We are a vibrant, friendly club creating a better world by engaging the community in projects raising the quality of life locally and internationally. We raise funds for a range of humanitarian projects, click below if you want to help.
The Club meets at 6.00 for 6:30pm
at the Golf Club Narooma NSW on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month. Zoom meetings are held on the 1st Thursday of the month. Contact the secretary if you wish to come to a meeting, click the enquiries button for the secretary's contact details.
Narooma Charters’ Norm Ingersole draws the winning ticket in our Whale Watching Raffle at Sunday’s Market.
Well, it was both a reflective and fulfilling week. We obviously honoured the National Day of Mourning for Queen Elizabeth II. The highly anticipated presentation from Dianne McInnes which had been scheduled for last Thursday has been deferred until 24th November. So our dinner meeting was switched to this Thursday the 29th which is now an important Club Night to welcome Françoise Cleret as our new member. This will be the highlight of the evening and I know we are all looking forward to formally welcoming Françoise to the fold.
The sun certainly shined on the righteous on Sunday! After an indifferent week’s weather gone, and the forecast indifferent week ahead, Sunday was a glorious spring day which really brought in the Market crowds. A highly successful market yielded $2,092.05; many thanks, as ever, to all involved.
The highlight of the day was the Whale Watch raffle drawn by Norm Ingersole of Narooma Charters who had once again generously donated the voucher for two. The winner was Alison Gorman from Dalmeny who was absolutely thrilled. Many thanks to Raffle Queen Ange for leading the charge!
I look forward to a good turnout of members this Thursday to welcome Françoise. As ever, it’s onwards and upwards mes amis!
THIS WEEK
Club Night at Narooma Golf Club 6 for 6.30pm Club when we welcome Françoise Cleret as our new member with open arms. This will be the highlight of the evening.
The Week that Was
On Sunday’s Market
What a beautiful Market Day. We attracted a good crowd with many visitors in the area for the school holidays. With the spring weather, the numbers of stallholders are building up again including a welcome number of new faces. We took $1,181.00 at the gate, $763.30 at the van (food costs to come out), and $147.75 from the wishing well. Quite a few comments on the day about it being such an enjoyable and relaxed community event that many look forward to each month.
President Andrew tells our raffle winner Alison Gorman the good news, watched by Narooma Charters’ Norm Ingersole and VP Ange.
Andrew and Ange both expressed the Club’s great appreciation to Norm Ingersole of Narooma Charters on Sunday for his continued support for our whale watching raffle held at this time each year, Covid willing. Proceeds from this year’s raffle will go towards carers’ accommodation at the new Regional Hospital plus possibly other charities. Interesting we ran the first one back in 2012 when Darryl and Kristen Stuart had Narooma Charters. Norm was saying that so far the whales seem much further out this year.
From Moruya Rotary
Our very own David McInnes was last week’s guest speaker at Moruya Rotary where he spoke about Geophysics. This week’s Moruya bulletin reported he presented his highly technical subject with tremendous enthusiasm and some comprehensive images. David said the whole of Australia has been scanned by airborne Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR). From that research, the skilled geophysicist can detect where various metals are likely to be found which is crucial to know as we move away from fossil fuels and into batteries. Lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese and graphite are all used in batteries, and of these, lithium is currently the key. He spoke about its major issues. We can look forward to hearing David as our guest speaker some time next year.
Bay Rotarians go to Nelligen
Batemans Bay Rotarians are holding a ‘Pizza, Poetry and Plonk Night’ on Thursday 6 October at Nelligen Big 4 Caravan Park at 6.00pm and Narooma Rotarians would be most welcome. Cost is $15 per person which covers the Pizza and ice creams for dessert. It’s BYO Poetry (silly poems particularly welcome!) and Plonk (along with glasses for the Plonk). It is essential to book with Pam Thorpe on 0418 871 685 by Tuesday 4th October should you want to go (for pizza orders and code entry to Park).
(from Batemans By Rotary website)
Out and About
Narooma contributes to International Project
Recently our Club donated $500 to the D9705 Project to install solar panels, batteries and associated electrical infrastructure on a School in Fiji in early 2023. We were one of 22 District Clubs (and one Rotarian) who pledged a total of $45,000
Fiji’s Naiviivi Primary School supports 130 school children with seven teachers. The solar installation will provide them with 24/7 power; the savings made from elimination of diesel generation will enable them to buy schoolbooks and PC equipment. It is an international project that satisfies Rotary’s priority goals of protecting the environment and providing educational support.
Critical moves to increase the number of qualified aged care workers at Sapphire Coast Community Aged Care (SCCAC) facilities are being supported by a joint Project by the Rotary Clubs of Bega, Merimbula and Pambula. Rotarians have so far delivered 18 ‘Welcome Packages’ to SCCAC. Each package aims to make new overseas employees (sourced by SCCAC) feel welcome on their arrival in the Bega Valley and hopefully encourage them to want to stay working for SCCAC.
