Bally Barker Blog

Our guest speaker was Andrea Werner , who volunteers as Sports Coordinator at the Special Olympics Sydney Northern Beaches Club. Andrea was accompanied by two local members of the Athletes' Leadership Program, Annalise Fadeev and Fred Pollock .  Andrea has been a volunteer with Special Olympics for 14 years and explained the beginning of the organisation in the US followed by Australia and what people with an intellectual disability can achieve with the right support and opportunity, Annalise Fadeev, Andrea Werner and Fred Pollock Global Movement Special Olympics has grown from a backyard camp into a global movement that has been transforming the lives of people with an intellectual disability for almost 50 years. The global sporting community was pioneered by the late Eunice Kennedy Shriver, sister to US President John F Kennedy as well as Rosemary who had an intellectual disability. Today, Special Olympics supports over 5 million athletes in 177 countries.    Australia was t

Time flies: even during this abnormal year of disruptions, lock-downs and, for some, quarantine.  The club's AGM was held on Tuesday evening with 13 members attending (some via ZOOM)  and 4 apologies. The election of incoming officers was held and all positions have been filled. The President for 2021/22 is Rick Van Brugge - a very popular choice.  Rick has been the club secretary for two years and put in place a number of important improvements to club systems, especially communications.  Rick has also energetically represented the club at cluster meetings and district events and provided valuable input to cluster activities and our club's involvement. President Lindy and President Elect Rick after the meeting Well done Lindy The meeting also acknowledged and congratulated President Lindy for her drive and enthusiasm in what has been a most difficult and unusual first 5 months of Presidency. The club has managed to function effectively with ZOOM and we have successfully held

After disconnecting the ZOOM connection during the presentation (Apologies Lindy),  here is the story. Readership of the club's first 4 months of blogging. 1.  Are we being seen: how many devices (mobile phones, iPads or similar tablets or computers) are looking at us. Reader numbers  to November 21, 2020 2. In the 4 months we have been on line, the number of devices and views have grown. Views are growing over time -we started in August 2020  3. The most popular posts(stories) Awards night was our most popular story,followed by t Cars n'Clues.  4. How did the reader locate our blog The top referring website to our blog was Balgowlah Rotary website, followed by Facebook   5. The Web Address that got to the blog   The major URL (web address) that linked the reader to our blog is from the Club Website   6. Location Note:  If the same device revisits any page it is not counted twice 

Over the last few months, the members, families and very many friends and supporters of   Balgowlah Rotary Club   have collected  123 "handbags"   of many types, shapes and sizes, as well as many hundreds of essential bathroom and sanitary items, for women in crisis. This week we have packed all the   123 bags,   and donated them to the   "It's In The Bag"   drive, run by "Share the Dignity".  All the bags will now be distributed appropriately by their volunteers. Thank you so very much  to all who contributed so generously.  It is an amazing result., that will hopefully bring "a ray of sunshine" to 123 women in great need. Sue . More pictures of the workers:  A letter from the founder and MD of Share the Dignity was received (see story)

Ruby Nelson  - Manly Vale Public School Youth Awards               Piper Harrison - Mackellar Girls Campus Piper thanks the club for her award A moving address by Mayor Michael Regan Ruby Nelson with her proud family members Piper Harrison (center) withe her teacher Emma Adams and proud father Russell Harrison Small Business Awards: Rotarian Graham Evans, Deider Lannoote (Taste of Belgium) and Councellor Stuart Sprott Linda & Nerina Musumeci (Nerina's Bellezza) with Jean Hay AM      Musumeci family                      Frank Ling( Ink & Press cafe) being presented his Small Business Award by Jean Hay AM           Our 4 Small Business Awrdeees- Frank Ling, Matthew Kane, Linda & Nerina Musumeci and Didier Lannoote Pride of Workmanship Stephanie Hopkins (Arranounbai)  Pride of Workmanship Award being presented by AG Beaches, Johanna Johns Glen Hickey (Wakehurst Golf Club) and Johanna Johns                         Stephanie Hopkins  & Glen Hickey Community Service Award