News | Page 6 of 7 | RotaryBurnie

Future Rotarian?

03/09/2021

In 2010, Burnie Rotary Club began offering a two-year scholarship to students undergoing their final two years of study at the Rural Clinical School in Burnie. Students were invited to apply and a team of Rotarians then chose the student they felt would be most deserving of funding from the Club.

Claire Whiteway was our selection in 2020 and she has done well in her studies. Claire has also been busy outside the school, having married and – recently (August 26) given birth to a daughter. Claire advised the Club that Scarlet Eva Jean Griffiths weighed 6lb 5oz, is 45cm in length, and has a head circumference of 34cm.

On August 31, Claire wrote: “I successfully passed my final exams two weeks to the day before I had her. I’m now writing up some research from home with a couple more weeks of placement to complete in October.”

Burnie Rotary Club is proud to have had Claire as an Honorary Rotarian for the past two years and we look forward to meeting Mum and Daughter soon.

Wayne Richards – who am I?

17/08/2021

[Wayne became a Burnie Rotarian a little over four months ago. He was invited to tell us about himself.]

My parents were living at St Mary’s when I was born, even though I was born in L’ton. We moved to Latrobe for a short while, back to St Mary’s, and in the 1960’s we moved again when Dad became the Child Welfare Officer here. As I grew up, I was in Cubs and Scouts and I became an early student at Hellyer College.

I played hockey and ran in middle and long distance running events. Of course, I played football too, though I eventually focussed on being a boundary umpire; “the older I get, the better umpire I reckon I was”.

Out of curiosity, I attended the local brass band hall. A bloke there would hand out an instrument and I was given a trombone. Later I was in an Army band. In 1988, they played at the Anzac ceremony and I stood very close to Queen Elizabeth when she came to Tasmania. I was in the band as well when we supported a 400-voice choir in front of the Pope at Elwick Racecourse.

My first job was with Burnie Council, but I soon left. In 1977, I joined the Burnie Fire Brigade, though I could not envisage aiming for a career in the Fire Service, so I changed and joined the State Emergency Service, in which I reached the Regional Manager position before taking retirement.

Along the way, I competed in car rally events using my own cars; I chose to navigate while friends drove. That way, we wrote off my cars after they rolled over or hit things. I became a steward accompanying the race cars – including the Round Australia Rally that started and ended in Adelaide – 18,500 km.

Hon Leonie Hiscutt MLC – Guest Speaker

11/08/2021

Leonie spoke to us mainly about her early life – before politics. A ‘tradesman’ farmer, she joined the Army Reserve and gained experience in driving heavy trucks. What’s more, Leonie also has a gun licence, a motorbike licence, a chainsaw licence, a forklift licence and can drive a tractor with ease.

Her father-in-law handed over his stock-buying business to Leonie; she attended stock sales in all parts of Tasmania. With her husband, Leonie was a poppy grower and, later, she was President of the Central Coast Chamber of Industry. Not many politicians, male or female, could boast of that “c.v.”!

Leonie was elected to the Legislative Council in 2013 and continues to serve there.

Leonie is seen at left with Rotarian Nigel Morgan

President Themba – As he really is!

26/07/2021

You might have noticed from previous posts on this website that our President is usually in a photo or two. On July 24 (Saturday) he let his guard down while at a birthday party for a former Rotarian in our club (who had joined a new Rotary club).

In fact, Themba went all the way back to his childhood days. We just thought you might like to know this.

New Member – Dilani

26/07/2021

In the past four months, Burnie Rotary Club has inducted three members from one family: Chandra (husband), Dilani (mother) and Nethmini (daughter). Originally from Sri Lanka, they came to Tasmania when Chandra obtained a position at Latrobe Hospital. Last week, Dilani told us about her life in Sri Lanka.

