Update Time: Rotary Matters Dec 18 2007 - Volume 88 Issue 23

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OFFICIAL WEEKLY NEWSLETTER OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF SYDNEY
Weekly Meeting Tuesdays at 12:30pm at The Castlereagh Hotel, 169 Castlereagh Street Sydney
District 9750 Club #: 18206 Chartered: 1st May 1921 Volume 88 Issue 23 18th December 2007

www.SydneyRotary.com

Join us for our weekly lunch Tuesdays at the Castlereagh Inn

Rotary is the world's largest non-religious organisation. Membership is open to business and professional leaders interested in joining the cause to help build good will and peace in the world. Click here for more information.

The Rotary Club of Sydney invites
you and your family & friends to our special:

Merry Christmas from the Rotary Club of Sydbey

Christmas Meeting

This Week's Events

Please bring your friends and family to join us in celebrating Christmas 2007 and our holiday season with songs and fun.

To those that will be unable to attend we all wish you and your family & friends a happy and safe Christmas period, and we all look forward to seeing you again in the new year to continue our important work in Rotary.

Thank you for your valuable contribution so far this year.

President's Project 2007

For more information about this year's President's Project simply click on the image and you will be taken to the relevent web site.

President's Message

Reflections.

President Garry Brown invites you to visit the Rotary Club of Syeney

The last 6 months have been amazing and we have ourselves to thank for this reflection.

The year has been hectic and we have seen a lot of changes, whether it is in the government that runs the country or whether it be the wars that are being fought or the environment that is being protected. We all continually are looking for ways to navigate through the mosaic of life.

We in Rotary have a spirit and a passion but we at times fail to share this with ourselves and with the community. It is about time we muster our energy and our actions and get out and shout about how effective Rotary is and can be in helping the community meet its goals and at the same time let government know this as well.

One great example is the recent grant that the Federal government gave to one of the projects that we started as a club and through the leadership of our Past President Gerry Rihs. He will share more with you in the near future.

This is a true accolade to the Rotary Club of Sydney and to Rotary in general. When we put our passion and focus to a project we can achieve incredible outcomes.

The speakers we have had so far and the awards we have given are a testament to the company we keep and the achievements we have made. It is all about the sprit and pride of being a Rotarian.

On a sad note we have seen long standing members retire from the club, such Erwin Mohay who has been a member for 30 years, Alberts Spencer who was 20 years a member. We had the passing of Past Governor of NSW Gordon Samuels, just to name a few.

These are all understandable but it reflects the generational change that is occurring in our club and the need to secure and gain new members. The task and challenge for us all.

My wish is that we can unite as a club and focus on the year ahead to allow us to take this club and its members to an even greater height than what we are at present. We have our differences and our views on the way we believe the club should head into the future. We have all played a part in this successful club lets also share in the future.

The opportunities are exciting and challenges may appear daunting but if we don’t take a risk and give it a go we will not know.

I wish you all an enjoyable Xmas and a healthy and happy year ahead and look forward to seeing you back at our first meeting on 15th January 2008.

See you Tuesday.

Garry Browne
President

2007-08 BOARD MEMBERS

Garry Browne
President

Gerry Rihs
Past President

Ann Burleigh
Vice-President Internal & Events

Rene Benitez
Vice-President External

Jill Deering
Honorary Secretary

Craig Douglas
Honorary Treasurer

Indy Singh
Youth Director

Rex Doughty
Awards Director

Harry Fox
Membership Director

Tony Benner
Public Relations Director

Ian Conley
Rotary Foundation & International

Natalie Ward
Speakers Director

Mark Dyer
Fellowship Director
Rotaract & Interact
Newsletter

OTHER OFFICIALS & REGULAR HELPERS

Patricia Harrison
President Elect

Les Strong
Club Chaplain

Wayne Costin
Grants & Funding Committee

Don Knudsen
Archive Committee & Music

Garry Browne
Honours & Nominating Committee

Dianne Ward
Executive Officer

Col Westman
Risk Management Committee

Brian Fletcher
Club Historian

John Randall & John Given
President's Aides

Vince Dore
Sergeant-at-Arms

David Hunt
Hon. Legal Advisor

Thomas Davis & Co
Hon. Auditor

John Randall
Rules & By-Laws

Helping Students Stay at School

The Rotary Club of Sydney is seeking funding from the Rotary Foundation to establish a new program in Fiji.

