STAWELLTALK 1 TO 8 APRIL 2014
01 to 08 APRIL 2014: STAWELLTALK
Hello all , and we know everyone is well, happy and dancing, don’t we? Of course you are, well that the Ed’s try at positive thinking, so we hope it has worked, and that our bulletin finds you all well.
We do begin with some sad news that is the passing of Past President Rotary International. Royce Abbey AO , DCM , a report was given to the members at the Board meeting last evening,
PPRI Royce was a rare individual, not only a great leader in peace time he was a war hero as his DCM signifies, but out side of this was his ability to get things done and possibly the part of his legacy was his unstinting drive to give the gentle sex, the opportunity to Joint Rotary , his view was the different approach that women brought to all things, and why not Rotary. Yet as well as a world leader of Rotary he had yet another claim to fame, he was an Australian, who started off in Rotary at the Essendon Club.
Ed had the pleasure of going to a section of the Melbourne university to inspect the Royce Abby Room, that was filled with his memorabilia from his travels around the world, I am not sure if access to his room is available, but if it is and you get the opportunity, go and see it, it is amazing.
Ed also had the wonderful opportunity to attend Royce’s 85 Birthday celebration, such was the calibre of the man that on arrival at the function, he was mortified by the fact that he had come out, without a Rotary badge on his lapel, and as fortune would have it Ed had a spare in the car, and so Royce wore the Ed’s Rotary pin at that event . The Ed has dined out on that story for years, but the point is that it was not hard to see how he had worked and operated throughout his life, that the simple fact of wearing the Rotary pin was so important to him, even at a private function.
It was great to see PP Pauline back at the Club again this week, the poor lady is still not 100%, but is coming good slowly, at least she has been given permission to drive her car, so that’s a start, with her convalescence is to continue for another 4 or 5 weeks yet.
We are to have a new Bulletin editor in the next few weeks, who will also e-Mail the news to the members, in PP John Launder. John has done this job before so he will bring a different approach than the Present Ed, so that is excellent, Facebook, and the Club Webb site are to be put up by the inimitable Kimberley, so that particular area is all covered and we will give everyone a run through, over the next few weeks..
The big news is of course that the Annual Rotary Easter Art Show, has been cancelled for 2014. Some areas out of our control have occurred , that have made the show all but impossible for us to run, and with only 3 weeks to go we do not have time to rectify the problems, so sadly we have taken the only course available to us . with notifications to go to the artists that only this year has been cancelled, and that we will be operating again next year 2015, bigger and better than before, as part of the narrative.
Other decisions were made, to run the BBQ on the Saturday and Sunday, and after speaking to Beth Wilkinson she has very graciously offered to give the club a work of hers to do with as we wish, this years painting is in hand, and may be used as the major raffle for the evening of the anniversary celebrations. That decision is yet to be finalised.
The other side of the big ticket items is that we are going ahead with the 2015 student tour to Cambodia, we have learnt a great deal over the past two years, and several thoughts were expressed and approved by the board . the biggest change being the suggested idea of making the tour a group 7 under age, project, with the hope that the additional emphasis from the group will prove beneficial. We already have interest from youngsters out of Beaufort, and so the show rolls on, with PP John in the chair..
Other decisions were made on the support for a BBQ on 13 April 14, to support a fundraiser for Motor Neurone Disease support, 4.30 to 6.30 at Cato Park, we to supply BBQ and arms and legs, everything else supplied, and there is no cost to the people in attendance.
A correction to a date for the Stawell West Primary School, BBQ the correct date is the 23 May 2014. And not as previously Stated.
A report on missing BBQ equipment has been partially settled, with PP Des finding the Gas bottle, but the tools and table are still not found. Not using Locks on the storage area is seen as an error and a contributing factor to the items going missing. This is in hand, with locks to come from PE Vaughan, the question was why lock the hot plate and leave the storage area unlocked. However this has now been overcome with locks on all areas of the equipment, it is a sad indictment that we should have to take this action at all, but it is now done.
In regard to the invitations for the 60th anniversary, a change was needed unfortunately, the licence does not permit BYO alcohol, and for us to supply said wine for the tables comes under that distinction, so we have decided to have tickets issued at the door and have spot prizes throughout the night. for a bottle of plonk.
This is a good solution but mucks up the brilliant work that PP Pauline has done in the design printing & manufacture, of the invitation , but Pauline will fix the problem we are sure.
Finally tacit approval has been given to PP John to look into the support for the Skene St Special School, by way of supplying 90 sturdy stackable chairs, John to source the chairs, work out fundraising details, and over what period are we to supply these items, at this time this equates to $8,100, and if the suggested 10 per year was made the target, continuing approval from 9 on going Presidents would be needed, and that is no certainty. This item requires some thought, before final approval will be given.
The financial statement from Treasurer Vaughan is solid enough, and certainly will cover the budgeted items , but may leave us tight by the end of the year, so the fundraisers between now and then need to be made winners.
So that’s our first week of April without our organiser , but PE Vaughan has come to the aid of the club, and has arranged Troy Cole from the gold mine to have a chat to us, and I think we could find ourselves in for a lively evening re the proposed new open cut mine..
And now for Normans nonsense
A plane passed through a severe storm. The turbulence was awful, and things went from bad to worse when one wing was struck by lightning.
One woman lost it completely.
She stood up in the front of the plane and screamed, ‘I’m too young to die,’ she cried.
Then she yelled, ‘If I’m going to die, I want my last minutes on earth to be memorable! Is there anyone on this plane who can make me feel like a WOMAN?’
For a moment, there was silence. Everyone stared at the desperate woman in the front of the plane. Then the man from Australia stood up in the rear of the plane.
He was handsome, tall, well built, with dark brown hair and hazel eyes. Slowly, he started to walk up the aisle, unbuttoning his shirt as he went, one button at a time.
No one moved. He removed his shirt. Muscles rippled across his chest. She gasped…
Then, he spoke…
‘Iron this — and then get me a beer.’
Well that’s about all for this week folks, I don’t really want to follow that gag, so I will just say cheers and remember ;
Courage is like a muscle, it is strengthened by use.
Have a great week in Rotary Ed.