KNIT A SQUARE. President: Boris M. Struk Editorial Logistics: Timothy Anderson

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1 President: Boris M. Struk Editorial Logistics: Timothy Anderson Volume 79 Issue 3 - Tuesday 16 July MMXIII KNIT A SQUARE At Today s meeting we met Sandy McDonald, from Knit a Square now known as KasCare. BRIEF BACKGROUND The organization was founded in October 2008 after a family conference in Melbourne. It is based on the grim reality of 1.9 million orphans, abandoned children and child-led families in South Africa. They live in dire poverty. They lack love, shelter, food, education and warmth. The same can be said for abandoned newborns and babies. Young mothers, many of them teenagers, give birth with little chance of supporting themselves, let alone their babies. THE ISSUE In 1984 two close families in Zimbabwe separated through emigration. One Ronda and Peter Lowrie and two daughters went to South Africa. The other Sandy and Roger McDonald and two daughters moved to Australia. Ronda is an active charity worker in Soweto. In conversation with her niece, Sandy, in Melbourne in late 2008, identified a chronic shortage of blankets in South Africa, especially at altitude in the cold Highveld winters. Sandy McDonald at the meeting today

2 THE SOLUTION Sandy and Roger developed the idea that they could start an online movement. They would call on the world s knitters and crocheters to knit standard 8 /20cm squares and send them to South Africa. There, volunteers would make them up into blankets for distribution to these children. The idea for was born. Not knowing what to expect when the website went live in late October 2008, they were thrilled when a trickle of squares began to arrive in early Children in some very bright & warm clothes! That trickle became a stream after American yarn giant, Lion Brand, ran a small story on the knit-a-square project in February This publicity together with other online traffic driving strategies helped drive more many thousands of knitters and crocheters to the site and boosted membership. The stream became a torrent. With the help of a handful of inspired volunteers in the US, Canada and the UK, a series of forums was established. These allowed charity-minded knitters and crocheters to help each other with patterns, tips and communications. SOME IMPRESSIVE NUMBERS By early 2011, KasCare has now developed as wholly voluntary organization that had attracted more than 12,,000 members from 54 countries around the world. Between them they sent more than 600,000 hand knitted or crocheted squares to South Africa, representing more than 25,000 blankets. In addition, more than 100,000 knitted items, including hats, beanies, vests and toys have arrived. KasCare has over 3,000 members in the forum and Kaskids has been introduced to over 700 schools. With the quilts. INCOMING EXCHANGE STUDENT ALLIS LILJA ARRIVES ON THURSDAY! Our incoming exchange student for is Allis Lilja, from Kvicksund in Sweden. She arrives on Thursday. Contact will be there to interview her at the airport, so watch out for a full report in next week s issue.

3 MEN & WOMEN OF ROTARY: WHY WE ARE THE BEST! I want to use this editorial to give two examples Club members helping each other. Jorgen Bobenko Jorgen came to the Club in 1996 whilst owning and running a jewellery shop in Puckle Street. Within a year he was Chairing a Committee, and organized for the Club as a fundraiser a bike ride around the route that was used in the 1956 Olympics. Then, he initiated an annual bike ride to the District Conference, with up to 30 cyclists participating each year. Jorgen had an horrific bike accident, coming off his bike whilst riding in excess of 80 km/h. He was lucky to survive, and was confined to a wheelchair for many months. The Club then arranged a very successful fundraiser for Jorgen and his family who struggled financially at that time. As a tonic to revive Jorgen s spirits, Club members bought Jorgen an air ticket to enable him to join a Delegation visit to Myanmar. Then Roger Leask arranged for Jorgen to be involved in the Royce Abbey Awards, and Jorgen has hand crafted each Royce Abbey badge. It was so fitting to see Jorgen return to the fold last week, now as an honorary member. John & Pat Chadderton On another level altogether, please read Anne Ramsay s Letter to the Editor. This is another story of Club Members instinctively going out and helping. So typical of the Rotary Club of Essendon! So...we are Rotarians helping Rotarians, and all within a social justice agenda of helping others. We are the VERY BEST! It is a privilege for us all to come together as a Club achieving as likeminded people in this selfish world. T.A. CHARLOTTE SALMON RETURNS TO FRANCE Exchange Student Charlotte Salmon flew out of Melbourne on 9 July 2013 at the conclusion of her exchange. Charlotte s departure date ensured that she just got back into France in time for Bastille Day celebrations! Those to see her off at the airport included Peter Baker & Leigh, Grant and Margie Sheldon, Kerry Roe, Emanuel Tumino from the District Youth Exchange Committee, host parents Terry & Anne White, and a number of Charlotte s school friends. Charlotte said to Contact at the airport that her year in Australia was just amazing. I had the best experience ever. I had wonderful host families, friends, people who took care of me, I'm so thankful for everything they've done for me. I was a spoilt exchange student I couldn't complain about anything, everything was perfect. Now it's time to go back home, excited, scared and sad is how I feel about leaving Australia. I'll miss so many people, places and nothing will ever be the same. It's so hard to believe that my year is over, it went so fast. I hate goodbyes, you never know if you'll see the people again in your life but I know that I'll never forget them... Charlotte being farewelled by PP s Grant Sheldon and Peter Baker.