Both her parents were teachers and the Education Dep’t moved them to several places while she was growing up. Her schooling was disrupted by political instability in the country and she was forced to wait three years before progressing to higher education. Eventually, Dilani entered Ragama Medical Faculty; initially this was a private medical school, though when Dilani started it had been taken over by the Government.
The government provides 100% free education, but it is highly competitive to get into good schools in Sri Lanka. “My daughter, Nethmini, was interviewed when she was 2.5 years old! … overall, the standard of education in my country is higher than it is in surrounding countries”, she said.
Dilani worked as an intern in two Colombo hospitals; Lady Ridgeway children’s hospital and Castle Street hospital for Women. Then she had to move to the north and east areas of the island, where the civil war was going on.
Dilani also worked in a mental hospital before moving to the National Hospital in Colombo, where she worked in the Accident and Orthopaedics services. That hospital has over 3,000 beds and over 7,000 staff.

“Don’t Meth With Me!”

13/07/2021

At this week’s club meeting, Past President John Glen told us about the club’s plan to expose all 600 Grade 10 students on the West and NW Coasts to the very real dangers of getting involved with the drug methamphetamine – ‘ice’. The same event last year, “Don’t Meth With Me” (DMWM) generated feedback from schools and community organisations that was overwhelmingly positive.

The presenters who were here last year will be here again this October, plus we are seeking to add a presentation by a former Meth addict from Victoria. The intention is to be ‘hard hitting’ again, though we have deleted a couple of scenes from what was shown to last year’s students.

Some Education Dep’t staff in Hobart have not shown enthusiasm; it seems they view us as encroaching on ‘their territory’ – yet it is very clear that the Dept’s efforts to steer kids away from Meth have proven ineffectual.

Another induction in to Burnie Rotary

07/07/2021

At our meeting on July 5, President Themba inducted a new member (Dr) Pui-Lin Lau. Pui-Lin is now our sixth Rotarian with a medical degree. Conclusion: There is no safer place to be than in Burnie Rotary Club!

Guest Speaker: Marcus Johnston

01/07/2021

On Mon. 28 June, Marcus Johnston told us of his experiences at this year’s RYLA week at Camp Clayton. [RYLA = Rotary Youth Leadership Awards]
Six fellow “RYLArians” attended as well (below) – living proof that “you will make friends for life”. Marcus described the events of the week. It seemed hard to fathom that so many things could be packed into the week. Marcus has used one technique taught at RYLA to secure his first job.

Pres. Themba handed a memento to departing member Jim Forsyth: Jim has been a Burnie member for 14 years, but is moving to WA to be nearer to his children.

Two new members were inducted: “Net” Wijewardhane (at L) and Dr Wing Sze Lau (at R)

Burnie Rotary Changeover Luncheon

30/06/2021

On June 20, club members and their partners assembled at the Beach Hotel in Burnie to mark the end of the 2020-21 Rotary year and to begin planning the 2021-22 year. President Themba Bulle welcomed several visiting Rotarians, including Rotary District Governor Michael Plunkett and his wife Gayle.

In his President’s Address, Themba announced that the club had inducted five (5) new members during 2020-21 – including one induction during the luncheon (Amy Bartlett, at right) – and a further two people might join in the near future.

Earlier in the year, it had been intended that Themba would hand over the ‘chain of office’ to an incoming President, but circumstances later dictated a change of plan; Themba will continue as President for the 2021-22 Rotary year.

General view of room

Jim & Kaye Forsyth – soon to depart Burnie and live in Western Australia

Venerable Fines Master, John Pease, and Corporal Ian Guest

Burnie Rotary assists hospital in Zimbabwe

09/06/2021

The Rotary Clubs of Burnie and Bulawayo South aim to refurbish the Plumtree District Hospital near Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. The hospital is in desperate need of medical and IT equipment (anaesthetic machines, ultrasound scans and the like).

This Rotary project aims to raise US$100,000, of which $80,000 will be used to buy equipment and the remainder will fund project management, advertising, training, maintenance and sustainability.

Burnie’s President, Dr Themba Bulle noted that; “Our club will donate AU$10,000 and we will receive a modest contribution from the Rotary Foundation through their World Grant Scheme.”

The Rotary Districts where the two clubs are located have also earmarked a total of US$20,000 for the project – provided the clubs raise the remainder (approx. US$70,000).

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