Lynn’s Lines

It’s been a while since the last Beacon, so this is a bit of a catch-up.

What a great night last Thursday night with our RYPEN students! See report below. Susanna Chung also gave us an update on Lachie Penglase in Japan, as did his parents. More next week.

Early March, our Club catered for a barbecue dinner for 20 people at the Discovery Park south of Narooma for visiting NRMA staff community volunteers, organised through the Uniting Church.   Our small team consisted of David and Rachel McInnes, Gero Mitchell (made the potato salad) and me.  It was a good night. After costs we made $340 which the Board subsequently decided should go into the Administration account. Left over salads and fruit were taken to Monty’s.

We again took part in Clean Up Australia on Sunday 3 March and it was a lovely morning. Ange and I started early and did not find much in our usual area. Upon our completion we found a lady waiting for us at our start point to join us (a visitor who signed up online) We gave her another bag and she headed in the other direction from the boardwalk to the bridge. 

Our Club Assembly on 14 March featured D9705 Governor Nominee Robert Shore as guest speaker. He is the District’s Membership Director, currently a member of Batemans Bay Rotary Club, and previously a member of Dubbo Club. It was very appropriate that our newest member of the Club Pina Prosperi was inducted and welcomed into the Club that night.

Robert said his best membership results have been from printing programmes of dinner speakers and other things 3-4 months ahead and distributing them to everyone they can. If only one thing interests someone, they hold onto the list. This way his old club at Dubbo attracted 18 new members in one year; so far this idea has attracted only a few at his new club Batemans Bay. Robert also spoke about corporate membership and an annual clubhouse raffle.

The District’s combined President Elect Training and Learning and Development seminar at Batemans Bay was informative, particularly for incoming President Julie (see below). Susanna Chung w also went. I was very interested in the Corporate membership styles other clubs have adopted. We asked several questions about obtaining charity status with the ATO which were not addressed. The District Conference is in Mittagong October 25-27th. 

On Markets… our February market was very different as we had neither food van! A lot more work that way… but it was a good market nevertheless. Our March market had a good turn out with good sales. Gate $1010, Van sales $789.97 (net profit $512.59), Wishing Well $58.75. Thank you everyone for your help to make this all happen. We are hoping to have our new food van ready for the April Market.

THIS WEEK

Wednesday 3 April 6.30pm: Prostate Cancer Support Group meets at Narooma Golf Club

Thursday 4 April 5.15pm: Board Meeting

The Week that Was

Last Thursday we heard from two enthusiastic Narooma High students who we sponsored to the Rotary Youth Program of Enrichment (RYPEN) Camp at Wagga Wagga  in March – Michael Amey and Macy Dudgeon. They spoke about what they got out of the camp. This attracted a good number of guests including their families and staff of Narooma High. RYPEN is a 3 day camp and programme for Year 9 high school students. The aim is to expose these young people to a series of ideas, problems and social experiences to assist them in forming their own values and moral standards. It is also designed to broaden their horizons culturally, socially and academically.

Farewell to Narooma High Principal

Current Narooma High Principal Fiona  and “a great friend of Rotary” is moving on after five years in the top job. “I’ve loved my time here, but it is time to return to family; my connection here is strong, ” she said.  She is returning home to Tamworth as Executive Principal of Tamworth High which has 870 plus students compared with Narooma’s 470 students.

She told last Thursday’s meeting how very proud she was of Narooma High,  its students and its staff and all they have achieved, including their “amazing cultural programme”. She is over the moon with the “spectacular” results from the last HSC, the success of the RoboRebels, and also their agricultural students’ success at the Royal Agricultural Show steer competition. The meeting also acknowledged her strong leadership during the challenges of the 2019-20220 bushfires and the following Covid era.

Out and About

Rotary Business Networking Breakfast 21 March

Our last Businss Breakfast with guest speaker Kelly Eastwood of Eastwood’s Bermagui showed how the challenges of recent years resulted in her pivoting her business to meet those challenges. Everyone was quite fascinated with what she had to say and there was much discussion as a result.

The next Rotary Business Networking Breakfast on Thursday 18 April will feature Narooma Rocks General Manager Carrie Taylor who will update us on this year’s Narooma Oyster Festival, just two weeks later.

More from PETS

President Elect Julie Hartley said she found networking with the other clubs really helpful at the recent President Elect Training and Learning and Development seminar; she realised we all have the same membership issues. There were discussions  on how we might gain more members. It was also helpful to be reminded that the new Regionalisation team is there to help and for us to use their services.

Pride of Workmanship Awards

Invitations to nominate an employee who goes ‘above and beyond’ have now been sent to 38 local employers for this year’s Pride of Workmanship Awards on Thursday 18 April at Club Dalmeny. This is a prestigious event for the Club, second only to the Changeover, and a really ‘feel good’ event so hopefully we will get a fair number of nominees. Francoise and Laurelle are working on this. Chris assisted with delivering some invitations.

Distinguished Gentlemen’s Ride

Planning is now well underway for a new event for the Club, the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride Sunday 19 May. The focus will be on NATA Oval with a display of the motor bikes and assorted classic vehicles, with a ride to Dalmeny and back, and a community market on NATA Oval. It’s a major fundraiser for prostate cancer research and men’s mental health. More details to come.

NEXT WEEK

Wednesday 10-Thursday 11 Aprll: RYDA – Rotary Youth Driver Awareness Programme for Year 11 students – Moruya Racecourse. Our Club pays for the bus for Narooma High students. Ange Urichsen and Julie Hartley are going on Thursday 11th, accompanying NHS students.

Thursday 11 April: Club Assembly, Narooma Golf Club