Rotaract Club of Swinburne Sarawak

Salvation Army Charity Sales

2007-12-17T11:28:00.000+08:00

Salvation Army Charity Sales

On the 31 August 2007, Independence Day, our club, Rotaract Club of Swinburne University joined in the charity sale which was organized by the salvation army. the sale was from 0800am till 1200 noon.

At 0730am, all the board member arrived to set up the stall. By 0830am, which was the official opening for the charity sale and also the arrival of VIPs to officially open the charity sale. By that time, our sale was running smoothly. By 0930am, we almost finish selling our things which was dragon fruit.

Before we know it, our dragon fruit were sold out. After that, the tickets which was also the money were passed to the office to be counted. We manage to raise RM502 from the sales and it was a great success. Thanks to the hard work of all the members.

Prepared by,

Foo Yung Kenn,

Community Service Director 2007/2008

6th Club Installation

2007-10-05T08:50:00.000+08:00

12th August 2007

Our club 6th Installation was held at Kuching Park Hotel, Kuching, Sarawak. The theme for the night was "Rotaract Night", to assured that Rotaractors always have a say in everything they do as well as to have a wonderfull time during service as a Rotaractor.

The Guest of Honour for this installation were AG PP Patrick Panai, President Leslie Phuan with spouse, Honour Secretary as well as Rotarians from our parent club, Rotary Club Of Kuching Central accompanied by our club advisor, Rtn. Fazdlli Amin whom is also the reprensentative for our university's Pro Vice Chancellor, Professor Elmut. The MCs for the night were Rtr. Abere Gordon and Rtr. Ong Chai Tyng.

MCs for the Night

Rotarians and Guests

The night started with the toasting and after that were the video presentation from the past year projects and achievement of the outgoing board members. Apart from that, there were also performance by the outgoing and incoming president accompanied by guitarist the whom is also the incoming vice president, Rtr. Vyner Voon. Furthermore, there were also the encouraging speeches from the invited guests as well as from the pro vice chancellor of Swinburne.

The night continue with lucky draws as well as further performances by the rotaractors as well as the guest. Towards the end, everyone was full and getting ready to go but for the new Board of Directors, they hard work just begin and for the next term. All the best to the new Board of Directors.

THE AMAZING HUNT 3

2007-04-01T21:11:00.000+08:00

Hi guys, the Amazing Hunt 3 is finally here!! Get ready to challenge yourself both physically and mentally as you race around Sarawak Cultural Village in this scavenger hunt event!! Details as follows:

Date: 14th April 2007 (Saturday of Week 7)
Venue: Sarawak Cultural Village
Grand Prize RM250 cash
2nd Prize RM150 cash
3rd Prize RM100 cash

You can download the registration form here: http://www.geocities.com/racswinburne/AH3form.pdf

Rules and information *

Each team must have at least one (1) international student and one (1) girl.
Registration fee of RM60 per team is inclusive of the entrance fee to Sarawak Cultural Village.
Own transportation to Sarawak Cultural Village is preferable.
You are responsible for your own safety and personal belongings throughout the event.
Please print and fill up this form, and submit together with the registration fee to President Michael at the following times in Room 0.09

5^th April 2007 (Thursday) 1.30pm to 5.30pm

6^th April 2007 (Friday) 1.30pm to 4.30pm

9^th April 2007 (Monday) 10.30am to 1.30pm

Closing date for registration is 9^th April 2007.
Maximum of 10 teams, first come first serve basis.

* If you have any queries, please contact Michael Francis Villarin (016-8828299) or email us at racswinburne@gmail.com

So what are you waiting for? Let the hunt begin!!!

Salvation Army Charity Sale 2006

2007-03-11T17:26:00.000+08:00

31st August 2006

The Annual Salvation Army Charity Sale was held at the Boys' Home at Jalan Ban Hock. Our club was up and early, setting up the booth. This year, we sold 2 types of drinks, longan with cincau and Orange sunshine, which was orange cordial with sago. We also sold mix-packs of chili cornflakes and nuts.

Our chefs at work :D

The BOD turned up in full force to help sell the drinks and snacks. They could be seen going around the sales area, promoting the drinks and selling to the members of the public. The Rotarians were also very supportive and bought many cups from us. We closed shop at about 11am and managed to collect about RM250. This was all given to the Salvation Army to help fund their operations. Though the members were tired and sweaty (with several suffering from sore throats from promoting too much), they enjoyed using their Merdeka morning to help a good cause.

Handover of Books to SK Sg. Maong Hilir

2007-03-11T17:01:00.000+08:00

16th August 2006

Our club's Books for Sarawak Rural Schools Project, organized jointly with 3 other Interact Clubs in Kuching managed to raise approximately RM5000, to be divided between 2 rural primary schools in the form of books. On the morning of the 16th of August, 7 of our BOD, accompanied by Mr. Fadzilli headed over to SK Sg. Maong Hilir to handover the books.

Upon our arrival at the school, we were warmly greeted by the school principal, En. Mahmud, and the eagerly waiting schoolchildren. There were approximately 50 children from Primary 5 and Primary 6. All of us felt like teachers as they greeted us in unison. The event started off with a short speech by Mr. Fadzilli, who explained the purpose of our project to both the teachers and the students. He also stressed the importance of literacy amongst students.

