Julie’s Jots

Our guest speaker at the breakfast meeting on Thursday was Dr Fiona Kotvojs who gave us an insight into the truffle growing industry.   As with anything to do with the land, they rely on just the right conditions to produce the highly sought after truffle. Most of the truffles she grows are used by chefs on the south coast, with some exported to America. A very highly sought after product! (See more below).

On Friday I attended the committee meeting of the Carer’s Accommodation for the new Eurobodalla Regional Hospital.  The car raffle is still going and they hope to have all tickets sold and the raffle drawn by February or March next year.

Thursday of course is our Lift the Lid Day for Mental Health Day (see below) and Ange has organised some great speakers. Please invite family and friends and don’t forget your hat! Hat prizes on the night.

Then on Sunday 27^th, it’s our monthly market. All hands on deck please! David will be circulating the market roster.

THIS WEEK

Thursday 24^th October: Lift the Lid on Mental Health

This should be a fun night but with a serious message. Please invite friends and family and President Julie encourages everyone to wear a hat of whatever type you want. Rotary clubs across Australia organise a Hat Day dinner each year to highlight the magnitude of mental health problems and raise funds for Australia Rotary Health (ARH), one of the largest independent funders of mental health research in Australia. Everyone is encouraged to give $5 towards ARH. More information on ARH’s website.) Speakers are:

1. Our own Laurence Babington on Men’s Long Table. The Men’s Table is a safe place to share and be heard in a confidential and non-judgemental environment, creating a greater sense of belonging, camaraderie and connection. Our local Men’s Table is held once a month in Narooma.
2. Sophie Scobie introduces Headspace Narooma, recently opened in Narooma. They provide early intervention mental health services to 12-25 year olds. Headspace Narooma can help young people with mental health, physical health (including sexual health), alcohol and other drug services, and work and study support.

Unfortunately our third speaker Georgia Weir had to pull out. Georgia is from Deadly Runners, an Aboriginal owned and operated programme that fosters health and wellbeing among indigenous Australians through running and cultural engagement programmes. Hopefully we will hear from Georgia another time.

Sunday 27 October: Our Market

The Week that Was

Gulaga Gold shines at Business Breakfast

We had another great speaker at our monthly Narooma Rotary Business Networking Breakfast last Thursday. Fiona Kotvojs of Dignams Creek shared what is involved in establishing a small truffière, why the base of Gulaga is well suited to truffles, and why their truffles are increasingly being recognised as world class with their particularly rich deep flavour. Potential exports is huge, but production is small. For example, the UK could take 10kg of her truffles a week, but Fiona’s total production last year was 40kg.

Fiona’s background particularly in managing and analysing projects means that every truffle is weighed, the production of each tree recorded, and everything analysed including the locations. Fiona and her husband planted three different trees – English and Spanish oaks and Hazel about 10 years ago, and started harvesting truffles after five which was quicker than expected. Truffles grow underground among the roots.

Truffles need frosts, well drained soils with a northerly aspect. The harvesting season is about five weeks mid-year and of course trained dogs find the truffles. Weekend truffle hunts are a big tourist attraction, but you don’t keep the truffles.

The best Gulaga Gold truffles are sold directly to south coast restaurants, and the rest through a wholesaler in Melbourne to the export market. Fiona said the export potential is huge to the UK and USA, and they haven’t even looked at Asia. 

“Truffles have the potential to make many small farms in this area viable,” she said. It’s a winter crop, and being underground can handle fire and drought (the spores survive), love lots of rain in February, and like a dry autumn. She is keen to share her knowledge with other potential growers.

Australia is the fourth major truffle producer worldwide. Western Australia is the major supplier in Australia producing 20t a year, but Fiona says theirs lacks the flavour of Gulaga Gold.  Australian exports benefit from the different seasons to the norther hemisphere.

The future is bright. Truffles are used in a range of high quality products and she is also looking for people to use truffles to add value to products. She stressed the importance of collaboration, of packaging experiences like truffle hunts with accommodation and restaurants, and spoke of the now established Gourmet Coast Trail and the Fungi Feastival.

