Rotary Club of Maleny Bulletin for 20th September 2017

"THE RANGE"  Vol. 59 No.5
WEDNESDAY 20th September 2017

THIS WEEK'S MEETING
Maleny Hotel at 6:30 for 7:00pm with Guest Speaker Alan Still on the Maleny Weather Station.

APOLOGIES
Apologies to Bernice before noon on Tuesday 19th.

DUTY ROSTERS                       
                           20th Sep        4th Oct        18th Oct                         
Duty Officer        Chris B          Jim A           Ric T                                
Assist DO           Sherryl G       Robin H      Rick V                          
Registration        Andy S          Bill H           CL C
Fellowship          Phillip S         John McL    Melinda M  

SAUSAGE SIZZLE ROSTER
23rd September
Jeff Cornfoot  (Leader)  Keith Rogers  Ric Townsend

7th October
Mike and Sherryl Gregory (Leader)  Chris Ross-Smith

MINUTES OF LAST MEETING
President Alan opened the meeting welcoming everyone with a special welcome to Barry Smith from the Maleny Neighbourhood Centre and our guest speaker for the  night Russ Stephenson. Our exchange student Adria also attended the meeting.

A quick bit of Rotary trivia from Alan tested Mike Gregory’s knowledge regarding the introduction of coloured jackets for DGs at the Annual RI Conference.  I think Mike came out on top but someone will have to confiscate the information booklet from Alan!

Barry Smith found out he had been invited to the meeting by CL under false pretences when President Alan presented him with a Paul Harris Fellow medal and certificate for his significant support for the Maleny Neighbourhood Centre, having been a Board member for many years, and now Treasurer. He was instrumental in ensuring the Centre had government support. Barry is also a recognised artist/sculptor in Maleny, designing the iron covered way and ceiling at the IGA.

A quick Sergeant's session from Chris saw Jeff Cornfoot finally fined for losing the gas bottle which everyone searched for, over many weeks. Russ Stephenson won the raffle and promptly bought two calendars.  This year's calendars have now gone on sale around Maleny.

Our guest speaker Russ Stephenson is a long serving member of the Rotary Club of Nambour. Russ was a plant researcher in the former DPI working in the tree crops area particularly macadamia nuts. Since retiring 3-4 years ago he has been developing a project for Rotary District 9600 in Food Plant Solutions, to tackle malnutrition in PNG.

Malnutrition is one of the world’s greatest challenges, with one in three people affected and the cause of half the deaths in infants. The early years of child hood, one to five years, are critical to the development of the child, but what is often misunderstood is that 90% of a child’s brain development occurs before birth. The aim of the project is to help affected communities know the food value of their local foods to optimise their diet and focus on improving pregnant mothers diet, breast feeding of babies for longer, and improved diets for babies.

The program is being implemented in the Mougulu district in PNG, an area with infertile soils which experienced severe drought in 2015-16. There are approx 28,800 people in the area who are very poor with an income of less than $10/year and virtually no roads into or out of the district. The typical diet consists of bananas with no dairy or animal protein, low energy, low protein, and low fat/oils. More corn and coconut is needed in the diet to improve the nutritive value.

Implementation of the program requires considerable social change to understand the need for different foods to improve the development and health of children and give them a better life. The program will require about $A 67,000 and nearly half has been raised to date.

Angela extended a vote of thanks with the very apt words “we have had a very enriching program tonight”.
       
FUTURE MEETINGS & EVENTS
27th September
Masonic Hall at 5:30 for 6:00pm for Club Assembly.

4th October
Maleny Hotel at 6:30 for 7:00pm for DG's Official Visit - Partners welcome.

11th October
Board Meeting at the Masonic Hall.

18th October 
Maleny Hotel at 6:30 for 7:00pm with Guest Speaker TBC.

WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES FOR SEPTEMBER
4th John & Bernice McLennan  18th Andy & Mia Schouteten  28th Keith & Gloria Rogers

BIRTHDAY FOR SEPTEMBER
17th Judi Ross-Smith 29th Mia Schouteten

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT
A COMMUNITY SERVICE REPORT

THE HAIRCUT...

Blessed are those that can give without remembering, and take without forgetting.

One day a florist went to a barber for a haircut.

After the cut, he asked about his bill, and the barber replied, 'I cannot accept money from you, I'm doing community service this week.'

The florist was pleased and left the shop.

When the barber went to open his shop the next morning, there was a 'thank you' card and a dozen roses waiting for him at his door.

Later, a cop comes in for a haircut, and when he tries to pay his bill, the barber again replied, 'I cannot accept money from you, I'm doing
community service this week.'

The cop was happy and left the shop.

The next morning when the barber went to open up, there was a 'thank you ' card and a dozen donuts waiting for him at his door.

Then a Member of Parliament came in for a haircut, and when he went to pay his bill, the barber again replied, 'I cannot accept money from you. I'm doing community service this week.'

The Member of Parliament was very happy and left the shop.

The next morning, when the barber went to open up, there were a dozen Members of Parliament lined up waiting for a free haircut.

And that would appear to illustrate a fundamental difference between the citizens of our country and the politicians who run it.