A number of matters of interest where raised at our meeting last Monday night:
Cathie mentioned the Club change-over night on Monday 28 June - please see the flier for details below
Also this Saturday in the District 9800 Assembly - registration details are outlined below
Rose provided details of a thank you received from St Mary's House of Welcome for the donation of toiletry packs to assist the homeless youth who use the services provided by the organisation
Doug mentioned a visit he and Val made at MacRoberton's Girls High and that they were very impressed by the planning that has been undertaken by the girls for the upcoming FORaMEAL event
This week, we were fortunate to be visited by our local MS ambassador Antony Giblin, who gave us not only a very personal perspective of his journey with MS in his life over the past twenty years, but shared many of the aspects and symptoms of this affliction. Antony is also a Peer Support Volunteer for MS and an advocate for MS services and his goal was to help us better understand and empathise with the experiences caused by Multiple Sclerosis, which he achieved admirably with great skill and gentleness.
Antony was a few days short of his 30th birthday and supremely fit when his vision went blurry during a jog is his then home country of Japan. MS is less common in Japan than in Australia, and appears to have some link with Vitamin D levels. as it is more common in cooler darker areas. When the diagnosis was confirmed after about three months, he returned to Australia to work through his diagnosis, and having been told to rest, pursued his interest in photography with a trip to Timbuktu ( and reflected it may not have been what the doctor quite intended!).
Antony explained that, as an auto-immune disease, MS impacts in different intensity in different people over variable timelines. He feels he has been luckier than others as he has been able to lead a fairly normal career and family life, when he knows some people’s disorder strips them of the physical and mental capacity to fulfill these goals.
After asking members for their impression of what MS means to them, he explained that common symptoms - extreme fatigue in the latter part of the day, sporadic and sudden onset visual dysfunction, muscle malfunction, nerve tingling in the extremities, pain in various parts of the body, blurred speech, deterioration in mental health and sexual function - are all caused by the deterioration of the myelin sheath surrounding and protecting nerves in the body.
Antony feels blessed to have had such a good run, but it was clear that the risk of a sudden downturn is always on his mind, and he works hard to enhance his health through a careful diet, active physical and mental fitness, together with help from carefully sought out medical specialists. Having worked in a number of Asian countries, Antony now works at Asialink, connecting Australian businesses with opportunities in Asia.
Treatment has changed considerably, and now Antony’s method is a whole day IV infusion every 6 months. Antony has been told a cure is possible within his lifetime and also confided that research shows MS has been around for hundreds of years, but there was no specific pharmacotherapy until about 30 years ago.
Other social issues that impact are difficulties in obtaining personal insurance, which is frustrating to him.
Thank you Antony for a deep and thoughtful insight into this curious complication you have had join your life, and we thank you for all the work you do to help others with MS.
Tim Falkiner is 75 and has always lived in Melbourne. He has practised as a solicitor, a town planner, a barrister and a casino regulation officer. Tim has qualifications in law and town planning and, more recently, transpersonal counselling and hypnotherapy.
Tim’s involvement with gambling started in 1994 when he took the position of commercial/legal officer with the Victorian Casino Control Authority. After the Authority was disbanded, Tim became chairman of an educational charity called, Know the Odds Inc. The charity produced a kit for distribution to schools in Victoria.
In preparing educational materials, Tim researched all aspects of gambling: history, laws, psychology, rules and mathematics.
Tim has given lectures in Australia, New Zealand and the USA to a wide variety of audiences including the Australian Society of Magicians, the Mathematical Association of Victoria, the Victorian Bar, the Australian Hypnotherapists Association and the C.G. Jung Society of Melbourne as well as problem gambling advocacy and treatment organizations. He has also made submissions to the ACCC, Productivity Commission and committees of the Victorian Legislative Council and the Australian Senate.
A number of Club members, Parks Victoria staff and Parks Victoria volunteers gathered on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday to plant trees and build fences to re-juvinate and renew an area of Yarra Bend Park at Studley Park.
A small Commonwealth grant had been received by the former Yarra Bend RC and when several of the members joined the Canterbury RC they carried over the funds for the already planned project which has taken a little while to happen due to Covid restrictions.
However, with great weather conditions and under the guidance of the Parks Victoria staff, several hundred plants have started a new life in Yarra Bend Park. As well as the planting the group also did some fencing with the aim of restricting access to bike riders who damage the plants and undergrowth.
Many thanks to Edda who handled the organisation, liaised with Parks Victoria and most importantly arranged the great weather and lunch for the volunteers.
Please see the flier below for the District 9800 Virtual District Assembly being held on Saturday 22 May.
It is a great opportunity to see the District leadership team and also find out about projects and activities and for current and incoming Board members to heard about and discuss matters related to their Board role.
Due to Covid capacity restrictions at Basscare the booking arrangements for the combined Club meeting next Wednesday 16 June have changed and a separate email has been forwarded to Club members advising how to book and pay using the Camberwell RC's booking system.
If you are wishing to attend you are advised to book and pay asap as it is expected the hall capacity will be reached very quickly.
The Canterbury Rotary Club lunch usually meets bi-weekly for a meal and some fun.
David Zrna looks after the reservations for the lunch group. Please contact David at david.zrna@canterburyrotary.org or on 0467033092 to advise that you will be coming to a lunch.
Club member Gilly Swinnerton is supporting Foodbank Victoria through fundraising associated with Run Melbourne 2021 where Gilly is participating.
Gilly would love you to get on board as she is seeking emotional support from the Club and would be very appreciative of financial support by clicking here
We know you are all well aware of the ongoing situation in Melbourne with the Covid restrictions on numbers attending functions and would appreciate that this has made planning for the District Changeover a little challenging.
We want this function to be a celebration of the very different year we have just had and a chance to look forward to the next Rotary year with as many people as possible in attendance.
Hence the District Changeover has been moved to Saturday 10 July. Same details, same venue, same time.
Thank you to everyone who has already booked. If you are unable to attend on this new date please contact Jane Pennington (jane.pennington@rotary9800.org) to arrange a refund.
If you have not yet booked, please do so and come and celebrate with your Rotary colleagues. It will be “first in best dressed” for tickets as we are unsure what the restrictions will allow by then. The invitation is attached with booking details.
If you have questions please contact Jane.
We both look forward to welcoming you to this wonderful celebration.
Philip Dale
Philip Archer Dale Hoy
District Governor 2020-21 District Governor Elect 2020-21
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