President Peter Smith's Column

Last week – Suzanne Freund spoke to us about mental health and suicide – and provided numerous startling statistics, which I think, were a real “eye opener” for many of us.

During Q&A at the conclusion of Suzanne’s presentation it was asked “where to from here?” and “what can Rotary do to help?” One suggestion, which Suzanne said she had considered, was to involve Rotary at a District level and/or through Australian Rotary Health.

Australian Rotary Health already has a “Mental Illness – Awareness Forums & Mental Health First Aid Course” – but it appears not to fully address the often dreadful finality of suicide – so maybe there is an opportunity to expand that program.

As you are aware Suzanne is employed as a mental health training co-ordinator with the Wesley Mission – and one of their programs – LifeForce – has set up a suicide prevention network, known as “Life Networks” which may also open an opportunity for urban and rural Rotary clubs to become a part of that network?

These networks “are designed to provide a framework for the development of localised suicide prevention. They form an integral part of LifeForce’s aim to educate, empower and resource Australian communities to be aware of the issues of suicide”.

April is ‘Rotary Magazine Month’ and I encourage you to take a few minutes to visit the Rotary Down Under website which contains a wealth of interesting information, including an online edition of the current RDU magazine; archived versions of the magazine; a Rotarians Doing Business database plus much, much more.

Please remember and diarise the following important club activities (see elsewhere for further and better details);

25 April - ANZAC Breakfast at Cape Cabarita

13 May - RYPEN. Drivers needed, see Kevin Beltrame

13 May - Meriden Interact Dance – Chaperones again see Kevin Beltrame

20 May – Rotary Health Hat day” – see Suzanne Freund

29 May - Red Shield Appeal – desperate for drivers

This week/tonight – we are especially pleased to welcome Major Adam Rock as our guest speaker – Adam will talk to us about “ANZAC Day, Kapyong Day and the Army of Today”. Major Rock is currently the Officer Commanding Alpha Company, 3rd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (Parachute). Major Rock will be more formally introduced, this evening, by Rotarian Chris Virgona.

President Pete