Presidents Report
It’s hard to think back, but around this time three years ago, life as we knew it changed dramatically, when the effects of COVID-19 started to take hold. For many Rotarians that meant the shut down of face-to-face meetings, postponement of community events and the cancellation of other forms of engagement and interaction, like District 9685 conferences. Reflecting upon this, thus makes me incredibly grateful for the conference we’ve experienced this past weekend in the beautiful town of Cowra.
District conferences are always fantastic opportunities to step back and see the big picture that is Rotary, and this year’s event provided the time and opportunity to do just that. Around 250 members and partners from a range of Clubs across the District were in attendance, including 11 from our Club. We were wined and dined with great country hospitality, we linked into events like sheep dog trials and opera in the Japanese Botanical Garden, and we had the chance to see Club and District initiatives in action at the Rotary Showcase.
Best of all, we had exposure to high calibre speakers who made us contemplate contemporary community and societal issues and reflect upon our role as Rotarians in addressing issues and actioning change in areas such as disaster relief, community development, women’s rights, climate change and refugee advocacy. I’ve come away from the conference feeling buoyant and re-charged as we head into the back-end of the Rotary year, and with confidence and renewed vigour having had the chance to take stock of how Board is doing in imagining and reimaging Rotary and our Club.
Some of this energy and enthusiasm would have to be derived from what all Rotary conferences inherently generate, namely opportunities to network, to meet up with past acquaintances, to form new friendships, and most of all TO HAVE FUN. Being a gregarious bunch, our Club shone in this capacity – just ask anyone who saw us trip the light fantastic on the dance floor!! I think it may have helped that our Club was awarded the ‘Best Dressed (40’s themed) Club’ – nice work here partners for ensuring we looked spiffy and for continuing the Club’s illustrious tradition of success in this category. Plus, and drum roll if you please, the Club took out first place in the Hiking Sticks competition. Not only did this come with a prestige factor, more importantly, it has earnt the Club a Paul Harris Fellowship, which will be put to good use and announced at the Club Changeover in June. This award wouldn’t have been possible without firstly Colin S’s efforts in procuring and preparing the stick (sticks in fact, of which we had another 11, which we carried with us into the auditorium dressed in our 1940’s attire, and which we donated back to the Hiking Sticks project for future fundraising opportunities), and secondly, to the creative flair of Pamela who decorated the stick with precision and professionalism in an Indigenous-inspired design, complete with the ‘Imagine Rotary’ themed logo and Rotary wheel on top of the handle.
So back home and back to work! This week sees the Club hold the Election Day BBQ and Cake Stall at West Pennant Hills Public School on Saturday 25 March. We hope to see you there and cooking up a storm for yet another great Rotary event. In addition, Peter and Tony C are attending the Rotary Club of Lane Cove’s Tuesday night meeting to pursue partnership opportunities for the NTA Global Grant. And that my friends, is the Buzz for the Week. Go safely, Janelle
District conferences are always fantastic opportunities to step back and see the big picture that is Rotary, and this year’s event provided the time and opportunity to do just that. Around 250 members and partners from a range of Clubs across the District were in attendance, including 11 from our Club. We were wined and dined with great country hospitality, we linked into events like sheep dog trials and opera in the Japanese Botanical Garden, and we had the chance to see Club and District initiatives in action at the Rotary Showcase.
Best of all, we had exposure to high calibre speakers who made us contemplate contemporary community and societal issues and reflect upon our role as Rotarians in addressing issues and actioning change in areas such as disaster relief, community development, women’s rights, climate change and refugee advocacy. I’ve come away from the conference feeling buoyant and re-charged as we head into the back-end of the Rotary year, and with confidence and renewed vigour having had the chance to take stock of how Board is doing in imagining and reimaging Rotary and our Club.