Next, the students were divided into 7 groups, each to be led by a Rotaractor. Each group then chose a book and the Rotaractors read aloud to their groups. The students were also given opportunities to read to their groups. Plenty of laughter was to be heard throughout the room, and even the teachers couldn't help smiling at the antics of some of the Rotaractors. Just before school dismissal, the Rotaractors gave out stationery gift sets to all the students present. They also handed out pens and notepads sponsored by Swinburne's Marketing Department.

Rtr. Edison entertaining the students

En. Mahmud then invited the Rotaractors and Mr. Fadzilli for a simple tea in the library. Over Milo and kueh, the Rotaractors were given some suggestions from En. Mahmud about future activities to help the students of the school. They were also able to view the library's collection, which was quite small. As such, they all felt happy that the library would benefit from the project's contribution. It was indeed an exciting and happy occasion for both the students and the Rotaractors. It was a great feeling to see the students' happy smiles and to know that their efforts were worth all the time and sweat.

Lots of happy smiles! =D

The Rotaract Club of Swinburne Sarawak hopes to have more activities that would benefit the students of SK Sg. Maong Hilir, in the coming year.

Awards & Achievements of 2005/2006

2006-09-24T15:10:00.000+08:00

The past year was a rather eventful and busy one for the club. However, we are glad to say that all our efforts paid off, as we managed to achieve several awards and achievements, which we have never received/achieved before.

These awards/achievements would not have been possible without everyone's help. The club would like to thank Mr. Fadzilli for his guidance and help, the staff of Swinburne and the Rotarians of our parent club, the Rotary Club of Kuching Central for their support and advice. Most of all, we would like to thank all our members for their continuous support of all our activities.

Congratulations to the BOD of 2005/2006 for their success! We wish the new BOD the very best of luck in their future activities, we are sure they can do just as well, if not even better.

Here is the complete list of awards and achievements:

1. Rotary International
- 2005/2006 Rotaract Presidential Citation (our 1st ever!)
- 2005/2006 World Rotaract Week Celebration Recognition (our 1st ever!)

2. 2005-2006 Rotaract District Awards (reinstated in 2005/2006)
- Outstanding Community Service Project for 'Books Collecting for Sarawak Rural Schools' (also another 1st!)

3. 2006-2007 Rotaract District 3310 Team (1st time our club members were asked to join)
- District Bulletin Director: VP Michael F. Villarin
- Zonal Representative (Zone 4, Sarawak) : IPP Andrea Chan

4. Swinburne Sarawak Student Council (SSSC) Club Awards 2005 (1st year organized)
- Most Popular Club (as voted by students)
- Best Club Administration
- Best Club President (2nd Place)

5. Swinburne Day One Club Exhibition
- Best Club Booth (3rd Place)

5th Club Installation

2006-09-10T00:22:00.000+08:00

28th July 2006

Our club’s 5^th Installation was held at Rajah Court Hotel, Kuching, Sarawak. The theme for the night was “The Rotaract Awards Ceremony”, to acknowledge and recognize our members who have been outstanding throughout the Rotaract year in true Academy award fashion.

The Guests of Honour for this installation were AG PP Dr. John Chan, President Chai Ko Jee of our parent club, the Rotary Club of Kuching Central and a representative of our university’s Pro Vice Chancellor, Professor David Booth. The MCs for the night were Rtr. Edison and Rtr. Gabriella, who provided the Oscar-esque atmosphere for the whole night.

Waiting for the start of the Installation

The night started with the showing of a “movie trailer” which showcased our achievements and activities for the past year, complete with grand Oscar winning music. After the enlightening speech by President Andrea Chan, the outgoing Board of Directors were given the recognition they truly deserved by receiving certificates of appreciation as well as BOD pins. After that, we were treated to Rtr. Edison’s rendition of “Incomplete” to start off the entertainment for the night.

The first award to be given out was “Best Attendance”. This was to reward the BOD member with the best attendance for BOD meetings. 3 candidates were nominated and Rtr. Chai Pui Ching walked away with the award, but not before giving a thank you speech such as the tradition for such award ceremonies. The next category, “Best Comedic Performance” was to choose the BOD member who provided the most comedic relief throughout the year. This was won by Rtr. Michael Villarin, who gave a thank you speech that proved he deserved the award.

Michael FV, Best Comedic Performance

Following the introduction and installation of the incoming president, Michael Kuan, the incoming Board of Directors were officially installed. He then gave a speech regarding the goals and achievements that he has in mind for the new Rotaract year. President Chai Ko Jee, one of our guests of honour, also gave his words of encouragement and wisdom to the newly installed BOD.

It's finally over to you!

Guests of Honour congratulating President Michael Kuan

After our guest performer, Tasha entertained the crowd with an Avril Lavigne song, it was time for the next award, which was “Best Newcomer”. This award was given to the “Best New Member” for the past year, and it was won by Rtr. Foo Yung Kenn, who was pleasantly surprised to receive the award.

As is true to Oscar fashion, the 2 best awards of the night, namely “Best Female Rotaractor” and “Best Male Rotaractor” were saved for last. Rtr. Indah impressed the panel of judges with her hard work throughout the year and won the award for Best Female. However, she was unable to attend. But her thank you speech was still conveyed via a video clip which was recorded earlier. (And not a “live video feed” as it was popularly believed). Rtr. Ngawang Chime Kho won the award for Best Male, this was evident through his contributions and dedication throughout the year.

Rtn. Advisor Mr. Fadzlli Amin gave a speech on behalf of Professor David Booth, congratulating the outgoing BOD on the achievements for the past year. AG PP Dr. John Chan graced the stage next, giving further words of encouragement and advice for the coming year.

