Presidential Ponderings
As we start today’s Rotary meeting, let us recall for a minute the Rotary Motto of "Service Above Self" and remember that today in history:
1928: Mickey Mouse made his first appearance in our lives.
1930: Ellen Church became first airline stewardess (now called CREW members).
2016: Max Verstappen became the youngest driver ever to win a Formula 1 race.
2026 : Sargent Angus Florence called up to tell us which of our 'fast movers' were
born or hitched on or about this day.
Directors' Reports and Member Announcements
P1 (Gerry McG): Changeover 27 June - theme is "Ruby" for our 40th year. Flyer will be sent out on Monday when Trybooking opens. Please book early to assist in preparations and catering.
Garrick McC : Makinlay has been travelling with other exchange students and having a great time. Our incoming Youth Exchange student Felipe has likely secured a place at Kent Street SHS, with Trinity College as a back up. Three host families have volunteered to date, but a couple more are needed as relief.
Wayne M : Epic day of service tomorrow, Saturday 16 May. Meet at the Mill Point car park near the old Mill, be there by 9.30am. Bring gloves, hat and water, and an implement for picking up litter. Kelly and David are leading the event.
Gorby : Pines restaurant a great success, thanks to everyone who attended - see our Facebook and Instagram pages for photos! Unsung heroes next week. Lions big band starting again 22 May at the Civic Centre, 8pm.
David R : Wayne Duke has nominated for President next year, still require a secretary. Nominations to David or Gerry please. Applicaitons are open for Census Community Field Officers. Visit their website at census.abs.gov.au/jobs for more information.
Guest Speaker : David Siddell - Swim Vietnam
David detailed Vietnam’s high drowning risk due to extensive coastlines, rivers, flooding, and climate challenges; the charity’s origins from a triathlon initiative in 2007–2008 led by founder Joanne Stewart. Operational models include an in-ground school pool and multiple above-ground pools in partnership with Rotary and AusSwim for teacher qualification, program impacts and statistics, COVID-19 disruptions, funding needs and disability swim programs - all in collaboration with Rotary clubs in Vietnam and Australia.
Vietnam has 3,500 km of coastline and over 2,500 rivers, plus abundant flooded rice fields. Central Vietnam, including Hoi An, is highly flood-prone due to extreme tides, monsoons, and worsening climate change effects. At the end of October last year, floods and typhoons severely hit Central Vietnam (and the Philippines), causing many drownings, loss of agriculture, homes, landslips, and huge loss of animals. SWIM Vietnam teachers were personally affected, losing kitchen utensils, motorcycles, and entire yearly crops.
About 50% of the population lives near open water (rivers, rice paddies, etc.). Government figures on average show that 5 children drown every day in Vietnam. Whilst WHO estimates the government figure is understated by roughly half, other charities cite around 35 children drowning daily.
Children are often unsupervised, especially during school holidays, UNICEF calls it the “silent epidemic.” Vietnam reportedly has a higher number of child drownings than any other Asian country.
In 2007, Singapore-based triathlon organizer TriBob planned a children’s race in Hoi An but found no entrants because children couldn’t swim. TriBob researched the issue, established a charity, and sought a volunteer in Joanne Stewart, an investment banker in Singapore. Joanne arrived in 2008 with a mobile phone and one contact in Hoi An’s tourism department, securing hotel pools to start lessons. In the first year with a local volunteer and an expatriate, 300 children were taught to swim. Joanne led on the ground for nine years, and remains the founder and a co-trustee.
In 2009, donations enabled building an in-ground pool at a Hoi An school, providing free, controlled-environment swimming lessons.
Above-ground pools are operated at schools; they are large, require substantial water, are collapsed in winter, and are potentially transportable.
The charity provides pools, training, teacher qualification, and water quality management; schools/local authorities supply hard standing, security fencing, and roofs.
SWIM Vietnam operates 11 pools and has built additional pools, with an aim to hand operations to local authorities where feasible.
Rotary was established in Vietnam 4–5 years ago; clubs in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Da Nang (Da Nang is 35–40 minutes from Hoi An). Ho Chi Minh City club reportedly did not survive; current active clubs: Hanoi and Da Nang (~25 members; vibrant mix of expatriates and locals). Da Nang Rotary reportedly has nine global grants in progress with a strong interest in collaborating on a grant with SWIM Vietnam and Australian clubs.
Fitting drowning prevention into Rotary’s Areas of Focus is challenging: it is not classified as a disease; education and mother/child health categories are partial but not precise fits. The U.S. CDC is attempting to classify drowning within disease frameworks, which could aid grant eligibility. SWIM Vietnam and Rotary partners are exploring pathways to align with grant criteria.
In the future there will be:
- more exploration of sponsorship opportunities as it costs $45AUS per child for 15 lessons over 5 weeks
- seek support for the disability swim program
- identify donors to fund AUD 3,500 annually for 70 children
- advocate for policy alignment
- engage with stakeholders to support recognition of drowning prevention within health/education frameworks (e.g., CDC classification efforts) to ease grant eligibility
The priority is to assess infrastructure needs, partner with local authorities to fund and install durable metal roofs over pools, and evaluate additional above-ground pool deployments in remote regions.
The full transcript can be found in the member section on the website.
Another Fine(s) Mess...
As Wayne the Elder took up the challenge he was ruthless (as usual) in his deliberations of who donated the dough...
- Marg H, Howard N, Vic S, Ross S and Ross L, Kim P, Astrid M and Lorrie G - for being so quiet previous fines persons have not found reason to fine them.
- Everybody else - because they had not been so lucky!
Winner of Heads and Tails
Attendance
30 attendees in all, including guest speaker David Siddell.
