sergeant Ian left our pockets slightly lighter

Camping @ Borumba Deer Park Imbil - January 2015

 Relaxing

Happy Hour

Watch out Ian

13th January Meeting - Vicki Stewart - Australian Rotary Health

Chair
Mark checked up on our Rotary resolutions

International Toast
Norm led us in a toast to RC Paris.  They are Club No 11380 and their big project is raising money for handicapped children

"Charlie Hebdo - sold out" is displayed outside a newsagents in Dunkirk.

Visitors
Sue Muller and Vicki Stewart

Apologies
Ron, Heidi, Noel, Lyn, the Hanleys, Anna

Makeups
None, unless you count the extra keen members who showed up last week

President's Report
Deborah has booked us in for a BBQ at the the Australia Day event at Kings Beach.  Expect the smell of cooking sausages at dawn.  Feeding frenzy at 7:00, flag raising at 7:45.  If we survive that one we are on again at a February BBQ for Unitywater

Deb, Alan and Tim from Church of Christ will meet on Friday re the Mens Shed shed.

And in breaking news,

Hi All,
On behalf of President Deborah and the Caloundra Mens Shed just wanted to pass on some great news - we put in an application to the Gambling Community Benefit Fund in September for a grant of $25,775.00 to purchase a suitable shed for the Mens Shed Club to build to set up their operation - we have just had a phone call from Jarrod Bliejie to say that our application was successful - great news.
More to follow.
Regards,
Alan

Good work Alan
now if only we could find some keen workers able to actually construct the shed…..

Induction
Alf was pleased to propose Sue for membership of the Club - classification Education Services

File photo

Speaker
Deborah introduced Vicki Stewart to speak about Australian Rotary Health (ARH)

Vicki has been a member of RC Mooloolaba for 14 years - classification Real Estate.  She is a PP and had a background with Street Angels.  She approached the ARH tent at Conference and said she was “happy to help”. The rest is history.

ARH was launched by RC Mornington in 1987, and they raised $2.2million that year to fund research into cot death.  To date $33m has been raised.  There were 187 cot deaths per year in Australia in 1987.  Last year it was down to eight.

The current priority is mental health.  Vicki gave some examples which were very “close to home”.  We need to get the conversation going.  This is an illness due to a chemical imbalance and we need to see it in the same light as other illnesses.

Vicki made a comparison to Clem Renouf’s 1956 stand against polio.

Vicki highlighted the deaths and self harm to young people and the lack of support to returned soldiers.  More East Timor veterans were lost to suicide than all those killed in Vietnam.  Police and Fire & Rescue officers have similar problems.

The government matches funds raised $ for $

Mark thanked Vicki for her talk

Directors
Gerry reminded us that the Gold Day is 22nd March (It’s in my diary now Gerry) Gerry will email the list of people to contact.

Judy briefed us on the Deer Park visit on the weekend.

Alf reminded us that the program is now on the blog, and he has lined up some great speakers - so invite some guests.

Sergeant Gerry was happy to relieve us of our loose change

Genta - so what's wrong with traditional steak & eggs & tomato sauce?

(fried in sump oil of course)

January Program