flydoc australia e.v. (Inc.)

Transcription

1 flydoc australia e.v. (Inc.) The Year 2008 in Our Association History In the year 2008 the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia celebrated its 80th anniversary. We remember the 17 th of May, 1928, when the first official flight of a Flying Doctor from Cloncurry in Queensland to Julia Creek with the plane De Havilland DH50 took place. Since 1928 the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) is on stand by with medical aid for Australia on each hour of the day. In the first year 50 flights were undertaken, 18,000 miles were flown, 225 patients were treated and 4 human lives were saved. Today the staff members of the RFDS help about 250,000 people each year, they fly more than 21 mio. Kilometres and take more than 35,000 medical emergencies from the lonely Outback to the safety of medical treatment. The mantle of safety supplied by the RFDS has become increasingly important for everybody living, working, and travelling in the lonely Outback. The board of the association congratulated the staff of the RFDS in all bases and offices on this memorable day in May 2008, sending greeting cards and s on behalf of all members of our association. Support In the fifth year of its existence we supported the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia continuously according the statues of our association by collection of donations in Germany and handover of donations at the RFDS bases in Australia. The amount of donations handed over added up to AUS$ 75, till the end of In 2008 alone AUS$ 5, had been given. Till 12/31/08 the association s income by way of donations has increased to Euro 49, Handover of Donations Thanks to the membership fees of our members and many donations by individuals, companies and institutions, an appropriate amount of money for the RFDS could be collected. With great pleasure we can announce that the following donations to the RFDS have been delivered in 2008 by different members of our association

2 - Adelaide: On March 11 th, 2008, Marlies and Karl- Heinz Gerlach delivered a donation of AUS$ 2, to the RFDS in presence of the president of our association Dr Hans-Ullrich Henschel. This money will be used for the medical equipment of the new Pilatus PC 12 airplane, which is to be seen in the background of the handover of donations in the hangar of the base. This new acquisition will soon after the termination of the medical equipping be given to the Central Operations (Inc.) of the RFDS and will be on its first mission. - Broken Hill: Club member Beatrix Kraus and Dr Hans-Ullrich Henschel had an appointment at the Flying Doctor Base during a short trip to Broken Hill. Beatrix Kraus handed over a donation of AUS$ 2, to Flight Nurse Michael Penno on March 17 th, These donations have been used as well for the medical equipment of a new Beechcraft King Air B200C airplane, visible at the background of the handover of donations. The most recent airplane of the RFDS South Eastern Section was named Mike Victor Whiskey (MVW). It has already been put to use and is stationed at Broken Hill. The equipment presents itself in a completely new design. Members of the Broken Hill Base helped with great commitment to upgrade many details. During the handover of donations another Beechcraft King Air B200 had been placed next to Mike Victor Whiskey, Mike Victor Juliet This airplane too had been equipped with help of our donations some years ago. - Jandakot: After a long journey through the West Australia Outback our members Marlies and Karl-Heinz Gerlach reached Perth on October 1 st, 2008, and delivered a donation of AUS$ 1, at the RFDS Base Jandakot. It is always impressive to see the pleasure and gratitude with which our urgently needed donations are received by the staff. This gratefulness together with cordial greetings is transmitted to all members and donators of our association flydoc australia e.v. (Inc.)

