Rotary Sunrise Bulletin Vol 25 Issue 19

Volume 25, Issue 19 Wed. 16th Nov, 2022

Directors' Reports

Market Planning Team

Friday 18th: Zoom meeting 7:10am - Guest speaker Devalina Bhattacharjee of Polio Australia

(refer to Pam Foye's Breakfast Invitation for the link & password)

TuTudesk for Africa Campaign

Foundation & International

As Ian Simpson reported on Friday:

A TuTudesk is a portable & stable desk weighing less than 1kg that rests on the knee & provides an even surface to write on.

The proposed layout has educational elements for primary school learners to promote basic reading, writing & arithmetic.

In the spirit of Christmas giving, Rotarians and friends have the opportunity to purchase a TuTudesk for an African child.

Payment $35 / desk to Treasurer Pam

Taste Testers at work

Terrific job by Lee Lloyd

coordinating and rounding up

60 volunteer tasters.

Great to see Rotary's fight against Polio is recognized by our Government

Media Release 18 October 2022:

Australia will provide $43.55 million over five years to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI).

While a polio-free world is in sight, the job is not yet done and progress is fragile.

Polio is endemic in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and cases have recently appeared in southeast Africa.

The Australian Government’s contribution is a 10 per cent increase on the previous funding cycle and incorporates a $2.3 million contribution on behalf of Australian Rotary Clubs across Australia.

MHERV (Men’s Health Education Rural Van)

Friday 11th and Saturday 12th November. MEHRV was outstanding success.

Bill Power, the registered nurse who travels with MHERV and addressed our meeting at Port City Bowling Club on Friday, has been with MHERV since February and has visited 107 towns in NSW to undertake free health checks for men and women. Bill conducted 44 health checks on Friday which is a one-day record. On Saturday he undertook 48 health checks...a new record!

Bill’s wife Debbie said to Neil when they were packing up that not only does Port Macquarie now hold both the one day and two day records, but that the visit here was “by far the best organised of the 107 visits they have made since February”.

Merrie Evans, President of Port West Rotary Club was an active member of the Planning Group and Port West provided several volunteers who worked alongside Sunrise members to provide what was a very valuable community service.

Wyndham 1000 - Les Porter

Although this is not a Rotary Club of Port Macquarie Sunrise story, it has a Rotary connection.

This man, Les Porter, a member of my old Rotary Club, is a legend and inspiration in my mind and I thought people may find this interesting.

Les Porter’s life changed dramatically when he was hit by a car 27 years ago.

After the accident he was in dire straits. His right leg was broken in seven places, and he sustained a head injury that means the left side of his body virtually doesn’t get messages from his brain. After years of having a good job, he found himself with no wages, learning to walk and talk again.

Did Les hide away and feel sorry for himself? Not on your life, he thought of others.

The Salvation Army stepped in to help his recovery process. To say thanks, Les created the Wyndham 1000, a 1000-kilometre tricycle ride across Wyndham.

The Rotary Club of Wyndham has provided Les with 3 trikes over the years and members have ridden countless kilometres to keep Les company.

This month, he will embark on his thirteenthWyndham 1000.

Students from Wyndham primary and secondary schools join him on sections of the ride.

Since the Wyndham 1000’s inception Les has raised over $135,000 and seen over 12,000 tins of goods donated to help the homeless, the disadvantaged and those at risk in the Wyndham community. He has ridden over 10,000kms.

What an amazing human being!!!!