Club Bulletin 10 January 2023 (Jan 12, 2023)

Welcome to The Rotary Club of Northbridge Bulletin

Tuesdays at 6:00 PM

Northbridge Golf Club

296C Sailors Bay Road,
Northbridge, NSW 2063
Australia

District Site

Venue Map

If members are unable to attend a Club Meeting or should you wish to attend as a guest, for catering purposes please advise Don Landers before 10:30am each Monday by email at don@cascadence.com

Jan 17, 2023

Club Forum

Jan 24, 2023

Michael Dureau

Hydrogen as a Major Component in Renewable Energy

Jan 31, 2023

PP Peter Grinter

Wills and Powers of Attorney

View entire list

The Rotary Club of Northbridge gratefully acknowledges the generous sponsorship of Northbridge Plaza

Member Birthdays

Michael Bartok

January 4

Sally O'Neill

January 13

Chris Switzer

January 16

Anniversaries

John Turner

Penny

January 2

Join Date

Bob Edwards

January 22, 1985

38 years

John Turner

January 22, 2002

21 years

Club Meeting News - 10 January 2023

Welcome

President Rob Coote welcomed everyone with a “HAPPY NEW YEAR” and welcomed our guest, Lyn Chevor, Eleanor’s sister.

Rob said that it was his sad duty to announce that our longest serving member, Don Landers, passed away on Monday. He asked that members stand for one minute's silence in honour of Don.

Toast

Peter McNair proposed a toast to the Friends of Rotary. He noted that you can always count on the Friends of Rotary to assist in fundraising, in particular with the fireworks, and talked about how the Friends of Rotary contribute to the success of so many of our fundraising activities.

Whilst dinner was being served and the members were enjoying each other’s company, Rob Coote showed a visual presentation of what the Club has achieved during 2022.

Announcements

Helen Gulson announced a change in process with regards to “no shows” at club meetings. To streamline the collection of the $28 “no show” fee, in future an email will be sent to members who do not attend a meeting without an appropriate apology on the day following the meeting, asking that the fee be transferred directly into the Club account. This will remove the onus on those members on attendance duty each week to collect the “no show” fee.

On Peter Russell’s behalf, Helen also reminded members that the Quiz Night with a Difference will be held on Thursday, 16 March at NGC. Each table will have 8 people and he asked members to speak to friends and family about the Quiz Night and to start to organise tables. A flyer will be issued shortly. So put it on your calendars!

Peter Antaw spoke about RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) which starts on Sunday 15 January. Northbridge is sending Soraya Mackay-Koelen and Charlie Fortin (nominated by John Turner) to Knox College for the 7-day residential course on leadership for young adults.

The same week Peter is hosting Jack Bell from Valla Beach to attend the Summer Science program for outstanding students interested in science. Jack is sponsored by the nearby Nambucca Rotary Club. Peter hopes to bring Jack to our Club meeting next Tuesday night.

Peter noted we had only one starter for RYPEN (Rotary Youth Program of Enrichment) - Zoe Lee, nominated by Willoughby Girls High School. The program will be held at the Narrabeen Fitness Centre on the first weekend in February.

John Bolton announced that the invoices for the half yearly dues will be issued shortly and asked members when they receive their invoice to transfer the dues directly into the Club account as this is much easier for accounting purposes.

Maggie Shanahan thanked everyone for their good wishes and encouragement during her recent illness.

Eleanor Chevor advised that the Rotary Tree of Joy had been very successful with 350 presents having been collected and given to the Starlight Foundation, Indigenous children and finally to kids in the children’s ward at RNSH where the remainder of the presents were distributed.

Rob Coote advised that Rob Shore from Parkes RC had contacted him in relation to the launch of the video about the recent floods in the Parkes/Cowra/Forbes area. The launch will be held at the Eugowra Bowling Club at 1.00pm on 5 February. The Parkes Rotary Club will be running the BBQ on the day and Northbridge members have been invited if anyone is travelling in the region.

Rob also advised that $8000 has been raised recently from the Christmas raffle of $5000, November BBQ and bookstall.

The next Bunnings BBQ is on 21 January and the next Bookstall at the Plaza is on 19 February.

Ros Virtue

DON LANDERS

A Proud Rotarian

Don was the last founding member still attending the Rotary Club of Northbridge which first met on 3^rd December 1983. He remained an active member right up until the last meeting of the year at NGC on 6 December.

The Landers family was well known in Northbridge, with the library on the edge of the Northbridge Oval named ‘The Norman Landers Library’ after Don’s father. As a long time local resident it was natural for Don to be involved in founding a service club such as ours.

Don was a solicitor in the City with various partnerships over the years. From the outset in Rotary his prodigious ability to record and recall the history of our Club has meant that we have been able to treasure the enormous contributions of our Club to our local community and beyond. He has listed all the office bearers in his records so each of us can retrace our own involvement which otherwise would have faded from memory.

Don served as Secretary for a long period and knew intimately our constitution and applicable laws which meant that our Club always operated safely and efficiently, a legacy he has passed on. But more importantly, while he drew attention to our obligations, he was always practical in his approach and sought solutions rather than conflict. Also of note, Don was one of the founders of the Club's Benevolent Fund, and served as trustee from its inception in 1990 until the end of 2020.

On a personal level, Don was just good company. It was hard not to be drawn in by his warm personality and infectious laugh. The Club has had many social functions over the years including District Conferences, Christmas parties and so on and Don and Shush would attend and join in the fun. Don also liked his red wines and he initiated the Mad Greek wine group with his Rotary friends which grew to a wider group. It was named after the inaugural café bar in Kirribilli which subsequently became the Lounge Bar where the group still meets today. He also encouraged Rotarians and others to join the Tripe Club, where those with solid constitutions were able to try multiple courses of tripe, naturally supported by the flow of red wine.

Don’s health had been failing for some time but he still kept coming to Rotary and only formally resigned a couple of weeks before he died peacefully on Monday with his family around him. Vale Don.

Peter Antaw

From the Editor ...

Don was my "go to" person for just about everything Rotary especially attendance matters, past history and the Bulletin. I will always be grateful to him for taking on the role of Attendance Officer at a time when he could have just been sitting back and enjoying all aspects of the Club he helped to create nearly 40 years ago. Thank you Don. We shall all miss you.

Helen Gulson

If anyone has any jokes or funny stories for the humour section of the Bulletin, please email helen.gulson@ozemail.com.au