Helen chaired today’s meeting at Cilantro, with Paul conducting Invocation, and Anna the Loyal Toast.  And we were joined by Irina – Anna’s guest for the meeting.  Charles and Peter joined the meeting via Zoom.  
ANZAC Services
Many of our club members joined one of the many ANZAC services held yesterday to commemorate ANZAC Day - at Cheltenham, Bentleigh, Caulfield, Oakleigh, Highett and Dingley.
It was suggested our club should place a wreath at next years’ service at Bentleigh RSL.
Guest Speaker – Alan Brown
Our guest speaker today was Alan Brown from the Rotary Club of Royal Hua Hin in Thailand which is approximately 250 km south of Thailand’s capital Bangkok.  The Rotary club is one of 3 English speaking clubs in Thailand which chartered in 2010 in D3330 which has 103 clubs and 2400 members.  The club has 56 members making it one of the largest in the district and is represented by 17 different nationalities.   Alan is also the Chair of Rotary Thai Australia Intercountry Committee – which serves to promote peace and international understanding between our two countries.   Alan came to talk about one of the club’s projects that supports the Thai Child Development Foundation – a project that commenced in 2004 and founded by a Thai/Dutch family to support and provide medical care and education to underprivileged children and children with disabilities and special needs in remote rural locations in Thailand.  The foundation created the Food Forest Farm that is run using organic and sustainable principles – a profit operating program designed to reduce dependence on donations.    Work on the farm has been extensive and includes community based medical care to children with special needs, a restaurant and farm shop for generating income, and a special school for education.  Students are brought to the school and returned home daily.  The project supports 350 children, and 4 – 5 teachers.  Alan displayed a series of slides demonstrating the activities undertaken at the farm.   Work is ongoing with the building of garden sheds and a school bus garage.  As with many projects designed to support under privileged communities, their needs include volunteers, medical equipment, and books and materials for their education programs.  Thank you Alan for your very informative presentation.  At the conclusion of Alan’s presentation, DGE, Ian Ballantine, proposed a toast to the Rotary Club of Royal Hua Hin.
PRESIDENT ANNOUNCEMENTS – President Glenda
MOTIONS - The following two motions were put to the club members for voting
  1. $10,000 club donation to The Rotary Foundation  Moved: Glenda Stahel.  Seconded: Sue Loeliger.   Motion carried
  2. $5,000 club donation to ARHF – Australian Rotary Health Foundation Moved: Glenda Stahel.  Seconded: Samantha Langridge.  Motion carried
Corporate Membership – Larry is finalizing the model around corporate membership and will present it to the club. Corporate membership dues will be $550 per annum allowing for 1 principle member and 2 alternate members.  Larry will draft new By Laws to enable corporate membership for incorporating into the club’s By Laws.  He will forward the draft to John Mason for review.  So far, 3 local organisations are interested in becoming corporate members.
Frankston House – Launch Housing
President Glenda provided an update on our club’s arrangement with Launch Housing and the club’s house  at 7 Bluegrass Walk, Frankston.    The Affordable Housing Deed with Launch Housing has expired and following a review and having sought legal counsel, the board has voted to terminate the Affordable Housing Deed with Launch Housing.  A motion was put forward to club members, that the Rotary Club of Bentleigh Moorabbin Central Inc. write a letter to Prior Lawyers, McKinnon to issue a letter to Launch Housing providing 90 days’ notice to terminate the Affordable Housing Deed and hand the house back to the club as outlined in the terms of the Deed.    Moved: Glenda Stahel.  Seconded: Helen Nodrum.  Motion carried.
DGE Ian suggested next steps with the house should be deferred until a later date closer to when the time the house is returned to the club.
Rotary Club of South Davao – We have received a written request to become a sister club to the Rotary Club of South Davao in offer of fellowship and pursuit of the goals and objective of Rotary International friendship.  The board recommended that we accept to become a sister club.
CLUB ANNOUNCEMENTS
SES club visit – Peter O commented on the good presentations at SES earlier in the week, and will provide an article for our club’s website.
BMC Bentleigh Market – Helen informed the club that PE Ron Brownlees has stepped down from the Market Leader position for medical reasons.  Peter O’B and Grant will continue to manage the market for the remainder of the Rotary year.
BMC Membership subscriptions – the annual subscription for club membership will remain unchanged at $260.
DGE – IAN BALLANTINE
District Changeover 1 July – DGE Ian reminded club members of District changeover and will for club members to assist.  Linda O’B is preparing the table decorations, and further assistance will be required on the night.
District Conference Warrnambool – March 2024.  – District has a conference committee responsible for running many of the conference events – however, our club BMC is responsible for running the evening event – a dinner dance on Saturday night.  Ian will seek help from club members.
District Assembly  2023– commences Sunday 7 May – this year’s assembly will be conducted online.
CLUB ANNOUNCEMENT DATES – reminders
27 – 31 May 2023 - Rotary International Conference
29 May 2023 - BMC Club Hosting Dinner for RI Conference
27 May 2023 – Marriott 50th Anniversary Celebration Dinner
10 June 2023 – Club fellowship evening at the home of Faye Weeks
24 June 2023 – Club changeover evening
MAHJONG – Sam
Sam commented on the social night playing Mahjong at The Healey where 12 members had a thoroughly good time.  Plans are to have another night playing Mahjong.
SERGEANTS FINES – Sergeant John M.
Sergeant John commenced his session reciting a verse from In Flanders Fields to commemorate Anzac Day.  John referenced the recent passing of Barry Humphries, displaying a brochure showing John imitating Dame Edna Everage in a skit “The Sound of Edna” where he sang “The Highett Waltz” many moons ago.   We wished we were all there!
What is a Sergeant’s session without fines – Collingwood, Melbourne and Essendon supporters were fined for having the temerity to win their footy games!
MEETING CLOSE - President Glenda closed the session thanking our guest speaker, Alan Brown, for his wonderful presentation, and sending everyone off on their way with Engage Rotary.