With that, the evening drew to a close. Everyone enjoyed the atmospheric night, and had a taste of what it would be like to attend an Academy Awards ceremony. With renewed commitment, the new BOD is ready to “Lead the Way” and achieve great heights in the coming year.

The new BOD for 2006-2007

2006 Rotaract District Assembly

2006-08-29T20:26:00.000+08:00

14th-15th July

The 2006 Rotaract District Assembly was held at Republic Polytechnic, Singapore. The event was jointly organized by Rotaract Clubs of Republic Polytechnic and Singapore West. Our club sent 5 delegates to attend the assembly: Andrea (Immediate Past President), Michael Villarin(Vice President), Charllene (Director of International Service), Judieth (Vice Secretary) and Aaron (Director of Community Service).

After registering and settling down on the first day, a PETS (President elect training Seminar) was held and conducted by DRR Zack and IPDRR Audrey. Both of them gave an interesting talk on the roles and responsibilities of a President, and also valuable insight on leading a Rotaract club. It was truly a beneficial session for all the participants.

The opening ceremony was held the next day, with the Guest of Honour being our District Governor, Dr. Wu Dar Ching.The new District team was installed, and our club is proud of the 2 members who were elected into this year's District team(Andrea as ZR for Zone 4, and Michael Villarin as Bulletin Director). The winners of the Rotaract District Awards were also announced during the opening ceremony, and our club managed to win the award for Outstanding Community Service Project with our "Books Collecting for Rural Schools" project.

2006-2007 District Team with DG Dr. Wu

The workshops were conducted in the afternoon, with each workshop catering to a specific post in Rotaract. Workshops for Presidents, Secretaries, Treasurers as well as Directors for the 4 Avenues of Service were conducted by experienced and dedicated Rotarians and Rotaractors. It was indeed a very knowledgeable and beneficial session for all our members.

The Malaysian contingent

Our members would like to congratulate the Rotaract Clubs of Republic Polytechnic and Singapore West for a job well done in organizing the event. We would also like to thank the Rotaractors who hosted our members graciously during the Assembly and also the knowledgeable Rotarians for their valuable advice. Hope to see you guys soon!

Swinburne contingent with our award

InteRota Zone Assembly 2006

2006-08-13T23:51:00.000+08:00

30th June-2nd July

The InteRota Zone Assembly 2006 was hosted by RAC Curtin Miri and our club was represented by IPP Andrea and President Michael Kuan. Upon arrival at Miri, we were greeted warmly by the Rotaractors of Miri and also from RAC Sibu. Later in the afternoon, we met the Interactors from Miri, as we settled into our accomodation, the newly completed Curtin Villa, terrace houses meant for Curtin students. There were about 40 Interactors and 10 Rotaractors in total and we were brought on a campus tour of Curtin. Then, we headed off to Tanjung Selera, a public park with a beach. The Interactors were divided into groups and played some ice breaking games while the Rotaractors were able to walk around. This was followed by a simple dinner at one of the stalls.

The 2nd day started off with the Opening Ceremony, where the Dean of Curtin and Dato Lau Siu Wai, Honorary Rotarian for RC Miri, officiated. Dato Lau, who also sponsored the accomodation, gave a very interesting talk on 'Key to Success'. Next, IPP Andrea as the Zonal Representative of Zone 4, presented a session on Rotaract at the different levels. After lunch, the participants were divided into various groups, as per their posts. Each group was led by an experienced Rotarian and they were taught on their responsibilities in the upcoming year. The Rotaract Presidents attended the Zonal Meeting while the Interactors played some games and rehearsed for their performances for the Closing Ceremony.

Getting ready to start the Assembly

Dinner was a sort-of barbecue at Curtin Villa. The Interactors were busy preparing for their performances while the Rotaractors got to know one another better. Fellowship also included a last minute rush trip to watch the England VS Portugal match in town. Some of the Interactors tagged along for a simple but exciting night.

Interactors enjoying themselves

Despite the late night, everyone woke up early and headed to the Miri Home for the Aged. The different groups took on different tasks in the garden and inside the main hall. The garden was weeded and neatened while the main hall received a new coat of paint. A group photo was taken with the grateful residents of the home. Everyone went back to Curtin for a quick lunch and attended the rest of the sessions, which included idea-generating and an informative forum.

It's not easy battling stubborn weeds

Upon reaching Curtin Villa, everyone rushed to get ready for RAC Curtin's Installation and Closing Ceremony at Dynasty Hotel. The event was filled with laughter as the different groups presented their performances, which were all very interesting and pretty good, considering the time given. AG Bong from RC Bintulu stole the show with his great song and dance impromptu act. Overall, it was a rather good learning experience. We learned a lot and made several new friends, and had some great fellowship together. We hope to be able to repay the favour soon.

All the Rotaractors, except from Sibu (who went back earlier)

5th Installation

2006-07-24T00:46:00.000+08:00

Our club will be having its 5th Installation on the 28th of July 2006. Everyone is invited to come join us for a night of fun awards, performances and more. Here are the details:

Date: 28th July 2006, Friday
Venue: Rajah Court Hotel
Time: 6.30pm
Theme: The Rotaract Awards Ceremony
Dresscode: Red Carpet Formal
Ticket price: RM30

Please contact Michael FV at 016-8828299 or Michael Kuan at 012-8087933 for more details or to get your tickets.

