The most obvious local project at this time of the year for the Rotary Club of Ashgrove/The Gap is The Gap Region Instrumental Primary Performers School (GRIPPS), made possible through the sponsorship of many local businesses.

The joint Ashgrove/The Gap Rotary Club and local schools initiative began in 1992 and has grown to be a very exciting and successful annual event.

GRIPPS presents young musicians with an opportunity to develop their musical skills and showcase them to their community in a concert this year at The Gap State High School on Thursday 16 September, 2010

Around 160 children from 13 state and private schools in The Gap/Ashgrove area and surrounding suburbs are selected after a comprehensive auditioning process.

Music and instrumental teachers from many of the schools will join with 15 professional musicians to work with the students and hone their skills, during a four day music camp at The Gap State High School.

Following the camp, students perform every year to a packed house at The Gap State High School auditorium.

Anyone, who has experience one of the concerts, will attest to the outstanding quality of performance that the students achieve during the four day camp.

All members of the community are welcome to attend.

The Rotarians Against Malaria project, working mainly in Papua New Guinea, East Timor and The Solomon Islands, through an ‘Adopt a Village’ program where every member of that village receives an insecticide treated bed net, is aiming to expand its project over the next five years so that everyone in those areas receive a bed net, even in the remotest village.
The supply of these $10 bed nets has reduced the incidence of malaria in the adopted villages by up to 80% and maternal deaths by up to 30%.
RAM may receive research assistance! Researchers have found an enzyme that may prove an effective target for future anti-malarial drugs.
In collaboration with a multinational team, scientists at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research, including Associate Professor Don Gardiner, Dr Katharine Trenholme, and their team, have identified a new way to kill the parasites that cause malaria – a disease that kills over 1 million people every year.
DID YOU KNOW
Malaria has played a major role in history, from stopping Attila the Hun’s invading armies in Rome; to decimating British troops in Holland in 1809, leading to a victory for Napoleon; to causing the deaths of 60,000 U.S. troops (one out of seven deaths) during World War II.
Source: B.S. Kakkilya, Malaria Site: All about malaria, History of Malaria during Wars.
The World Health Organisation recognises 25 April as World Malaria Day, but as this coincides with Anzac Day in Australia, a very important national day of remembrance, 30 April has been selected as Malaria Awareness Day in Australia.
A list of “Rotary Day” celebrations are available on the PIRG Web page at www.rotary.org.

Rotary Australia World Community Service Ltd. (RAWCS) needs just another $2000to complete the construction of a two level Vocational School building in the Solomon Islands’ Western Province.

Vocational School under construction, Solomon Islands

RAWCS volunteers from Rotary clubs in Queensland worked with local community volunteers on a previous visit to complete the concrete base, superstructure, roof and wall frames at the Ghatere Village School at Kolombangere Island.

Timber Cladding, for the walls of the building, will be cut locally and installed by local workers, while window frames and other materials, such as interior sheeting, will be purchased at Gizo and transported to Ghatere to be installed by local workers under the supervision of RAWCS volunteers
This method builds a new school and local skills.

Estimated Cost.
• Materials bought at Gizo and shipped by small boat to Ghatere – A$3500.
• Labour, under supervision of local builder – No Cost.
• Funds donated to date – A$1500.
• Funds required to be raised – A$2000.

Donations.
Donations made payable to “Rotary Aust. World Community Service – Overseas A/c.” are subject to tax deductibility.

Toastmasters District 69 nominated Dr John Arvier, OAM, oral and maxillo-facial surgeon and distinguished Rotarian, to receive a 2009 Communicator and Leader of the Year award.

This award recognises outstanding communication and leadership skills in members of the community outside the Toastmasters organisation.

District 69 Toastmasters particularly recognised Dr Arvier’s communication skills in his presentations made on behalf of Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children (ROMAC) to Rotary clubs and fund raising events, to professional medical bodies to attract support and medical expertise from a wide range of medical peers as well as providing training for doctors and medical schools overseas – overcoming communication barriers of distance, language and social issues.

Toastmasters International presents about seventy Communicator and Leader of the Year awards world wide each year.

The organisation focuses on helping people develop confidence and self esteem, both vital skills for their personal and business lives, through improved communication and leadership skills.

This year Toastmasters is celebrating its 85th anniversary and with more than 250,000 members in 12,000 clubs across 106 countries,

Toastmaster PDG Lesley Storkey presents award to Dr Jihn Arvier

These ShelterBoxes are often the first kind of assistance that people receive in areas stricken by natural disasters so it is important to have stocks available ready to be despatched.

ShelterBoxes enroute

All boxes purchased are given a number so that their ultimate location can be advised back to donors. When the Maleny boxes arrive in a disaster location the Rotary Club of Maleny will make sure that this is publicised so that everyone who generously contributed will know where they are bringing desperately needed support.

The appeal continues, so anyone who wishes to donate for ShelterBox can do so by cheque to Rotary Club of Maleny at PO Box 70, Maleny. A tax receipt for donations of $10 or more can be issued onCommunity