Pam Luxford, President RC Bendigo Strathdale visited us today to support our guest speaker – Peter Kilpatrick (PE for RC Bgo Strathdale).
Upcoming activities:
MUNA – more volunteers are needed:
1 for Saturday breakfast (6-8 am)
1 for Saturday MT (9 am)
1 for Sun MT
2 for Sun lunch
Let Martin Ruffell know what you can help with
MOPAR: roster for Sunday 7th will be sent out.
The District changeover is on June 27th. There are 3 people attending so far. If you are interested in going, contact me for the registration information. A copy has been put on the notice board.
Peter Rainey gave a brief introduction to his experience of walking the Kokoda Track for Hindsight to raise funds for wheelchairs for children in Bendigo. Their fundraising effort has raised around $90,000 so far.
The guide they had was from Queensland and really knew the history of the track.
Peter said he didn’t know how to describe how hard, how wet and how steep the track was. It was very humid with no wind at all. They had 7 days in a row of rain which wasn’t usual. It was even too wet for the leeches and mosquitos!.
Going through some of the villages was unbelievable and put life into perspective for him.
The trek finished at Kokoda Village where they had to have people guarding them at night. Not much sleep was had.
On ANZAC Day they attended a dawn service which was a moving experience.
The commemorative book they took over was handed to the High Commissioner
The team are going to do some presentations when they get all their photos organised. We all look forward to that Peter. It sounds like it was an amazing experience.
Our guest speaker – Peter Kilpatrick spoke about his experience working in Papua New Guinea Rotary Aid project. This project was to build a kit home to accommodate doctors at the Sopas Hospital which is 10 kms from Wabag in Enga Province.
They spent 3 weeks in PNG last Nov to start the project and it is being completed by locals.
Funding for this project is provided by the PNG Tribal Foundation with donations from mining companies and AusAid. An American – Bud Gashen also donates to this project. It is registered with RAWCS so that insurance can be provided to the teams going over there.
SOPAS Hospital was run by the Seventh Day Adventists for 40 years before closing down in 2000 because of tribal fighting.
It was re-opened in 2010 as a hospital and nursing college. The first intake of nursing students was 2014. It will eventually become the Wabag District Hospital.
Enga Province is a “dry “province. There is only one road in and out and vehicles are checked for alcohol.
WW2 had no impact on this province (from either the allies or Japan) and the first whites didn’t go there until 1938. Missionaries arrived in the 1950’s – 60’s.
Tribal fighting is still common.
Thanks Peter for a really interesting talk. It is always great to hear of projects other clubs/people are doing around the world.
Have a great week and hopefully I will see a few of you at MUNA.
Cathie
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