RCCBG News Notes (Aug. 08, 2025)

Notes on the Run.

August is Membership Development month in the Rotary calendar, and I hope we can develop a realistic programme to re-build our club over the course of the next few months. With the coming Spring activities, there are abundant opportunities to show-case our community work so I ask every member to keep an eye out for suitable candidates who we might welcome into our Club. We have a lot to offer – social interaction, pride in our achievements, the “good feeling” from doing good in the world, and a sense of strength coming from unity.

We were off to a good start in August last week with an amazing presentation of hardship, survival, adaptation and success showcased by our long time member and true Rotarian, Juris Jacovits. His story is amazing, and a full copy of the story and photos can be accessed at:

This week our esteemed member Dr George Wilson, who has been working too hard supervising Doctorate candidates at the ANU , will give an update on a fascinating story – the extinction and re-discovery of the Parma Wallaby.

Come along, and bring a friend!

Ed.

Last Week's Speaker: Juris Jacovits - A Latvian Odyssey

(This presentation can be viewed on Google Slides at the URLs (3) referred to at the end of this Bulletin)

We were privileged to have our very own Juris speak to us last Thursday about his homeland of Latvia and his life's journey.
Juris was born in 1942 in the middle of WW 2. He had a very difficult childhood, mainly raised by his mother and not really knowing or seeing much of his father.
We learnt many interesting statistics statistics about that country including:
● Latvia being one of the 3 Baltic states - located approx as far north as Scotland.
● They suffered invasion from Russia and Germany during both WW1 and WW2. Germany then removed the Russians in 1942-43.

Saturday 9th: Remembering Hiroshima and Nagasaki -

. Latvian men were conscripted by the Germans in 1943,

.The Russians returned towards the end of the war and many people fled to Poland,

.Every nationality or group behaved in diabolical ways during the war.

At the end of the war Juris and his family ended up in displaced persons camps, either in the French, British or US zones.

Juris' father escaped from his Russian camp and was reunited with his family from 1946-48. He then left for Australia in 1948 and landed in Tasmania - spending time in a sawmill. In 1949 Juris, his mother and sister sailed for Australia aboard the Fairsea to join him.

Juris loved Tasmania, but for family reasons he and his sister ended up in care in Melbourne where they completed high school and Juris attended university. Juris and his family were completely traumatised by all their experiences and sadly during this time Juris' mother died.

After university Juris joined the public service and married Brigitta. They thoroughly enjoyed 3 year postings to Greece and the Philippines and settled comfortably into family life in Canberra and were very involved in Latvian cultural activities.
Since his retirement Juris has continued to enjoy his skiing, becoming involved with the Nusa Tenggara Association through his ANU contacts and visiting Kupang. It was there he met some of our Rotary members and subsequently became a truly valued member in 2006.
Thank you Juris for sharing your life story with us. Liz.

Type caption here

Rembering Hiroshima and Nagasaki last Saturday 9th.

On a cold Saturday morning at Canberra Rotary Peace Bell, Nara Park, a crowd of several hundred participated in a solemn yet encouraging ceremony to remember the victims of the first and only nuclear bombings our world has seen, just over 80 years ago in the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The hour long ceremony was efficiently organised and conducted by the Canberra Rotoractors Club and featured several prominent advocates for peace and songs from the. choir.

The first speaker was His Excellency Mr Suzuki Kazuhiro who reminded us that the suffering of victims was not limited to the immediate aftermath of the bombing, but lingers on through genetic damage caused by irradiation . His point was that we must protect our children and future generations from such evil by lobbying to ban nuclear weapons. Children and teachers from Major Primary School participated and hung origami folded cranes, while moving and inspiring contributions were shared by David Smith MP, Dr Sue Wareham (Medical Ass for the Prevention. of War), Dr Ludmilla Kwitko (Women's League for Peace and Freedom) and Tara Gutman(ICAN). Thanks to Warrick and Michael for helping make it happen.

Meet our NYSF candidate -

Jack Falconer and Year 12 student , was our guest on Thursday. He will be partly sponsored by our Club at the annual NYSF school at the end of the year. His current loves are Chemistry and Physics and he wants to explore a research opportunity post university.

Jack promised to return after the camp and talk to us about his experiences.

Ed.

Click Me!

Coming up:

Date:	Chair:	Guest:	Member to propose Toast to Rotary, introduce guest, Thank, Write Up for Bulletin
14^h August	Bill	Dr George Wilson – Extinction and Re-discovery: The Parma wallabies.	Neil
21^rd August	Bill	Lunch at the Red Shed, Black Mountain Peninsular – discussion about distribution of Community funds.
28^h	Bill	Warrick Wright – Celebrate our Wattle	Astrida
4^th September	Eric Eric will be away week 2 and 3 of September)	Dr Richard Pembury – Blood Transfusions	John

Also coming up:

The Candle Festival at Canberra Nara Peace Park is fast approaching on Saturday 25^th October. Make a note in your diary as we will need all hands-on deck to help with the sale of millions of Ninga Sausages, Beer, Wine and Sake, and Taiyaki pancakes from about 3.00pm to 9.30pm

Google Slides reference to Juris Jacovits presentation: A Latvian Odyssey

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1N2S8lnD6wsNVrmh5Cu-5At9zl0j9SEKO/edit?usp=share_link&ouid=117583569658873260047&rtpof=true&sd=true

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1M0ngQZC2G0NksgaobcBQceIAxIbwvUWT/edit?usp=share_link&ouid=117583569658873260047&rtpof=true&sd=true

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1N2S8lnD6wsNVrmh5Cu-5At9zl0j9SEKO/edit?usp=share_link&ouid=117583569658873260047&rtpof=true&sd=true

Joke corner

Bill's father rented a dinner suit for a Rotary convention. The tuxedo came with an untied Bowtie and he didn't know how to tie it. Just taking a chance he knocked on his hotel's next door and there was a guy there.

- Excuse me, can you help me tie my tie?

- Sure. Just lie down on the bed.

The grandfather wasn't sure what he was getting into, but he wanted to have the tie on.

So he lay down on the bed as he was said, and the guy tied a perfect bow tie knot.

Quite reasonably the grandfather asked, - Thank you, but why did I have to lie down on the bed?

The guy said, - I'm an undertaker. That's really the only way I know how to do it.

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