Surfing with Cameron Ling

So who said that Rotarians aren't adventure loving people?

Here's Margaret Amoore having some surfing lessons with Cameron Ling of the Geelong Football Club. Despite the poor conditions, she was out there having fun.

London Calling!

Last night, some Rotarians from our club attended the Welcome to the London GSE Team (D 1130) at the Dingley International Hotel.

Over 200 Rotarians from 16 clubs in our District attended this event - along with an unsuspecting English Rotarian who happened to be staying at the hotel and thought he'd do a makeup. Did he get a surprise at the turnout...

District 1130 is situatied in London and covers most of the city within the M25, including Heathrow.

Members of the GSE Team are:

Team Leader Mac Purcell (67) sponsored by the Rotary Club of Paddington. He is the Director of Officepoint Fivestar, an online office supplies company.

Zoe Harris (27) sponsored by the Rotary Club of Chingford. She is a Detective Inspector of the Metropolitan Police Service.

Chris Reed (26) sponsored by the Rotary Club of Paddington. He is the Charity Chief Executive of the Volunteer Centre Westminster.

Balvinder Dhoofer-Sagoo (28) sponsored by the Rotary Club of Chigwell. She is a solicitor, legal adviser to the Magistrates and District Judges for Her Majesty's Courts Service - Ministry of Justice.

Ceri Evanse (29) sponsored by the Rotary Club of Epping. She is a chartered Quantity Surveyor for Stace LLP.

If you would like to track what the team is doing in our District then check out their blog site on:

http://www.rotaryinlondon.org/

(Then click on District Blog).

If you sign in, then you can also leave comments.

Visit to the Eureka Sky Tower Mon 4 Feb 2008

Picture yourself within an enclosed glass box, 300 metres above the ground.

Is it enough to make your insides quiver with anticipation or gurgle with panic? As the view below you blurs and an overwhelming sense of vertigo and dizziness makes your knees buckle, is this a sensation you would deliberately seek out?

Our Rotary Club certainly did on Monday 4 February.

The intrepid Rotarians threw their acrophobic cares to the wind and elevated themselves to the lofty heights of the Eureka Sky Tower and stand out on the 'Edge'. Not even showercaps on their feet so as not to crack the 'delicate' glass beneath their feet was enough to put them off from walking out onto the edge to defy the feeling of vertigo.

Skydeck 88 is the only observation deck in the world that can thrill you with this glass cube which projects 3 metres out from the building - with you in it - suspended almost 300 metres above the ground. Around you can see the spectacular awe inspiring Melbourne landscape, below you a drastic drop to the quiet world below.

So if you want to enjoy the experience, we suggest you turn off your pacers, take off your glasses or close your eyes. That's the only way for vertigo not to get you....

If you would like more information on the Eureka Sky Deck, check out the website: http://www.eurekaskydeck.com.au/the-edge.asp

Christmas Function at the Kingswood Golf Club Mon 17 December 2007

Potential Rotary Leaders Seminar (PRLS)

Two members of our Club, Geoff Gray and Helen Blunden attended the Potential Rotary Leaders Seminar (PRLS) on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 November 2007.

The Potential Rotary Leaders Seminar (PRLS) is a life leadership course that aims to provide an environment for current and potential Rotary leaders. Rotarians learn how to be more effective as individuals within their work and personal lives.

Some Rotarians travelled from as far as Ballarat to attend the course. With an eager sense of anticipation and participation in the room, they were put through their paces by experienced Rotarians and facilitators Laurie and Maureen Bond from RC Bulaweyo in public speaking, leadership, effective communication and effective meetings.

The PRLS was conducted in two parts. On the first day, participants were taught Basic PRLS in basic leadership theory that included leading with vision, leading a meeting, public speaking and effective communications. Of the forty participants, thirty continued with the second part, the first module of Masters PRLS series, Impromptu Speaking.

Twelve participants volunteered to act as PRLS Presenters to continue to roll out of future leadership programs across both Districts. It is anticipated that more Basic and Master PRLS courses will be available in the near future.

Helen Blunden attended both days and said, "I would recommend any Rotarian from our club and their partners to attend PRLS. If you are currently in, or designated for future leadership roles within our club, then you will benefit from the course. Even if, you don't use the skills learned in PRLS to Rotary, there are many other ways to use them in your personal or work life. For $60 per day, this is just a fraction of the cost of what you would normally pay for something similar in the market."

Even though the course has been running in the USA since 1993, it is the first time it has been run in Australia. District Governor 9800 John Davies and District Governor of 9810 Dick Garner partnered to bring PRLS to Australia as part of the 2007-2008 Strategy Plan to increase leadership skills of Rotarians.

AG Ron Brooks of RC Forest Hill agreed with the the District Governors and said of PRLS, "Let's accept the challenge, lift our game and improve Rotary's image and set an example of how professional people should behave. Lets make it an organisation others strive to join."

My Desert Kingdom - Jill Koolmess on 'Under the Veil'

“When we think of Muslim women, we think of the shapeless, faceless women who serve to obliterate themselves from the landscape. It’s a confronting image. I thought I was prepared for it and live in a completely segregated community, but the depth of the discrimination in the Saudi society against women was something I couldn’t prepare for.”

And so the opening scene to an enlightening presentation was set by Jill Koolmees author of “My Desert Kingdom.”

Jill travelled to Saudi Arabia with her husband in 1997. She undertook a teaching role and while there, spoke to many Saudi women about their experiences. She was surprised that what was deemed as important to a westerner, freedom and equality, Saudi women had other values. These were family, religion and education. In a society that is intensely private, women are hindered in mobility, employment and indeed in many aspects of everyday life simply of the need that men and women cannot mix.

In a recent visit back to Saudi Arabia, she felt a “change in the air” partly because of King Abdullah known as a reformer who is open to new ideas such as finding employment for Saudi nationals. She told us about a new Technical School for Women who complete their technical education and on completion receive support to open their own business.

Her book details are:
“My Desert Kingdom” Author: Jill Koolmees Publisher: Bantam Australia, Random House. ISBN: 1863254374

International Social Night 13 October 2007