Presidents Report
My very first President’s Report came after having had a wonderful meeting where we celebrated our annual Pride of Workmanship dinner, and at the time I wrote – “Wow, what an amazing meeting”. Fast forward one month and I’m about to start my report with exactly the same words – wow what an amazing meeting we had last night! That was due to the enormous fun, goodwill and socialising that took place as we welcomed District Governor Mina Howard and Assistant DG Stuart Armstrong to our meeting, which we combined with a winter Christmas theme. Mina and Stuart met with the Board prior to the meeting to check in with us and see how the new Rotary year is progressing, and then joined the meeting to provide a comprehensive update to members on District and International Rotary initiatives. That was after we enjoyed a Christmas roast and plum pudding courtesy of Frank and his fabulous staff at Springfield, as well as opening bon bons and playing some Christmas themed games. My favourite image of the night was seeing a wave of red and green and Christmas hats from the podium and hearing laughter ringing out during the night – it did take many of us back to meetings pre-COVID and a state we hope prevails throughout the year ahead. Once again, a big thank you to the Social Committee for their work in actioning our winter Christmas night and to the PRT team for the beautiful Christmas table decorations.
For this bulletin the key issue I wanted to flag is that our Zoom meeting on 29/08/2022, will see Michelle Westlund from the District team join us to explain and answer questions in relation to the Regionalisation Pilot program.
Taken from the Rotary Zone 8 website: Creating tomorrow | Rotary (creatingtomorrowrotary.org)
the following may help to set the scene:
“With a century of service under our belt and support of the Rotary International Board, we’re ensuring Rotary continues to do good and flourish in our region with a more contemporary structure. It aims to better support clubs and members to connect with more volunteers, develop leadership skills and collaborate with one another and our communities to change the world.
A pilot program is proposed for Rotary Zone 8, which includes Australia, New Zealand, American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, New Caledonia, Norfolk Island, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Timor Leste, Tonga and Vanuatu.
On the 13th April 2022 the Council on Legislation voted strongly in favour of a pilot being undertaken in Zone 8 on the basis our clubs and districts support this happening by 1st October 2022. The plan is to explore, test and develop a framework developed by the Board's Shaping Rotary's Future Committee to confirm what works and what doesn't in our Zone. If the pilot proceeds, it will occur whilst districts remain in place and in full consultation with districts and clubs.”
Michelle has requested that in order to make the meeting as interactive and informative as possible, that members please go online and look at some of the material that is available to provide important background information about the potential trial. To help facilitate this please click on the following links to view this material:
Alternatively, you may like to join the webinar on Friday 12 August to listen in to Rotary International Director Jessie Harman and co-presenters PDG Ingrid Waugh and PDG Peter Frueh, talk about and answer questions on this topic. Be warned however, this commences at 7am AEST – so maybe a little early for some. If you do want to attend that session, please register at the following site:
ROTI0061_Webinar_Invitation_A4+Rev.pdf (squarespace.com)
Later that week after our meeting on the 29/08, I’ll be asked to vote on behalf of the Club as to whether our Club does or doesn’t want the Regionalisation trial to take place. To give each member a say in our Club’s deliberation, I’ve requested Neville to set up a poll within the functionality of Zoom, such that when Michelle leaves the meeting, members will stay online and vote, thereby providing immediate feedback to inform our Club’s voting intention.
And that’s the buzz for the week. Hope to see you at Springfield again next Monday night for our combined meeting with the Rotary Club of Epping. Janelle
For this bulletin the key issue I wanted to flag is that our Zoom meeting on 29/08/2022, will see Michelle Westlund from the District team join us to explain and answer questions in relation to the Regionalisation Pilot program.
Taken from the Rotary Zone 8 website: Creating tomorrow | Rotary (creatingtomorrowrotary.org)
the following may help to set the scene:
“With a century of service under our belt and support of the Rotary International Board, we’re ensuring Rotary continues to do good and flourish in our region with a more contemporary structure. It aims to better support clubs and members to connect with more volunteers, develop leadership skills and collaborate with one another and our communities to change the world.
A pilot program is proposed for Rotary Zone 8, which includes Australia, New Zealand, American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, New Caledonia, Norfolk Island, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Timor Leste, Tonga and Vanuatu.
On the 13th April 2022 the Council on Legislation voted strongly in favour of a pilot being undertaken in Zone 8 on the basis our clubs and districts support this happening by 1st October 2022. The plan is to explore, test and develop a framework developed by the Board's Shaping Rotary's Future Committee to confirm what works and what doesn't in our Zone. If the pilot proceeds, it will occur whilst districts remain in place and in full consultation with districts and clubs.”