From Batemans Bay Rotary

Each year The Bay Club offers a Scholarship to ANU for medical students attending the Rural Clinical School in Batemans Bay, hoping this will encourage and influence the students to consider pursuing a medical career in rural Australia. It was a happy surprise at the end of the student’s presentation at the Club last Thursday to hear they were all looking at General Practice in rural areas as a career.

Out and About

ShelterBox in Gaza and Lebanon

ShelterBox, Rotary’s partner in disaster relief, is delivering vital aid to the displaced people of Gaza when it can. Many more trucks remain stalled at the border alongside thousands of other humanitarian aid vehicles desperately trying to reach those in dire need. These ShelterBox trucks are packed with essentials such as tarpaulins and rope, blankets, mattresses, and floor mats and also carry water basins, soap, water carriers, kitchen equipment, and hygiene supplies, including diapers, toothbrushes, and sanitary items. ShelterBox has also intensified the production of heavy tents.

In Lebanon, people are also being forced to flee from intense airstrikes across the country following months of displacement near the border of Lebanon and Israel. They are fleeing with only what they can carry. ShelterBox is also responding to this crisis and has partnered with a community aid organisation based in Lebanon to scale up its response. They’re supporting people sheltering in communal spaces like schools with essential items like mattresses and blankets to protect them from the cold this winter, as well as hygiene kits.  

Much of the work of ShelterBox is funded by Rotary Clubs and individual Rotarians. More information shelterboxaustralia.org.au/lebanon-emergency.

NEXT THURSDAY 31^st October

Being the fifth Thursday in the month, no formal meeting. Instead we are heading to Lynch’s Hotel for dinner in the old restaurant 6.30pm. Please let Gero know if you will be coming. Hope to see you there.

Julie’s Jots

Last Thursday, before our Club Dinner, I met with Ann Hegerty and David McInnes. David has handed over the position of convenor of our Tertiary Scholarships programme to Ann after several years of great service. Many thanks to David and now to Ann for taking on this really important task. It is much appreciated and you’ll find it’s a very rewarding experience. Our Club Dinner afterwards was a very relaxed and informal night and I thank everyone for their interesting Magic Moments!

This Sunday Lynn Hastings and I go to the initial meeting of our Community Group 7 – Coast and Highlands Region (under new regionalisation plans) at Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Gardens. Our Group Leader DGE Robert Shore sees the day as an opportunity to get to know other clubs in our community group and see if there are opportunities to support each other. There’ll also be opportunities to ask questions about Regionalisation and the Pilot. He says this is not about giving Clubs extra tasks but more about what Rotary, District and Clubs in our area can do to support each Club.

Thank you Ange for sourcing replacements for our missing ducks, plus a few spares, through our ducks’ former custodian at Cancer Research Advocate Bikers of Bermagui. We hope to receive the new ducks by Christmas.

This week’s Business Breakfast will again be fascinating on Gulaga Gold, NOT the metallic kind but maybe just as valuable! Next Thursday 24th is our Hat Night when we Lift the Lid on mental health with three different and interesting speakers. Please see below. I encourage everyone to don a hat, the zanier the better, and encourage your guests to do the same. Please invite friends and family.

Then of course we have the markets on Sunday 27^th, so please all hands on deck again. Thanks.

THIS THURSDAY 17 October

7am: Narooma Rotary Business Networking Breakfast – Narooma Surf Club

Our guest speaker Fiona Kotvojs will talk about their Gulaga Gold business and its growing success, including on the export market. Fiona and Alan Kotvojs established their truffière some years ago in the Dignams Creek Valley in the foothills of Gulaga.

Bookings are essential with Laurelle; if you haven’t already done so, please contact  by COB Monday 14^th at the latest.  Breakfast costs $10 (please let me know if you do not require breakfast). 