4 Charlotte shedding a tear at the wailing wall at Tullamarine Airport INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE MEETS International Committee held its first meeting at Steve & Kerry Roe s residence in Greenvale last Wednesday. Those attending included Cathy Nicou, John Odgers, Connie Maina, Peter Duras, John Marshall, Peter Baker and Tim Anderson. A vigorous discussion was held covering the Club s three projects, plus the Cleft Pallet project in Bangladesh. Our next overseas adventure begins on 14 September 2013, when about 20 members and others form a delegation to Nairobi. COMMUNITY COMMITTEE MEETS Community Committee held its first meeting at Veronica s Irish Pub last Wednesday. Those attending included the Chair of the Committee, Simon Cookson, his dynamic team enjoyed an introduction to this year s projects, a brief outline of 2 possible new projects before tucking into Veronicas handmade sandwiches, cheese platters, sweets and fine wine selection. We toddled off about pm and look forward to another get together in August. - Simon Cookson GUEST EDITORIALS......are always welcome! SHOCKING NEWS We have no editor for three weeks. Yes, you can do it! Please call Boris now! No Editor = No Contact! NOTES FROM PRESIDENT BORIS Please let me have addresses of partners & who would like to receive Contact. Birthday cards to partners will be replaced by a personal call from me and I shall sing Happy Birthday instead. I need volunteers for Rotarians Recreational Release August is filled but thereafter I need you. The Car Rally as Essendon Fields is locked in final date to be sorted. Please amend my surname from Struck to Struk on page 7 of your Club Directory and do not include a c in my address. ROGER LEASK S JOKE A little girl asked her mother how old are you and how many times have you changed your hair colour? Mum told her daughter to mind her own business and not to go around asking such questions. A few days later the girl discovered Mum s Driver s Licence and told Mum that she knew that Mum was aged 34, and had brown hair when the licence issued. And further the girl said, now I know why Dad divorced you! And why was that? demanded Mum. Because on your licence it says that you got F for Sex! -Thanks Roger. This only just passed the censor! Editor.

5 FURTHER PICS FROM ELLIOTT J. NEAGLE, OUR EXCHANGE STUDENT IN JAPAN Here I am standing in "Kenroku-en" garden, one of the three most famous gardens in Japan. Behind me is the garden's iconic lamp, the most recognised feature of the garden because of its unique design! I'm standing in front of Shirakawago, a traditional village famous for its thatch-roofed houses. The houses were built over two hundred and fifty years ago, so the it has been declared one of Japan's World Heritage Sites! These are two pics of Kanazawa castle, which was restored between after it was destroyed by fire in Between the castle's destruction and restoration, Kanazawa University occupied the grounds. POETRY CORNER FLYING STICKS (A poem written for Contact by the husband of today s speaker, Sandy McDonald.) Clickety clacks, clackety clicks, that s the sound of hurrying sticks. Knitting fast and stitching slow, Squares for blankets on the go. little orphans, do you know the meaning of these politics? Give us strength to play these tricks, with yarn and hooks and flying sticks, that we can make a winter fix! Roger G McDonald PETER BAKER THE DENTIST By Roger Leask A trip to this Doc, is interesting in ways Repairing teeth, that have seen, better days The room with the seat Is always neat Unusual for that kind of place The music is soothing along with the spiel Unusually the visit has, an attractive appeal Especially if need of professional support. When you receive the bill It s never a thrill However I say, with welcome dismay This type of help, is not easily bought. Your DENTIST is: Doing Extremely Neat Treatments In Special Time.