BBQ Fellowship Dinner

2006-06-03T15:43:00.000+08:00

We regret to announce that the BBQ Fellowship Dinner on the 10th of June will be postponed to July. This is due to the upcoming exams on the 19th of June. We feel that our members would be more free after the exams, and would also be able to enjoy the dinner more then.

We will post the new date together with the location and other details upon confirmation.

We regret any inconveniences caused.

Thank you!

Joint Fellowship Trip to Bako

2006-05-27T17:56:00.000+08:00

20th-21st May 2006

A joint fellowship trip to Bako National Park was organized together with the Explorers Club and Photomedia & Design Club of Swinburne. A total of 27 students and advisors from all 3 clubs participated in the trip. The journey started with a short bus trip from Swinburne to Kampung Bako, a small fishing village. A refreshing 20-minute speedboat ride brought everyone from Bako River, through the South China Sea and to the doorstep of the park.

Just before setting off

King Kong's Skull Island in Kuching?

After checking-in and stowing the luggage, the participants then set off on the Teluk Pandan Kecil trail, one of the most popular trails, with a distance of roughly 2.5-3km away from the Park Headquarters. The 3 hour trek was like being in different countries with different climates, as the type of forestation changed along the way. From beach vegetation, mangrove trees, mixed Dipterocarp forest, the scenery gradually moved to heath and cliff vegetation. At times, it was easy for one to feel that they were in Africa or in the highlands somewhere. The long journey was worth it, when the trail ended at a steep cliff, where a spectacular sight met us. A small, secluded and pristine beach lay beneath the cliff, with the blue-green waters of the South China Sea gently lapping at the cliffs. The famous Sea Stack, a free-standing giant rock carved out by the waves over time, stood just off to the side.

Are we in Australia?

The spectacular view literally at our feet

Leaving our giant mark in Paradise, as seen from the cliff top

The participants eagerly went for a dip in the cool waters, after a long and sweaty trek. Some were busy leaving their marks in the sand, while others ate a late lunch. After a short rest, it was time to leave paradise and head back to headquarters. It was a fairly uneventful trip back, except for getting slightly lost once, a few headaches and one club president slipping and falling turtle-style. Upon reaching the hostels the clubs had booked, there were even more adventures. Long-tailed macaques(monkeys) eyed us (or our belongings) with keen interest. Good-natured Borneo bearded pigs looked for food outside our rooms, while waving their tails at the excited members.

A friendly Mr. Tongs, one of the resident bearded pigs

Beautiful sunset from the main beach of Bako

Dinner was a simple affair, either taken at the canteen or self-made sandwiches and cup noodles. Members were free to relax and many took the chance to walk down to the beach where they were greeted by a breathtaking sunset view. The nighttime sky was equally majestic with thousands of twinkling stars and fireflies. There was even a sighting of a shooting star.

The beach telematch in the morning was postponed due to heavy rain, but once it got underway, there was plenty of laughter. There was a sack race where everyone looked awkward jumping and ended up covered with leftover flour from the sacks. A water balloon throw-and-catch was the highlight, where most participants seemed more eager to get their friends wet rather than winning. The telematch ended with a water fight with the organizers running for cover from the rampaging participants.

Water balloons away!

After packing quickly and cleaning up, the members were ready for the return boat trip. A slight diversion was caused by a naughty monkey who carried out a Mission-Impossible type heist and carried off a new jar of peanut butter and chocolate spread. It then proceeded to taunt the members by opening and eating it in front of them, while sitting safely on the roof. Leaving the monkey to it, the members then headed for the jetty and boarded the boats for the journey home. It had been a tiring but memorable trip, with lots of sweat and laughter. There were eye-opening views and new experiences that would always be thought of fondly.

Mission accomplished: Peanut butter and chocolate spread acquired

Workshop on CV Writing & Interview Skills

2006-05-27T01:40:00.000+08:00

6th May 2006

A workshop on CV Writing & Interview Skills was organized on the 6^th of May 2006. Mdm. Christina Yin, an experienced lecturer of business and workplace skills in Swinburne conducted the workshop of approximately 25 students from the various courses. As the workshop was conducted in a computer lab, participants were given hands-on lessons on how to write a more effective type of CV.

One of the volunteers being interviewed

A brief guideline of what employers looked for in a CV as well as a future employee was also explained, with interesting real-life examples. Participants were taught on how to properly present themselves in job interviews, with tips on how to answer common and tricky questions. Together with Dr. Dennis Wong, the Engineering lecturer in charge of the Industrial-Based Learning programme, Mdm. Christina then conducted 3 mock job interviews, with one participant each from the Engineering, Business and Multimedia courses taking part. The pros and cons of each interview were pointed out for both the interviewee and audience’s benefit. The participants all agreed that it was a very beneficial and informative workshop that would help them greatly in applying for jobs after graduating or for industrial placement

Mdm. Christina & Dr. Dennis serious about interviewing

Thank you for your efforts!

2nd General Meeting

2006-05-27T01:19:00.000+08:00

28th April 2006

The club’s 2^nd General Meeting was held at 1pm at one of the lecture halls. The President started off by reviewing the past activities of the semester so far, as well as the upcoming activities of the club. Members were also informed about the district’s upcoming activities, such as the District Assembly, Zone 4 Assembly and more.

Next, members were asked to volunteer to help organize the club’s BBQ and steamboat Fellowship Dinner in June. 3 members signed up and were briefed on what to do. The meeting was concluded and members were given the opportunity to sign up for the Workshop on CV Writing & Interview Skills and the Joint Fellowship Trip.

