A worthy recipient … Albury Hume member Stephen was awarded an Order of Australia Medal in this year’s Australia Day honours for services to the performing arts. Stephen is the Chief Executive Officer of the Murray Conservatorium of Music, a major provider of Music education and performance for the region. Stephen has been regional conservatorium CEO for over 16 years. Some of his achievements over this period have included securing an additional $2.41 million in recurrent funding for a state wide program and the formation of the Association of NSW Regional Conservatoriums, representing over 30,000 students and 600 staff. As CEO, Stephen has reinvigorated the Murray Conservatorium from being technically insolvent to now having investment accounts totalling in excess of $400,000. Stephen has also implemented the Music in the Gardens series with Albury City which attracts 12,000 audience members to six separate concerts each year … a venture in which Albury Hume is also involved with catering
Category Archives: Members
Seamus
Meet Seamus. Seamus is four. Seamus has two imaginary friends, Justa & Gunk. Gunk in particular causes a fair bit of trouble. For example, if there is drawing on the living room wall, it is Gunk that gets the blame.That’s not all. Seamus has a cousin, Blade. Blade carries a gene called ALD. Blade is dying. Seamus has an older cousin, Jordan. Jordan carries a gene called ALD. Jordan has just undergone a bone marrow transplant.Seamus carries a gene called ALD. ALD or adrenoleukodystrophy is a rare genetic disease affecting 1 in 18000 boys. It is an x-linked gene, which means that it most severely affects boys and men. This brain disorder destroys myelin, the protective sheath that surrounds the brain’s neurons — the nerve cells that allow us to think and to control our muscles. The most devastating form of ALD appears in childhood, generally between the ages of four and ten years old. Normal, healthy boys suddenly begin to regress. At first, they simply show behavioral problems, such as withdrawal or difficulty concentrating. Gradually, their symptoms grow worse, including blindness and deafness, seizures, loss of muscle control, and progressive dementia. This relentless downward spiral leads to either death or permanent disability, usually within 2 to 5 years from diagnosis. The majority of other cases of the disease occur as the adult form, known as AMN. In about half of the sons who inherit the mutated ALD gene, symptoms of the disease do not develop until young adulthood, and in general, they progress more slowly. (Source: http://www.stopald.org/what-is-ald ) Seamus and his family are blessed to have beautiful (non-imaginary) friends who care for Seamus and seek to raise funds to help research for ALD and support boys like Seamus.
District Governor’s Visit 20 July 2016
District Governor, Tony Bramley, President Dennis Martin who is presenting a cheque for $1,000 to Pamela Bramley to go towards Orange Sky, which she spoke to us about.
Orange Sky Laundry is the world’s first free mobile laundry service for the homeless. A crazy idea in 2014 to put two washing machines and two dryers in a van and wash and dry clothes for free. Starting in the streets of Brisbane, Orange Sky has now grown to 9 services across Australia in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Sydney, Sunshine Coast, Canberra, Perth, Adelaide, SE Melbourne and now does over 5.8 tonnes of laundry every week. However most importantly, having over 1,200 hours of positive and genuine conversations every week.
President’s Message
Assistant Governor 2016-17 … GROUP 9 … Albury Riverina … Peter Lee Congratulations to Peter Lee on his appointment as an Assistant Governor for next year. Peter’s wonderful efforts in raising the profile of ROMAC in our District, the constant work he is putting into our club in a range of areas and his ability to get things happening, has clearly been recognised at District level. This makes the third Assistant Governor in a row from our Club. Terry Simmonds, Steve McKewen and PeterLee.
Future of Rotary Membership by Barry Young
Our global membership has centred around 1.2 million for as long as my 19 years in Rotary. If it was not for the well fought acceptance of women members into Rotary our membership would have declined dramatically. Also currently if it was not for the amazing attraction of Rotary in the developing world which is taking up the loss of membership not matching attrition in Rotary’s strongholds in the developed world of North America and Europe then the figures would be in a sorry state.
Unlike the developed world those surrounded by abject poverty, polluted water supplies and poor infrastructure Rotary is offering a genuine ray of hope. We are transforming communities with basic education, healthcare and sanitation. We are building schools like our Kindendi, hospitals and pipelines, eradicating polio and slowing down malaria – is it any wonder that Rotary is so attractive in that environment. But here in the developed world where we want for little the above mentioned projects are failing to gain traction – thus the loss of membership not matching attrition. On the Local scene do we have a problem – with two clubs now down to a dozen members – a once proud club of 100 members, 160 people at a Changeover and Xmas meeting now down to 23 members with an attendance average of 13 members. So what do we have to do?
So in our developed world where are new members coming from ? I can hear them saying -”What’s in it for me”. It’s not cheap. It’s a weekly commitment. I’m scheduled for service work whether I like it or not. I feel guilty if I am unable to attend social activities. Strict attendance rules.
How do we attract new members and keep them through the qualities of – friendship, leadership development, recognition satisfaction, having fun, attractive social events. Perhaps net working opportunities, a genuine challenge and acceptance to be part of local and world needs and most of all like I feel “A sense of Belonging”. Dare I say what a unique joy we have in our club when we salute all the positive endeavours of Rotary as emphasized by a member who recently said to me what gave him strength and support in a time of concern was the feeling of the anchor of our club. So let us personally except the challenge to improve our membership by encouraging people of whom we think would embrace the definitions of Rotary.
Barry “Baz “ Young