banner
President's Message
Kevin Nolan
member photo
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Member Birthdays
Gavin Thoms
March 23
 
Stories
Tips for Reading the Cockpit News
When reading the Cockpit News on your computer or tablet device it is possible to expand the width of the story by clicking on the story heading which is in blue font or clicking on Read Me at the bottom of some stories. Try it out
I need Something to look forward to
This may come as a shock, but I miss your company.  I need to be able to focus on something positive that will happen when we reach Covid Normal, whatever that is.  I think it will be in a park.  I can smell the snags the David B is cooking.  Jennette is trying to catch up for a challenging year and we will never be able to eat all of the cakes, but before I start, I need to sample one of Marie’s special delights.  Am I going to have a beer with Kevin before a glass of white with Liz, I am definitely going to do both?
Before consuming I want to do something special.  I want to dig a hole and symbolically bury bloody Covid19 and I want to plant something that is growing to and flourish.  Something that will remind us that with the support of good friends we can get through the bleakest times.
Please give me five minutes on my own to reflect on the passed sadness and get a little misty, before we begin the rest of our lives.  Give me this to look forward to and when times are tough, I can focus on the serious issue of a beer or wine first.
David D
News from our Board Meeting
  • $3,300 has been paid to Rotary Foundation
  • $927 remaining from the drought fund has been paid to the Wycheproof Resource Center.
  • 100 -150 flyers will be distributed to a different part of Keilor advertising the next speaker from Westgate Tunnel Project, the flyer will also advertise the Hand Brake Turn project. David Bourke has offered to assist with distribution of the flyers.
  • Glenda has been in contact with Bunnings who are offering items which could be used as auction items to raise funds for the club.
  • The Board approved TH to work with Keilor Downs College to see if it is possible to obtain a Year 11& 12 scholarship grant for a student commencing Year11 next year. It maybe difficult because we have previously received scholarship grants from District.
  • Glenda came across a fund-raising initiative by the Rotary Club of Ivanhoe, who were having a virtual online sausage sizzle, people purchased a virtual sausage i.e. made a donation to the Ivanhoe Rotary Club. This idea the Board thought could be used to try and raise funds for the Christmas Bags project and as a way of showing a KRC project to the local community
  • To achieve more local content in the Bulletin one member each week will be requested to submit an article of their choice, consisting of approximately 200-300 words to the Bulletin editor or Secretary     
An Interesting out of-the way place to visit in Sicily
 
If you are intending to visit Sicily I highly recommend that in addition to the most popular tourist destinations of Taormina, Siracusa, Agrigento, Palermo and Cefalu that you also visit a small authentic Sicilian town unaffected by the tourism machine.
One town I can thoroughly recommend is my hometown Palazzolo Acreide.
 
However, this suggestion comes with some words of caution. Make sure you take your Google Translate App, as English is not commonly spoken, tourist accommodation is fairly basic and limited. Driving through the narrow streets can also be quite challenging and traumatic.
Palazzolo Acreide was recently the runner-up in an Italian competition to find the most beautiful village in Italy. It has a population of about 9,000 and being perched 670m above sea level enjoys milder summer temperatures and balmy nights. This is ideal for the popular late evening ritual of “passeggiare” (promenading up and down the main street or the park) and the many festivals and concerts that regularly scheduled to entertain the residents.
Location
32Km west of the port city of Siracusa
 
Main Attractions
  1. Theatro Grecco (the Greek theatre and Necropolis) 
Initially founded in 664 BC as the first colony emanating from Greek Siracusa, Palazollo Acreide has a Greek theatre and the Akrai area has many necropolis with tombs carved out of solid rock.
 
        
  1. Festivals
Numerous festivals are held throughout the year with events, concerts and entertainment regularly scheduled throughout the summer months.The biggest and most important events are:
  1. Festa di San Paolo (held in the last week) of June  celebrating the Patron Saint of Palazzolo Acreide (St Paul)  
  2. Festa di San Sebastiano (held in the first week of August)
Both of these festivals include extraordinary daytime and night-time firework displays to the welcome the edifice of the saint leaving the church, on its way to being paraded around the streets of the city. The extremely heavy saint’s edifice is carried on the shoulders of loyal parishioners and accompanied by marching bands dancing troops. Loyal worshipers follow the parade often presenting babies to be blessed by the saint.
 
