Narooma Rotary Beacon 28 April 2022

Last Sunday’s Market

Sunday’s market attracted good crowds. Check out the Pizza queue. Also note in the distance donuts have returned to the market, but not with Rotary.

Sunday’s was a great market with a good turn-up of stallholders (almost as big as December’s market), locals and visitors. Thanks everyone for helping on what was a busy and tiring day, what with quite a few of our Rotarians away and especially to our Club Friends Joan Morgan and Wayne Redman for their significant help. Thank goodness it turned out to be a stunning day, albeit a bit chilly at 7am.

It was also quite a successful day financially. We grossed $2,256.65. Wishing Well $166.55 (not bad, considering we didn’t man the gates), the Van $750.10, the Gate (stallholders) $1,340.

I look forward to catching up at our next meeting on Thursday where our guest speakers will talk about our local marine sanctuaries, the integrity of which forms the basis of the attraction to this region for visitors and residents, alike.                                                                       Mike Young

Last Thursday’s Business Breakfast

At Thursday’s Rotary Business Breakfast – Carrie Taylor of Tilba District Chamber of Commerce, Dr Jenny Munro of the Narooma Chamber and Narooma Rotarian Laurelle Pacey who chaired the meeting.

What a fascinating presentation by Carrie Taylor of Tilba Chamber of Commerce at last week’s Business Breakfast about the recently launched Tilba District Strategic Plan. The document is an impressive document beautifully presented. The Plan was facilitated by the Chamber and funded by the Bushfire Community Recovery and Resilience Fund jointly funded by the Australian and NSW Governments.

The Plan aims to protect and enhance the character and landscape of the two Tilba villages and Mystery Bay to ensure the area continues as a special place to live, work and visit, to provide even greater opportunities for local businesses, and to ensure the community is better prepared to face future challenges.

Carrie said the engagement, consultation and review phases with a host of stakeholders are now completed, the Plan finalised, and they’re now into the phase of implementing all initiatives. As Project Manager for the Plan, her task now is to deliver these in conjunction with various collaborative groups.

She said a major strength of the project has been the strong collaborative relationships they established across the wider community and with government agencies that will continue to evolve and deepen.

Carrie also referred to the Narooma Community Plan during her talk. Narooma Chamber of Commerce President Dr Jenny Munro thanked Carrie on everyone’s behalf.

THIS WEEK

Our dinner meeting this week features guest speakers Bill Barker and Fiona McCuaig who will update us on Bateman’s Marine Park. The Park has been in place for 15 years, protecting our local marine environment. They’re concerned about its future with the NSW Government pursuing a review they feel could threaten the Park’s integrity and function while meanwhile reducing resources available for Marine Park activities.

Fiona and Bill bring us up-to-date as well as mention plans for the oyster reef restoration in Wagonga Inlet, rehabilitation of rocky reefs that are currently urchin barrens, and a proposal to establish a Marine Science and Education Centre in Narooma.

Please bring family and friends. Bookings to John Rungen by 4pm Tuesday.

Out and About

From Rotary Race Day coordinator

Easter Saturday’s Rotary Races at Moruya

Thank you to everyone who helped out at the Rotary Charity Race Day on Easter Saturday; a beautiful day and a good crowd. A big ‘Thank You’ to all our volunteers at the gate selling raffle tickets to make it such a success and a special thanks to our helpers from Narooma and Sydney.

The Race Day involves our three clubs, Batemans Bay, Moruya and Narooma. Some months ago the three presidents got together to discuss who should be the beneficiary of our fundraising efforts. They decided to donate a new vehicle to the Palliative Care Support team attached to Moruya Hospital. David Ashford, Rotary Race Day Coordinator (from Batemans Bay Rotary webpage)

Pride of Workmanship 12 May

Invitations to nominate an employee have gone out to about 40 local businesses; hopefully we will again achieve our normal 20-25% success rate. Please put the date Thursday 12 May in your diary; it is one of our most prestigious events.

NEXT THURSDAY 5 MAY

There is no meeting next week.