Official Launching of New Club Logo

2006-04-17T21:39:00.000+08:00

15th April 2006

The club's new logo was launched at the 1st Official Members' Induction Ceremony of 2006. The new logo was designed by Rtr. Serena Sim, the club's Director of Information and Communication, who is also a multimedia student of Swinburne.

Our brand new logo

The basis of the logo comes from both the Rotaract and the Swinburne logo. The cinquefoil (flower) is done in yellow with a black outline, as these are Swinburne Sarawak official colours. The cinquefoil actually originates from the Swinburne family's coat of arms. Swinburne University of Technology is unique in the sense that there are still ties with the family of George Swinburne, the founder of Swinburne, and this is shown by the use of the coat of arms.

It is hoped that this new logo will be able to distinguish the club, its achievements and its future projects. The club hopes that they will be instantly identifiable by the logo, and such, it will be used in all documents and publicity.

1st Official Members' Induction Ceremony of 2006

2006-04-17T20:54:00.000+08:00

15th April 2006

The 1st Official Members' Induction Ceremony was held to induct and officially welcome the new members to the club. The ceremony was graced by PE Chai Ko Jee, PP Frankie Yang, the President Elect and the Service to New Generations Director of Rotary Club of Kuching Central respectively, Rtn. Fadzilli, Club Advisor and Mr. Yap Kiam Leong, the Finance & Administration Manager of Swinburne University.

A total of 45 new members who had met the club's requirements, were inducted at the ceremony. It started off with a welcoming speech by President Andrea, followed by the Inductor's pledge. The new members responded by reciting the Inducting pledge and promised to uphold the name of the club, Rotaract and also to continue in Rotaract's activities. They were then presented with induction certificates, witnessed by the 3 guests of honour.

New members reciting the pledge

Congratulations!

Next, the club's new logo was launched by President Andrea, PE Ko Jee, PP Frankie and Mr. Yap. At the same time, the club blog was shown. Everyone was invited to visit it frequently, as it would be updated with the newest reports and activity announcements. The ceremony ended with a group photo.

Everything new - banner & logo

Our family keeps growing :D

LOTR trilogy movie screening

2006-04-15T00:39:00.000+08:00

17th, 24th, 31st March 2006

A free movie screening was held for our members and students of Swinburne recently. As voted by the students and members during the general meeting, The Lord Of the Rings trilogy was shown. The screening was held every Friday night starting from 17th March until 31st March at one of our University's lecture halls.

Quite a number of people attended the screening, as the version shown was the extended version which had extra scenes not shown in the cinema. Snacks were provided and everyone was encouraged to bring their favourite tit bits as well. The cinematic atmosphere was well emulated with the use of the lecture hall's LCD projector giving a nice 'big screen' effect to the movie.

Moviegoers thoroughly enjoyed themselves as they relived their favourite moments of the trilogy. Everyone had fun during this movie screening, which is the first our Rotaract Club has organised but it will not be the last.

Peter Jackson's Epic Trilogy-- Relived in Swinburne!

Ice Age 2 Charity Movie Premiere

2006-04-15T00:14:00.000+08:00

30th March 2006

On the 30th of March 2006, the Rotaract Club of Swinburne Sarawak held a charity movie premiere of the family animated feature film 'Ice Age 2' at Star Cineplex Kuching. The premiere was jointly organized together with the Interact Clubs of SMK Kuching Town No.1, SMK Kuching High, SMK St. Joseph Kuching and the Rotary Club of Kuching Central.

Ice Age 2: The Meltdown

Guests waiting excitedly for the start of the movie

The members of the participating clubs and schools were very supportive and turned up in full force at the premiere. All the guests were impressed with the handbook that had been printed in conjunction with the premiere. They also agreed that the movie was highly entertaining and well worth the money.

Scrat, the most unlucky but also most popular character

Approximately RM5,600 was raised to promote literacy and reading in two rural primary schools on the outskirts of Kuching, Sarawak. The proceeds of the premiere would be used to purchase new and suitable reading material to be contributed at a later date to the primary schoolchildren.

4th Club Gathering

2006-04-05T17:44:00.000+08:00

25th March 2006

The 4th Club Gathering was attended by approximately 20 BOD and prospective members. The afternoon was dedicated to fun and games to promote fellowship and Rotaract amongst the new students. There was lots of laughter as the games started off with 'What's your favourite pet?' where everyone had to draw their favourite or ideal pet on pieces of paper. The drawings were randomly given out and had to be matched back to the owner. The person holding the drawing would have to introduce themselves to the owner and get to know them better.

Next, it was 'Backfire!'. Everyone was required to write down an action they wanted to be carried out, and the slips of paper were returned to Charllene, the Games Mistress for the day. She then asked people questions such as 'Who do you think has the potential to be a good singer?' The person they named, would then have to carry out the action that he or she wrote down, thus the name 'Backfire'. It was especially interesting to see the crazy actions suggested by the more naughty people of the group, being carried out by themselves. Kind of like 'a taste of their own medicine'.

Edison kissing his new wife, after a successful proposal

Mike: Do u Charllene, want to buy this handful of air?

RAC Swinburne's award-winning monkey

And of course, there was the infamous traditional Rotaract game, 'Lap Dance'. Charllene asked a series of questions, and those found the question applicable to them, would move a step to the right or left as instructed. If the seat was occupied by someone else, then the person on top would just take a seat, on their lap! This led to many pile-ups and traffic-jams all through the circle. Finally, after a lot of squashed legs and human sandwiches, Edison Ho, managed to reach his own chair and was awarded a hamper for his efforts.

