Ange’s Chat

What a busy 10 days what with the Polio film night last Thursday, our Renewable Energy Expo this Saturday, and the markets in between.

We marked World Polio Day last Thursday in style with 70 people joining our film fundraiser at the Kinema for the Narooma premiere of Ride like a Girl.  It is a great true Australian story about Michelle Payne making history as the first female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup riding Prince of Penzance in 2015. It captivated everybody who cheered as one as we relived Michelle crossing the finishing line against so many odds. Before the main film we screened a short Rotary film on Rotary’s polio eradication history.

Drinks and nibbles were enjoyed by the crowd many of whom got into the spirit of the occasion and came dressed for the races. Thanks to Chris for organising wine and nibbles and to our super duo Rachel and David McInnes who ran the raffle and judged ‘fashions in the field’. Thanks also to all those who brought in nibbles, donated prizes or helped on the night. We cleared $645 ($490 tickets, $250 raffle, and $40 donation less $135 food/drink expenses).

On the Busking Festival: All sponsors, service organisations, school representatives and others will receive a hand-delivered letter this week inviting them to join us on Thursday 14 November at the Golf Club to both thank them for their past support of our Busking Championship and to discuss how we might keep the event in Narooma in the future.

THIS WEEK

We can enjoy a quiet dinner meeting when we will discuss final arrangements for what we hope will be a very successful Renewable Energy Expo this Saturday.

Renewable Energy Expo

The Club’s Renewable Energy Expo committee of Bob Aston (chair), Frank Eden (coordinator), his ‘secretary’ Iris Domeier, President Ange Ulrichsen and Laurelle Pacey had their last meeting before the Expo on Monday. They’ve met regularly over the last four months. It’s been frustrating finalising the number of exhibitors with some slow to return the necessary paperwork and payment. It now looks like we will have 15 exhibitors.

The Expo targets anyone wanting to save on power bills and be more environmentally sustainable. It’s on this Saturday (10-4) in Narooma’s Sport & Leisure Centre. We expect that the Expo, a Narooma Rotary Community Project, will attract visitors from across south-eastern NSW. Thanks to everyone who has volunteered for the Expo roster which will be finalised this Thursday. Eurobodalla Shire Mayor Liz Innes will officially open the Expo at 10.30am.

We expect 16 exhibitors: Energy Options, Heavenly Heat, Horizon Solar & Electrical, Micro Energy Systems Australia (MESA), Simmark, Solahart Far South Coast, South Coast Green Energy (Narooma Electrics), Southcoast Health and Sustainability (SHASA), Sunny Afternoons, 350.org, Moruya Bikes, Skild Enterprises camper conversions, Designer Eco Tiny Homes of Ulladulla, AMH Auto Group, AEVA Electric Vehicle Association, and Narooma High Robotics.

THE WEEK THAT WAS

Sunday’s Markets

Thankfully we didn’t have the wild winds of Saturday but insteadwere able to enjoy a lovely sunny and fairly calm day. The takings at the markets were gate $856.40, food van $424.80 and the wishing well $101.40, making a total of $1,382.60. John Doyle often struggles to fill the roster but then miraculously, come the markets, members seem to just turn up to help. Wonderful!

A date for your diary – Thursday 19 December

The Inlet restaurant is now booked for our Christmas party. We have over 30 coming to enjoy a delicious feast. Cost is $40 pp and BYO. 6 for 6.30pm.

Out and about

From Moruya Rotary

Last week the Rotary Club of Moruya presented a special Community Service Award to John and Shirley Hayes-Cornish who spoke to us a few months ago. The Award recognized their outstanding contribution to both the local and international community during their five years with Moruya Rotary and was greeted with a standing ovation by those present. This was their last meeting before they departed for sunnier climes in Queensland.

Other news: Moruya Rotary is hosting the Men’s Health (MHERV) van 11-12 November’ the van will park opposite Moruya Post Office. This van with medical staff will provide important basic medical check-ups for men.

From Batemans Bay Rotary

The Bay Club met on Tuesday last week (instead of the usual Thursday) so they could spend the evening with the Rotary Recreational Vehicle Fellowship (Rotary Caravanners) at Nelligen Park. The Club supplied a barbecue for 100 people, no easy feat. Bay Rotarian David Ashford had organised a tour for about 50 Rotarians on the Monday to local places off the beaten track. After dinner, Rotarian George Browning (former Anglican Archbishop of Canberra and Goulburn) gave an interesting presentation on Leadership and Archbishop Desmond Tutu; Desmond had stayed for a week with George and his wife Margaret in Canberra when George was Bishop. The Caravanners all had a great time in the Batemans Bay area.