The Week that Was

From Batemans Bay Rotary

The Bay Club had their biggest market this year on the October long weekend. They inducted another new member on Thursday evening – Judy Shore, wife of DGE Robert Shore. Judy will have a busy year ahead as Robert takes her to Clubs all over District 9705. The Bay’s newsletter says they have a few more prospective members in the wings to help their Club “grow and prosper with new energy”.

Out and About

From Bega Rotary

Bega Rotarians are putting on their dancing shoes this Wednesday for a barbecue and bush dance at Kameruka Estate for ANU Medical Students.

District Conference at Mittagong

The District 9705 Conference is on at Mittagong 25-27 October: Sally Hearder and our Exchange student Hilma are going. Unfortunately none of our members are able to go. See https://www.discon24.com/about-8 for further information.

Polio Vaccinations in Gaza.

World Polio Day is on Thursday October 24 and RI urges all clubs to take action to assist eradicating Polio. Narooma Rotary is looking at a possible fundraising film night some weeks later.

Meanwhile the World Health Organisation (WHO) reports the first round of the emergency polio vaccination campaign in the Gaza Strip was conducted in three phases 1-12 September 2024. It provided novel oral polio vaccine Type 2 (nOPV2) to 558 963 children under 10 years old, following meticulous planning and coordination to reach families living in shelter homes, tents, and camps for the displaced. For each phase, an area-specific humanitarian pause of nine hours daily was agreed to ensure the safety of communities and health workers, and enable vaccination efforts.

A second round of the campaign is now needed to provide a second dose of Type 2 (nOPV2) to children in Gaza to stop the outbreak and prevent its international spread. WHO, UNICEF and UNRWA call on all parties to commit to another round of humanitarian pauses, with unimpeded access to children in areas that need special coordination.

NEXT WEEK

Thursday 24^th October: Lift the Lid on Mental Health

This should be a fun night but with a serious message. Please invite friends and family and President Julie encourages everyone to wear a hat of whatever type you want. Everyone is encouraged to give $5 towards ARH. Rotary clubs across Australia organise a Hat Day dinner each year to highlight the magnitude of mental health problems and raise funds for Australia Rotary Health (ARH), one of the largest independent funders of mental health research in Australia.  More information on ARH’s website.) Our speakers are:

1. Georgia Weir on Why Deadly Runners Exists. Deadly Runners is Aboriginal owned and operated that aims to foster physical health, mental wellbeing and community cohesion among indigenous Australians through running and cultural engagement programmes.
2. Laurence Babington on Men’s Long Table. The Men’s Table is a safe place to share and be heard in a confidential and non-judgemental environment, creating a greater sense of belonging, camaraderie and connection. Our local Men’s Table is held once a month in Narooma.
3. Sophie Scobie introduces Headspace Narooma, recently opened in Narooma. They provide early intervention mental health services to 12-25 year olds. Headspace Narooma can help young people with mental health, physical health (including sexual health), alcohol and other drug services, and work and study support.

Julie’s Jots

Lynn, Gero and I had fun counting our 1,000 ducks in readiness for our annual Duck Race, this time on the Australia Day holiday Monday 27 January (we have the markets on the 26^th  and we can’t be cloned, unfortunately!). The results are in; 6 have gone AWOL!!! (It was 8 last year) so we are heading the right way! The numbers of the missing ducks will be cancelled on the ticket stubs and tickets removed. We are still searching for appropriately sized replacement ducks.  Thank you both for giving up your Saturday afternoon.

This week at our Club Dinner we hope to have Pina along to give us a rundown on the life of Pina!   

District Governor Elect Robert Shore (RC Batemans Bay) will conduct a day talking about community groups in Rotary on Sunday 20 October, 9.30am-3.30pm at the Eurobodalla Botanical Gardens in Batemans Bay. Lynn and I are going; if anyone else would like to go, I will be happy to take them.

Thursday 30 October is the fifth Thursday in the month so there is no scheduled meeting. Instead the Board has opted for a social night for anyone who would like to come along, maybe even bring a friend. Once I have secured a venue I will let you know.

The Board has decided to resurrect our Club’s Vocational Excellence Awards and we have a recipient in mind. That award will be given to them at a meeting soon.

THIS THURSDAY 10 October

6 for 6.30pm – Club Dinner at Narooma Golf Club. Hopefully Pina Prosperi, one of our newest members, will give us some insight into her life. Please let Gero know by noon on Tuesday at the latest if you will be attending (ordering from the Bistro) and if you will be bringing any guests. Gero will then inform the Club of numbers and that determines which room we have.

The Week that Was

Well done Narooma Rotary

Our Club received a letter plus certificate from DG Rob Uhl congratulating us for achieving being an Annual Donor to the Rotary Foundation  of  US$100 per member – Level 1.

On our Vocational Excellence Awards

Our Club has only occasionally presented a Vocational Excellence Award. Sadly the last one was in 2015 to Narooma architect the late Phil Rose. Phil was recognised for his vision for the pathways along our foreshore reserves and for the boardwalk, and his efforts in ensuring that vision became a reality. His work enriched our community by increasing Narooma’s livability and the health and wellbeing of our residents, as well as creating a valued tourist attraction.

More information to come on our current nominee.  Rotary Vocational Excellence Awards aim to:

1.     recognise vocational excellence

2.     honour the outstanding contribution by individuals or small teams of individuals for significant advancement in their vocational field.

3.     inspire further enthusiasm and give added reward to the exceptional achievers.

Out and About

More on Community Group meeting

The initial meeting of our Community Group 7 – Coast and Highlands Region (under the new regionalisation plans) is at Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Gardens, just south of Batemans Bay, on Sunday 20 October (9.30-3.30). Lunch, morning and afternoon tea will be provided.

Our Group Leader DGE Robert Shore says the day is an opportunity to get to know other clubs in our Community Group and see if there are opportunities to support each other. There will also be opportunities to ask questions about Regionalisation and the Pilot. He says this is not about giving Clubs extra tasks but more about what Rotary, our District and Clubs in our area can do to support each Club.

It’s wonderful that Julie Hartley and Lynn Hastings will represent our Club. Robert asks attendees to think beforehand about the strengths of their club (what they’re doing well), challenges, current projects and major fundraisers.

Bega Book Fair success

Bega Rotary held a successful book fair recently in the temporary venue of Bega Public School hall. The venue proved well suited to the reduced size of the book fair and favourable weather helped make it a success raising just over $5,000. The book fairs are Bega Rotary’s major fundraiser. The Club hopes to hold a similar book fair in January and organisers hope they can get more involvement from members.

NEXT THURSDAY 17 October

7am: Narooma Rotary Business Networking Breakfast

Our next Rotary Business Networking Breakfast is on Thursday 17 October at 7am at Narooma Surf Club (upstairs – finishes at 8). Our guest speaker Fiona Kotvojs will talk about their Gulaga Gold business and its growing success, including on the export market. Fiona and Alan Kotvojs established their truffière some years ago in the Dignams Creek Valley in the foothills of Gulaga. Their website says…

“The mountain, with its deep rainforest gullies, provides the pristine water which sees our oak and hazel trees thrive. Hidden among the roots grow the mystery which is the Perigord Truffle, our Gulaga Gold. From here begins our truffles’ annual journey to the tables of lovers of good eating.”

Bookings are essential with Laurelle by Monday 14^th at the latest.  Breakfast costs $10 (please say if you do not require breakfast). 

Julie’s Jots

What a lovely night last Thursday with our guest speaker Rachel McInnes and her very informative presentation on the trials, pitfalls and absolute delights of being a WIRES carer. Rachel really is a credit to WIRES and, as we found out, it’s not always a feel good job.

Our Exchange student Hilma also gave us a run down on her week of work experience at Moruya hospital, including watching a baby born by caesarean section… that would have been very special!

THIS WEEK

Wednesday 2 October 6.30pm: PROSTATE CANCER SUPPORT GROUP

Thursday 3 October: No Dinner Meeting.   5.15pm: BOARD MEETING

The Week that Was

More on last Thursday

Both Hilma and Ellie Penglase were thrilled with their work experience (through Narooma High) at Moruya Hospital that week. Hilma said it was so special for them both. They did different rotations; Hilma’s included rehabilitation, emergency and maternity including watching a caesarian.