Narooma Rotary Beacon 21 April 2022

THIS WEEK

Guest speaker at this week’s week’s Business Breakfast is Carrie Taylor on the Tilba District Strategic Plan

Our guest speaker at Thursday’s Rotary Business Breakfast is Carrie Taylor, a local Tilba resident and business owner. Carrie is the project manager for developing and delivering the Tilba District Strategic Plan for the Tilba District Chamber of Commerce.

Carrie is delighted to be able to share the outcomes of the Tilba Plan to date with us, highlighting where key focus areas and initiatives may align with the great work already underway under the Narooma Community Plan with Narooma Chamber, businesses and local residents.

Bookings essential. Please by emailing Andrew by Monday night (our time). Cost $10 cash. On Thursday, 7am sharp.

Andrew’s Thoughts

President Andrew, with son Matt and grandson Josh.

President Andrew’s thoughts are, of course, far away… but he reckons he is thinking of us.

He was taken to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at the weekend for the first time ever as his birthday treat – all Lawsons are Spurs fans (in the genes). But 62,000 fans saw them lose.

The Week that Was

The Rotary Easter Races

Fine weather plus good crowds turned out for the annual Rotary Charity Race Day. This involves Batemans Bay, Moruya and Narooma Rotary Clubs with David Ashford of Batemans Bay Rotary the overall coordinator. Thanks to Julie Hartley and John Rungen who represented our Club by collecting donations  from the fairly constant stream of racegoers as they arrived to park.  With so many Club members away over Easter, we were glad Julie and John could fly the Club flag.

Some months ago the presidents of the three clubs got together to discuss who should be the beneficiary of our fundraising efforts. At the time, President Andrew said he would like to use the money to help establish the Prostate Cancer Support Group, while Moruya initially chose to direct funds towards the proposed new Eurobodalla Hospital Carers accommodation project. Moruya’s President Chris writes this week that because the new hospital is still some way off it, Moruya decided to follow Batemans Bay’s suggestion of donating a new vehicle to the Palliative Care Support team attached to Moruya Hospital.

Chris and Mike volunteer for Tilba

Both Chris O’Brien and Mike Young answered the call to assist the Tilba Festival organisers on Easter Saturday because so many volunteers were off with Covid. Chris was glad she contributed and was asked to stay an extra hour to marshall at the bus stop. Mike intended to help, but when he got there found car parking impossible. The Festival sounds like it was a big success.

Garden Sheds for bushfire victims

The Rotary Club of Liverpool has donated approximately 100 garden sheds of various sizes to bushfire affected residents in the Eurobodalla. These sheds are currently in storage in Batemans Bay. In the week or so after Easter, Moruya and Narooma Clubs have been asked to assist with delivery mainly to residents in their areas, in our case around Bodalla. David Ashford has offered to drive the six or so destined for Bodalla-Nerrigundah  to Tuross if we can pick them up from there and deliver them to the respective people. Does anyone have a Ute or trailer and can help? they would also need help with the loading and offloading.

Out and About

Rotary assists students’ Challenge

Bega, Merimbula and Pambula Rotary Clubs were involved in organising the recent Science and Engineering Challenge in the Bega Showgrounds Pavilion, hosted by the University of Newcastle.  The Challenge is a nationwide Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics outreach program presented by the University of Newcastle in partnership with communities, Rotary clubs, universities and sponsors.

And the winners are… Eden Marine High

Ninety Year 9 and 10 students attended from Bega High School, Eden Marine High School, Sapphire Coast Anglican College, Lumen Christi Catholic College and Bombala High School. Teams from each school test themselves in fun and hands-on challenges against the other schools, competing to go into the State Final and then a National Final. Eden Marine High won.        

The Challenge is in its 22nd year. A representative from the University of Newcastle said, “It’s all about helping students understand the engineering and science opportunities that are available to them in their community. We give them basic materials like paper, string and cardboard and they get to build things like a Mars Rover, bridges and water turbines and relate it to real life so they can learn about possibilities within science and engineering beyond the classroom.”