6 ROTARIAN S RECREATIONAL RELEASES: TELESCOPES By Lino Airo-Farulla. I would like to tell you about one of my many hobbies. Today I will talk about my astronomical telescope which I constructed few years ago. You may know that I am interested about the solar system and its planets. When I decided to make the telescope much research went on to learn how to make my own lens. The most difficult and delicate part was the grinding of the Pyrex glass to form the lens. It took me 3 months to achieve the correct focus which I wanted and to perfect the surface of the lens. It had to be better than 1/8 of wavelength (in lay terms: one millionth of an inch precision). If above precision is not achieved, you will not be able to see the planets and galaxies very clearly. To describe the procedure I will do so in another issue of Contact. I will explain how I was able to achieve the result that I was after through proper scientific checking. The home made telescope in my garden at home.

7 The Rotary Dinner Party Raffle Who will you get drawn with??? Your Fellowship Committee's great idea for us all to get to know each other a little better but with lots of fun! The Dinner Party Date is Friday 16 August 2013 Dinner parties will consist of three couples. Names of all participants go into a barrel for the Special Draw at the Tuesday luncheon on 6 August Names will be drawn out in groups of three. First couple out will be the Host and responsible for hosting the evening, entree and main meal. Second couple out will bring dessert and a cheese and chocs platter. Third couple drawn will supply one each of red and white wine, plus other beverages including soft drink if thought fit. The third couple will also take a photo or two of the evening and send this to the Contact Editor with a few sentences as to how the evening went. People attending as SINGLES are most welcome! Let us sort out suitable dining arrangements for you. REMEMBER it s a raffle so you must abide by the luck of the draw and be prepared to be a Host. Steve Chandler and Neil Henderson are taking names now so enter and don't miss out. Twelve couples and two singles have already committed so this is definitely ON!

8 A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR: Thank-you for the many letters and s over the week we are running out of space so some will need to wait to be published. This week we publish correspondence from Steve Roe, Jack Honson and Anne Ramsay. Dear Editor, AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL ISSUES I manage the national Hotline for Air Services Australia in this country under the provisions of the Upper Airspace Mandate Given my Military background I am one of only two staff with a security clearance to operate this highly encrypted communication system. I am receiving communications from Air force planes that carry the Prime Minister and foreign dignitaries, as well as from ASIS and other secret intelligence communities unknown to the Australian public. Anyway that s a long story to say that somehow my wife Kerry got access to this hotline number. Over my Presidential year my children Tim & Kristen both got married (fortunately not to each other), and Kerry used the Hotline freely to talk to me about things like Bomboniere and wedding favours (what is that?) and the colour of table napkins. The hotline button on my computer I was nearly sacked and the number was changed, but Kerry went into my top security briefcase whilst looking to change the spare pair of underpants that I take to work with me, and has got the number again! This week s calls: 1. Our dog Rufus has pooped on the front doorstep yet again. 2. There s a spider in the toilet and I cannot hold on any longer. 3. Ikea are having a sale and can we go over and enjoy their 90 cent breakfast special whilst buying the must have serviette rings now reduced to only $1.70? With great concern, Steve Roe Dear Steve, I think that you have stuffed this up something shocking! All of those messages are in code from someone whose voice has been electronically garbled to sound like Kerry! What they in fact mean are: 1. The PM s plane has not maintained separation in the Upper Airspace Mandate without authority from ASA. 2. Unidentified aircraft in prohibited airspace air force jets will now scramble and intercept the plane. 3. Plane directed to turn 90 degrees before landing on runway 170 North. The Editor Dear Editor THE MOST EXPENSIVE HAIRCUT IN MY LIFE Just recently Pearl told me that my hair was getting way too long. She said that I looked like one of the Beatles and that if I didn t get it cut she would buy me an electric guitar to complete the image. The nasty scratch on my Mercedes. So I took our Mercedes limousine out of our garage in Lower Templestowe and drove off to the nearby less salubrious suburb of Doncaster for a haircut at a reduced price. Whilst having the headchop a vandal scratched my car down the side with a key. That cost me $3,500 to repair! Is that the world s most expensive haircut?