NEXT WEEK

Our November Board meeting will be next week (Thursday 7 November) at 5pm instead of the following Thursday (14^th) so it doesn’t clash with our Busking community meeting. A quiet dinner meeting will follow.

Ange’s Chat

This Thursday is our film night at the Kinema for World Polio Day with the Narooma premiere of Ride Like a Girl. I hope to see you there, maybe even dressed up for the races.

Last Thursday we were delighted to have John James as our guest speaker to talk on the current scientific consensus about climate change. John has been studying the statistics for over 40 years and said there is irrefutable evidence we are heading for huge upheavals in the near future with the rate of CO2 levels in the atmosphere accelerating at an alarming rate and our ecosystem collapsing. He believes the South Coast is one of the few parts of Australia that can escape the worst predictions. His message was powerful but also positive. He believes community organisations must start now to prepare and seek solutions. See Bob’s report below.

Other things to mention:

Busking Festival: Our Board decided on 10 October to invite sponsors, service organisations and others to a community meeting on 14 November at the Golf Club to discuss how Narooma could continue to host the 2020 Busking Festival in the absence of so many of our key Rotary Busking organisers who will be away for next year’s event. That event is still planned.

Presidents meet: Last Monday I met with our ADG Alan Russell, Moruya President Marion and Batemans Bay President Pam to report on our respective Club activities. We also discussed the Rotary Christmas races on Sunday 22 December, the combined clubs’ get-together on Wednesday 26 February in Moruya to celebrate Rotary International’s birthday, and our annual Cinders Trivia Trophy with Moruya on Thursday 5 March which we will host.

Christmas Party: Chris is trying to organise a venue for our Christmas Party; the choice of venue depends on numbers. I realise it is early, but if you haven’t already done so, please let her know if you are attending and, if so, if you are bringing guests.

THIS WEEK

We host the Narooma premiere of the film Ride like a Girl at the Kinema this Thursday, World Polio Day, instead of meeting at the Golf Club.

It’s a wonderful film about Michelle Payne, the first woman jockey to win the Melbourne Cup, so come dressed for the races. We’ll have prizes for Fashions on the Field, judged by David and Rachel McInnes who will dress up in style. David and Rachel are also organising the raffle.

We join Rotary Clubs around the world on the 24th in holding events to focus on raising awareness and funds to help eliminate the paralyzing disease polio (see update on polio status later in Beacon).

Drinks and nibbles at 6.30. Ange will do a brief intro at 7 followed by the raffle draw, then the 10 minute YouTube clip about the history of Polio by Rotary International President Mark Maloney, and then the film.

The Week that Was

Our 12 Narooma Rotarians were joined last Thursday by a truckload of guests to listen to our guest speaker John James. We also welcomed Derek Anderson and his wife Fran from Moruya Rotary.

We were fortunate to have John as our guest speaker. He is a renowned architect with an interest in physiology and a passion for the environment. In introducing him, I briefly outlined his significant involvement in architecture, especially early Gothic architecture and the environment.

John spoke about the threats of Climate Change and his belief that we are now entering a critical time where the impacts of these changes may have a catastrophic impact on the world as we know it. He indicated that although governments supported the goals of the Paris Agreement, there seems to be little or no effort to actually put in place strategies to meet agreed targets. He also indicated that the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere continues to grow at alarming rates and that politicians cannot do what is required to bring these dangerous levels under control.

John felt that if the threat of Climate Change was to be addressed, it must occur locally with communities working together. In all a very sobering address. If you want to know more about John, check out his website by clicking here. Bob Aston

Renewable Energy Expo

Our Expo committee met last Thursday and it’s all systems go for our Expo on Saturday 2 November, 10am to 4pm in Narooma Sport & Leisure Centre. The Expo committee thanks everyone who put their names forward to help on the day.

The committee is delighted with the response from exhibitors. They include South Coast Green Energy, Micro Energy, Solahart Far South Coast, Shoalhaven Solar, Simmark, SHASA, 350.org, All Solar & Electrix, Heavenly Heat, Sunny Afternoons and Energy Options.  Also on show will be e-bikes (Moruya Bikes), battery operated power tools, and some options for caravaners and campers. Narooma High’s Roborebels will also be showing their junior and senior robots.

