August in Review

August began with DonateLife Week and Rotarians got on board with a sausage sizzle to encourage more people to join the Australian Organ Donor Register.  Currently only 1 in 3 Australians are on the register and registration has now been made easier by visiting www.donatelife.gov.au.

Last month this column spoke about a shipping container of hospital goods heading from Stanthorpe to Fiji. This container is now packed to the rafters and ready to set sail.

Recently our club was honoured with a visit by District Governor, Michael Irving, and his wife Roz who were treated to a tour of the district, in particular several important Rotary sites including Ballandean Estate where we hold our Opera in the Vineyard each year. The Opera is a charity event with the majority of profits going to the Wesley Hospital. Over the past 24 years, Rotary and Ballandean Estate have raised in excess of 1million dollars with a large portion of this going to the Wesley Hospital in Brisbane and other medically related organisations. Although now retired, DG Michael Irving was an academic in the medical and biochemistry fields, working largely in cancer research, and as such was very impressed with Stanthorpe Rotary Club’s support of medically related charities and organisations. Each year the District Governor’s partner chooses their own project to promote and this year, Roz Irving has selected the Fred Hollows Foundation who focuses on treating and preventing blindness. All around, it is clear that August has been a month where Rotary projects have revolved largely around health and well-being.

The Stanthorpe Rotary Club welcomed Peter Klemm and Melissa Pascoe into their ranks this month. If anyone is interested in more information about Rotary, please visit our website at www.stanthorperotary.org.