Bulletin No 41
01st June 2016
Bulletin of the Rotary Club of Castle Hill
ISSN 2203-126X
Rotary Club of Castle Hill Chartered 18th March 1965
PO Box 13, Castle Hill. 1765 www.rotarynews.info/club4201
Rotary Year 2015-16 District Governor: Gina Growden (District 9685 )
Rotary Int’l President: Ravi Ravindran
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This Week 01 June 2016
June
Adrienne McLean "Carers in our Society" Chair Meeting report Meet & Greet Regalia
David Brown TBA David Brown Raymond Danam & Chris Dunwell
Warwick Talbot June 11th
Next Week 8 June 2016 Networking Meeting – BHSC Chambers Chair Meeting report Meet & Greet Regalia
TBA David Brown Chris Dunwell Terry O’Mara & Ross Hood Bruce & Robyn Jenkin 10th Rod & Julie Williamson 20th
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From President Mike Hallen
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case by lightening their load of everyday living by providing a sustainable water solution using mainly surface water that would otherwise be unhealthy. To think that all this grew out of his time with Memtec, a company located in Windsor NSW and formed in 1982 based on membrane technology developed by the University of NSW. Most of Rhett’s work is done through organisations such as Rotary Clubs around the world and we should bear this technology in mind as we continue to “Be a Gift to the World” and in John Germ’s year as RI President to continue “Rotary Serving Humanity”. Also remember that one of the six areas of focus of The Rotary Foundation, our charity, is “Water and Sanitation”. This week we shall hear about “Carers in our Society”. I am sure we have all heard about or know carers and how they are necessary in all walks of life despite our place in society. We saw this year how the Green family care for their son Scott, a remarkable young man whose attitude to life is astounding, no doubt influenced by the support of his family. What a great unpaid (and overworked) resource carers are – but who cares for them? Perhaps will shall hear more about that tonight.
oslyn and I have just returned from the funeral service for Andrew Marcer. What a remarkable man he was. I shall not dwell on this other than to say that our thoughts are with Peter and Carol and their family as they recover from this terrible situation. Thank you to all the Rotarians and partners who attended to support them both. Peter is expected to return to Rotary at our club changeover. We had an interesting guest speaker last week who introduced us to “Skyjuice”, not a familiar technology or indeed a company that we had heard of before the address by Associate Professor Rhett Butler AM. Yours in Rotary , Rhett has a passion that is matched by Rotarians – to assist the disadvantaged. In his President Mike
Rotaract Club of The Hills Meets: 2nd & 4th Wednesday of each month Location: Room 3, Turner Building, Balcombe Heights Estate, 92 Seven Hills Road, Baulkham Hills.
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Extraordinary General Meeting - JUNE 15th 2016. Notice is given that on 15th June 2016, an extraordinary general meeting to be held prior to the Club Assembly. The purpose of this meeting is for the members to consider and adopt recommended changes to the club bylaws. Copies of the recommended changes are available from President-Elect Chris Dunwell or Secretary Geoff Duffy for any member wishing to peruse them prior to the EGM. On behalf of the Board, PP Geoff Duffy - Secretary
25th May 2016 Apologies: Frank Anisse David Sommerlad John Barker Peter Marcer David Bowles Bruce Jenkin Make Ups: Nil
Attendance Friends of Rotary:Penny Bourke Visiting Rotarians Nil
By PP Geoff Duffy Hannibal Shabaz, May 03 till August 03, 2016. Peter Marcer, Till June 29, 2016
GUESTS: Nil Leave of Absence: Anil de Silva till June 30, 2016 Ron Marcus, April 20 till June 29, 2016.