Michelle has requested that in order to make the meeting as interactive and informative as possible, that members please go online and look at some of the material that is available to provide important background information about the potential trial. To help facilitate this please click on the following links to view this material:
- Creating Tomorrow - Zone 8 Regionalisation Fact Sheet
- Creating Tomorrow - Zone 8 Regionalisation Facts about the Vote
Alternatively, you may like to join the webinar on Friday 12 August to listen in to Rotary International Director Jessie Harman and co-presenters PDG Ingrid Waugh and PDG Peter Frueh, talk about and answer questions on this topic. Be warned however, this commences at 7am AEST – so maybe a little early for some. If you do want to attend that session, please register at the following site:
ROTI0061_Webinar_Invitation_A4+Rev.pdf (squarespace.com)
Later that week after our meeting on the 29/08, I’ll be asked to vote on behalf of the Club as to whether our Club does or doesn’t want the Regionalisation trial to take place. To give each member a say in our Club’s deliberation, I’ve requested Neville to set up a poll within the functionality of Zoom, such that when Michelle leaves the meeting, members will stay online and vote, thereby providing immediate feedback to inform our Club’s voting intention.
And that’s the buzz for the week. Hope to see you at Springfield again next Monday night for our combined meeting with the Rotary Club of Epping. Janelle
Night Report
Night Report
Opening: Sgt Tony Coote opened the meeting with a recital of the “Night Before Christmas”
President's Welcome
The President welcomed Mina Howard (DG), Stuart Armstrong (ADG), Libby Bleakley (Blackheath Club), Vince Delpopolo and Anna, Lucy-Jade Folkard, Nadish Nairobi, Kaye Carter (Pennant Hills Club IPP) and Partners; Glenda, Kaija, Joy, Pamela, Jill, Gwen, Margaret, Lyn, Anne, Dianne, Bev, Julianne, Rashna, Roma, Indira, Mary, Rebecca and Rob.
Director’s Reports
None tonight. Instead, Sergeant Tony ran a pass the parcel around each table as well as an inter- table round. The last person to remove a wrapper won a prize. The Inter-table prize (wine) was won by Alex.
Guest Speaker
Name. DG Mina Howard.
Introduced by Colin Baxter.
Mina has been a Rotarian in the Blackheath Club since 2006 and became their first female president in 2011 serving a 2-year term. Mina was a primary school teacher for 43 years and an army reservist. She is a member of the RFS along with husband Larry (also a Rotarian) and the brigades Community Engagement officer starting the Heads up for Fire project that encourages people to connect with and look out for each other. In addition to those activities Mina has served as president of the Mt Victoria Community Association, convenor of the Mt Victoria Great Train Weekend Event and volunteers at the Blackheath Area Neighbourhood Centre and Rhododendron Gardens.
Opening: Sgt Tony Coote opened the meeting with a recital of the “Night Before Christmas”
President's Welcome
The President welcomed Mina Howard (DG), Stuart Armstrong (ADG), Libby Bleakley (Blackheath Club), Vince Delpopolo and Anna, Lucy-Jade Folkard, Nadish Nairobi, Kaye Carter (Pennant Hills Club IPP) and Partners; Glenda, Kaija, Joy, Pamela, Jill, Gwen, Margaret, Lyn, Anne, Dianne, Bev, Julianne, Rashna, Roma, Indira, Mary, Rebecca and Rob.
Director’s Reports
- Community Service: Colin reminded members and partners to respond to the email requesting help with the WPHPS Fair BBQ on Sunday August 21. Also reminded members to reply to the email requesting help with repairing the shed at Michele’s place on 12/08/2022. He spoke about the need for maintenance to the RFS containers.
- Fund Raising: John deferred to Kerry to speak about the Bunnings BBQ at Dural on Sept 24. A cake stall will be included
- International: Peter spoke about a meeting for members interested in joining him on a trip to West Timor.
- Membership: Carol spoke about the prospective new members and another information night in November.
- Youth: Rosemary spoke about the Rotary youth programs. No candidates for National Youth Science – no interest from Cherrybrook Technology High School. Last year’s candidates for RYLA no longer available - will try the guides and scouts. No candidates for RYPEN. Four students coming from Coonabarabran for the Santos Science Experiment in early October.
- Club Services: Neville spoke about the Cowra Conference, Melbourne Convention and the Antiques Roadshow next week.
None tonight. Instead, Sergeant Tony ran a pass the parcel around each table as well as an inter- table round. The last person to remove a wrapper won a prize. The Inter-table prize (wine) was won by Alex.
Guest Speaker
Name. DG Mina Howard.
Introduced by Colin Baxter.