We received good coverage of our Expo media release last week in both online and hard copies of Narooma News, Bay Post, Moruya Examiner and Independent, as well as the Beagle Weekly, with Town and Country Magazine presumably this week and a feature the following week.

Out and About

Bega’s Bad Taste Silent Auction success

Bega Rotarians last week enjoyed a fun night at their Annual Bega Rotary Silent Auction complete with a ‘Bad Taste’ dress code. They raised about $2,000 for the club. Participants were very generous with lots of goodies and great wines to be purchased, with plenty of gazumping. The ‘Bad Taste’ dress prompted much laughter, including the organiser Dorothea’s fantastic 1950s ‘home keeping outfit’ complete with hair rollers and apron.

Moruya’s Small Farms Field Days

Moruya is organising Small Farm Field Days at Moruya Showground on 20/21 March 2020. Their working party consists of Allan Veness, Peta Thompson, Pauline Gleeson, Phil Armstrong, Keith Armstrong and Col Jay. Moruya’s newsletter reports progress is good but much remains to be done, like find more exhibitors (they already have about 34), invite sponsors, and assign tasks to members. The site at the Showground is mapped out, paper work has been sent to potential exhibitors and some bookings have been confirmed. The Antique Tractor group will provide working entertainment.

Update on polio’s current status

When Rotary and its partners launched the Global Polio Eradication Initiative more than 30 years ago, polio paralyzed 1,000 children every day. Since then, thanks to this initiative, the number of cases has dropped by 99.9%, from 350,000 in 1988 in 125 countries to 33 cases of wild poliovirus in 2018 in just two countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

With polio nearly eradicated, Rotary and its partners are trying to sustain this progress and continue to reach every child with the polio vaccine. Without full funding and political commitment, this paralyzing disease could return to polio-free countries, putting children everywhere at risk.

Rotary has committed to raising US$50 million each year to support global polio eradication efforts. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged to match that with $2 for every $1 raised, for a total yearly contribution of $150 million. 

NEXT WEEK

A quiet but busy dinner meeting to finalise arrangements for the Renewable Energy Expo just two days later. It will also be a chance to discuss the community meeting on 14 November about the 2020 Busking Festival.

Ange’s Chat

Last Thursday we celebrated Hat Day for World Mental Health. It was an important reminder of the prevalence of mental health issues in our community; the figure quoted is 1 in 5 Australians suffer some form of mental illness each year.

Australian Rotary Health (ARH) is one of the largest independent funders of mental health research within Australia. Last week I outlined several programmes funded by ARH including the ‘Cool Kids Program’ and the ‘Teen Mental Health First Aid program’ which covers problems such as anxiety and depression, eating disorders and crisis situations like suicidal thoughts and behaviours. One Indigenous research project funded currently is the ‘Longitudinal study of wellbeing and quality of life in remote Indigenous youth’. ARH also funds Indigenous Health Scholarships.

Our guest speakers from Katungul gave us an excellent insight into Katungul’s role in mental health and its range of programmes. Our guests were Clinical Nurse Consultant Manager Ann Kelly, NDIS Coordinator Kate Rotumah, and Alcohol and Drug Caseworker Damian Rotumah. They explained the importance of providing holistic and culturally appropriate services for Aboriginal people.

Kate also chose the winner of the best hat and it really was no surprise that she selected Sandra Doyle’s very creative hat covered in beautiful butterflies.

THIS WEEK:

This week promises to be another remarkable evening with noted guest speaker John James who will talk on ‘the importance of community leadership in a too-hot world’. John has had an extraordinary career as an architect, historian, psychologist and publisher. He edits a weekly email newsletter and has often been called to talk on public radio in Australia, the UK and the US. He believes the south coast is one of the few parts of Australia that can escape the worst predictions of climate change for the future. Since 2015 he and his wife Hillary have lived at Brogo.

Please note: Charmaine continues as the person to contact if you are bringing guests so please contact her by Tuesday afternoon with any additional guests.

THE WEEK THAT WAS

As Charmaine outlined, last week we supported Australian Rotary Health (ARH) on World Mental Health Day by hosting a Hat Day as part of ARH’s national ‘Lift the Lid on Mental Illness’ fundraising campaign. The ARH is one of the largest independent funders of mental health research in Australia. Mental health is one of ARH’s four focus areas; ARH funds mental health research in three ways: research grants, Ian Scott PhD Scholarships, and Postdoctoral Scholarships.

