Presidential Ponderings
It may well be black Friday, but that didn't stop P2 delivering some happy and some not-so-happy news for the day! With Valentines Day 💘 looming on the morrow we were reminded that this annual festival celebrates romantic love, friendship and admiration. after Saint Valentine, a Catholic priest who lived in Rome in the 3rd Century. 200 years later 14 February was proclaimed St Valentine's Day.
Other anniversaries on this day include:
- 1883 the passing of German composer Richard Wagner;
- 1908 the arrest of Emmeline Pankhurst for leading a deputation to the House of Commons
Today we celebrate PEACE and the third area of the 4 Way Test "Will it build Goodwill and better Friendships".
Guest Speaker - Lisa Craig - Rotary Peace Scholar
2011.
As a RYE student, Lisa was selected to spend a year in the Philippines. Flying by herself, she travelled via Manila to Cotabato City in Mindanao. Landing at a modest airport, there was no one to meet her as she was not expected! Luckily, a Catholic priest recognized the Rotary symbol on her jacket and took her to the Rotary president’s house where local club members convened to support her.
Mindanao was under martial law and the population was tense. Other exchange students’ parents quietly withdrew their children due to safety concerns. Despite risks, Lisa chose to remain in the Philippines at age sixteen, not wanting to disappoint her father and the local Rotarians working to keep her safe.
Fast forward and Lisa applied to the Rotary Club of Mandurah Districts for a Peace Scholarship. She became one of 80 scholars selected from 530 districts worldwide.
Accepted to the Rotary Peace Scholarship at one of eight universities, Lisa attended Chulalongkorn University in Thailand (Bangkok). The selection process takes nearly a year and involves Rotarians at multiple levels alongside academic advisors, interviewing and assessing the qualities of peace scholars.
In the conceptual framing of “peace”, Lisa stressed:
- Peace is not an instant solution; it is a practice, contemplation, daily undertaking, and act of service.
- Peace is gentle in power, done collectively and individually.
- Truth-telling and questioning leadership are essential for navigating confusing times.
As an exercise, Lisa challenged members to calculate the span from the birth of the oldest person who held you to the projected end of life of the youngest in your extended family. Many arrived at roughly 200 years.
This “two-hundred-year presence” is your window of opportunity to have impact, even when direct results of peace work are not immediately visible.
Lisa spoke of Walk for Peace in America and Alokha:
- A 120-day, 2300-mile Buddhist monks’ walk from Fort Worth, Texas to Washington, D.C. promoting inner peace and mindfulness.
- The greatest global interest centered on Alokha, a stray dog adopted by the monks, whose loyalty and devotion opened hearts and drew widespread attention.
Lisa spoke of Richard Wainright, who has just concluded a twenty-year storytelling project with a documentary on the comfort dogs of Uganda. This will premiere in Gulu, Uganda with the audience including government ministers and former child soldiers.
In the Ugandan children were abducted and forced to kill family members, leading to deep trauma and community reintegration challenges. The limited systemic mental health infrastructure in Uganda prompted development of a trauma-informed practice pairing former child soldiers with stray street dogs.
Healing occurs through bonding and training the dog, fostering companionship, trust, and recovery for individuals seen as outsiders in their own communities.
Lisa extended Richard’s invitation for a private viewing tailored to the Rotary club upon his return.
In conclusion Lisa expressed gratitude for Rotary’s role in her journey and encouraged Rotarians to recognize their contributions to peace.
Directors' Reports and Member Announcements
- Brian J: Club 39th Birthday will be celebrated at a Sundowner at the food vans on the Sir James Mitchell foreshore. Breakfast is still on in the morning though no guest speaker but rather informal anecdotal experiences from members.
- Jenny McL: The Sewing Sisters have completed and sent 130 feminine hygeine kits to Bougainville.
- Rick S: Reminder March 8 is the Pankind walk (Pancreatic cancer). Mill Point RC are organising the BBQ and so volunteers requested to help out. Thanks also to Margaret M for all her prepared meals for PICYS - more needed please.
- Wayne M: Croquet sundowner on Friday 27 March, park and enter from either Comer St or Eric St (river side of Labouchere Rd), play croquet, join the conversations, share a drink (byo) enjoy a meal. $20 pp pay at venue. HELP wanted to join the RC of Como on their foreshore clean-up on 8 March (scroll down to events for dates).
- Gorby: Reminder next week is the Camfield walk. 25+ already registered. Please be in the car park by 5.45pm for 6pm start. email mjgwaconsulting@gmail.com if interested.
INDUCTION OF JESSICA MURRAY
Jess was introduced to the Club by Diana Goh and will be mentored by Raelene George.
Jess will join the International Committee.
(L to R - Alison, Jessica, Raelene and Diana )
Fin(e)ally - Oh, No, it's Owen!
The grande master of Fines, Owen Ferguson doled out the fines with much aplomb!
- Jess - a welcome levy in disguise as a fine.
- P2 - cut the fines masters time in half!
- Geoff L - for bringing politics to the meeting and finally remembering where he gets his coffee (The Civic Heart café)
- Michelle L - the brightest person in the room.
- Tiddles - for being here (long time no see) and giving Owen a voucher for BBQs Galore (there's a hidden meaning in that!).
- Valentine's Day Lovers - whether giving or receiving.
- State of Origin tragics.
- Wayne M - Croquet sundowner mix up.
Winner of Heads and Tails :
Admiral of the fleet - Brian Adams proudly grabbed the grog for this week by two tails.
Attendance:
44 attendees in all, including guest speaker Lisa Craig and niece Kelly Wickham, visiting Rotarians Jill Mathwin (honorary member of Kojonup RC), Nahil Rupasinghe (Colombo mid-town, Sri Lanka) and visitor Margaret Metcalf.
