It is already a month since our Changeover at the Gunners Barracks. IPP Ranald Stewart and I were very pleased with the venue and I am sure all Rotarians and guests enjoyed the night as much as we did. Thanks again to Jon Gidney for organising and being the M/C.
My first Club meetings went well and I just loved the work of Sergeant Peter Russell with the new format using videos. Fay and I discussed the idea but Peter made it happen and also managed to extract some money to boost our Charities account.
Last week we held a long and productive Board meeting at Fay’s mother house in Marsfield. Your Directors have put real effort into planning the year ahead and all will be revealed as the year proceeds. At the meeting I was set the task of writing letters to two very special members of the Club, Lee Jackson and Don Landers who are both experiencing health issues.
Lee has resigned from the Club and the Board unanimously agreed to make him an Honorary member. Don just needed some TLC to lift his spirits so a little red wine was considered appropriate. With Don and Lee’s permission their letters are below:-
Dear Lee
Last night we had the first Board meeting of our Rotary year and I was sad to officially receive notification of your resignation from the Club due to ill health.
You have been a great member over the years and I remember with much pleasure your year as President. Your wit and humour at meetings and in the bulletin was not only entertaining but made sure our Club was vibrant and successful.
At the Changeover in 2002 you handed the Presidency to me and set a high standard which I tried to emulate. Like you, I enjoyed my year as President and I find myself again as President, this time for a short period as I will share the position with Peter Grinter and Malcolm Lye.
At the meeting our Board voted unanimously to make you an Honorary member of the Rotary Club of Northbridge which means we will send you bulletins and will always make you welcome at our meetings and functions.
And the second letter, below, to Don who is better and at home for a while before further medical intervention.
Dear Don
Last night we had the first Board meeting of our Rotary year and naturally, under welfare, we discussed the well-being of our popular and much loved Welfare Officer.
I was instructed to deliver to you ‘a wine that Don would like.’ I have chosen an interesting aged Bordeaux, which, perhaps at this stage, is to imbibe at a future time.
All of us at Rotary send our greetings and wish you a successful and speedy recovery. We look forward to your return home and to Rotary.
A matter discussed briefly at the Board meeting is our Bulletin. I am concerned that the Bulletin Editor, Helen, has been set too hard a task and is writing the Bulletin instead of being its editor. It is the Club members’ bulletin and it should have items relevant to our members and Rotary.
I am starting the change with a President’s Report and I have asked Don Landers to make regular contributions from our Rotary past. Naturally Don readily agreed so I now ask all members to help make the bulletin more appealing and worth reading.
So what can you all contribute? Have you been up to anything of late, do you have special interests and hobbies, have you a library of jokes that you can supply to our Editor, is there a Rotary event coming, just what does RYLA, RYDA, RAIC and RYPEN stand for?
To get us in the frame of mind I will repeat a remark of Lee Jackson in one of his president’s reports -
‘The Rotary BBQs are actually aphrodisiacal, when I get home the wife says get your clothes off. Mostly nothing happens but the idea is there’.
And finally, next Tuesday is a special event not to be missed. Two exceptional musicians who have both performed with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra are visiting to talk to us about the SSO and will play for us. Both musicians have extensive overseas experience. Louise Johnson is the former SSO Principal Harp with many solo performances and Janet Webb retired in 2016 as Principal Flute for the SSO after a 35 year career.
It will be a Partners’ Night and we will extend to 8.30pm to fully enjoy the evening.
Again, a night not to be missed!
President Peter
DID YOU KNOW
Did you know that our Club was first introduced to the amazing work undertaken for the benefit of the local community by StreetWork by former club member and Northbridge Marina Proprietor and Boat Builder Andrew Moncrieff during the Rotary Year 1995-1996. Since then the Club has donated a total of $150,796.50 to this charity.
