President Jim Rudling was back in the Chair following his return from Cambodia with the Cambodia Vision team. We welcomed Owen Jeffress President of Rotary Club of Liverpool Greenway, our Guest speaker Kevin Robinson from Wingz for Kids and regulay guest Greg Gibbs. Apologies were received from Russell Seodjadi, Alvan Freeman, Alan Hall and Sam Capra – we also have Joe Cauchi following in the footsteps of the crusaders having moved from Jerusalem to Malta, Peter Beadle still trekking and Robert Menolotto on Paternity leave.

 

Jim Rudling reported on his trip to Cambodia – more details later in this bulletin and on the  

Rotary Club  GREGORY HILLS NEXT GEN, a new Club to be chartered in our District

The Charter night is planned for:

Wednesday 21 November 2018 - 7pm for 7.15pm at

Camden Lakeside Function Centre, 50 Raby Road, Catherine Fields.

 

Lake Cargelligo - PP Frans Buskermolen reported on the proposed trip to Lake Cargelligo which is planned for the weekend of 13 /14 April 2019. We are planning an event to support this drought ravaged District of NSW which even if they receive rain in the next 6 months will still not have had a crop. It is proposed to hold a Community Function on that weekend in conjunction with Rotary Club of Lake Cargelligo and funded by our Club in addition we intend to award a Paul Harris Fellow to a deserving non-rotarian in the District.  The Rotary Club of Lake Cargelligo meets on a Thursday night so the current plan is to arrive in town to attend a meeting on 11^th April and return on or after Sunday 13^th April 2019. More details will be provided as they come to hand.

On a side note President Jim Rudling reported the Portable Movie Screen that we provided to West Wyalong Club in conjunction with RC Canberra was in Canberra for repairs and was destroyed in the bushfires and is the subject of an insurance claim.

 

Community and Vocational Service Director Shiva Nandan reported on the nomination received for the Pride of Workmanship Night to be held on 23^rd October 2018 and reminded members that nominations Close on 12^th October 2108. Shiva also circulated a Commitment Sheet to get numbers attending. The meal cost will be $25 per head for a 2 course dinner and partners and guests are welcome. The club also discussed the request from Angelica Tremblay for support in providing Christmas Puddings for distribution to the less fortunate in our Community. Angelica will be attending our meeting on 16^th October 2108.

 

Vocational Night will be held at “The Restaurant” at Wetherill Park TAFE. Wetherill Park - a 3 Course Dinner for $30 per head will be provided and they are fully licenced, This will be supporting a local TAFE’s as all menu planning, cooking and service is provided by the College’s Hospitality and Commercial Cookery Students.

 

Annual Circus – Subject to approval by Liverpool Council our annual Circus will be held in the Grounds of Bonnyrigg Sports Club, Elizabeth Drive, Bonnyrigg, over three days - Friday 3 May, Saturday 4 May and Sunday 5 May 2019. The Circus will staged by Brophy International Productions they will also be doing the Fairy Floss, Popcorn and Drinks. As a Club will need to get the guests to the Tent where Brophy’s will take over and this year for the first time we will also be providing a sausage sizzle from our BBQ Trailer and selling drinks. There will be 3 sessions each day and we will need around 6 volunteers for each session.

 

Liverpool Greenway will be holding a fund raising dinner – “Denim and Diamonds” on Saturday 27^th October 2018 at the Holiday Inn, Warwick Farm starting at 6:30 pm. Tickets are $125 per person. This is always a good night and our Club should support it.

 

Fiji Water Project – IPP John Pillay reported on his visit to Fiji and his meeting with Rotary Club of North Suva who are coming on board to support our Project. It was originally proposed to provide water to a village near Sigatoka but for reasons explained to the Club this will not proceed and with the help of North Suva we are now looking at a village in Tailevu Province on the Kings Road between Rakiraki and Suva.

 

Auction: Frans Buskermolen provided some Aloa Vera plants for the Club to Auction. The successful bidder was John Pillay, we can expect an improvement in John’s complexion in the near future.

 

Our guest speaker Kevin Robinson gave a presentation to the Club on the work this group of dedicated volunteers are doing to support people outside the Sydney Metropolitan Area.

Kevin has a passion for helping children and families in regional areas. Kevin started flying at 15 and has always had a passion for aviation which perfectly complements his goal to help regional families with a professional free flight service. With business management experience both internationally and locally, he developed a broad range of useful business skills that allows him to bring together complex ideas, and deliver results.

The opportunity to develop the Wings4Kidz service is a perfect fit for his skills and experience, and an exciting opportunity for Kevin to continue his passion of helping children and families with this very important flight service.

Wings4Kidz is a not-for-profit organisation providing a free flight service for children in regional communities, who have serious or life threatening illnesses, and are required to travel to major city based hospitals for treatment. These children and their families are significantly disadvantaged by distance and face significant financial, emotional and travel fatigue stresses to access the essential treatment services which are not available in regional areas. Wings4Kidz flights make a significant difference for children and their families during the most traumatic and stressful challenges a family can face.

