John playing Scotland the Brave with Judy playing one key
Members enjoyed a trip down memory lane with John Rando at last week's meeting. Well-known around Perth as a defence lawyer, John spoke of his early days as a young Italian migrant who spoke no English when he arrived in Perth.
John told us about the most important life lesson he learnt was while he was at school. He was in group of students who were taken swimming. The students were asked if they could swim and, even though he didn't understand the question due to his limited English, because everyone else said yes, so did John. When they jumped into the water, he sank to the bottom and needed to be rescued. The lesson learnt - don't answer a question unless you understand the question.
Although he had many difficulties at school and had to sit a supplementary exam to achieve his matriculation certificate, he went on to study and practice law.
He thinks his interest in the law was piqued by discrimination suffered by his father. John told the story of his dad working as a dishwasher at the Adelphi Hotel and catching the last bus home to Mount Hawthorn each night after his shift. The bus driver often sped up and passed the bus stop when he saw John's father and left him to walk home. One night, John's father had had enough and caught a cab so he could be dropped at another bus stop in front of the bus. This time the driver picked him up and he forcefully made the driver take the bus (and its passengers) to the East Perth police station so they could sort out the driver. John's dad was almost arrested for kidnapping.
John has been playing music since high school days, and he usually plays piano accordion and keyboards. After his talk he produced his piano accordion and entertained us with a rousing version of Scotland the Brave.
Members enjoyed meeting Jon and his wife Dianne and would welcome them back for another chat.
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Tuesday's speaker is Darlene Sullivan, and her topic is Are You Planning On Having Kids? My career with the Western Australia Police Force.
She will discuss my journey from a shy, skinny kid from the northern suburbs, to Police Officer of 37 and half years, a job considered completely out of left field for me. I will outline my police career, where I worked, tell some war stories and describe the challenges faced as a woman police officer in the late 80’s, early 90’s. I will also explain the question “Are you planning on having kids?”
A reminder that Jane is on roster for bulletin article and Judy is student host.
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Click on the image above to watch the ABC video featuring Dr Grey Coupland
Watch the short video above and read this interesting information about the Tiny Forest Movement which the club intends to be part of in the coming months. We will be working with Dr Coupland.
Tiny forests are sprouting up around Australia in spaces as small as just a few square metres. Because of the way they're created, these forests can mature in 10 to 20 years — instead of 100 — potentially bringing big benefits to our suburbs where tree canopy is dwindling.
Perth ecologist Dr Grey Coupland has been researching the concept and sees huge potential. "I thought this is actually a really, really useful method for rapid urban greening," she said.
We have low canopy cover and we have an urban heat sink problem."
The pocket forests are grown using the Miyawaki method, created by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki in the 1970s.
So how do they work?
The tiny forests follow three main principles - "Soil preparation is really important because in urban areas we don't have much life in the soil and it's often low in nutrients as well," Dr Coupland said.
Have you booked for the District Conference in Northam yet - 13-15th March. Join Jane, Donna and me for an interesting weekend.
Check the program below to a list of guest speakers and activities (may be subject to some minor changes).
After the discussion at the club's AGM, have a read of another article from the September/October edition of Rotary Down Under. The RC of Scarborough has turned vision into action achieving outstanding membership growth. I'm hoping to have Darren come and talk to members before our club forum early next year.
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