We are delighted to have welcomed two new members into the Club, Charles Dimmick with the classification of Accounting, and Steven McInnes whose classification is Leadership Training & Development.  Both Charles and Steven, I am certain, will make a wonderful contribution to the Club and had already supported us prior to joining.  Charles has been helping Gaby Halpin with the Royal Melbourne Show program and Steven has been helping me with some articles on change management for Zone 8’s Public Image newsletter.

This is the last week for Membership Development and Extension month.  Volunteering is a big part of this.  Volunteers don’t have to be Rotarians, but can come from the Family of Rotary and our workplace.  Their volunteering in turn may lead them to become members – there is nothing like the great sense of involvement and achievement with a hands-on project to get people to join Rotary. 

Our Club currently has two opportunities requiring the assistance of volunteers.   The first requires only five volunteers next Sunday to run a barbeque for the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation Lake Attack.  Volunteers are required for a period of two to three hours in return for our Club receiving some valuable fundraising dollars.  If you are able to help, please contact Richard Clark, the Project Champion for the Lake Attack barbeque.  If you want to participate in the Fun Run, please email me.

The second volunteering opportunity requires a number of volunteers for our Club’s joint venture with the Rotary Club of Canterbury in running a very exciting Royal Melbourne Show stand.  Please see the announcement in our newsletter for further details.  If you can help throughout the Show please come prepared to Tuesday’s meeting to register or contact Charles Dimmick, who will be putting our list of volunteers together.  The centrepiece for the Royal Melbourne Show for the Rotary Club of Southbank will be a blood pressure testing program called “Know Your Numbers.”  Gaby Halpin is championing this project and I’m sure she will tell us more on this.

Finally, it is great to have Judy Parslow back.  I’m looking forward to Judy bringing along some very special guests this week and also telling us more about her wonderful trip.  Last Tuesday we had a snippet of her enthusiasm in joining Rotary.  This is really great to see.

Have a terrific week.

Philip Archer
Club President 2009-2010

Last Week's Meeting

(Thank you to the Prez for these very detailed notes)

Meeting 496 Scribe Notes

Induction of Charles Dimmick and Steven McInnes (L to R: Nick Kane, Charles Dimmick, Carl Kelsen, Steven McInnes and President Philip Archer)

Our newest members: Charles Dimmick and Steven McInnes

Charles, Steven and President Philip

(Photos: Dianne Calistro)

Our Foundation Director, Steven Aquilina, that Wendy Kwan’s application for Group Study Exchange had been submitted.  Wendy’s interview will be this Sunday. 

Steven also reported that our Ambassadorial Scholar, Roland Dillon, was putting together a profile for us to send to Rotary Down Under and to publish in Southbanker.

Steven encouraged everyone to support Foundation’s Centurion Giving Program, “Every Rotarian Every Year.”  Our Club is looking for 15 members to join.

Finally Steven asked us to think about a special Foundation night in November, Foundation Month. 

Club Service

2 of the YAA students will be visiting next week to promote their company and product.

Richard Clark distributed our new Club caps. 

We are looking forward to a special film evening at the Palace Cinema Como on Tuesday 1st September to celebrate the independence of East Timor.  This will be a fantastic evening of fellowship and celebration, as well as give us the opportunity to raise funds for Ryder Cheshire Foundation and Xanana Vocation Educational Trust.

On Tuesday 8^th September, we have a blockbuster program back at the Crown with Dr Judith Slocombe from the Alannah and Madeline Foundation as our guest speaker.  We are being joined by the Rotary Clubs of Boroondara and Chadstone East Malvern and a number of other Rotarians from our District.

Vocation & Youth

Gaby Halpin represented Michael Fingereth, who is away on holidays.  Gaby mentioned briefly that it is hoped that Wayne Hunter or a representative will speak to the club in late Sept/Oct re RYLA. Club members were encouraged to think about candidates.

Charles Stuart promoted the business breakfasts on September 17^th (Corporate Social Responsibility) and October 15^th (Lord Mayor Robert Doyle on the next 100 years in Melbourne).

International & Community

Our Special Projects Director International & Community, Clinton Wong, reminded members of the International Service Workshop to be held this Sunday 23rd August at the International House in Parkville.

This coming week we are supporting the Kids Foundation, firstly at the Burn Survivor Camp Phoenix to be held at Anglesea during this weekend where Wendy and Catherine will be camp buddies.  Secondly, Richard and Gaby will run the trivia night on Monday evening.  President Philip also announced he was assisting the Kids Foundation to recruit a Chairperson and 2 Non-Executive Directors.

Melbourne Show; Southbank and Canterbury Rotary clubs will share a stall at the Melbourne Show, between Sept 17-27. Southbank volunteers (with the support of medical professionals from a variety of corporate contacts) will run a 'Know your numbers campaign', testing member's of the public blood pressure throughout this time and will raise awareness of the consequences of high blood pressure. Money raised from this will be used to purchase a defibrillator for the Southbank Area. The Rotary Club of Canterbury will also demonstrate Shelter Box and sell their Aussie Pride Badges.
  
Not mentioned at the meeting, but Gaby wanted to make mention an 'outstanding' community project with the Port Melbourne Rotary Club re a possible partnership with their 'Second Bite' project - essentially collecting unsold food from South Melbourne Market and helping Second Bite redistribute it. 

Membership

The Club was advised that Ivory Roberts, Graham Schorer and Catherine Morales have been approved for Membership.  Their details will be circulated to our Members for final approval. 

Another 8 potential members are in early stages of application.