This month, Glenorie Club members combined community engagement, scenic exploration, and a fascinating insight into global humanitarian work with a morning tea at Galston High School, where students impressed everyone with their professional management of the school’s coffee shop. Among the highlights of the event was a guest talk on Mercy Ships, the charitable hospital ships transforming lives in Africa.
Following the school visit, members enjoyed a leisurely outing to Brooklyn and Kangaroo Point. The group strolled along the recently completed boardwalk at Picnic Point, taking in the serene foreshore and mangrove scenery, before finishing the day with a classic fish-and-chips lunch.
The club’s guest speaker, Sallymae Bailey, shared her experiences volunteering aboard Mercy Ships. Founded in 1978, the organisation has been dedicated exclusively to providing medical care in Africa. Sallymae described life on board the ships, where two vessels spend ten months a year delivering medical treatment and training local hospital staff, and two months undergoing maintenance in the Canary Islands.
A short video demonstrated the profound impact of the work, showing a young girl with disfigured feet walking almost normally after surgery. Mercy Ships perform life-changing procedures such as cataract removal, cleft lip and palate repair, and other critical surgeries. Sallymae also highlighted the extensive volunteer network, including medical staff, hospitality teams, and finance and management professionals, hailing from up to four countries. The ships operate like self-contained towns, complete with medical and dental facilities, a pharmacy, and even a post office.
Preparation for a Mercy Ship visit begins a year in advance, with prospective patients assessed and transported from up to eight hours away using a fleet of four-wheel-drive and 12-seater vehicles. Sallymae’s presentation offered members a compelling glimpse into the dedication and organisation behind the charity’s life-saving work.
The Glenorie Club meets at 11:00 am on the fourth Wednesday of each month at Glenorie RSL. New members are welcome. For information, contact Wendy Black on 9653 1022 or via email at [email protected]