The program will meet the school fees of academically-capable high school students at Government schools whose parents or carers are unable to afford these costs. The students will be identified by school headmasters and the need confirmed by written support from third parties who know the families. It is expected that the average cost to keep a student at school for a year is below $200.

The need for this support is pressing because the Fijian economy has weakened since the coup last year, tourism has declined and unemployment is growing.

The idea was bought to us by Rahat Asgar, a member of the Rotary Club of Suva East, who has been a regular visitor to our Club meetings. The project will be undertaken jointly with the Rotary Club of Suva East.

It is expected that the pilot project will have funding of about $20,000 from the two clubs, our District (who have offered an allocation from the District Designated Funds) and from the Rotary Foundation. If the project is successful, it is hoped that additional funding will be sourced from sponsorship to extend the project throughout Fiji.

The application for a Matching Grant has been supported by the International Service Committee and the project will be managed by a committee of three from our Club being Bruce Edwards, John Rawson and Colin Westman.

If you would like to learn more about this project or would like to help in any way please contact any one of the management committee.

This is the first application the Club has made for a Matching Grant from the Foundation for many years (possibly the first ever). We aim to use this project to establish our credentials with the Rotary Foundation to provide the governance and reporting requirements for such grants. This should enable the Club to apply for further (and larger) grants in future years.

Bruce Edwards

Your Country - Thank You Gerry

The club's "Your Country" program has helped many disadvantaged Sydney kids to experience life in the Australian country. Each year the club takes a group of kids for a week long and life changing camp to Coonabarabran.

The project has left a lasting positive impression on a large number of Sydney's youth over the many years that our club has been involved.

Past President Gerry Rihs has been the project manager however Gerry is now retiring from the project and a new manager is required to continue and to develop this important project - initially with Gerry's help.

If you are a new member looking for a worthwhile project to get involved with please contact Gerry or any member of the Youth Committee - chaired by Indy Singh.

Make it your New Year's Resolution.

Gerry, thank you for your excellent work with the "Your Country" project.

Click here for information about Coonabarabran.

Club News

CHAIRMAN

President Garry Browne

GRACE /

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Rotarian Les Strong

TODAY’S SPEAKER

Christmas Festivities

VOTE OF THANKS

Thank you to all members and guests for sharing a fabulous 2007 year in Rotary.

BIRTHDAYS - this week

Peter Townsend

Tony Rossi

Geoff McIntyre AM

Tanya Vanderwall

Bob Wales

Peter Blythe

(actual dates are witheld for
privacy reasons)

ANNIVERSARIES

Julian Ledger
Inducted 21 December 14 years

Bill Neill
Inducted 20 December 13 years

COMMITTEE MEETINGS

Board
Tuesday 22 January at 6 pm.
Castlereagh Hotel, 4th floor.

PR & Membership
Date to be advised, 7.45 am – 9.00 am, Wilson Learning Australia
Level 14, 9 Hunter Street
Sydney

International
Tuesday 19 February at 11:45 am. Castlereagh Hotel,
4th Floor - Adam Room.

Service & Awards
Thursday 21 December at 7:45 am.
Lvl.16, 60 Castlereagh St., Sydney.

Youth
Friday 25 January - Last Friday at Noon, Fiducian - Level 4/1 York St. Light lunch provided.

Rotaract - Club Meeting

6:00pm Wednesday 16 January

CHRISTMAS OFFICE HOURS

The office will be closed from Thursday 20th December
and will reopen on Thursday 10 January 2008

Future Speaker Highlights

This Month	Next Month	Following Month
18 December Christmas Lunch Last meeting for the year.	15 January 1st meeting back.	To be advised
	29 January NSW Sheriff