2019-20 Template (May 27, 2020)

Our 21st meeting of this Rotary year was online only via Zoom with 28 members and 2 guests attending.

Our guest speaker Mrs Mona Nielsen, Chairperson Gold Coast Homelessness Network shared “The Challenges of Homelessness on the Gold Coast and how Rotary can help?” Our member behind the Badge was Andre’a Simmons. We had Past District Governor Tony Heading join us. If you missed it then click here to have a look at the recording

I welcome all 69 members, your partners and guests and Rotarians from other clubs to join us at our next Gold Coast Rotary Club meeting this Thursday, 4 June online at 7.15pm giving you time to have dinner before you join us and chat with others online. Our Chair Catherine Palin-Brinkworth will start the meeting at 7.30pm.

Our guest speaker will be a Rotary Peace Scholar, currently studying at the University of Queensland.

We will hear from Member Behind The Badge, Mark Urquhart and from Chairs and Directors on proposed club activities. Members will have an opportunity to ask questions and opportunity to chat with fellow members 15 minutes before the meeting and 15 minutes after.

Throughout the year we recognise the anniversaries on the month that current active members were inducted and celebrate the number of years they have continuously achieved Rotary Service Above Self. Thursday evening we will acknowledge and congratulate the following members who joined us in the month of June

Luciane Sperling – 1 year and Kate Kimmorley – 21 years

Karim Gawor and Tammi Mayfield – 1 year

Yidan Xi - 4 years (just advised that Yidan has joined the Rotary Club of Melbourne where she is now working)

Kevin Stapleton – 36 years

To join our next meeting click on https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3190833239 (Password GCRotary)

Club Admin Chair Mark Urquhart will email you as a reminder with the link to this meeting closer to this event. If you need any assistance to join us for this please call me on 0421 915 818 or email me at johnstonerowan@gmail.com and we will make sure that you have the opportunity to connect with us. Guests of members and other Club Rotarians are welcome to join us. If there is anything that you need that I can help you with, please let me know. I look forward to catching up.

Rowan Johnstone

President 2019/20

Gold Coast Rotary

johnstonerowan@gmail.com

Ramble for Free

Botanical Bazaar 4 October 2020

We have a new date for Botanical Bazaar - 4 October 2020, which is the Queen's Birthday long weekend. Our key note speakers are available, our exhibiters and food vans are keen and it would be great way to celebrate Spring, assuming COVID-19 restrictions are relaxed.

The latest Queensland program for relaxation of restrictions does not yet include evens of our size but we are developing plans on how to manage social distancing and hygiene. Please mark your diaries as we will need plenty of volunteers to manage physical distancing and hygiene.

In the meantime, many of our wonderful guest speakers have agreed to speak on our virtual gardening Zoom meetings. Gardening Australia's Jerry Coleby-Williams was our first presenter on the topic of Seed Saving. Almost 50 registered for the event and about 35 participated.

Phil Dudman, horticultural editor for the Gardening Australia Magazine and Costa Georgiadis, host of ABC TV's Gardening Australia drew an even larger audience with 93 registrants.

Next week at 10am on Tuesday we will welcome Sophie Thompson also from Gardening Australia to talk about Gardening for Health and Wellbeing. Register now at Trybooking