The last game was 'Charades' and the participants were divided into 4 groups. Each group took turns to send a representative to act out movie scenes or titles and the rest of the group would guess. There were some hits and misses as each representative had their own version of the movie.

The winning group for Charades

Before the prize-giving ceremony, President Andrea gave a short presentation to remind the prospective members about the upcoming activities over the next 2 months. Hampers were then given out to the deserving winners and a group photo was taken. Overall, it was a fun but tiring afternoon for everyone.

Had a great time!

1st General Meeting of 2006

2006-04-05T17:34:00.000+08:00

10th March 2006

A total of 30 students interested in Rotaract attended the 1st General Meeting of 2006, together with the BOD. The meeting was also graced by PP Frankie Yang, the Service to New Generations Director for the Rotary Club of Kuching Central.

All attention to the front

The prospective members were briefed on the club's past activities by the President. This was followed by a short multimedia presentation showing the activities' pictures. The members were then asked to vote for the future activities they wanted to be organized. To close the meeting, PP Frankie gave a short speech on Rotary International and the roles of Rotary in association with Rotaract.

PP Frankie in his element

Rotaract Interact District Conference 2006

2006-03-05T21:37:00.000+08:00

17-19th February 2006

Recently, 4 of our members, Andrea, Mike K, Kenneth and Mike FV participated in the District Conference held in Tanjung Puteri Resort in Johor Bahru. The conference involved many Rotaract and Interact clubs within the district and was held over the duration of 3 days and 2 nights.

At the resort, after getting through with the registration and finally reaching the (huge) bungalows where we were staying, we gathered at the poolside hall for some introduction and ice-breaking sessions. We were split into groups for this session. One game demanded us to test our memory by remembering all of the miscellaneous details of our group members while another had us aligning all our belongings together to see which group could form the longest line.

Meeting with Rotaractors from around the district

During the evening, a talk and sharing session about the fun of Rotaract activities was held and conducted by Rtr. Michael Choi. After dinner, it was fun and games as we all participated in a scavenger hunt to look for answers to the various questions given to us regarding the history of Rotaract and Tanjung Puteri Golf Resort. Many Rotaractors even resorted to calling their friends for the answers in a style reminiscent of "Who wants to be a millionaire". Next up, it was time for the group leaders to strut their stuff, as we were to dress our respective leaders in newspapers according to our fancy. Of all of them however, Zack aka "Pam Anderson" obviously stole the show accompanied by his/her "boyfriend".

On the second day, we were joined by Interactors from clubs in Johore and Singapore. After the opening ceremony, talks regarding International projects and leadership skills were given by very experienced Rotarians Rtn. Jimmy Ooi and Rtn. Leslie Sim.

With Rotaractors of Kota Melaka

Mike Kuan posing with Audrey and Eelin of the DRR team

Kenneth with Pedro from Brazil

In the afternoon, as the crowd grew in numbers with the inclusion of the Interactors, so did the fun as we were re-distributed into around 10-12 teams for the next events. After the groups settled down, they put their heads together to come up with team names, team cheers and team flags to boost teamwork and morale.A lot of creativity was present as names such as "The Purple Turtle", "Junkies" and "Pyro" were chosen.Team cheers that really made an impact on the audience further added to the overall atmosphere.

All the teams were split into 2 groups according to the event that they would be participating in. As all 4 of our Rotaractors were participating in the field event (handball), we missed the action at the pool (waterpolo) although it looked quite exciting from a distance. For the handball event, the Kiwi team which 3 of our Rotaractors were in managed to snatch the top spot and emerged as champions of the event. They also managed to win by a narrow margin in a match against the Secretariat team.The Junkies team which included Andrea, clinched 2nd place.

After the delicious barbeque dinner,everyone participated in a rock concert that would put Woodstock of '69 to shame. We had performances from all the teams, rocking and dancing to the music of U2, Madonna and LImp Bizkit among others. Next up, we all had a chance to show our dance moves with Freeze Dance. It was an enjoyable and entertaining night and everyone had a whole lot of fun.

On the last day of the conference, we had a session on fund raising methods with Rotarian Derek Cheah. The session benefited us alot as it gave us a lot of information on fund raising for club activities. At the same time, respective Presidents and representatives of each club attended the District meeting to vote on the Manual of Procedures and other issues.The closing ceremony that followed also had a prize giving ceremony for the winning team for the previous day's events. The winning team was team Kiwi, and they performed their team cheer on stage for the last time in the conference.

Gimme a K! Gimme an I! Gimme a W! Gimme an I!What's that? KIWI!

The closing ceremony did not mark the end of events however, next up was the highlight of the conference as we all had the opportunity to have lunch with the children from Sekolah Untuk Kanak-kanak Istimewa. Donations from various clubs were presented to the children after the lunch. It was a very meaningful occasion for all of us.

This was the first conference that our club has participated in, and we benefited alot from it. New friends, new knowledge and insight on Rotaract were among some of the things that we gained from this experience. We hope to participate in more of these events in the future.

