Guest Speaker: Dan Sawyer on Social Media. Dan gave us an overview on the fascinating subject of Social Media and Social Networking. The business and professional network of over 160 million people. It goes on the concept of “how many degrees of separation are you away from people?” This is where Dan explained that most of us will benefit from exploring and getting to know what it is about. You can connect to friends and work colleagues, clients and industry contacts – and see who their contacts are. Rotary International has several ‘Groups’ where Rotarians can discuss ideas and club business. Surprisingly there are only 62 members of the group ‘Australian members of Rotary International’, so please ‘join’ this group and interact with other Rotarians. Dan proposed that our club have a “Closed Group” for us to discuss ideas and maintain fellowship in the online space. Creating a free Twitter account allows you to ‘follow’ people who you choose. Twitter is small bursts of information and the recent Olympic Games allowed athletes to share their thoughts and results instantly with followers. Twitter has revolutionised the news and reporting. Several years ago we waited for the morning newspaper to read about the news. Then television delivered our news at 6pm, so we waited until then. Now with Twitter on your phone or computer, you get instant news and information the second something happens. You don’t have to tweet at all, but there are over 500 million people you can follow, like Rotary International, various clubs and individuals. Try it out. Some to follow include @ABCNews, @bordermail, @3AW693, @Prime7Albury and @Collingwood_FC . We all know facebook. With over 900 million users, it allows people to connect on a social level to share photos, videos and information about what they like and are doing. Companies actually pay facebook to promote being ‘liked’ which gives them a chance to market to those individuals. Albury Hume Rotary Club has a facebook page, so please ‘Like’ it!! Google+ is Google’s attempt at knowing everything. There are 250 million people signed up. One of the original Social Media sites. Bought by News Corp for $580M in 2005, Justin Timberlake bought it last year for just $35M. Facebook more or less replaced it. Urbanspoon is a peer review site for restaurants. Tripadvisor is a peer review site for travel and hotels. There are literally hundreds of other social media and networking websites, so the topic is very deep. Please feel free to contact Dan further if you need advice or guidance. He tweets as @mppersonnelAUS and is on Linked In. So get connected!
Club Meeting 15 August 2012
GUEST SPEAKER: In his unique lay-back style Matthew Ward spoke of his journey of acheivement in Paralympic Swimming illustrating his efforts with a video … he apologised for the poor audio of the video, however, as a ‘quiet 
acheiver’ Matt has accomplished more than your average young guy … he swims in the Multiclass due to a hip disability and commenced swimming three years ago as exercise for his condition. Matt’s week involves a rigorous training schedule, competing in numerous short course competitions, championships, olympic trials … all the time supported by a netwok of close family and friends. Matt’s specialty is Breast Stroke and in this area he has broken 8 NSW records in total … he has also broken an Australian Open record for the 200 metres Butterfly and made it to the CHS Nationals last year, in Sydney, where he again, broke 2 National Records … he was there again this year. Matt was also a finalist in the recent ‘Young Sports Achiever Award’. He hopes to be able to participate in the Australian Short Course Championships, in September in Perth, for which he has qualified. He has many goals over the coming four years, his main being the Paralympics in Rio. In addition, the Australian Paralympic coach has recently been in touch with Matthew’s coach and suggested that he will possibly be selected into the Australian Junior Team for the Arafura Games, in Darwin, in early 2013. At these games, he will receive his International classification, which may be the beginning of his swimming in international competitions. In 2014 the Commonwealth games, in Scotland, are also on Matthew’s sporting radar. Matt’s mum, Sally, mentioned in her follow-up address, that Matt is indeed a quiet achiever and works hard at all his endeavours, does well in school and also loves music. In 2011 he received a scholarship from the conservatorium for piano and during this year he was in the Conservatorium Orchestra. He has eased up his involvement with the orchestra this year because of the demands of swimming. At the conclusion of his address Matt was presented with a cheque from Albury Hume.
President’s Message
After last week’s presentation by Matthew Ward, who qualifies as a Paraplegic Swimmer, hopefully Albury will have an Australian representative in the next Olympics in Rio. His progress since he commenced swimming about four years ago is really phenomenal. It was great to hear that all his hard work and endeavours are now being recognised by national swimming bodies to enable him to have elite training and development. Perhaps Roger can arrange to get him back after Christmas to hear how he is getting on, and we can sort out the volume on the laptop by then. We are seeking a minimum FOUR persons able to volunteer for approximately three hours work on Sunday 23rd September 2012 for Albury Graffiti Clean Up Day. This is a joint exercise being arranged by Albury City Council including all the Albury Rotary Clubs and other organisations including the youth of Albury. Could you please see if you are able to volunteer for this function and advise Paul Armstrong of your availability.My thanks to Julie for arranging and hosting a really excellent social evening last Friday at her home. It was a splendid evening, despite the weather, and we were given a presentation and tastings by Simon Killeen, Wendy’s son. The wines were excellent, as one would expect, and I strongly recommend that you set aside the evening of 14th February 2013 to taste some more of these wines at the Food and Wine evening at La Maison. Friday evening was also an unusual experience in that Julie spoke very little the whole night, not by design I hasten to add. I fully expect her to make up for it when her throat and larynx recover, so members …..be warned !!! So thanks Julie and all your helpers for such a lovely evening.
