Our President writes...

Dear fellow Rotarians and friends of Rotary,
 
Last night's Zoom meeting was once again a huge success and in fact a truly global affair. Besides Australia, there were representatives from the Netherlands, from Switzerland, the USA and England all present. I was slightly unwell myself and wouldn't have attended a normal meeting. Joining a Zoom meeting from home without the camera on however meant I could still participate. We were treated to a great presentation from Wendela Sandberg from the Rotary Club of Amsterdam. Wendela spoke eloquently in perfect English about the ongoing work of EndPlasticSoup an initiative developed by the Rotary Club of Amsterdam and which has since grown to include many other clubs. They have been working and campaigning hard for the better use of plastic and the minimisation of it ending up in our oceans. 

'Plastic Soup' refers to all plastic waste that is floating about in our rivers and seas. The plastic we throw away from garbage to washing synthetic clothing, all eventually 'soups' together in our oceans creating an environmental disaster. Weathering, sunlight and wave action break down large pieces into small bits. This causes serious pollution and because plastic is not biodegradable, this 'soup' inevitably kills an enormous number of marine animals. The plastic continues to degenerate over time into ever smaller pieces to the point where we cannot see it anymore – but it never disappears completely. Microplastics are now entering our food chain, the fish we eat, the water we drink, the air we breathe. There are so many different types of plastic now, recycling has become a real challenge.

Preventing plastic from ending up in the oceans is EndPlasticSoup's main objective. It really is a huge global problem and we must do something about it. You can start helping today by visiting their website and make a donation and then perhaps start saying no more vigorously to unnecessary plastic. I will be proposing to our board that our club becomes a member of EndPlasticSoup and joins the 3.500 Rotarians from 800 Rotary and Rotaract Clubs worldwide who are also supporting this initiative. Plastic is clearly a fantastic material, but since it's the invention in the 50's we have been using it like there's no tomorrow. If we don't change the way we manage it soon, 'tomorrow' may be a very difficult place to live in. 

EndPlasticSoup website

Stephen Miller
President 2019/20, Lane Cove Rotary Club

A very different ANZAC day...

The Rotary Club of Lane Cove is proudly one of those invited by Council to attend the ANZAC Day Service in the Plaza and to lay a wreath. Obviously, this year that could not go ahead. In light of that, the Board decided to instead make a $100 donation to Legacy and to quietly place a small bouquet of flowers at the Lane Cove Memorial.

Lest we forget

Member update

Congratulations to member Pat Price who commenced his new position at the Sir Eric Woodwood School recently. Pat writes...

"Started my new role as Deputy Principal at Sir Eric Woodward School today. An amazing school, inspiring and very welcoming staff and a great opportunity to support the futures of students with additional needs. Very inspired!"

Bowel cancer awareness program

The 2020 BowelCare Program is available from three local pharmacies, Wades Chemist, Gavin Starr's Pharmacy and Riverview Pharmacy. The sale of the kits, at $20.00 each which covers pathology testing and notification of result to both the participant and their nominated Doctor. The program will continue until 31st May. Please consider this health program as it does save lives. 

Only part of the Polio story…

Extract of a letter to the Editor: Good Weekend, April 11, 2020
Congratulations on the excellent feature article 'Still Standing' published in The Sydney Morning Herald’s Good Weekend on April 11, 2020.
It was timely to run such an article highlighting similarities between Poliomyelitis in the 1930s and 1960s and the current COVID-19 pandemic. However, you have only told part of the polio story and the very real connection between the two critical medical challenges.
      You did acknowledge that an Australian, Sir Clem Renouf launched the Global Polio Eradication Initiative but failed to emphasise his role as then President of Rotary International made such a campaign possible and that his Knighthood was an acknowledgement of magnificent leadership of the Polio campaign and within Rotary since that time...

...Rotary International is determined to eradicate Polio from the World and continues to identify the campaign as its number one project.
     Melinda Gates, Co-Chair of The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, provides a powerful summary: ‘We’re awed by the teams of vaccinators who take risks to reach each child, AND we’re inspired by the infinite persistence of Rotary International. They were leading this fight long before we joined it, and they’ve just kept moving forward. They know going from 350,000 cases in 1985 to 73 in 2019 is amazing… but ultimate success is ZERO!’
Bob Aitken AM
Past Governor, Rotary International
Managing Editor/Executive Director, Rotary Down Under Magazine 1984/2014
Rotary Club of Lower Blue Mountains, NSW

Bob's full letter can be downloaded by clicking here

Next week's meeting – 5 May – What is ROMAC?

Speaker presentation by PDG Harold Sharp, Chairman of ROMAC
PDG Harold Sharp, Chairman of ROMAC will update us on the remarkable work performed by ROMAC. What is ROMAC? It is the acronym for ‘Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children’ and is a combined Australia and New Zealand Multi-district Rotary project. ROMAC has been in operation for over 30 years. Rotarians volunteer their time and expertise to run this Rotary project that encompasses all the Districts of Australia and New Zealand. Assisted by many eminent Australian and New Zealand surgeons who generously donate their time for the treatment of our patients, this humanitarian program has provided life-giving surgery to over 500 children from more than 20 developing countries, with urgent medical treatment that was not available to them in their own country.

This will be a Zoom Meeting open to all and will begin at 7.00pm. You are most welcome to join us so please contact us below for an invite.

Contact for an invitation

Supporting us so we can support others

The Rotary Club of Lane Cove values everything local. We sincerely thank Storage King Lane Cove for providing on a complimentary basis, clean and secure storage for our barbecue equipment, tents, awnings and various Rotary paraphernalia we’ve moved from garage to garage for years. We, therefore, ask that you consider engaging Storage King’s services whenever you’re next looking for some extra space and exceptional service. Telephone (02 9436 6405) or simply visit their website to get a quote for your stuff when normality returns.