The ‘Welcome packages’ include a bunch of fresh flowers, a food hamper, personal requirements such as sunscreen and insect repellent, information about services and attractions in the Bega Valley and an invitation for a tour of the Bega Valley with a host from the ‘Adopt a Family’ Program. Local businesses and organisations such as pharmacies and the Sapphire Community Pantry have made very generous donations to the Project. Household items such as furniture and kitchen items are also being sourced and delivered to new employees because their rental properties are usually unfurnished.
NEXT WEEK
There is no meeting next week being the first Thursday in the month, but you may be tempted to go to Nelligen for Batemans Bay Rotary’s‘Pizza, Poetry and Plonk Night’. Bookings essential (see above).
It is with profound apology that ongoing health issues, fortunately not that serious, prevented me from making the previous week’s Club Assembly. By all accounts, it was a convivial gathering much enjoyed by all.
On Tuesday of that week, we welcomed our area’s specialist prostate cancer nurse Aimie Proberts to the first meeting of the Prostate Cancer Support Group’s 2022/2023 programme. A group of 10 gained a fascinating insight into her role which stimulated a lively and beneficial discussion.
President Andrew Lawson and Sally Bouckley of Southbound Escapes at last week’s Rotary Business Breakfast
Last Thursday saw the delayed return of our Business Breakfasts after the winter break. We welcomed Sally Bouckley of Southbound Escapes who discussed taking over the lease on the Visitors’ Information Centre and her vision for integrating tourism initiatives in the area. What an inspiring and wonderful local entrepreneur.
Finally, the Board has decided that as the 22nd has been proclaimed a National Day of Mourning following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, it would be inappropriate to hold our planned meeting on that day with scheduled speaker Dianne McInnes (should the Golfie be open!). We have postponed the meeting to the following week which unfortunately does not suit Diane; hopefully we will soon find another time that suits her.
So, in these reflective and historic times, it is onwards and upwards mes amis.
Don’t forget it’s the markets this Sunday! A roster will be circulated.
THIS WEEK
This Thursday is Australia’s Day of Mourning for Queen Elizabeth II and therefore a Public Holiday, we will instead meet the following Thursday 29th (5th Thursday in the month). Unfortunately that date does not suit our scheduled speaker Dianne McInnes so she will talk about writing a book at another time.
This Sunday is the Markets, so all hands on deck please.
The Week that Was
Last Thursday’s Business Breakfast
Sally Bouckley of Southbound Escapes took on the lease of the Visitor Information Centre on 1 July. She has been overwhelmed by the number of people in the community who have dropped in to say how delighted they are the Centre has reopened; she feels there is considerable community goodwill supporting her initiative. She intends to maintain the Visitors Centre accreditation but makes the point that it has to be commercially viable. It’s the base for her e-bike business and developing her niche market luxury tours. She has reintroduced accommodation bookings and is collaborating with other local businesses, while also being surprised at the business generated in the shop. She explained some of her marketing ideas she intends to incorporate in her business.
A Rotary encounter in Bali
Our VP Ange Ulrichsen is just back from a few weeks in Bali staying at Sanur on the East coast and has filed this report. “About a week ago I happened to lunch at Anjani Beach restaurant at Sanur Beach. To my delight, I noticed the Rotary Wheel and Club of Bali Nitimandala on the wall. Well naturally I inquired and the restaurant owner Alit Suarta joined me for a lovely chat.
VP Ange Ulrichsen meets Alit Suarta of the RC of Bali Nitimandala while on holiday in Bali this month.
“He said the Club meets weekly at his restaurant. Prior to Covid the Club had 15 members but now that’s down to eight and men only. Bali has 23 Rotary Clubs and Indonesia over 500!”
A main project of his Club is providing education and meals to disabled children and helping their poor families in Bali villages.
“Rotary is highly respected in Bali. Post the Bali bombing, Rotary played a pivotal role in establishing a Blood Bank Regional Project at the Central Hospital at Denpasar in Bali. This is ongoing. Since the Rotary Global Grant system changed, local clubs link to provide clean water, public health and sanitation to villages. Previously Indonesia and Japan provided these services jointly.”
Out and About
The Queen and Paddington Bear
This was posted online (shame about the missing apostrophe!) after the Queen’s death, a variation/update of the sketch of the Queen hand in hand with Paddington Bear done by East Yorkshire artist Eleanor Tomlinson after the recent Jubilee celebrations.