Community Service
Down Memory Lane …To our New Members a bit of Club History: Much has been written about the wonderful miracle performed on the two brave girls rescued from certain death and brought to our shores by Australia’s Mother Theresa – Moira Kelly – and after that the separation of the Twins. These two events just a few of the wonderful acts of selfishness and dedication by Moira Kelly to give joy and healing to 3rd world country needy children. Rotary 9790 took on as a project to make a place of home for the young children from poor countries to live, receive love from Moira and surgery from leading surgeons to restore their disfigured bodies. Many a week end was spent by our Albury Wodonga Clubs in that project to make it liveable. Mike Egan from the Albury Club a fabulous Rotarian used to hire a bus at his cost and take us down to the farm to put in hard work. On the way back he always seemed to produce an esky with ‘soft’ drink? Rob Mears a dedicated member of the Albury West Club had an idea that perhaps a popular TV show “Backyard Blitz” hosted by Jamie Drury would do a “make over” garden at The Moira Kelly Farm at Kilmore East like they did for domestic properties. Rob picked on me to prepare a submission thinking I was a better writer than I was a cricketer (he being a star with bat and wicket keeping) – ( we both played for Rotary–Albury). I did so. However months and years went by until such a vision was accomplished. This was the letter I sent accompanied by a 6 page submission including photos of a barren wilderness.
Station Manager. Channel 9 – Backyard Blitz Dear Sir.
I write to request your consideration of .a make-up at the Moira Kelly Open Door Farm. The farm is the brainchild of Moira Kelly and the project has the support of Rotary District 9790 which embraces 65 Clubs in metropolitan and country Victoria. The land donated by a Rotarian is situated at 170 Saunders Rd, Kilmore East. The first buildings are nearing completion (voluntary labour) and will be home to Australian foster children, abused mothers and children, young teenage girls as well as recuperation of children visiting from overseas for operations. Recently Moira was awarded an “O A M” for her service to the community.There are a number of areas that would be suitable for a makeover – swimming pool, play-ground area, entrance, special activity area etc. Rotary volunteers are on sight every Tuesday and week-ends and would give their support under your team’s instructions. I realise that the queue must be ever so long for a make-over and humbly put forward this submission as a very worthwhile project……………………………………………Thanking you in anticipation … yours sincerely …Barry H Young … Hon Sec.
The above request was not adhered to until 2004 after frequent calls from the writer. Finally Channel 9 gave in and a miracle happened. It was the first Commercial undertaking by the Backyard Blitz team and the show was increased from a half hour to an hour. They performed wonders – playgrounds, landscaped gardens, play centers and a swimming pool. The station manager I think his name was a Mr Leckie after some volatile words agreed to ask on the show for donations. A grand total of $150,000 was raised that night. I write this as another wonderful project that Rotary undertakes and is then forgotten, which it should be as we move on always to the next challenge and accomplishment, but at this time ignite it with such publicity and National and International Awards for Moira Kelly(in which we the Rotary Club of Albury Hume played a part) I believe our many new members should know some of the caring and devotion to the disadvantaged and underprivileged of our past endeavours.
Club Meeting 8 August 2012
GUEST SPEAKER: Paul Bell is a former member of the Rotary Club of Albury North and is currently spokesperson for Interplast in in District 9790. Interplast Australia & New Zealand provides surgical and allied health services in 
developing countries in the Asia Pacific region by providing free medical treatment and training. Paul outlined the workings of Interplast illustrating his address with informative photos. Each member of an Interplast program is fully qualified in their field of expertise and volunteer their time to participate in an Interplast program. Interplast volunteers provide free treatment to people living with a disability from a congenital condition such as cleft lip and palate, or an acquired condition such as burn scar contractures. Treatment targeted to the indigent population who would otherwise not be able to afford to access services. Interplast assists with developing local capacity to provide surgery and ancillary services by providing training and mentoring programs for medical and allied health professionals. All Interplast programs are training programs — leaving a legacy long after the team has gone. Founded in 1983 as a joint project of the Royal Australiasian College of Surgeons and Rotary District 9800, Interplast Australia & New Zealand is a charity that sends teams of fully qualified surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses and allied therapists to developing countries in the Asia Pacific Region to provide free surgical treatment and medical training. Interplast works with the countries Ministry of Health, senior medical and training officials to facilitate the delivery of Interplast programs, all Interplast volunteers are fully qualified in their field of expertise. Interplast has a Board of Directors drawn from a cross section of expertise, and takes recommendations from the Rotarian and Surgical Committees. Interplast is a non profit company and a Deductible Gift Recipient. Interplast sends 25 – 30 programs to 12 – 17 countries each year, and has earned an enviable reputation for quality outcomes and is known for its high level of industry support. The need and support for Interplast services is high and limited only by funding. Interplast has sponsored over 70 doctors and nurses to continue part of their training in Australia and sent 600 volunteers on nearly 500 programs to 24 countries, performed over 30,000 consultations and over 18,000 life changing operations.