Bega Rotary organised the event with the support of Pambula and Merimbula Rotary, Pambula and Merimbula Lions, Bega Cheese, Bega Valley Shire Council, GHD Engineering and the University of Wollongong. Bega Cheese, GHD and Bendigo Bank were the major sponsors. From Bega and Merimbula RC webpages

NEXT WEEK 28 April

Our dinner meeting next week will feature guest speakers Bill Barker and Fiona McCuaig who will talk about Bateman’s Marine Park. The Park has been protecting our local marine environment for 15 years, but they are concerned about its future with the NSW Government pursuing a review that could affect the Park’s future, while meanwhile reducing resources available for Marine Park activities.

Fiona and Bill will bring us up-to-date as well as mentioning plans for the oyster reef restoration in Wagonga Inlet, rehabilitation of rocky reefs ravaged by urchin barrens, and a proposal to establish a Marine Science and Education Centre in Narooma. Please bring family and friends. Bookings to John by 4pm Tuesday.

Narooma Rotary Beacon 14 April 2022

Andrew’s Thoughts

Representing our Club at the recent Australia Day ceremony was Robyn Miller, Ange Ulrichsen, Mike Young and Julie Hartley, as well as Bob Astyon (taking photo) and David McInnes (MC). Seen here with Eurobodalla Mayor Matt Hatcher.

All in all, it has been a busy week, albeit a very wet one!

On Monday, Ange Ulrichsen and Racehl McInnes went with Year 11 pupils from Narooma High to RYDA at Moruya Racecourse. As is our custom, we paid for the coach transport for the children.

Tuesday saw Sarah Lambert of the Cobargo Wellness Group join us at the PCSG and address the mental health issues of coming to terms with things. It was a small group, but there was lively discussion. Sarah will be talking to the Club after dinner in late May.

Wednesday was the rescheduled Australia Day Celebration organised by the Narooma Chamber. David McInnes did an outstanding job as MC. Along with a few other voluntary Community organisations, we were presented with medallions in recognition of our community efforts. For those who could not get there, Mike has medals aplenty!

Thursday should have seen me speak to RC Bega with my PCFA hat on. As many of you know, I have to cross the Wandella Creek to go anywhere – enough said!

So we roll into the Easter Holiday break, and may you all have a great time with your families. I head almost 12,000 miles west on Monday but shall obviously keep tabs on things from afar. I shall not be back until 16 May, when I really look forward to seeing you all again. So until then, it really is onwards and upwards mes amis!

THIS WEEK

Wednesday 13 April at 4pm: Board Meeting at Lynn Hasting’s home, chaired by Mike Young.

Thursday 14 April: Club Night at Narooma Golf Club 6.00 for 6.30pm. Please ensure you let John Rungen know if you will be there by Tuesday afternoon.

April Birthdays

We have three birthdays this month – Belated birthday wishes to David McInnes (5th), Frank Eden’s (8th). Coming up is Andrew’s on the 27th. Happy birthday for then Andrew!

The Week that Was

RYDA 2022

Ange Ulrichsen and Rachel McInnes represented our Club at the recent RYDA, flanking Senior Constable Adrienne Murray and Senior Constable David Bates, both from the South Coast Police District, Batemans Bay. This was David’s last RYDA after supporting the programme since we began in Moruya at 2008.

This year’s Rotary Youth Driver Awareness (RYDA) at Moruya Racecourse last week was a great success with 330 Year 11 students from schools across the Eurobodalla Shire attending over the two days.  Ange Ulrichsen and Rachel McInnes were among other Rotarians guiding Narooma, Moruya and Batemans Bay students to their modules on the Tuesday. Thanks to Coordinator Neil Simpson of Batemans Bay RC for his wonderful organising. Over the two days, there were 30 Eurobodalla Rotarians helping, including the cheerful Moruya crew doing the catering.

The thought-provoking modules led by local experts included: #  Speed & Stopping – showing the relationship between speed and stopping on the road; #  Drive S O S – Drive so others survive. Perspectives of other road users; #  The’ ‘I’ in Drive – how personality impacts risk on the road; #  Road Choices – Police led discussion on key risk areas, decisions and choices; #  Crash Investigators – highlighting crash factors. Speed, mobile and loud music distractions, alcohol etc #  Mind Matters – the role of mood as a toad risk factor and how to recognise harmful mind states and avoidance.

Ange said the final  highlight for her was the release into its Nerrigundah habitat of a rescued 7-year-old male bower bird by WIRES volunteer Rachel.

Australia Day Ceremony

MC David McInnes

Last Wednesday’s  Australia Day function (obviously delayed from January) honoured many volunteers in our community, including Narooma Rotarians. David McInnes as MC was fabulous, relaxed and funny. Bob Aston spoke about the Tertiary Scholarship and David and Julie Hartley on Rotary, including the Prostate Cancer Support Group. We have medallions for everyone in the Club.                                                  Ange Ulrichsen

Out and About

Annual Rotary Races

Next Saturday, Easter Saturday is our annual Rotary Race Day at Moruya Racecourse. Our Club has been asked to provide four ‘bucket rattlers’ on the gate, two from 1100-1230, and two from 1230-1400. That is the only task we’ve been asked to do. With so many other events on that day, our numbers are somewhat depleted so please if you are free at either time, please have a go. Please let David Ashford from RC Batemans Bay know as he is organising things.

Also on Easter Saturday

The organisers of the Tilba Festival on Easter Saturday (yes, it clashes with the Easter Races!) are running out of volunteer helpers due to sickness, covid isolation etc. Andrew had a ‘cri de coeur’ from Susan Gray who is the President of Visit Tilba. It was Susan who donated the generous $75 meal voucher for The Dromedary Hotel (which she owns) for our Movie Night raffle; she is a close “follower / sharer” of ours on Facebook. Can you spread the word locally? Please contact Susan directly on 0435 956 777 if you can help.

BowelCare 2022

This year’s BowelCare runs from 1 April to 30 June. As mentioned previously in the Beacon, Rotary is not now involving our pharmacies. You can order your kit from the BowelCare office during the next three months by phoning the BowelCare office Tuesday to Thursday, 9am – 3pm on 4341 6695. The purchase price of $25 is inclusive of postage and fees, pathology testing and notification of your result to yourself and your nominated doctor.

Volunteers needed for Oyster Festival

Narooma Oyster Festival organisers need more volunteers to help with this year’s world famous Festival on 6-7 May. Please spread the word among friends and family. Each of the preceding 14 events have been successful due to the wonderful work of our volunteers. This year they’re short on volunteers for a variety of reasons.

Volunteers are needed for everything from washing up and manual labour through to gate admissions, food and alcohol handling etc. NSW TAFE is also conducting a FREE Responsible Serving of Alcohol course in Batemans Bay on Saturday 23rd April for anyone interested. Volunteers make it happen and we need them to do so at such a fun event.

More information https://www.naroomaoysterfestival.com/volunteer-with-us/. The contact is Lyn Brown Mobile 0481472616. Email volunteer@naroomaoysterfestival.com

Call for Garden Shed help

Batemans Bay RC has asked for our help in the collection and distribution of garden shed to bushfire victims in our area. One hundred flat-pack sheds of various sizes, have been donated by the Rotary Club of Liverpool to specific residents who suffered from the bushfires of 2019/20. They’re being delivered to Batemans Bay RC but the original pick up arrangements on Easter Sunday have changed since Andrew’s last email on this due to the wet weather.

Moruya’s Bulletin this week reports the sheds will be placed in storage at the Bay for pick up in the couple of weeks after Easter. Apparently there are about six for us to pick up and deliver in our area. Anyone who can assist with a trailer will be greatly appreciated. We should have more clarity this week after the Board meeting on Wednesday.

NEXT WEEK

Next Thursday 21 April is our next Business Breakfast with guest speaker Carrie Taylor on the Visit Tilba Project / Narooma interface. There is a lot happening in Tilba at the moment and it will be good to hear how we might all work together on this. Cost is $10. Bookings via  Andrew (yes, even though he is in the UK, he never stops!) are essential.

Narooma Rotary Beacon 7 April 2022

Andrew’s Thoughts

After last Sunday’s successful markets, we rolled into the fundraiser Movie Night at the Kinema on Thursday and what fun it proved to be. The Duke was great light-hearted fun. Fortunately the Geordie accents weren’t too strong and I didn’t need to translate! We had just over 100 people there, including a visiting caravanner from the Rotary Club of Taree! Obviously our thanks go to Jade and her team at the Kinema for making the facility available. But above all, my sincerest thanks go to Ange for organising the evening, and to Gero, Ange, Laurelle and Lynn for the wonderful food, to Mike for bar duties, and to the resplendent David and Rachel for organising the raffle. The night raised $674 (net of costs) for the Australian Rotary National Flood Appeal; it would be good if the Club could double that.