64%
Honorary Rotarians: Nil 3
Date
January 2016
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BBQ, Bunning's Castle Hill
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Home Meeting #1 BBQ, Bunning's Castle Hill
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Home Meeting #2 –
20 27
Home Meeting #3 – Chris Dunwell’s Guest Speaker Graham Wilcox
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Guest Speaker Michael Bendon
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Thai International Night at the Bar La
17 24
Celebrate 111 years of Rotary All partners & friends welcome Pride in Workmanship
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Club Business Meeting
9 16
Youth Night Mini Club Assembly
23
Excellence In Teaching Awards
30
Club Committee meeting
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Guest Speaker Faye Yarroll "The Gift of Hearing"
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Polio Movie Night
20
Anzac Day Guest Speaker
27
Business Networking
30
BBQ at Heritage Park
4
Club Committee Meeting
11
Guest Speaker
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Club Business Meeting
25
Guest Speaker- “Sustainable Water Solutions” – Rhett Butler
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“Carers in Our Society” Networking Meeting – BHSC Chambers Club Assembly/EGM
February 2016
March 2016
April 2016
May 2016
June 2016
15 12 22 29
Event
Rotary Monthly Theme Vocational Service Month
Peace & Conflict Resolution Month
Water & Sanitation Month
Maternal & Child Health Month
Youth Service Month
Rotary Fellowships Month
Club Calendar Jan- June 2016
Month/ Year
Held at the Shire Council Chambers with the Mayor
BBQ @ Bunnings “Wildlife in Madagascar” – Ron Guthrie Club Changeover
JUNE Rotary Fellowships Month 4
Bunnings have offered us a cancellation for
Sunday June 12th & Phil Dunn has told them YES THANK YOU A roster will go around this week but please keep this date free & let me know asap to do a morning or PM shift Thanks in anticipation. YIR The 2 Phils
We have secured the Cumberland State Forest th
BBQ site for Sunday October 30 so please record this in your diary to help as we need a big team on this busy day (every 2 years)
Out with the old and in with the new 29th June 2016 at Castle Hill Country Club. Cost: $45 per person (includes a “welcome drink”) Join us as we welcome Chris and Joanne We have some guests attending our changeover meeting including: Ray Williams MP for Castle Hill and his wife Wendy Mayor Councillor Michelle Byrne and her husband Matt Superintendent Rob Critchlow Aileen Mountifield, Founder and CEO of The Lisa Harnum Foundation and her husband George
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DUTY ROSTERS
22 June
Ron Guthrie. "The Wildlife of Madagascar"
If you are unable to meet your roster allocation it is your responsibility to arrange for someone to take your place.
Chair Ross Hood Meeting report Chris Dunwell Meet & Greet Phil Dunn Regalia Ron Marcus and Peter Marcer
15 June
29 June
Club Assembly
Changeover
Chair Mike Hallen Meeting report David Bowles Meet & Greet Mike Blair Regalia Raymond Danam & Bob Chary
Chair Mike Hallen Meeting Report Chris Dunwell Meet & Greet Paul Robinson Regalia Hannibal Shabaz & Mike Blair
THIS WEEK’S ROTARY FOUNDATION THOUGHT is about
What a wonderful legacy we are leaving to the children of the world. Goodbye Polio. Thank you, Rotary. .
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PolioPlus
hen Rotary launched the PolioPlus program in 1985, there were more than 350,000 polio cases in over 125 countries. Since 1988, when Rotary began working with its partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative to immunize more than 2 billion children, the incidence of polio has decreased 99 percent. As of 2013, Rotary’s contributions to the global polio eradication effort totaled $1.2 billion. None of this would be possible if it weren’t for Rotary’s leadership and vision.
