Guest Speaker: Jeff Swain President, President Alexandra/Yea/Mansfield Legacy group.
 
Jeff gave a most enlightening address about the background to Legacy’s formation, its current status, related veteran organisations and the many challenges facing Legacy.
 (NB  Maj. Gellibrand who was the  founder of the Spirit of Legacy-the genesis of the current Legacy is buried in the Yea cemetery).
Jeff gave a most enlightening address about the background to Legacy’s formation, (NB  Maj. Gellibrand who was the  founder of the Spirit of Legacy-the genesis of the current Legacy is buried in the Yea cemetery) and its current status including data about local recipients of Legacy care. Jeff outlined a number of related veteran organisations and how Legacy interacts with them. With declining  Legatee numbers and increasing Legatee age there are many challenges facing Legacy. Jeff said leadership experience could be gained by younger Rotary members undertaking committee roles with Legacy. In the not too distant future, if Legacy ‘gracefully disappears’ community organisations such as Rotary and perhaps the Murrindindi Shire could step in to provide community support to veterans and their dependents that Legacy currently provides.  Rotarian Bob Dewar thanked Jeff and  mentioned the exemplary care that his own mother, along with countless other families have received from Legacy.
 
 
 
Our 3 minuter  Patti Sichlau spoke of the role of Giant African Pouched Rats in detecting unexploded land mines. The rats are very intelligent and at 7 months are ready for work. They are able to detect mines in 20 minutes compared with humans using dogs which may take up to 5 days. In 2017 Mozambique was declared mine free after the rats detected 170,000 mines.  With 100 million unexploded mines world wide the rats will be needed for many years to come.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Kimberley, our exchange student, reported on her busy life over the past few weeks with school friendships, Dookie YE weekend and Rotary members’ hospitality. Kimberley is looking forward to the  upcoming school holidays which includes horse riding with the de Castella family, visiting the Great Ocean Rd with host Mum Sandra and going to Echuca with the Lynches.
 
 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
 
 
 
Kimberley and Thea       

            Janet Troup conducting the Sergeant's Session
 
       Yea Wetlands' Catering Group