It's always an honour to pose with Pam~

Leaving our mark at the conference

Ohana Reunion

2006-03-05T21:32:00.000+08:00

4th February 2006

The Rotaract Club of Swinburne organised their first Rotaract Ohana Reunion, as a joint Club and International Service project. Past members as well as current members were invited to attend the reunion which was also to celebrate the club's 4th Birthday

"Ohana", which is the Hawaiian term for family, was the theme of the night as all past "family members" were reunited to have good food along with good fellowship. Past members spanning 4 terms attended the reunion, as well as 2 new members. The venue for the night was Swinburne's canteen, and everyone was expected to be in hawaiian attire for the night. The venue was decorated reminiscent of a Hawaiian luau with coconut leaves arching the entrance. Colourful streamers,coconuts and lit candles also added to the atmosphere

The main course for the night was the BBQed chicken wings and sausages. Those who volunteered to become the head chefs for the night did not disappoint as the food that were served were grilled to perfection. While waiting for the grilled food to be ready, fried rice, bee hoon and also vegetables were provided for our members to indulge in, courtesy of our school canteen.

For our case, too many cooks do not spoil the grill!

For the guys and gals who spent hours choosing their Hawaiian outfit for the night, the next event was their opportunity to shine. The organizers were looking for a best dressed male and female of the night, and the audience helped narrow it down 2 candidates each. To win their way into the audience's hearts, the candidates went out of their way to limbo and hula dance for the audience's votes.(The hula dance was first demonstrated by the current vice-president, Michael Kuan.) In the end, Jackson and Tasha obtained the highest number of votes and were both crowned best dressed of the night.

Dare you limbo between the deadly pair of Michaels?

Charlz,don't act cool!

Jackson, the best dressed guy and also tallest guy of the night

King and Queen of Hawaii~~

As it was our club's 4th birthday, a birthday cake with the Rotaract logo was prepared for the night. It was also appropriate as that day was the 7th day of Chinese New Year, also known as the Common Man’s birthday. The 3 presidents who were present that night cut the cake and blew the candles before the cake was distributed to all the members.

Yum...The Rotaract logo never looked so delicious~~

The night ended with a group photo taking. This would be one of the rare moments where you would see 4 terms of the club in one single group photo, reunited for fellowship for a single night.

1...2....3...say ..Aloha!

Awards Won

2006-02-28T22:00:00.000+08:00

Starting from 2005, the Swinburne Sarawak Student Council presented awards to deserving clubs that carried out activities for the students successfully and complied with the administrative requirements. The Rotaract Club of Swinburne Sarawak was able to sweep most of the awards. The club was awarded with the Best Club Administration Award, and President Andrea Chan placed second in the Best Club President Award category. The club was also voted by the students as the Most Popular Club in Swinburne.

During Swinburne University of Technology (Sarawak Campus)’s Day One Open Day event, all the clubs were invited to set up booths to attract potential students to join Swinburne as well as the clubs. In this event, the Rotaract Club of Swinburne was awarded 3rd place in the Best Club Booth competition.

BOD Xmas Fellowship & Appreciation Dinner

2006-02-28T21:47:00.000+08:00

16th December 2005

A BOD dinner was held at Pizza Junction to celebrate Christmas and also to show appreciation for the BOD’s hard work throughout the semester. There was also a Secret Santa gift exchange amongst the BOD, which helped to improve their understanding of one another. Hampers that had been awarded to the club previously were shared out amongst the BOD and club advisor.

My preciousssss pizza.....*drools*

A token of appreciation for our wise and helpful Advisor, Mr. Fadzilli

Carolyn and Chestine got Cups..see the pattern?

Merry Xmas to all, and to all a good night~

No Apologies Workshop

2006-02-28T21:46:00.000+08:00

29th-30th October 2005

This workshop was organized by the Rotary Club of Kuching Central and hosted by the Rotaract Club of Swinburne. The workshop was carried out by the Focus on the Family group and approximately 35 participants from various Interact Clubs and the Rotaract Club of Swinburne and Rotarian children attended. The main goal of the workshop was to teach teenagers and young adults about life, love, and sex through interactive activities. Participants learned about the consequences of premarital sex and how they can and should live out healthy lives. At the closing ceremony, participants were encouraged to take a vow of abstinence until marriage. Both the parents and participants found the workshop very beneficial for their future.

Listening intently...

Benjamin watching kids at play

What a tangled web we weave..

DRR's Visit

2006-02-28T21:22:00.000+08:00

28th October 2005

A special BOD meeting was called in conjunction with the District Rotaract Representative PP Audrey Cheong’s visit to the Zone. In addition to the DRR, the District Secretary Sim Ee Lin, District Fellowship Director Michael Choy, Zone 4 Representative PP Suzzan Bong, PDRR Samuel Pui, President of the Rotaract Club of Kuching Paulynn Chen and some of her club directors were also present. The DRR briefed the BOD about her goals and ambitions for the District and also for each Rotaract Club. The club directors then gave a short report on the activities that had been carried out so far. A briefing on the club’s plans for the upcoming semester was given by the President, before the multimedia presentation of the previous activities was shown. Mementoes were then presented to the 3 visiting District officers and a group photo was taken.

DRR Audrey giving a report

Michael of Swinburne meets Michael of Singapore

3 clubs in one photo~

Amazing Hunt 2

2006-02-22T14:39:00.000+08:00

25th September 2005

This activity was a joint project with Swinburne Sarawak Student Council. This project was well received by the students and a total of 45 participants joined, 15 teams of 3 students. The criteria for the teams was that there be one international student and one girl in the team.

Amazing Hunt 2 was meant to help students learn more about the different cultural groups of Sarawak. It was possibly our most challenging project of the year and it was recommended that we conduct test runs of the hunt before hand.

A tough challenge for us but it was an enjoyable activity.

Run Forrest RUN!

