Thursday 12 October marks the Anniversary of the Charter of the Rotary Club of Caloundra when Ben Bennett was our Charter President.
The Club honoured Ben Bennett as part of it 50th anniversary celebrations in conjunction with the 100th Anniversary of the commencement of Rotary International on 23 February 2005. Where better to do so than at the park named after him? Ben had a strong interest in flora & fauna and lobbied hard for the establishment of Ben Bennett Park.
The club’s project – in conjunction with Caloundra City Council – provided a BBQ picnic shelter, paving, and a sign which pays tribute to Ben Bennett at the entrance to the park on Queen Street, Caloundra.
So to mark our 63rd Anniversary, our breakfast meeting on Tuesday 17 October will be a BBQ at Ben Bennett Park from 6.30am.
Let us know you're coming, or send your apologies at this link.
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Landscape Architect, Tim Hindley, Managing Director of Anembo Consultants will be the Guest Speaker, giving some more background on Ben Bennett Park.
To learn more about the history of the Rotary Club of Caloundra, follow this link.
To learn more about Ben Bennett Park and our involvement, click this link.
Fantastic food, really good raffle prizes, scintillating guest speakers from our Sunshine Coast's StandBy Response Service with awe inspiring stories and uplifting presentations, plus a good attendance by an audience wearing their hat gear of all shapes and sizes, all made for a very successful event lifting the lid on mental illness at the Pelican Waters Golf Club on Thursday night. We were privileged to have in the audience representatives from the NRL/QRL organisations, a wide spectrum of the public, and our members, partners, and families.
With a number of members freshly back from holidays (Trevor & Les) and others about to depart, or already departed for the cruise from Cairns to the Solomons, Mark Ward (back from competing in WARR 2017 in Singapore) took the chair and welcomed members & visitors - including our guest speaker, and Ben & Becky Thomas. We hope to see Ben & Becky again soon and to welcome them into our club in due course. Becky wrote after the meeting: "It was a blessing to see the unity in your club. We wish you all the best as you serve others above self".
The lucky members preparing to board the Pacific Eden on Saturday are Merv and Ann, Gerry and Jan, Judy, Sue, and Bernie. Merv was still here and outlined one of the days in Gizo or Rabaul - your editor was weary just listening to his plan! He later reported on the Paul Harris Fellow recognition presentation to Ken O'Connell. Read the story below and here.
Merv Paddison caught up with Ken O'Connell to recognise Ken as a Paul Harris Fellow acknowledging his community service.
Ken began his community service with the Redcliffe Surf Club in 1958. After country service around Western Queensland, Ken returned to the Sunshine Coast. He joined Metropolitan Caloundra Surf Club and before long he was club secretary. He progressed to branch and then state secretary of Queensland Surf Life Saving. In 1991, QATB was changed to QAS and restructured. One result was the formation of Local Ambulance Committees.
In 1992, when Hugh Barkley, a former Rotarian and officer in charge of Caloundra was transferred, the local Caloundra Ambulance committee needed a new secretary. Ken O’Connell has filled this role now for 25 years. His organised and efficient manner has helped to make the Caloundra LAC what it is today. In his spare time, Ken has been a volunteer with the Australian Business Volunteers working in Tonga, Vanuatu and PNG.
See all the people recognised as Paul Harris Fellows by this club in 2017 here.
The following members of our club made a significant contribution to the running of the Rotary Youth Driver Awareness education program over two days this past week:
Alan Bethune, Anna Wheildon, Anne Boland. Chris Milligan, Darryl Laing, Helen Fox, Ian Belcher, Mark Ward, Neville Woodforth, Pam Snyman, Les Walsh
Notice has been given that the next RUSCCF Committee meeting will be held on Friday 3 November commencing at 6.30 pm in the Meeting Room 2, Level 1, Building ‘B’ at the University of the Sunshine Coast.
Minutes of the previous meeting and of the AGM are available by reading more.
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Our next BBQ is being held at Bunnings on Wednesday 25 October.
The following members of our club made a significant contribution to the running of the Rotary Youth Driver Awareness education program over two days this past week:
