Bob’s Buzz
Hello everyone
Australia is slowly changing back to some normality with students returning to school and cafes and restaurants being allowed to cater for small groups. Hopefully we will see a few more visitors coming to town after intrastate travel restrictions are eased next week, giving a much needed boost to our local businesses.
I have been discussing with the Golf Club about when we might return to dinner meetings. With a bit of luck we may even be able to have our Changeover as planned on Thursday 25 June.
At our last Board meeting we decided not to conduct a May or June Market. However, if restrictions continue to ease we may reconsider and have a small June market. If this is the case we will need to do a lot of work to relocate markers for stall holder sites. Even if we do have a market I don’t think we will be able to operate the van; the additional hygiene requirements we would need to put in place to serve food may be too difficult.
As we near the end of this Rotary Year we can look forward to an exciting new year with our new President Rolf and our new 9705 District. RI President 2020/21 Holger Knaack has chosen the theme ‘Rotary Opens Opportunities’ for the new Rotary Year. If we reflect back on Narooma Rotary over the years, we have created many opportunities both locally and abroad. I am sure 2020/21 will be no different.
Have a great week everyone, especially Peter Bull who turned 60 and 120 months on Friday (29th).
NEXT WEEK
We will have a Zoom meeting this coming Thursday. Bob will send you log in details closer to the time.
Out and About
Clubs ponder changeover possibilities
Like us, all Clubs are wondering how they might do their changeover this year with the uncertainty over what Covid 19 restrictions might be towards the end of the month. Moruya Club, for example, is considering several options for Wednesday 24 June:
- A small group to conduct the actual handover and a Zoom get together for the rest of members who wish to take part.
- Their usual venue, Moruya Golf Club, is probably not going to be suitable because of unknown numbers of the public present in the club at any time. However, the Club may be able to take advantage of the relaxed rules from 1 June when gatherings of 40 people are allowed. It would be a Spartan affair – no partners, no VIPs.
- The Members’ room at the Race Course could be a possibility
- Hold a lunchtime gathering at Quarry Park with either attendees providing their own food and drink or hiring caterers.
District Bushfire Recovery Committee update
Committee Chair PDG Phil Armstrong reports they are receiving financial as well as emotional support from many overseas groups. To date it has:
- A commitment from Rotary International’s Britain & Ireland Disaster Recovery Trust for AU$20,000. This will go towards the construction of a Men’s Shed and Memory Garden in Batlow. They have also indicated that they would look favourably at applications for money for other projects.
- A little over AU$27,000 from the Rotary Districts in Thailand. This will be split between the Eurobodalla Botanic Gardens and the Mogo Wildlife Park animal hospital. The Thai Rotarians want the money to assist with regeneration of flora and treatment of native animals.
- Received contact about the possibility of money coming from PNG
- Sri Lanka Rotary would like to work on a Global Grant for a bushfire recovery project.
- He has also heard from a Canberra Rotarian with friends in the UK and France who wish to contribute to the recovery.
- The Committee has also received money from Germany.
From Bega Rotary
- The Cobargo Hay Project is continuing with $49,000 still available.
- Three Bega Rotarians are now on the Sapphire Coast Bushfire Recovery Committee.
- Rotary Drought Fodder Project: RAWCS has received $1M to help a selected number of genuine cattle producers in NSW suffering from intense Drought and the lowest rainfall on record. Bega Rotary was one of several clubs selected in this Zone. They must select five cattle producers who meet the criteria in their area to receive a B-double of cereal hay to help them keep the last of their breeding herds.
- Sanitiser Project: The Bega Hand Sanitiser Project has been rolled out across south-east NSW to aid in controlling the Corona Virus. This project has been organised by Dr Duncan McKinnon, a member of the Bega Rotary Breakfast Group. This project now extends as far as Nowra with the help of other clubs and organisations. Dr McKinnon has a confirmed an order for 60 more stations, including the Eurobodalla, which includes 18 schools. A delivery chain has been devised, using local Rotary contacts. Both Moruya and Batemans Bay Rotary clubs are contributing financially. A grant from the District Designated Fund is being sought.
- Bega Rotary’s Winter Book fair has been postponed until September due to the current restrictions.