Just this last week, the card has popped up among the thousands of floral tributes laid for the Queen, along with many Paddington Bears. Who’d have thought…
Last week was one of the quiet ones with no meeting so little to report. The Board met on Friday and I shall obviously report back at our Club Assembly on Thursday. The great news is that Françoise Cleret has been accepted for Club membership and that Gordon Bentley’s transfer from Dubbo has been finalised. So in the past 24 months, with all that that has thrown at us, we have six new members, and I am quietly confident there may be a seventh.
The success of sponsoring the High School’s MUNA continues to garner positive publicity which is excellent. This is in a large part due to Ange’s great efforts and liaison with Narooma High.
Wednesday sees the delayed start of the PCSG 2022/2023 season when we welcome Amie Proberts, the specialist Prostate Cancer nurse covering both Bega and Eurobodalla Hospitals. We hope for a good turnout.
So in summary, we’re definitely moving forward and I am quietly confident about the Club’s future. As ever, it is onwards and upwards mes amis!
Julie Hartley was on BBQ duty for a while at the last Market.
THIS WEEK
Thursday 8 September: Dinner Meeting 6 for 6.30pm – Club Assembly at Narooma Golf Club
The Week that Was
More on MUNA
We received some extensive publicity about our Club’s sponsorship of the Narooma High Year 11 team to the prestigious Model United Nations Assembly (MUNA) in Canberra 19-21 August. Narooma News journalist Marion Williams also did a ripper of a follow up to our media release by interviewing Narooma High teacher Monique Wicks and student Yeshe Smith Macpherson revealing our Narooma team actually received a standing ovation from the Assembly.
While our three Narooma students spent two months preparing for MUNA and learning about public speaking and speech writing, once there they had to quickly master negotiating and collaborating, sometimes even changing alliances.
Narooma High’s MUNA team of Ellen Hemsted, Jack Lenihan and Yeshe Smith Macpherson in action at MUNA in Old Parliament House, Canberra.
Narooma represented Iran and over the weekend debated six resolutions from Iran’s perspective. Iran was part of the Middle East bloc with Egypt and Saudi Arabia, the latter represented by King’s College. Yeshe told Marion, “We asked if we could see their speech so we could cover different things and know how to support what they were going to say but they wouldn’t let us”.
As Iran, they agreed to support one of Saudi Arabia’s resolutions but after negotiations and collaborations with other blocs “we realised we were against it and ended up changing our minds after hearing other countries speak”. “We did a whole speech about it which won a standing ovation,” she said. “It was a really cool moment.”
These students will go places!
Board Meeting
The Board had quite a productive meeting last Friday: Andrew will fill us in this Thursday. Whale raffle tickets are selling fast.
Out and About
Bega Rotary Spring Book Fair
The Rotary Spring Book Fair is on this weekend at Bega Showground Pavilion (Fri 9 & Sat 10 Sept 9-5). Good quality books plus DVDs will be available. Entry by gold coin donation and sales are by EFTPOS or cash. Please bring a bag.
Ten rules for email etiquette
These tips on email etiquette from the Law Society of NSW should help us all, not only with ‘in club’ communications.Rachel Clements, Director of Psychological Services at Sydney’s Centre for Corporate Health suggests the following checklist.
1. Use a clear, professional subject line clearly showing whatthe email will cover. Many decide whether to open an email depending on the subject line.
2. Proof-read every email you send: Check for spelling, grammatical or other errors. Have you spelt the recipient’s name correctly? Errors compromise your credibility.
3. Write your email before entering the recipient email address in case you accidentally send the message too early.
4. Use appropriate level of formality – Such as, begin with “Dear” or “Hi”. Please use “please” and “thank you” where necessary, and always end your email with the appropriate phrase, “Kind regards”, “Thank you”, “Sincerely” etc.
5. Keep emails brief and to the point
6. Double check you have the correct recipient
7. Ensure you CC all relevant recipients: It’s unprofessional to leave out a colleague or client from a relevant email chain. Be mindful of who should be informed about a given matter and respect that.
8. Reply to your emails: Replying to an email is good etiquette, especially if the sender is expecting a response. Acknowledging you received the email but will get back to the sender at a later time is a professional alternative to ignoring or avoiding certain emails.
9.You don’t always have to “reply all”. The accidental “reply all” on a private email is a huge trap. Think about who needs to read your response; no one wants an email chain that has nothing to do with them.
10. Include a signature block: If your recipient doesn’t know anything about you, they may be sceptical of the authenticity of your email. It is professional to include your full name, title, your company and your contact number.
NEXT WEEK
Thursday 15 September 7am – Business Breakfast Meeting at Narooma Surf Club. Guest speaker Sally Bouckley of Southbound Escapes who recently took on the lease of the Visitors’ Information Centre. Bookings essential with President Andrew by Monday PM. Cost $10.
The 2022-23 Rotary Board