Wings4Kidz flight operations are based out of Bankstown Airport. We use highly qualified professional pilots, with many of our pilot’s volunteering their time and skills. Flights can be provided to and from any regional area for children and families needing access to specialist medical facilities in major cities. We understand that seriously ill children need a flexible service as there are often changes in their health due to their medical condition and treatment regime and therefore, we aim to customise our flight schedule to meet their specific requirements and flights can be provided at short notice. For many children, there is a risk of using public transport such as commercial flights, trains and buses as this can seriously compromise their health and well-being due to their reduced immunity. We therefore provide a service that removes them from these potentially dangerous environments by providing a private flight service.

It is not enough just to transport the families to major cities by air but they also need transport from the airport to the medical facility. Wings4Kidz provides a ground transport service to meet this need.

Kevin gave a number of examples of recent flights that have made treatment possible for many children who would otherwise never have been able to access out-patient services at Westmead Children’s Hospital.

Wings4Kidz owns one aircraft which is a pressurised twin engine turbo prop aircraft configured to provide the maximum comfort and flexibility needed to transport these patients (often on a monthly basis) from the area where they live to Bankstown Airport and then by road to Westmead then back home the same day in some cases saving a road trip of several days each ways. He also spoke of a unique partnership they have put in place with some executive transport operators based at Bankstown who provide both aircraft and pilots to complete the work they can do with their own aircraft – there is no charge for the use of the aircraft or the pilot’s time and the only cost is for fuel. More information can be found at http://wings4kidz.org.au/

 

Kevin also advised that their aircraft had been adapted to be able to transport Miracle Babies Humidity Cribs from Sydney to local country hospitals and at time where it is more economical and suitable the group pays for commercial airfares for clients. All their operating costs come from their own fund raising efforts and donations and with government support and they have no administration costs as everything is done on a volunteer basis. One of their fund raising efforts is:-

Late Mail Postie Bike ride to raise funds for flights to help children in regional NSW. This is our 5^th year for the ride which will have raised over $500k by completion of this year’s ride which is from Maroochydore and winds its way back to finish in Mudgee which will cover 1200k’s over 6 days. 48 riders are taking part in the adventure which commences this Saturday 14^th October.

If you could spare a few dollars to support my bike it would be very appreciated and 100% of the funds raised go to support the flights for seriously ill children with no admin or wages deducted.

It’s a great cause so if you can help please do by going here https://give.everydayhero.com/au/kevin-43

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday, 16 October	Katie Russell and Sonia Freston from Miracle Babies, Sam Romeo and Angelica Tremblay will be Club Guests	Mounties, 101 Meadows Road, Mount Pritchard	6:00 for 7 pm meeting start
Sunday, 21 October	Graffiti Removal Day
Sunday, 21 October	Save our Sons Foundation BBQ with Liverpool Club	Warwick Farm Racecourse	TBA
Tuesday, 23 October	Pride of Workmanship Night	Mounties, 101 Meadows Road, Mount Pritchard	6:30 pm
Saturday, 27 October	Liverpool Greenway’s Denim & Diamonds Fund Raising Night	Holiday Inn, Warwick Farm Tickets $125 pp	6:30 for 7:00 pm
Sunday, 28 October	Australian Aid 4 Cambodia Fund Raising	Freedom Plaza, Cabramatta	9:00 am to 2 pm
Tuesday, 6 November	Steve Matthews – Childrens Book Author	Mounties, 101 Meadows Road, Mount Pritchard	6:00 for 7 pm meeting start
Tuesday, 13 November
Saturday. 17 November	M7 Share the Path BBQ	101 Wallgrove Road, Eastern Creek	8:00 am to 10 am
Sunday, 18 November	Satellite Club / AHHA Fund Raiser	Freedom Plaza, Cabramatta
Tuesday. 20 November	Club AGM, Election of Directors Followed by Board Meeting	Mounties, 101 Meadows Road, Mount Pritchard	6:00 for 7 pm meeting start
Monday, 26 November	Vocational Visit	The Restaurant, Wetherill Park TAFE, Horsley Drive, Wetherill Park	6:30 pm $30 per head partners and guests welcome
Tuesday, 27 November	No Meeting at Mounties
Tuesday, 4 December
Saturday, 8 December	Satellite Club/AHHA Christmas Function	International Function Centre, Canley Vale Road Canley Vale	6:30 for 7 pm till late. $60 per head partners and guests welcome.
Sunday, 9 December	Allam Homes Family BBQ	Ardennes Park	From 10 am
Tuesday, 11 December	NO MEETING at Mounties
Tuesday, 18 December	Christmas Dinner	Black Rose Restaurant	TBC
Tuesday, 25 December	Christmas Day – No Meeting
2019
15-17 March	District Conference	Bankstown Sports Club
Thursday, 11 April	Lake Cargelligo Rotary Club Meeting
Saturday, 13 April to Sunday, 14 April	Lake Cargelligo Drought Relief Event	Lake Cargelligo
Friday, 3 May	Circus	Bonnyrigg Sports Club
Saturday, 4 May	Circus	Bonnyrigg Sports Club
Sunday, 5 May	Circus	Bonnyrigg Sports Club