Pres Tom welcomed all and called on PP Ann Smith to introduce the guests.

Announcements
Dick Dawes
'Tonight is a disaster'. Not enough takers at the International Event. International News did not get into the correct information stream. We have since heard through live streaming that the event will be outstanding and the weather will be fine. This night is usually the greatest entertainment value of the year. 

The planned night is to be full of of fun and entertainment. The raffle prize is a major holiday - the Royal Orchid holiday. Dick says if you want to know more You'll have to win it.
There will be entertainment. It will be a Thai night. Guests will wear traditional thais (with upturned collars and handkerchiefs to match)? Ladies should carry matching handbags I guess. Silk frocks will go down well. Other dress is optional. All are invited to liven up the evening and Thai one on, designated drivers excepted. Rickshaws to to be ordered in advance.

Dick made some comments about The Board. Not sure if they were complimentary or not.

PP Roger Wescombe
Walk Around The World. net steps on your web page. The club is doing well - we have registered an average of 13 steps. We're pushing for an even fifteen!

The second best Marigold Hotel was good value and better than the official star ratings suggested.

Chris Curtis
Attracted half a dozen enquiries from around the state from the RDU article re the trip to the NTT project. Entries open until the end of March.
Chris hinted at the possibility of sighting dragons and culture.

Adrienne
A bower bird was nesting at Blackmans Park. Now that is a compliment to our bush regeneration skills. Those Bower Birds are known to be selective.

Sergeant
Dick for being too organised and active and making at least some of us look - well - disorganised and inactive.
Tom for being too convivial and full of it (bonhomie I mean) plus wearing trousers to a meeting for the second time in three years.
Phil for not being late? 
Lindsay for resembling the Eveready Man

X fines
Lindsay ... Fined Adrienne re bower birds. Spotted koalas and many dead trees at Cape Otway. 

Tom thanked JP and RC for work on deconstructing and reconstructing the club constitution.  There is no truth to the rumour that the Board will be constructed of sixteen people and that it will have a quota of at least 25% of males.

Bob Cartright
Introduced the eloquent Peter Smith as guest speaker on the subject of Shelterbox.. 
This was Invented by a rotary club in Cornwall, by an ex special services soldier who often operated in regions that were struck by the aftermath of disaster.

Shelter Box started as a millennium project. So far $140 million has been raised for this project at $1000 and over 1 million people have been saved by it from suffering and possible death following earthquake, other natural disasters and wars.
The 'box' contains a multi-compartmented,10 person tent and everything needed for them to live and function as a family that craves normality. Many details have been considered, such as children's learning stationery, cutlery, cooking facilities and other comfort devices that attempts to return the family to at least some sort of normality apart from the survival health devices such as a stove, water purifier etc. 

Peter mentioned that the nominal value of the contents of each box was around $700, including the box itself. [Scribe: all I can say is that the valuer hasn't tried to purchase camping equipment in Oz.]

SBA is affiliated with 19 countries and now becomes the biggest rotary project there is.  
SBA was there in the massive Earthquakes in 2004 and in Pakistan in 2010, Haiti and the Philippines - most massive storm ever known. [Scribe: I believe that in Pakistan, border troops were holding up a very long convoy of other aid organisations but saw the Rotary logo and waved them through].

Also SBA is in Milawe at present with 15 deployment officers.
Gaza Strip receiving SBs
Syria is using SBs with a UN tent for safety reasons so SB is also working with UN.
Niger in Africa - flooding is a problem but the SBs keep the residents dry. Pakistan is also receiving them in very dangerous places [as always].
Also in the Cameroon conflict zone.
North Korea also receiving 400 heavy duty tents because of freezing weather (some were taken aback at supplying the 'Axis of Evil' partner but Rotary represents the oppressed, not the despots. Trained officers, always aware of the potential for corrosion, are present to ensure that the recipients are the victims, not the perpetrators. 
Somalia also receiving them due to conflict displacement.
Still in Phillipines from the storm in 2013 as the area has not yet recovered. This is the greatest storm ever recorded, anywhere. Special appeal of $1 million. 6,000 families already helped out of the 6 million affected. Also deploying school boxes. 
Recently speaking to hundreds of primary school children at St Kevin's. Kids had a mini market that day and presented Peter with $1,000.
90 countries have received SBs in 250 deployments.
Recently Went to Vicroria, Tasmania (Dunally) and also NZ.

How the system works
The organisation comprises 250 volunteers and 100 paid staff globally. They pack them in a giant hangar in Cornwall. They fix entry visas, Arline tickets etc for people world wide.
The deployment officers come from Rotarian resourceful volunteers. After a week in intensive training, eight are accepted, trained in UK. Need to be fit and willing to go to a politically unstable country.
The scene is usually Chaotic on arrival - dead, injured and desperately needing assistance.
They Need to organise logistics - buses, trains, helicopters, etc. get to the right people, not corrupt officials. Average wage is $1 per week in many disaster zones.
They Need to have communication skills. The SB s and teams copies the most Magnificent first response package imaginable.
All Boxes are brand new, never recycled. 3 or 4 feet each side in dimension with 60 litres capacity. 
Designed for extreme climate. Separate rooms inside. Thermal blankets, mosquito nets, bedding, other living utilities. Their Life expectancy is about 3 years.
They are still used in Haiti 10 years on, so sturdy inclusions and construction.
Stove, water purification kits. Babies can sleep in the box, can store water etc.

Boy's question at a school presentation. How to go to toilet?
Answer - naughty boys are chosen to stand around and cover it up to avoid smell.

Finances
Need to do very well when instant response required. $700 of contents plus on costs.
Lane Cove donations saw boxes go to China, Haiti, Madagascar etc.

UK raises $6mill. PA.
Australia raised $1mill in 6 weeks for Haiti disaster.

Fund raising flow
Needed constantly as 6 or 7 disasters already this year. RC Goulburn erected a display in civic centre and attracted donations. The funds are usually donated to assist forward planning for obvious reasons.

Volunteering Important. 3 came from Chatswood District last year. A woman got on the plane for Milawe today.

Full detail on the website.

Questions
A version for 'happy campers'. Girl guides raised $1000. Received redundant gear in return. The Bangor tent is a full commercial version. 
Chris Curtis ... "still in use 4 years after 4 years in Aceh".
JC logos? Out of fashion drugs etc?
RW:  How decide how and where to send them?
Answer:  Officers go into the affected village and communicate with local leader, understand requirements, message back to HQ, ask for deployment of equipment, have the request assessed, then get them out.
Getting them accross swollen rivers, etc, is a major task. Canoes, helicopters used and that is what the deployment officers do.

JP vote of thanks.
Pleasure to have Peter to present tonight. You have been involved since day 1. Your explanation of logistics etc has been first class.
Pres Tom - numbers down for District Conference - get in now.
$55 collected in fines
18 in attendance plus guests.
The raffle was won by Alicia, who generously presented the fine looking vintage to guest speaker Peter.
Evening concluded with Advance Australia Fair statement.