A few points from Katungul’s presentation:

• Katungul staff do a lot of travelling. Centres in Batemans Bay, Narooma and Bega/Eden, but cover from just north of Batemans Bay to the Victorian border
• They have about 200 clients on their books; about 110 would be active
• Drug/ alcohol addiction often go hand in hand with  mental health issues
• .Ann Kelley said she is very impressed with the Aboriginal Medical Service model
• Family violence issues lead to accommodation crisis
• It’s only when the client is ready to help themselves is any progress made
• Successful men’s group
• Katungul’s goal is for anyone with alcohol or drug addiction and associated mental health issues to have access to culturally safe, timely and quality care and advice.

(Not the) International Toast:

In fitting with Hat Day last week, Charmaine White instead to toast Australian Rotary Health and the tremendous work they do, including supporting research into mental health.

OUT AND ABOUT

We sponsor Narooma High robotics team

Our Board last week voted $500 towards the sponsorship of Narooma High’s Robotics team for team shirts and publicity material for 2020.

Bay Rotary and ‘Lift their lids’ plus poems

Batemans Bay Rotarians have their Hat Night for Australian Rotary Health this Thursday when they will be joined by the Rotary Caravanners at the Soldiers Club. They’e expecting about 110 for dinner, including partners and friends. The Rotary Caravanners, more formally known as the Recreational Vehicle Fellowship of Rotarians (Aust) Inc, are having a muster this week for their National AGM.at the Big 4 Caravan Park at Nelligen.

Organisers say Hats at the Bay can be ‘Foreign, Fashion or Fun’ and there will be a gold coin donation to enter. Participants are also asked to take along poems to entertain the throng. Should be a good night.

NEXT WEEK:  

World Polio Day on Thursday 24 October

Narooma is one of many Rotary clubs around the world hosting events to celebrate World Polio Day. We will host the Narooma premiere of ‘Ride Like a Girl’. So let’s fill the Kinema and encourage everyone to dress up as if they were going to the races, with a prize for ‘Fashions on the Field’.

Chris O’Brien has kindly offered to source drinks and nibbles from Dalmeny IGA, while others will add sandwiches, dips and sweets to our offering. David and Rachel McInnes are organising the raffle; could everyone please contribute a prize for the raffle; a variety of gifts adds to the fun. Please bring raffle prizes this week.

The Polio pullup banner will be prominent near the door and the 10 minute Youtube clip about the history of Polio will screen before ‘Ride Like a Girl’. What a great night!

Ange’s Chat

Many thanks to outgoing President Charmaine for being at the helm from July to September. We continue the course set by Charmaine of ‘steady as we go’ as we continue on our rotating watches through 2019-2020.

I am delighted to be President of our wonderful Club for this short time to the end of December. Every one of our members plays a vital part in the team and all live Rotary’s ideals of friendship, fun and service. We have a busy time ahead.

This Thursday we support Australian Rotary Health (ARH) on World Mental Health Day by hosting a Hat Day as part of its national ‘Lift the Lid on Mental Illness’ fundraising campaign. The ARH is one of the largest independent funders of mental health research in Australia; 100% of funds raised will directly contribute to research in this vital field. So please wear a hat this Thursday night, any hat will do and you could win a prize! Our Katungul speakers will be interesting.

Also could everyone please consider contributing a prize for the raffle at our Film night on 24 October and bringing them along this Thursday.

THIS WEEK: HAT DAY

This Thursday is Hat Day for World Mental Health Day. Wear a hat, stylish or outrageous, and you could win a prize! We will have three presenters from Katungul Aboriginal Corporation Regional Health and Community Services to talk about their mental health programs and services. They are Clinical Nurse and Consultant Manager Ann Kelly, Alcohol/Drug Caseworker Damian Rotumah and NDIS Coordinator Kate Rotumah. Ann will also judge the best hat of the night.

Please note: Charmaine is continuing as the person to contact if you are bringing guests so please contact her by Tuesday afternoon with any additional guests.

There is a Board meeting at 5pm on Thursday before the dinner meeting.

THE WEEK THAT WAS

Last Thursday was our mini-changeover with outgoing President Charmaine passing the chain of office to Ange. It was a relatively quiet but enjoyable night. Charmaine also presented a belated secretary badge to Sandra and director’s badges to John Rungen, John Doyle and Lynn Hastings.

International toast

PE Rolf gave the international toast to the Rotary Clubs of Brazil. The Brazilian clubs mobilised to help stave off a potential polio outbreak after dangerously low vaccination rates were reported by heath officials last year. They inoculated more than 11 million Brazilian children with polio and measles vaccines during a massive two-month vaccination campaign. Measles had broken out in the northern states where thousands of Venezuelan refugees have crossed the border to escape economic and political hardships.

One Happy Moment  last week

Proud father Mike Young told us that her daughter Catherine Young Carlson, Senior Vice President of Revenue and Strategy with the Philadelphia Eagles National Football League, was mentioned in a recent Wall Street Journal article. She is one of five female senior executives on the Eagles Board which is very unusual in NFL. Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said he doesn’t focus on gender diversity but rather diversity of thought to create the best football team possible, and that meant looking for the best candidates especially those who might not be typically interviewed in football circles. Catherine is also on the board of USA Cricket.

OUT AND ABOUT

Moruya Rotary celebrates Allan Jennaway

More than 40 Moruya Rotarians celebrated Allan Jennaway’s transition from a serving member of the Club to an honorary Rotarian with a special barbecue at Moruya’s Quarry Park last Saturday. The Park was begun by the Club during Allan’s year as President 1990/1991. Allan was thanked for his “incredible and sustained contribution to the Club over so many years” which included being President, Vice President, Secretary, Directorships and membership of District Committees.

World Polio Day is Thursday 24 October

Narooma is one of many Rotary clubs around the world hosting events to celebrate World Polio Day. We will host the Narooma premiere of ‘Ride Like a Girl’.

We decided that for the film night we should encourage everyone to dress up as if they were going to the races. Prize for the best dressed on the night. Chris O’Brien is organising drinks and nibbles while David and Rachel McInnes are organising the raffle. Please bring raffle prizes this week.

Narooma High robotics team seeks sponsors

We have received an update of the remarkable endeavours of Narooma High’s robotics team the Robotic Rebels. They are currently working on competing at the Robocup competition in Canberra and the first Lego League competition in Ulladulla. Participation in such events benefits students by meeting other like-minded students and helps our community by integrating technology into Stages 3, 4 and 5 of the curriculum as well as running community workshops. The School is seeking funds to support Narooma students with team shirts and publicity material for the next year.

RI President Mark visits Sydney

RI President Mark Maloney and his wife Gay were guests of a Rotary reception at the Deckhouse at Woolwich on 23 September. They were on an international trip to fulfil Mark’s dream and his theme for his presidential year of connecting the world. “Rotary allows us to relate to each other in a meaningful way across our differences,” he said. “It connections us with people we would never have met otherwise who are more like us than we could ever have been aware. It connects us with our communities, with professionals and with people who need our help.”

NEXT WEEK:  

It promises to be a remarkable evening with noted guest speaker John James who will talk on ‘the importance of community leadership in a too-hot world’. John has had an extraordinary career as an architect, historian, psychologist and publisher. He still edits a weekly email newsletter and has often been called to talk on public radio in Australia, the UK and the US. He believes the south coast is one of the few parts of Australia that can escape the worst predictions of climate change for the future. Since 2015 he and his wife Hillary have lived at Brogo.

Charmaine’s Chat

It’s out with the old this week and in with the new Captain of our jolly ship Narooma Rotary Ange Ulrichsen. Ange has a busy three months ahead what with Mental Health Hat Night next week, and our Polio film night the following week, and that’s just October. Then we have the Renewable Energy Expo on Saturday 2 November…
My thoughts, having completed my three-month stint as President, are that it does show that things can be done differently. Hopefully at the end of Ange’s presidential ‘voyage’ she will also feel buoyed by the support and enthusiasm of our crew of Narooma Rotarians.
A big thank you to all our crew for your support during my term.  Some have been away exploring far-flung lands or relaxing and having some R & R, but fortunately all have returned to keep up their community work at the markets and volunteering for various causes. A special mention also of the amazing guest speakers we have had recently and our Friends of Rotary who have helped when we have been short-handed.

THIS WEEK: Mini Changeover

Outgoing President Charmaine hands over to incoming President Ange Ulrichsen at our mini ‘changeover’ this week at a normal dinner meeting where we can just enjoy each other’s company.