3 RFDS staff members visiting Germany The staff members of the RFDS in Australia do not perceive flydoc australia e.v. (Inc.) only as an association collecting donations anymore, but some club members are already know in person because of the visits on the bases (not only the president Dr Hans-Ullrich Henschel). As some Australians enjoy travelling as well, two staff members of the RFDS came to Germany in 2008 to meet with some club members. - Graham Vonhoff, Senior Base Pilot, RFDS Bundaberg Graham visited together with his wife Noela the home of our association flydoc australia e.v. (Inc.) in the Münsterland on his tour through Europe in June There is an extensive report about the varied program with sightseeing and meetings with club members on the journal of our association of 2007/2008 (p ). - Michael Penno, Flight Nurse, once RFDS Broken Hill, now RFDS Adelaide We know Michael from the handover of donations in Broken Hill in March At that time plans for a meeting in Germany had been made. And when Michael and his wife Megan toured Germany in August, it was the time for the annual meeting of the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia Fanclub Germany in Münster. Our club member and president of the supporter s club Renate Kaldenhoff prepared some unforgettable days in and around Münster with sightseeing and personal events. The highlight was the annual meeting of the supporter s club with the Australian couple as guests of honour. Michael drew a remarkable amount of supporters to this meeting in Münster. With a spectacular speech Michael reported about the RFDS in Australia and his work. He showed impressive pictures about the differences between Australia and Germany, reported about the Broken Hill Base, and explained the airplanes in use with the RFDS. It was very interesting to hear facts about the work of a flight nurse in the Australian Outback from Michael himself. The conditions are hard, unfamiliar for us Germans. The pilots too are real heroes, starting and landing the planes under critical conditions and circumstances. This earns our respect! Through Michael s sensitive, committed and enthused manner you can feel that he loves his job and is completely absorbed in it. He loves his job because he likes to hover above the ground seeing the fantastic landscape with the exhilarating sunrises and sunsets

4 Our annual meeting 2008 Our annual meeting took place on June 5 th, Some club members found their way to Lennestadt-Meggen. - Our vice president and secretary Dr Peter Schulte reported about the donations of the previous year 2007 and gave an overlook of the great donations since the foundation of the association. - Our club member Hartmut Huvers gave his report about the year 2007 acting as provisional treasurer. Mr. Huvers was elected consentaneously new treasurer. - In the accustomed way the club president Dr Hans-Ullrich Henschel built the bridge to Australia and the RFDS with his reports about the latest handover of donations on site at the Flying Doctor bases. The commitment of some club members has been especially enjoyable. The complete report has been provided for all club members after the meeting and can be read in the club journal 2007/2008 (p ). Internet Presentation of the Association in New Design In spring 2008 the internet site got a new design. Matthias Tauche programmed this site and acts as administrator. The button Current News will provide new reports about interesting events several times per year. Reports about the club s meetings can be read. Handover of donations at the RFDS bases will be represented by illustrated reports in the net. In the list and board of donations every donator can find his honourable donation. The current amount of donations will be listed as well. If someone would like to donate and needs the banking details, here they are to be found. The joining of our association is possible as well; the application for admission can be saved and printed. Collecting Donations under the Wollemi Pine Club members and interested individuals attended with enthusiasm an exposition at the green houses of the Botanical Gardens Dortmund. A tree species discovered 15 years ago in Australia, its origin dating back to the times of the dinosaurs, is a main point of attraction at the Rombergpark

5 Thanks to the invitation of the director of the Botanical Gardens Mr. Heribert Reif, we were able to place a stand of our association containing a big collecting box next to this little forest of Wollemi pines, impossible to miss. There already is a fair amount of Euros in the box, and we hope it will increase steadily. Retrospection and Outlook The 5 th anniversary of the founding of our association on January 7 th, 2004, will take place this year. All club members and donators should be thanked for the support of the Flying Doctors in the name of the RFDS. As future prospect there is a club meeting planned for summer 2009, for which there already exist several good ideas and proposals. Perhaps some members are curious and are already looking forward to this exceptional event. We will invite you in time. Hamm, January 2 nd, 2009 President Doctor of Medicine (M. D.) Hans-Ullrich Henschel Specialist for children and young persons Travel and tropical medicine * TravelMED Oswaldstrasse 39 D Hamm Bockum-Hövel GERMANY flydoc@dr-henschel.de Treasurer Hartmut Huvers Skilled employee for taxes Flaper Schulweg 61 D Kirchhundem Hartmut.Huvers@schulte-kanzlei.de Vice President Doctor of Laws (LL. D.) Peter Schulte Lawyer and tax consultant Kiefernweg 22 D Olpe dr.peter.schulte@schulte-kanzlei.de - 5 -