Some of this energy and enthusiasm would have to be derived from what all Rotary conferences inherently generate, namely opportunities to network, to meet up with past acquaintances, to form new friendships, and most of all TO HAVE FUN. Being a gregarious bunch, our Club shone in this capacity – just ask anyone who saw us trip the light fantastic on the dance floor!! I think it may have helped that our Club was awarded the ‘Best Dressed (40’s themed) Club’ – nice work here partners for ensuring we looked spiffy and for continuing the Club’s illustrious tradition of success in this category. Plus, and drum roll if you please, the Club took out first place in the Hiking Sticks competition. Not only did this come with a prestige factor, more importantly, it has earnt the Club a Paul Harris Fellowship, which will be put to good use and announced at the Club Changeover in June. This award wouldn’t have been possible without firstly Colin S’s efforts in procuring and preparing the stick (sticks in fact, of which we had another 11, which we carried with us into the auditorium dressed in our 1940’s attire, and which we donated back to the Hiking Sticks project for future fundraising opportunities), and secondly, to the creative flair of Pamela who decorated the stick with precision and professionalism in an Indigenous-inspired design, complete with the ‘Imagine Rotary’ themed logo and Rotary wheel on top of the handle.
So back home and back to work! This week sees the Club hold the Election Day BBQ and Cake Stall at West Pennant Hills Public School on Saturday 25 March. We hope to see you there and cooking up a storm for yet another great Rotary event. In addition, Peter and Tony C are attending the Rotary Club of Lane Cove’s Tuesday night meeting to pursue partnership opportunities for the NTA Global Grant. And that my friends, is the Buzz for the Week. Go safely, Janelle
Enormous Bee courtesy of Keith
From a Garden near Forth, Tasmania
The bees were enormous in this garden.
This article is a Keith original.
The bees were enormous in this garden.
This article is a Keith original.
Humour
I Like the Last Option... contributed by Cawas
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Laughter... contributed by Cawas
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Getting Old Funnies... contributed by Pat
1. When one door closes and another door opens, you are probably in prison.
2. To me, "drink responsibly" means don't spill it.
3. Age 60 might be the new 40, but 9:00 pm is the new midnight.
4. It's the start of a brand new day, and I'm off like a herd of turtles.
5. The older I get, the earlier it gets late.
6. When I say, "The other day," I could be referring to any time between yesterday & 15 years ago.
7. I remember being able to get up without making sound effects.
8. I had my patience tested. I'm negative.
9. Remember, if you lose a sock in the dryer, it comes back as a Tupperware lid that doesn't fit any of your containers.
10. If you're sitting in public and a stranger takes the seat next to you, just stare straight ahead and say, "Did you bring the money?"
11. When you ask me what I am doing today, and I say "nothing," it does not mean I am free. It means I am doing nothing.
12. I finally got eight hours of sleep. It took me three days, but whatever.
13. I run like the winded.
14. I hate when a couple argues in public & I missed the beginning & don't know whose side I'm on.
15. When someone asks what I did over the weekend, I squint and ask, "Why, what did you hear?"
16. I don't mean to interrupt people. I just randomly remember things and get really excited.
17. When I ask for directions, please don't use words like "east."
18. Don't bother walking a mile in my shoes. That would be boring. Spend 30 seconds in my head. That'll freak you right out.
19. Someone unexpected comes into your life out of nowhere, makes your heart race, and changes you forever. We call those people cops.
20. My luck is like a bald guy who just won a comb.
2. To me, "drink responsibly" means don't spill it.
3. Age 60 might be the new 40, but 9:00 pm is the new midnight.
4. It's the start of a brand new day, and I'm off like a herd of turtles.
5. The older I get, the earlier it gets late.
6. When I say, "The other day," I could be referring to any time between yesterday & 15 years ago.
7. I remember being able to get up without making sound effects.
8. I had my patience tested. I'm negative.
9. Remember, if you lose a sock in the dryer, it comes back as a Tupperware lid that doesn't fit any of your containers.
10. If you're sitting in public and a stranger takes the seat next to you, just stare straight ahead and say, "Did you bring the money?"
11. When you ask me what I am doing today, and I say "nothing," it does not mean I am free. It means I am doing nothing.
12. I finally got eight hours of sleep. It took me three days, but whatever.
13. I run like the winded.
14. I hate when a couple argues in public & I missed the beginning & don't know whose side I'm on.
15. When someone asks what I did over the weekend, I squint and ask, "Why, what did you hear?"
16. I don't mean to interrupt people. I just randomly remember things and get really excited.
17. When I ask for directions, please don't use words like "east."
18. Don't bother walking a mile in my shoes. That would be boring. Spend 30 seconds in my head. That'll freak you right out.
19. Someone unexpected comes into your life out of nowhere, makes your heart race, and changes you forever. We call those people cops.
20. My luck is like a bald guy who just won a comb.
