November is Rotary Foundation month and one of Rotary's major projects is Polio Plus, so this Bulletin has some important information for us all to learn.
Rotary Meeting on 5th November 2025
Due to illness of a child of Erin Watts – the Youth Support Co-ordinator at Nerang SHS – she was unable to attend at guest speaker on Wednesday evening.
Elaine Williams gave a presentation about the role Erin Watts plays at the school.
The Youth Support coordinator role at many Qld State High Schools is an arrangement between the Wesley Mission ( Brisbane) & State government to support “at risk” students who for various reasons may not be able to complete schooling & are at risk of leaving. The coordinator looks at ways to keep them at school & engaged & thus improve their future employment opportunities.
With the on-going assistance of the Ashmore RC & St. Margarets Church Community Fund – Erin has been able to assist with everything from food, uniform, shoes & school essentials to assist numerous disadvantaged students to remain at school.
A grant that President Rob Deshon obtained of $5,000 for our club to assist the role of Erin Watts has been a massive boost for what has been able to be done to assist these at risk students.
This project of support for this role that Erin undertakes by our club is one of the most important achievements in the local Golds Coast community that our club can be truly proud of and Elaine Williams congratulated all members for their continued support through on-going raffle sales every year.
Rotarian Ken Cowan
This sad photo from 1950 shows children lying in big machines called iron lungs. These machines helped them breathe when polio made their muscles too weak to work. Polio was a scary disease that hurt many children, sometimes leaving them unable to move or breathe on their own.
The iron lung worked by pulling air in and out of the body, helping the lungs move. It saved many lives, but life inside was hard. The children could not move, only their heads, and they needed nurses to help them eat, read, or play.
Everything changed when Dr. Jonas Salk made the polio vaccine in the 1950s. Soon, polio almost disappeared from the world. This photo reminds us how lucky we are today—and how vaccines have saved millions of lives.
✨ Follow for stories where history whispers and hearts still feel. 💫 Mysterious mystery #fblifestyle #History
KIVA - Who we are supporting this fortnight.
Mrs. Tuấn, 49 years old, lives alone in Sầm Sơn City and is the sole provider for her two children, one currently in 12th grade and the other in 8th grade. Having lost her husband early, she has faced many hardships raising her three children and ensuring they receive proper education and care. Despite her strength and determination, life remains challenging for her small family.
She has been selling seafood for over 12 years, yet her income remains unstable, placing her family among the low-income households in her area. This is her fifth loan from Thanh Hóa MFI, which she intends to use to expand her small seafood business. The funds will help her purchase more types of fish and shrimp to resell, increasing both variety and volume. Previous loans have already supported her in improving her living conditions and sustaining her business.
In the future, she hopes for good health, happiness, and a better life for her children.
At 67 years old, Mrs. Hoan lives alone in Quảng Xương District and takes care of her young grandchildren. Their parents work far from home, so the children live with her and rely on her for daily care and support. Despite her age, she continues to work hard to provide for the family’s basic needs.
With more than 20 years of experience as a street vendor, she sells small goods to earn a living. Her household is classified as low-income in the community. She is now seeking her first loan from Thanh Hoa MFI to expand her small business by purchasing more items such as leather wallets, sunglasses, and belts.
In the future, she hopes for good health, happiness, and better income so she can save a little for emergencies and continue caring for her grandchildren
Please RSVP as soon as possible and come and enjoy this event with us.