    
 
  
       
  1. Baroque Architecture
Raised by theearthquake of 1693 the city was rebuilt in Baroque style and there are many beautiful baroque cathedrals and buildings. Palazolo Acreide has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Of particular note is the world’s longest baroque balcony featuring 27 stone brackets each with different masks and figure
      
 
  1. Passeggiare 
Join the majority of locals and take a leisurely late evening stroll up and down the main street or in the park, to catch up with friends and share a drink, coffee or late night snack.
Popular snacks include the famous Sicilian arancini, canoli, brioche and irresistible creamy gelati.
     
Joe Raimondo
Read more...
How will we meet on Cup Day
         
 
Year after year on Melbourne Cup Day we met at the home of Ted and Janice Haydon .  Our format was to dress in an interesting fashion and particularly to wear good looking hat Then last year we met at the hotel and all attendees made an effort to wear attractive clothes and hats and it made Sergeant Liz's job of declaring the winner interesting . In the end she congratulated  Gavin Thoms for being the most dapper Gentleman and the prize for the best dressed woman was given to our Carmel Cunningham This year will meet at 2 pm via Zoom and interact until the running of the race and await the result of the sweep
Melbourne Cup Sweep
As discussed at our Club Zoom meeting last evening, we are running two Melbourne Cup fundraising sweeps to support our annual Christmas Bag project for the older, most lonely and most isolated of Bolton Clarke (formerly RDNS) patients.
 
As everyone knows, our fundraising has been decimated by COVID-19 this year and I expect that some of our regular donors, who have generously provided products to us in the past, will have had a very tough year and that their support might be restricted on this occasion.  Additionally, unlike the last two years, we do not have the benefit of $1000 from the Bendigo Bank.  The primary purpose of these Sweeps is fundraising for this projects, but there are very worthwhile prizes for those lucky enough to draw the eventual placegetters in the Cup.
Our Fundraising Sweeps will be based on the First Acceptance horses for this year's Melbourne Cup.  First Acceptances proceeded yesterday and have resulted in 65 horses remaining in the field at this stage.
 
Sweep No 1 is $10 per ticket - 1st Place = $150, 2nd Place= $60 & 3rd Place = $40
Sweep No 2 is $2 per ticket (good to enter for your Grandchildren etc) - 1st = $30, 2nd = $15 & 3rd = $10
What you need to do is email me asap with your entries for both Sweeps, and with a name for each of your entries eg Mary Smith's entries:
Sweep 1 - 4 entries @ $10 each - Mary Smith, Bill Smith, Fred Smith & Tony Smith
Sweep 2 - 2 entries @ $2 each - Jaspa Smith & Diesel Swift
 
You will be billed with an Invoice from Treasurer PP Glenda soon after your entries are registered with me - and for payment into the Club's Fundraising Account asap.
 
Entries close with me at 5pm COB on 24 October - so do not delay as late entries cannot be accepted.  It's strictly "first in, first served".
 
The Draw will be undertaken by myself, with the assistance of two other Club members who I am able to get together with under whatever COVID-19 restrictions apply at the time, will be made on 25 October (before Second Acceptances for the Melbourne Cup are confirmed on 26 October).  Results of the Draw will be advised asap after 25 October.
 
In the unlikely event that 65 entries are not achieved in either Sweep, a last call for entries will go out before 25 October. If still not achieved "RC of Keilor" entries will fill the vacancies - with any relevant prizemoney going to the fundraiser.
 
So, its over to you to please get back to me asap with your support for this fundraiser - don't miss out.
 
Stay safe, keep you fingers crossed for the announcement of some reduction in COVID-19 restrictions on Sunday - and keep your masks on.
 
Norm Draper
 
Read more...
Environmental Sustainability Rotarian Action Group                                 
ESRAG involves our David Dippie. It assists Rotary clubs, districts and multi-districts in planning, implementing and evaluating service projects, building awareness, and inspiring action Interestingly as shown below , It has 6 areas of focus
 
 
Read more...
Fund Raiser - Rotary End Polio Walk
This October, Walk With Us for those who can’t Global virus pandemics are not new. Before vaccines were developed for polio in the 1950s, parents were gripped by terror: over 1,000 children were dying or being paralysed each dayLesley McCarthy from Flemington.Kensington Rotary Club has  challenged herself to walk 100km throughout the month and raise vital funds that will help eradicate and prepare us for a Polio free world. 80km done but short of $$. Could you spare $5 or more?
Please support her in this important cause!All donations are tax deductible.
Regards  from Lesley McCarthy – past editor of the District Networker and past Flemington Kensington President  
 
Add text here
Advertisement for ClubRunner Mobile
PO Box 18 Niddrie Vic 3042 Australia
info@rotarykeilor.org.au