Our trio of guest speakers last week included our Past Member Geoff Stephens, Dr Voltaire Nadurata, Chair of the Bendigo Filipino Foundation and Arnel Aquino, a member of the local Filipino Community. All three spoke of the devastation that Typhoon Haiyan has wreaked on the Philippines and in particular the small island of Doong, to where it seems not much government aid has been sent. Geoff and Arnel have recently returned from visiting the island and spoke first hand of the great need for the reconstruction of housing let alone the infrastructure that we take for granted, such as water supply and sanitation.
Made somewhat difficult by issues around getting money in to the Philippines, the Bendigo Filipino Foundation is concentrating on raising funds to reconstruct housing, as it has such an immediate positive effect for the population who currently are living in makeshift accommodation or even in the open. Materials to build one 3 metre by 4.5 metre dwelling which can house 10 people cost $450 and the Foundation will be paying local tradespeople $60 for the construction. Supply of materials makes life even trickier for the inhabitants as access to the island is only by boat.
Dr Voltaire advised that since the first fundraiser in mid-December, the local community has been very generous and acknowledged the donation from our Club of $2,500 via Fr Junjun Amaya towards the Foundation, which through the contacts of our Club Service Director John Cannon was added to by donations of $1,000 from each of Kew RSL and John’s sister’s business Foley Conveyancing. Thanks John! Fr Junjun will also come and speak to the Club once he can get back to Australia - upon re-issue of a stolen passport.
There are a few people who haven’t paid as yet for the our Changeover Dinner on July 4th and because the Club is paying ‘up front’ for the evening, immediate payment direct to the Club’s bank account is requested.
Cheers,
Vice President Doug
Please Note Change to Roster, The meeting scheduled for 2nd July is canceled with the Changeover on the 4th of July.
Coming event: Federation picnic Sunday 31st August 2014. Marong Trotting centre. (8am to 3pm)
With the start of the new year, you will observe there are changes to the Rosters. The sergeants session is gone and the second Set-up person is no longer needed. The room is able to be left set up now as we are the only tenants.
Please check the notice board at the front of the room from time to time. The notices do keep changing and I saw next year's District Conference is back to Tassie.
After being married for thirty years a wife asked her husband to describe her.
He looked at her slowly...then said, "You're A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K."
She asked, "What does that mean?"
He said, "Adorable, Beautiful, Cute, Delightful, Elegant, Foxy, Gorgeous, Hot."
She smiled happily and said..."Oh, that's so lovely.What about I, J, K?"
He said, "I'm Just Kidding!"His eye is still swollen...but it will get better...
1. My neighbour knocked on my door at 2:30 this morning, can you believe that? 2:30am?
Luckily for him I was still up playing my Bagpipes.
2. The Grim Reaper came for me last night, and I beat him off with a vacuum cleaner.
Talk about Dyson with death.
3. Paddy says, "Mick, I'm thinking of buying a Labrador .
"Really," says Mick "have you seen how many of their owners go blind"
4. I saw a poor old lady fall over today on the ice!!
At least I presume she was poor - she only had £1.20 in her purse.
5. My girlfriend thinks that I'm a stalker. Well, she's not exactly my girlfriend yet.