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PAST PRESIDENTS 1965-66Gerald Engel Prov & Charter President 1966-67 John Wells 1967-68 Roley McClintock 1968-69 Don Wright 1969-70 Ray Wells 1970-71 Tony Dehlsen 1971-72 Roy Martin 1972-73 Frank Crooke 1973-74 Allan Buckingham 1974-75 Ken Binns 1975-76 Colin Lawford 1976-77 Roger Wood 1977-78 Brian Stacey 1978-79 Warren Bowden 1979-80 Ern Death 1980-81 Peter Gilbank 1981-82 Graeme Brangwin 1982-83 Stan Fulker 1983-84 Phillip Dunn 1984-85 Bill Robinson 1985-86 John Barker PSM 1986-87 Norm Roach 1987-88 Milton Colburt 1988-89 Ron Marcus OAM 1989-90 Bill Tait 1990-91 Peter Wood 1991-92 Bruce Allen 1992-93 Ray White 1993-94 Ron Miller
1994-95 Gerry Larkin 1995-96 Hannibal Shabaz 1996-97 George McDonald 1997-98 Peter McBean 1998-99 John Stuart 1999-00 Geoff Duffy 2000-01 John Cooper 2001-02 Mike Hallen 2002-03 Judy Ford 2003-04 Jeff Whyte 2004-05 Peter Ford 2005-06 Mike Blair 2006-07 Terry O’Mara AM 2007-08 David Waterhouse 2008-09 Peter Marcer 2009-10 Rod Williamson 2010-11 Terry O’Mara AM 2011-12 Stephen Macquarie 2012 –2013 Paul Robinson 2013-2014 Bev Cooney OAM 2014 - 2015 Mike Blair PAST PRESIDENTS OTHER CLUBS David Sommerlad AM , Bruce Jenkin MBE Neil Todd, Phil Davis Raymond Danam SERVICE ABOVE SELF AWARD Ron Marcus OAM
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Notes of the Castle Hill Rotary Club Meeting 25th May 2016
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resident Mike opened proceeding by advis- have also been given the opportunity to run the ing members that flowers and a card have bbq at Cumberland State Forest in October. been sent to the Marcer home. The 25th of June marks the District Changeover and members are encourage to attend what should be a good evening. It will be held at the Hornsby RSL and the cost is $50 pp. Also today is the official last day for the RSVP to the Council Reception to be held on the 8th June at the Council Chambers. Please respond if you have not done so already. As members as possible should attend so that we have an opportunity to interact with as many visitors as possible and talk to them about their interests and encourage them, if appropriate, to visit us at one of our normal meetings.
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ike reminded Directors that reports for the year should be to him by 8th June in time for the Club Changeover on 29th June.
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erry O’Mara provided a welfare report to the members.
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resident Mike welcomed back Paul Robinson from his trip and also Raymond (who was actually back last week). The Sergeant ran his session and the raffle was won by Ross Hood (red) and Mike Blair (white).
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hett Butler, the guest speaker for the evening, was introduced by Chair Bruce Allen.
Rhett has been instrumental in setting up a business known as Skyjuice, a business which has developed a system which cleans water making it safe to drink. He began by noting there are three questions most people ask. Why Rhett Butler? This is his real name so blame goes to his parents. [Obviously fans of Gone With The Wind – ed.] Why Skyjuice? When his West Indian mother in law came to stay he had just started operations in his garage. She wondered what all the noise was. He showed her what he was doing. He did not have a name at that time. His mother told him that in the WI they call rain sky juice. So the name was adopted for the business.
ruce Allen reminded members of our commitment to the Foundation and encouraged those who have not yet done so to make their Centurion donation in May as the agreed exchange rate is favourable for us but will be less Why start the business in the first place? He so in June. travelled to many places in the world as a paid employee in pursuit of his company’s interests. hil Davis advised that we have secured an By training Rhett is an engineer. Travelling in Afadditional bbq at Bunnings due to a cancel- rica, Asia and elsewhere he became very aware lation by another group and we have said yes. that many people did not have safe drinking waTherefore members are required for 12 June. We ter. Consequently many people became ill. This leads to untimely deaths, the creation of or-
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phans, the restriction of economic progress. At the time he was developing technology for cleaning water but realised that the developed west would get this before the developing world because they could afford it. In a light bulb moment he knew what to do.
