COMMITTEE REPORTS FROM THE BOARD MEETING

 
 
The following reports were presented by the respective committee chairpersons at the recent Board meeting:
 
  1. Youth Committee (Anthony Pante)
    • Thanks again to Roly Wade for building the dance stage for the Thomas Chirnside kindergarten. The teachers and kids were very impressed. An invitation will be sent to the committee to attend a morning tea after the stage is painted.
    • After the success of the Apprentice Connect program at Wyndham Central College, there has been an expression of interest from MacKillop College for us to talk to their VCAL students. This will be followed up early next year.
    • Two students, Alisha Mahendran and Alex Gill, will be our representatives at the Science School in January.
    • We are sponsoring Rebecca Parker from Werribee to attend the upcoming RYLA camp.
    • Plans for a youth suicide forum or similar project is starting to take shape.
  2. Vocational Committee (Michael Redding)
    • The volunteer reflexology program at Manor Court Aged Care is up and running again and is proving to be successful.  Lyn Fava is also meeting with Wyndham Central College with a view to providing VCAL students with the opportunity to do reflexology activities at Manor Court.
    • The 4-Way Test Essay Competition conducted amongst Wyndham Central College students has been completed and the winner presented his essay at a recent meeting. Plans are underway to expand the scope of the contest next year to include some creative alternatives in various forms. There will still be a Rotary theme but students may wish to write an essay, poem or even perform a rap song. Others may decide to design some artwork in paint, drawing or digital form.
    • The committee is planning a Vocational visit to the Point Cook RAAF museum in February. They are also investigating the possibility of visiting Wyndham Park Primary school where our members provide breakfasts for the children.
  3. Membership (Phil Purdy)
    • Committee members were involved in an exercise with the Wyndham and Hoppers Crossing clubs that involved manning a kiosk at the Werribee Plaza for a couple of days to promote the work of Rotary. Very little interest was shown by the passing shoppers.
    • Geoff Smith has distributed copies of the Rotary Down Under magazine to waiting rooms around town. The idea was to allow the waiting patients to read about some good Rotary stories while they are waiting to be seen by their health practitioner.
    • Another Rotary Awareness evening will be held in March 2017. Members will be asked to assist by inviting guests.
  4. International
    • Chris Ochaya from Uganda has been awarded a scholarship by the Royce and Jean Abbey Foundation to visit Australia to learn agricultural techniques. We will be his host.
    • The successful Ugandan water bore project has now been officially closed. Thanks to Ian Knight and Rob Fava for their efforts on a very challenging project.