The Week that Was

We enjoyed another fascinating guest speaker last week in Keith Mundy from Tilba Nursery who spoke mainly about Australian native plants for the spring garden. In introducing Keith, Lynda Ord summarised Keith’s extensive qualifications and experience; no wonder he is so knowledgeable.

All of us have some kind of garden, some more expansive and more successful than others. No wonder then that many were madly jotting down plants Keith mentioned and handy hints for growing healthy plants. He also mentioned his popular monthly talks at the La Galette café at Tilba Tilba; worth keeping in mind.

Our guests last week included Friends of Rotary Heather  Ferguson and Di Lovatt, Dr John and Larry Brown, Gero Mitchell, Annette Kennewell, Sue Munro, Maureen Trees and Lou Matheson.

Last week’s International Toast

John Doyle proposed our International Toast last week to Rotary Oceania (the Rotary Clubs of New Zealand and seven Pacific Island nations). What first prompted him with this Toast was finding out about the Whangarei City Rotary’s association with an ocean-cleaning machine called the Seabin installed at Tutukaka Marina in New Zealand’s Northland earlier this year. The Seabin sucks up plastic litter floating in the water in a quest to clear the oceans of plastic debris. It is a collaboration between Ocean Spirit, Tutukaka Marina Management and Trust Board, the Interact Club at Huanui College and Whangarei City Rotary Club (through a Rotary District Grant).

When investigating that project, John became even more excited by the news that day that Andrew Forrest’s Minderoo Foundation had announced a US$300m commitment to a new industry-focused initiative to end worldwide plastic waste. Perhaps a subject for a future talk…

John has provided the links for anyone who would like to read more about these projects: To the NZ Rotary project is https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503450&objectid=12226250  To the Minderoo project
https://www.minderoo.com.au/ .

Out and About

Bega Rotary invites us to a Silent Auction

Bega Rotary Club has invited us to their ‘Silent auction – Bad Taste Night ‘on Thursday 17 October. The invitation reads: Come in bad taste. Dress up! Don’t be shy! Visit the op shop or just look in the back of the cupboard…..those clothes from the 80’s …..aghhh! Be there or be square! We are looking for more donations so dig deep Chocolates, wine, bad taste vases, artwork Pot plants , pots, vegetables, eggs, preserves Cakes, accommodation, a weekend holiday. Contact Dorothea with your Bright Ideas and Pledges.

From Moruya Rotary – Drug and Alcohol Forum 30 October

Eurobodalla Cares Local Drug Action Team has invited Deakin University representatives to Moruya to run a drug and alcohol forum on Wednesday 30 October at Moruya Golf Club, starting at 1pm. Deakin University has a drug and alcohol education and prevention programme called Communities That Care (CTC) which is running at 12 sites across Australia.

At this forum, Deakin University researcher and lecturer Professor Bosco Rowland will release data from these CTC sites in Australia. CTC has the potential to build capacity in the Eurobodalla to support youth well-being and prevent health and social problems for young people.  The benefits of this program flow through to the whole community.

Evidence tells us that many problems facing young people in the Eurobodalla such as alcohol and drug use, mental health struggles and school disengagement, could  be effectively prevented using long term community planning. Using the CTC framework, the whole Eurobodalla community would become the drivers of change, not just singular organisations or government departments.

The Eurobodalla Cares Local Drug Action Team hopes to get a CTC project for the Eurobodalla. This would require some significant funding but cost/ benefit studies done by Deakin University show very high returns for money invested in this program. Excerpt from Moruya Rotary Newsletter

NEXT WEEK:   LIFT THE LID ON MENTAL ILLNESS

Next Thursday is World Mental Health Day when we ‘lift the lid’ on mental illness by hosting a Hat Day event.  Wear your best or most bizarre hat, bring your friends and partners and please encourage them to do likewise. There will be a prize for the most ???

Our guest speaker Ann Kelly from Katungul will speak on mental health and local services.

An extraordinary figure quoted in association with World Mental Health Day is that 1 in 5 Australians suffer a mental illness every year.  Any money raised from donations next week will go to Australian Rotary Health towards funding vital mental health research.

On a lighter note, the last word on Hats

Why do spies always wear hats? Because they are undercover.

What did the tie say to the hat? You go on ahead and I’ll hang around.

What do you call a lion wearing a stylish hat? A dandy lion.

Where do frogs leave their hats and coats? In the croakroom.