Mina has been a Rotarian in the Blackheath Club since 2006 and became their first female president in 2011 serving a 2-year term. Mina was a primary school teacher for 43 years and an army reservist. She is a member of the RFS along with husband Larry (also a Rotarian) and the brigades Community Engagement officer starting the Heads up for Fire project that encourages people to connect with and look out for each other. In addition to those activities Mina has served as president of the Mt Victoria Community Association, convenor of the Mt Victoria Great Train Weekend Event and volunteers at the Blackheath Area Neighbourhood Centre and Rhododendron Gardens.
Mina also finds time to travel extensively and participate in international aid projects along with long distance walks to raise money raise money for projects such as ShelterBox.
Mina’s goal for 2022-23 is to encourage clubs to look critically at their projects and practices and aim to make their club more diverse and welcoming whilst providing meaningful service opportunities for each member. Continued support of The Rotary Foundation, the End Polio campaign and other Rotary programs are also to be encouraged. And of course, fellowship and fun must be paramount.
During her talk Mina explained the 2022-23 Logo. Jennifer Jones wants us to imagine the possibilities for change we can make to transform the world. You don’t imagine yesterday, you imagine tomorrow.
Mina asked us to reflect about whether our club is relevant within our local community and seen to be diverse and inclusive and to represent our demographic profile. Ensure our projects make a difference within the community and measure their success. In the wider community and internationally do we make a difference.
Mina outlined John Hewko’s (Rotary CEO) 6 challenges.
Mina’s goal for 2022-23 is to encourage clubs to look critically at their projects and practices and aim to make their club more diverse and welcoming whilst providing meaningful service opportunities for each member. Continued support of The Rotary Foundation, the End Polio campaign and other Rotary programs are also to be encouraged. And of course, fellowship and fun must be paramount.
During her talk Mina explained the 2022-23 Logo. Jennifer Jones wants us to imagine the possibilities for change we can make to transform the world. You don’t imagine yesterday, you imagine tomorrow.
Mina asked us to reflect about whether our club is relevant within our local community and seen to be diverse and inclusive and to represent our demographic profile. Ensure our projects make a difference within the community and measure their success. In the wider community and internationally do we make a difference.
Mina outlined John Hewko’s (Rotary CEO) 6 challenges.
- Membership Decline
- Maintaining Relevance
- Being nimble enough to adapt
- Continuity in leadership
- Identifying our next global project
- Resistance to regionalisation
- Membership satisfaction – conduct a Club Health Check (we did this recently)
- Have everyone meaningfully engaged in club activities. Find out what members want from their club and what prospective members want from their membership.
- Educate members about Rotary. Have someone summarise an article from the RDU magazine, Rotary Learning Centre etc and give a 5 minute talk to the club.
- Support other Rotarians and Rotary Groups (RAWCS, ROMAC, ShelterBox, ARH, TRF). Join with other club’s activities.
- Provide other opportunities such as Rotary Action Groups and Fellowships. Have someone research an action group and report to the club during a meeting.
- Have everyone with a My Rotary Account.
Mina spoke about Larry’s Project.
Rotarian and Rural Fire Service Captain Larry Howard is handcrafting hiking sticks and donating all the sale proceeds to Australian Rotary Health as part of the District Governor Partner programme. The wood for the sticks is sourced from local fire affected tree branches and each is unique in shape. Clubs are challenged to bring a stick to the Cowra Conference to be judged for the best hiking stick.
Sergeant at Arm’s
Heads & Tails won by: Bev Davison
Raffle won by: Bob Wynns
Night Report: Colin Sharpe
Date: 8 August 2022
Rotarian and Rural Fire Service Captain Larry Howard is handcrafting hiking sticks and donating all the sale proceeds to Australian Rotary Health as part of the District Governor Partner programme. The wood for the sticks is sourced from local fire affected tree branches and each is unique in shape. Clubs are challenged to bring a stick to the Cowra Conference to be judged for the best hiking stick.
Sergeant at Arm’s
Heads & Tails won by: Bev Davison
Raffle won by: Bob Wynns
Night Report: Colin Sharpe
Date: 8 August 2022
Humour
Wanted: Bell Ringer contributed by Tony M
After Quasimodo’s death, the bishop of the Cathedral of Notre Dame sent word through the streets of Paris that a new bell ringer was needed. The bishop decided that he would conduct the interviews personally and went up into the belfry to begin the screening process.
After observing several applicants demonstrate their skills, he had decided to call it a day – when an armless man approached him and announced that he was there to apply for the bell ringer’s job.
The bishop was incredulous. “You have no arms!”
"No matter," said the man, “Observe!” And he began striking the bells with his face, producing a beautiful melody on the carillon. The bishop listened in astonishment, convinced he had finally found a suitable replacement for Quasimodo.
But suddenly, rushing forward to strike a bell, the armless man tripped and plunged headlong out of the belfry window to his death in the street below. The stunned bishop rushed to his side. When he reached the street, a crowd had gathered around the fallen figure, drawn by the beautiful music they had heard only moments before.