Bamboo bridge is falling down..falling down falling down...

"I have to eat THAT??!??"

Down the log stair case..

Group pic with all the teams~good work!

Organisers Group pic~Job well done!

District Rotaract Assembly (Zone 4)

2006-02-21T20:27:00.000+08:00

23rd - 24th September 2005

The purpose of this assembly was to train the new BODs of the Rotaract Clubs in Zone 4. A total of 33 participants from Rotaract Club of Kuching, Rotaract Club of Curtin University Miri, Rotaract Club of United College Sibu and our very own club.

Experienced Rotarians and Rotaractors were invited as speakers for the 5 workshops and 2 forums. After our training session, a fellowship night was organised by our Director of Club Service, Rtr. Charllene Andria and her assistant, Rtr. Tiffany Cynthia Tyller.

We ended the assembly with a new found knowledge of the other Rotaractors in our district and we made some new friends in the process.

Our important guests for the assembly

Having a mock meeting

With the luckiest guy of the night who won all the prizes

Receiving a banner from RAC of Curtin,Miri

Salvation Army Children's Home Moon Cake Festival Celebration

2006-02-21T20:23:00.000+08:00

16th September 2005

As the Moon Cake Festival drew near, our club decided to celebrate it with the children at the Salvation Army. A small dinner party was organised and lanterns were given to the children to play with.

All in all, despite the small complications we faced, celebrating with the children was a great success and it was enjoyable for both us and the children there.

Dave and Erin hanging out with the kids

Jackson Koko helping to light the lanterns

Chestine: Careful kids! Don't fall!

Pass the parcel! Pass the parcel!

Happy Mooncake Festival!

Salvation Army Charity Sale

2006-02-21T20:19:00.000+08:00

31st August 2005

For this charity sale, we came up with the idea of selling a "breakfast combo", which comprised of a sausage, sandwich, French fries and a cup of orange juice. This combo set was sold at RM5 per set and it was a fairly successful idea as it made us more profit than we had originally estimated.

In the end, we donated a total of RM287 to the Salvation Army.

Our product of the day~ yummy~!

Little boy, don't forget your change!

A group photo after a hard day of work

3rd Club Gathering

2006-02-21T20:13:00.000+08:00

20th August 2005

This gathering was organised in order to recruit new members for our club. Games such as the Name Game, the Assassin and our traditional Rotaract game, the Lap Dance. Winners of these games were given candies and hampers.

President Rtr. Andrea Chan briefed the new members on the upcoming activities for the semester and refreshments were provided to everyone before a final group photo.

The more we get together,together, together~

One of our traditional games- Lap Dance

4th Installation Dinner

2006-02-21T20:06:00.000+08:00

23rd July 2005

Held at Harbor View Hotel, this was our club's 4th installation. It was to install the newly elected BOD for 2005/2006 and we managed to earn a generous sum of money from the dinner. Sponsorships for our handbook were received and hampers were also given which were distributed as lucky draw prizes.

Our emcees for the night were Rtr. Aileen Poh and Mr. Lai Kok Choong, both of whom did wonderful jobs for us on the night. Pro Vice Chancellor, Professor David John Booth, President of Rotary Club of Kuching Central, Rtn. Augustine Wong and Assistant District Governor (District 3310), Past President Tan Cho Huat were our guests of honour for our dinner.

Our guests were entertained by a multimedia presentation created by Rtr. Serena Sim and three performances by Rtr. Ngawang Chime Kho, Rtr. Michael Francis Villarin and Outgoing President, Rtr. Kimberly Chan.

Our dinner went well and it was yet another success for our club

Michaels getting excited about the handbook

Thanks for a job well done!

BOD for 2005-2006

Cheshire Home Charity Sale

2006-02-21T19:40:00.000+08:00

3rd July 2005

Cordial drinks, bottled water and chocolate chip muffins were sold to raise funds for the Sarawak Cheshire Home. Between 8am and 12noon, our hardworking BOD helped sell these products to the general public, not only at the stall, but also by walking around the area and selling to anybody who passed them by.

After a hard day of work, a total profit of RM218 was given to the Cheshire Home.

All in all, a good day's work for us. =)

Pretty-ing up our stall

Two cups pls!

Awards and Achievements of 2005/2006

1990-09-17T15:40:00.000+08:00

The past year has been a milestone for your club, as we managed to achieve some successes that were a 1st for our club. The club would like to thank Mr. Fadzilli for his advice, the staff and Rotarians of the Rotary Club of Kuching Central for their help, the members of the club for all their support, and many others who have helped us along the way.

Congratulations to the 2005/2006 BOD for a job well done!

Here are the complete list of awards/achievements:

1. Rotary International
- 2005-2006 Rotaract Presidential Citation (our 1st time)
- 2005-2006 World Rotaract Week Celebration Recognition (our 1st time)

2. 2005-2006 Rotaract District Awards (just reinstated)
- Outstanding Community Service Project (Books Collecting for Sarawak Rural Schools)

3. 2006-2007 Rotaract District Team (our 1st time being elected onto the Team)
- District Bulletin Director: VP Michael F. Villarin
- Zonal Representative (Zone 4, Sarawak): IPP Andrea Chan

4. Swinburne Sarawak Student Council (SSSC) Inaugural Club Awards 2005
- Most Popular Club (as voted by Students)
- Best Club Administration
- Best Club President (2nd Place)

5. Swinburne Day One Club Booths Exhibition 2005
- Best Club Booth (3rd Place)