He developed a cartridge filter arrangement which is gravity fed. By lifting water to 1.5 m sufficient pressure allows water to be cleaned through the membranes of one cartridge filter and one filter can produce enough water to provide for a 1000 person community. The cost of manufacture and delivery/installation is about $3,000. The life of the cartridge filter is 10 years. Developing countries do not have the funds to They need to be regularly cleaned. This can be build the infrastructure that we have in the west. done taking out the membranes and spinning The damns, the pipelines, the water line to the them clean. All the dirt, bacteria and other home. It is unaffordable. The solution is to gremlins that cause disease can be effectively clean water locally. This is affordable and can be removed in this simple way. Most viruses need hosts and travel on dirt and on bacteria. By removing the dirt particles and bacteria the viruses are also removed. He cannot claim it is 100% efficient but so efficient (above 99%) that it one could argue it is completely effective in everyday use. It works with ground water only and will not desalinate so cannot be used with any salt water. done. If water needs pumping to raise it up, this Ground water is found in lakes, rivers and dams. It will also not clean industrial pollutants that are can be done with low cost low power pumps (like those used in garden pond) and these can found in rivers running through industrial countries. So its use is primarily in rural communioften be run from local solar power sources. ties. People can bring the water in containers from the river or the lake and it can then be So he told his wife he was quitting his well pay- cleaned using the system. ing executive job to start up a new business to help disadvantaged people in the developing world. To his surprise she said ok. So getting off From his humble start in his garage he now has a cuts from his former employer MemTech, he de- factory in NSW. He has supplied about 5,500 veloped his product. The offcuts were supplied around the world and can produce about 500 per annum. 1.5 bn people in the world drink dirty on the basis that they were not sold for comwater. Therefore there should be 1.5 m of these mercial advantage. in use and every year 150 k should be replaced with new ones. 9
Continued from page 9
He prefers to work with organisations like Rotary to distribute his products. Why? Large NGOs like UNHCR and World Vision and others have complex bureaucracies and chew up money in administration. Many things take far too long to get done. Working with Rotary a need can be identified and the product can be purchased, installed, the local community trained to operate and maintain it, and this can be done in a few weeks. With almost no admin costs. Rotarians in Australia and the destination country do things at no charge and so the whole thing can be done quickly and simply, including any frameworks that need to be built to hold water storage tanks to feed the filter. Also his marketing is done largely by word of mouth and networking with people like us at Rotary. Again his costs of marketing in a traditional business sense detract from the money that would be otherwise spent on manufacture and installation where it does real good in needy communities. So he is on a mission to let everyone know about his company and his products so that we can find the communities that need clean water and make this Club Officers and Non-Executive Positions happen in conjunction with Rotary Year 2015-2016 Skyjuice. So little by little and project by project the Rotary Club of Castle Hill world can have clean water, Mike Hallen children can grow and learn, President President-Elect (2015-2016) Chris Dunwell their economies can grow Geoff Duffy and prosper in a sustainable Secretary Treasurer Bruce Allen and affordable way. Director Club Administration Chris Dunwell Director Membership Rod Williamson resident Mike then Director Public Relations Geoff Duffy thanked Rhett for his Director Service Projects Mike Blair fascinating talk which Director Rotary Foundation Bruce Allen has given us much to consid- Director Outreach Projects Hannibal Shabaz er. He closed the meeting.
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In addition, the following non-executive roles have been accepted by those listed below: Bulletin Editor Raffle Guest Speaker Program Attendance Recorder Welfare Officer Sergeants Desai Webmaster Chris Dunwell) Committee Chairs International Service
Anil de Silva David Bowles Ross Hood Geoff Duffy Terry O’Mara Hannibal Shabaz & Harshad Paul Robinson (assisted by
Phil Davis
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We meet at
Castle Hill Country Club every WEDNESDAY at 6:30 pm for 7:00 pm (Spurway Drive, Baulkham Hills NSW 2153) Apologies, Please inform Geoff Duffy NO LATER than Noon Tuesday before the next meeting so numbers can be confirmed for Dinner jgduffy@internode.on.net
BULLETIN EDITOR
Anil De Silva (from Cobar, Outback NSW) aniljdes@yahoo.com.au Deadline Friday 8:00 pm This Bulletin is kindly printed by Snap Printing. Unit 20/5 Hudson Ave. Castle Hill 2154 Ph: 96801858
Phil Davis—Sergeant’s Fine Session Bruce Allen back from spreading the good word on the Rotary Foundation in Perth. Paul Robinson back from the US with a photo in the Bulletin of he & Carmel in front of a helicopter that took them over the Grand Canyon. Terry O’Mara & Chris Dunwell for covering the running track at Bella Vista in a buggy Mike Blair for measuring the same track with a little wheel the next day Rod Williamson visiting from Swansea. Good to see Rod Guest Speaker Rhett Butler for his talk tonight on Sustainable Water Solutions that the Sgt thought might cover visiting the bathroom. David Brown for not advertising David Brown & Partners on 2GB.
Wine Raffle Red: Ross Hood White—Mike Blair 12