As they silently parted to let the bishop through, one of them asked, “Bishop, who was this man?”
“I don’t know his name,” the bishop sadly replied, “but his face rings a bell.”
The following day, despite the sadness that weighed heavily on his heart due to the unfortunate death of the armless campanologist, the bishop continued his interviews for the bell ringer of Notre Dame. The first man to approach him said, “Your Excellency, I am the brother of the poor armless wretch that fell to his death from this very belfry yesterday. I pray that you honor his life by allowing me to replace him in this duty.”
The bishop agreed to give the man an audition, and, as the armless man’s brother stooped to pick up a mallet to strike the first bell, he groaned, clutched at his chest and died on the spot. Two monks, hearing the bishop’s cries of grief at this second tragedy, rushed up the stairs to his side.
“What has happened? Who is this man?” the first monk asked breathlessly.
“I don’t know his name," sighed the distraught bishop, "but he’s a dead ringer for his brother.”
After observing several applicants demonstrate their skills, he had decided to call it a day – when an armless man approached him and announced that he was there to apply for the bell ringer’s job.
The bishop was incredulous. “You have no arms!”
"No matter," said the man, “Observe!” And he began striking the bells with his face, producing a beautiful melody on the carillon. The bishop listened in astonishment, convinced he had finally found a suitable replacement for Quasimodo.
But suddenly, rushing forward to strike a bell, the armless man tripped and plunged headlong out of the belfry window to his death in the street below. The stunned bishop rushed to his side. When he reached the street, a crowd had gathered around the fallen figure, drawn by the beautiful music they had heard only moments before.
As they silently parted to let the bishop through, one of them asked, “Bishop, who was this man?”
“I don’t know his name,” the bishop sadly replied, “but his face rings a bell.”
The following day, despite the sadness that weighed heavily on his heart due to the unfortunate death of the armless campanologist, the bishop continued his interviews for the bell ringer of Notre Dame. The first man to approach him said, “Your Excellency, I am the brother of the poor armless wretch that fell to his death from this very belfry yesterday. I pray that you honor his life by allowing me to replace him in this duty.”
The bishop agreed to give the man an audition, and, as the armless man’s brother stooped to pick up a mallet to strike the first bell, he groaned, clutched at his chest and died on the spot. Two monks, hearing the bishop’s cries of grief at this second tragedy, rushed up the stairs to his side.
“What has happened? Who is this man?” the first monk asked breathlessly.
“I don’t know his name," sighed the distraught bishop, "but he’s a dead ringer for his brother.”
Age is Nothing contributed by Neville
GET OUT OF THE CAR!!! contributed by Cawas
This is a true account recorded in the Police Log of Sarasota, Florida.
An elderly Florida lady did her shopping and, upon returning to her car, found four males in the act of leaving with her vehicle. She dropped her
shopping bags and drew her handgun, proceeding to scream at the top of her voice, "I have a gun, and I know how to use it! Get out of the car!" The four men didn't wait for a second invitation. They got out and ran like mad. The lady, somewhat shaken, then proceeded to load her shopping bags into the back of the car and got into the driver's seat. She was so shaken that she could not get her key into the ignition. She tried and tried, and then it dawned on her why. For the same reason she did not understand why there was a football, a Frisbee and two 12 packs in the front seat.
A few minutes later, she found her own car parked four or five spaces farther down. She loaded her bags into the car and drove to the police station to report her mistake. The sergeant to whom she told the story couldn't stop laughing. He pointed to the other end of the counter, where four pale men were reporting a carjacking by a mad, elderly woman described as white, less than five feet tall, glasses, curly white hair, and carrying a large handgun. No charges were filed.
Moral of the story? If you're going to have a Senior Moment, make it memorable.
An elderly Florida lady did her shopping and, upon returning to her car, found four males in the act of leaving with her vehicle. She dropped her
shopping bags and drew her handgun, proceeding to scream at the top of her voice, "I have a gun, and I know how to use it! Get out of the car!" The four men didn't wait for a second invitation. They got out and ran like mad. The lady, somewhat shaken, then proceeded to load her shopping bags into the back of the car and got into the driver's seat. She was so shaken that she could not get her key into the ignition. She tried and tried, and then it dawned on her why. For the same reason she did not understand why there was a football, a Frisbee and two 12 packs in the front seat.
A few minutes later, she found her own car parked four or five spaces farther down. She loaded her bags into the car and drove to the police station to report her mistake. The sergeant to whom she told the story couldn't stop laughing. He pointed to the other end of the counter, where four pale men were reporting a carjacking by a mad, elderly woman described as white, less than five feet tall, glasses, curly white hair, and carrying a large handgun. No charges were filed.
Moral of the story? If you're going to have a Senior Moment, make it memorable.
