Rotary Club of Goodna Inc.
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Rotary Club of Goodna Inc.
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On the 6th April, 1998 our club presented Paul Harris Fellowships to members Peter Bloom, Ken Clift, George Eakins, Fr Brian Fitzpatrick and Russell Kaden and so every member of the club at that time was a Paul Harris Fellow. Whilst many overseas Clubs have this honour our club was the first club in Australia with 100% PHF members. We understand that there is only one other Australian club with 100% PHF members which is St George which club is also in our District. If there are any other clubs which are 100% please e-mail us using the connection below and advise.
Since then we have admitted further members and have presented these progressively with Fellowships such that we had regained 100% PHFs but again lost this when further members were admitted.
Australian Clubs have tended to treat PHF presentations as an award to the individual for meritious service to the community or Rotary. Whereas overseas Clubs tend to present Fellowships to acknowledge that the Club has donated US$1,000.00 to the Rotary foundation.
These latest donations mean that the club has now presented over 48 PHFs as several former members, some partners, family members as well as members of the community have been made PHFs.
During 2002/03 the club undertook a project at a property owned by The Purga Elders and Descendants Aboriginal Corporation at Purga, south-west of Ipswich.
This included the provision of a watering infrastructure and associated electrical system. Included in the project was the purchase and installation of pumps and tanks to supply water to irrigate the propagation stock in the new nursery on the farm. Water will also be used for trees in the Pecan Grove and Bush Tucker Trail. Labour and work associated with the project was mainly carried out by Goodna Rotarians and their families.
Funds for the project were provided by the following Rotary Clubs and District in Japan: the Rotary Club of Ishioka (Goodna’s sister club), the Rotary Club of Mito and District 2820 and our own District 9630. These funds were matched by The Rotary Foundation and the total cost of the project was approximately $53,500.
This project is believed to be the first Indigenous Australian project for which The Rotary Foundation has supplied matching grant funds.
The Rotary Club of Goodna received the Queensland Premier’s Reconciliation Award for Business for the project.
The inaugural camp was held on the weekend of the 8th - 10th May, 1998 at Flick Recreation Reserve near Kingaroy. Families were selected by Rotarians Colleen Engel and Fr Brian Fitzpatrick from participants in the Partnership Project.
The families were identified as deserving help to re-define their structure and roles. The camp was a chance for these families to spend time away from the home environment with trained counsellors to assist them in achieving this.
Rotarians Fr Brian Fitzpatrick, Colleen Engel and Sean McMonagle as well as Linda McMonagle assisted with the running of the camp which was a great success.
Last year's camp was nominated for a community service award and won the Queensland section which resulted in the club receiving a prize of $2,000.00 which will be used towards this year's camp.
Due to the past success of these camps, this year two camps will be held at Tallebudgera Recreation Camp on the Gold Coast and Bribie Island.
Over many years our club has donated $3,000.00 towards the Partnership Project at the Redbank, Goodna and Kruger Park State Schools. T These moneys were donated from club funds and the Night Golf was used to replenish these funds.
The Partnership Project involves involves Teachers, students, parents and the local community working together to create an environment in which positive social and academic development is nurtured.
The specific strategies may vary amongst the schools but the common elements include:
- Skilling teachers in behavioural management;
- Provision of parent development courses;
- Counselling of individual students;
- Counselling for parents and facilitation access to outside agencies;
- Mounting of programmes to enhance student self-esteem and/or positive attitude towards learning.
Our Club holds an annual Christmas Dinner for older residents of our area. Many seniors take part in the meal and use the opportunity to make new friends and renew old acquaintences.
Fr Brian Fitzpatrick, a member of our club, volunteered to find suitable people to attend the meal which has been held at the Redbank School of Arts and the South Street Club, Ipswich in December of each year. It has been good to see a large number of Goodna Rotarians and their partners present each year to help run the event.
Until insurance concerns forced the Club to abondon this activity in 2001 each November this event was held at the Ipswich Golf Club, Toongara Road, Ipswich (just opposite Past President Dave Plester's house). It proved to be a great success and those who can remember the event over the years said they had a great time!
The Golf balls are illuminated by temporary iridescent capsules and the course is similarly lit. Many participants enjoyed things other that the golf but every one is assured of an enjoyable time. The club used the event to raise money which is off-set against the donation to the Partnership Project.
Our club has donated many thousand dollars to Donations in Kind (DinK) to send containers of medical equipment to the Solomon Islands and other neighbouring countries.
DINK collects medical equipment which are no longer required in Australia and sends these to New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and other poorer countries which have great need for this equipment. Such things as hospital beds, dentist chairs, wheel chairs, hospital trolleys and drugs just past their use-by date are all sought by DINK for on-forwarding to grateful recipients in these countries.
Rotary volunteers help pack the collected goods into containers which are then shipped overseas. Each container costs about $2,000.00 to sent overseas and there are always goods awaiting dispatch.
Our club is rostered on a regular basis to help load containers at a building rented from Queensland Health by District 9630 at the Park Centre for Mental Health, Wacol. We always have an extra special effort from all members to assist in this endeavour.
In the past the club has raised money from a levy paid with the dinner dues from members and visitors. The Board of Directors decides each year where to donate these moneys.
Over many years our club has donated thousands of dollars to the Australian Rotary Health Research Fund from moneys raised in the previous year from this levy.
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