9 Running out of money, Jack Honson Dear Jack, I think that you should stay right out of Doncaster as that suburb is obviously only for riff raff. Thank God that you & Fong don t live there! The Editor Dear Editor, DRAINAGE MATTERS & LEMON CURD TART As you know I live in Hoddle Street in Essendon, and from my townhouse window I can peep into the backyard of Andrew & Lisa Lowcock s house. I can tell you that they have such wonderful garden parties and I cannot wait to be invited in Lisa s Presidential year. People may not know that I live with a man in the form of my 15 year old male cat named Archie. Now Archie has all of those normal masculine personality characteristics pig headed, noisy, dominating, the lot. Anyway one morning I let Archie out to do his doings, and I discovered that he had jumped down into a drain from the gutter. Anne Ramsay with the naughty Archie beside the drain that he entered in Hoddle Street As I was sitting by the drain working out what to do, John & Pat Chadderton drove by and stopped to help as only Good Rotarians do. To my astonishment they had a perfect understanding of the municipal drainage plans and ultimately fished Archie out! Pat s hair remained completely in place as always as she climbed into the drain for me, whilst John gave me a cup of tea with a slice of lemon curd tart to calm me down whilst she did it! Are these people too good? Anne Ramsay The face of mischief. This cat gave the Contact photographer a left hook that would have done Kostya Tszyu proud! Dear Anne, I know this is a true story. Yes they are too good. The Editor. ====================================== Holdover letters for next week: Peter Condos Gumboot crisis at Eureka. Lino Airo-Farulla Lawn mowing issues & GMH V8 overhead cams. Sam Tartaglia Unprofessional legal correspondence.. I was quite distressed as the drainage network is quite vast under our streets, and Archie decided to go for a wander around those drains rather than staying put.

10 FOR YOUR DIARY Tuesday 23/7/2013 Rebecca Harford - Major Relationships Manager Murdoch Childrens Research Institute (MCRI) Tuesday 30/7/2013 Speaker Tony Thomas - Myanmar Fredricks p.m. Tuesday 13/08/2013 District Governor Ross Butterworth Friday 16/8/2013 Dinner Party Raffle Night Friday 30/8/2013 African Night Nyala African Restaurant Level 1, 356 Brunswick Street Fitzroy pm for 7.30 p.m. Sunday 6/10/2013 Visit to a Mt. Macedon private garden. Friday 25/10/2013 Trivia Night with Kangan Institute. Venue & time tba. Saturday 1/3/2014 to Tuesday 4/3/2014 International Convention, Sydney Friday 7/3/2014 to Sunday 9/03/2014 District Conference at Jupiter s Casino, Surfers Paradise. MAKE-UPS Barbara Wyatt (not sure where.) Boris M. Struk Wyndham Vale tomorrow. TODAY S RAFFLE Drawn by our guest Sandy. Who drew Green 54. Rob Thomas was the winner & drew 5, so the prize of $77 jackpots. THE NEW CLUB DIRECTORIES These are now being handed out as Club luncheons. Please attend to collect! ALMONERS REPORT John Chadderton reported that past RI President Royce Abbey has fluid in the lungs and is not well. BIRTHDAYS Cathy Nicou Steve and Kerry Roe Daryl Lee MEMBER ANNIVERSARIES Peter Duras 40 years Shirley Kukk 15 years Matt O Brien 15 years Anthony Taranto 1 year TODAY S FINES Tim Anderson practicing certificate issue Shirley Kukk - being overseas Peter Duras luxuriating in Queensland QUOTES FOR TODAY Sandy Mc Donald (today s speaker): What can be done together is yet to be imagined. President Boris (quoting Henry Ford): A business absolutely devoted to service will have only one worry about profits. They will be embarrassingly large. NEWS EXTRA: HORSE TIPS Margie & Grant Sheldon s horse MAGDALENA S ROSE ran at Sandown on Sunday. This was its first outing & the horse was unplaced. Grant reported that it was the heavy track that ruined the horse s performance. Graeme Wood reports that his horse GOTTA TAKE CARE will be running again within the next 14 days details to follow.

11 Help yourself and help the Club by banking with Strathmore Community Bank. For example, take out a home loan and the club will receive up to $500. Take out a 3 month fixed term deposit and the club will receive up to $50. For more details drop into the branch at 337 Napier St or call branch Manager Philip Stewart on