The week ahead is quite full. Ange will help out at RYDA at Moruya, and Tuesday sees the next Prostate Cancer Support Group meeting, majoring on the mental health aspects. Finally, on Thursday I shall be presenting to RC Bega with my PCFA hat on.

Then it will be a weekend of packing, as I head off to the UK! I shall not be back to see you all until May’s Business Breakfast. But I send my best wishes to you all for Easter and look forward to catching up before too long.

Hot off the press! Moruya Rotary has confirmed for Cinders cum Christmas in July at Narooma Golf Club on Thursday 14 July.

Onwards and upwards mes amis!

THIS WEEK

RYDA 4-5 April: The Rotary Youth Drivers Awareness (RYDA) programme at Moruya sees about 180 Year 11 students each day from schools in the Eurobodalla Shire. Batemans Bay Rotarian Neil Simpson is the organizer. Our Club funds the bus hire each year for Narooma High students and provides two helpers on the day Narooma High students attend.

Tuesday 5 April 6.30pm: Prostate Cancer Support Group meeting at Narooma Men’s Shed with guest speaker Sarah Lambert, a counsellor from Cobargo.

Thursday 7 April: No meeting

The Week that Was

Our Movie Fundraiser

What a great night, thanks to all those who came, our Rotary team and everyone who helped!

In spite of the very wet and windy night, we had a very enjoyable night at the Kinema to raise funds for the Rotary Flood Appeal with tasty food, good wine and a very interesting movie, The Duke.

The raffle raised $250, thanks to the generous donors (see list) and to David and Rachel. We also had an additional $200 in donations (including from Deidre Landells, Lara Ezzie and Sandra Haynes). Movie ticket sales yielded Rotary $420. We banked $870. Our all up costs…food and drinks, was $196. Thanks to all Rotarian helpers, and last and not least, thanks to Gero, Ange and Lynn for their fabulous delivery of the very varied and tasty nibbles.

By the way, did any of you spot the star of the movie and his chauffeur…or was it Andrew and Lynn?  Hang on to your paintings! Well done. Mike Young

Out and About

Rotarian flies from Everest for Polio

In 2014 Berry Rotarian Ken Hutt climbed the World’s sixth highest mountain, Mt Cho Oyu in Tibet, and then successfully paraglided back to Base Camp, all to raise awareness for the PolioPlus campaign. Now, he is taking on another challenge for PolioPlus … Everest.

Berry Rotarian Ken Hutt
will attempt to paraglide from Everest to raise money
for Polio awareness

In the next eight  weeks Ken travels to Everest with the intention of flying a paraglider from as high a possible on the mountain, even from the summit itself, creating history in the name of Rotary’s End Polio Now campaign. The RC of Berry says this project has Rotary International support and is a product of representations made to the Nepalese Government by the Australian Government, together with the valued assistance of many others.  Ken says they have a very experienced climbing and support team making this a serious attempt. 

“The success of this mission is not the summiting of the mountain, nor the paragliding from the mountain,” he says. “It’s what we can achieve for Polio Eradication, both financially and awareness that Polio still exists…  The Fly From Everest Project is merely the conduit for advancing our commitment to the world.” The team is self -funded, but asks each Rotary Club to make a small donation of $100, either individually or from club funds, to “make a very large collaborative difference.”

The expedition will be accompanied by a documentary film producer to promote Polio eradication. The film will be made available to all Rotary Clubs around the world and commercial media outlets. “It’s my pledge to visit and present the film in person to every club in Australia and New Zealand that donates $500or more,” Ken said. More information: https://www.facebook.com/flyfromeverest,  www.flyfromeverest.org

NEXT WEEK

Wednesday 13 April at 4pm: Board Meeting at Lynn Hasting’s home, chaired by VP Ange Ulrichsen

Thursday 14 April: Club Night at Narooma Golf Club 6.00 for 6.30pm