Then we were treated to a great presentation on WIRES by Rachel McInnes. She joined WIRES in 2016 partly because of where they live at Potato Point, the carnage of native animals on Potato Point Road, and because her target shooting experience (never at live animals!) could be of some use to WIRES.

Rachel explained that WIRES is all about Rescue, Rehabilitation and Release, and only of native animals including snakes. A wombat may take 18 months to rehabilitate. Rachel spoke warmly of the wonderful moment when an animal is released back into the wild. Those that are not able to be rehabilitated with a view to release are euthanased.

WIRES volunteers are on call every day of the year. Their 28 branches in NSW work closely with other rescue organisations. Our local WIRES branch extends from Lake Conjola to Wallaga Lake. In 2023 they had 3,187 callouts; 50% were birds, 30% kangaroos and wallabies (road hits). Their busiest day that year was Sunday 7^th May with 24 callouts to mostly road kills when “it seemed to be raining joeys”.

We were introduced to the concept of “chicknapping”, that’s when a chick falls out of the nest and people don’t wait to see if parents are around; the parents will usually will look after such chicks. There are sometimes false alarms like a report of an echidna in the middle if the road that turned out to be a toy.

Rachel suggested several ways we could help our wildlife. When driving, she urged us to be particularly aware at dawn and dusk of possible animals by the roadside, and encouraged us to put one of the little pouches she had provided into our cars to increase the survival chances of baby animals once in the hand of carers.

We all gained an insight into the challenges, heartbreaks, and rewards in being a WIRES carer, as well as admiration for their passion and devotion. Rachel proved to be a special WIRES ambassador. She made special mention of David’s considerable support for her work.

Out and About

From Moruya Rotary on cemetery restoration

Moruya Rotary and National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) collaborated in a project to restore graves and fencing at the historic Toragy Point Cemetery at South Head Moruya, part of Eurobodalla National Park. The project is now completed and is written up in this week’s Moruya Mail. Chris Manahan initiated the project in his year as Moruya President (2021-2022) and has helped drive the project since. Chris said they hadn’t realised the paper work that would be necessary before any work could commence. NPWS took the lead in completing the Environmental Assessment, Project Plan and Heritage Impact documents.

Physical work started early this year. Rotary assisted NPWS with relocating headstones to their correct plinths on top of their actual grave sites and assisted with re-erecting some internal timber fencing and railing and replacing some. More recently, Service Staff (NPWS) replaced the perimeter fence which was upgraded to a new ironbark post and rail fence surrounding the graveyard.

From Batemans Bay Rotary

Batemans Bay Rotarians inducted two new members into their Club last week, including past Eurobodalla Mayor Mat Hatcher who most probably will again be mayor.

On increasing and maintaining membership

A Rotary Club in Ohio made several adjustments to attract new members. One was switching from a lunch to a breakfast club which was more convenient for people who worked further way.  Another was making a highlight of meetings the monthly “get to know a Rotarian” presentation where members take the floor to talk about themselves.

The Club also increased the number of service opportunities to more than 20 fundraisers and projects each year. To quickly bring new members into the fold, the club surveys them about which committees, projects, and fundraisers they’d like to be involved with and they become involved from the start. All club members receive the same survey annually

NEXT WEEK

Thursday 10 October: 6 for 6.30pm – Club Dinner at Narooma Golf Club.

Julie’s Jots

Sunday was another beautiful day for our markets. Thankyou to everyone in the team involved, especially our ‘Vice’ Market Manager David McInnes. Also great to see two new faces helping at the barbecue and in the van – John and Dianna Coll; look forward to seeing more of you John and Dianna. Sunday’s Market takings were Gate $795.00, Gross van sales $1,123.95. The loss of Riverside Pizzas from the markets was probably a contributing factor to the higher than normal van sales.

This week I’m looking forward to hearing from our good friend Rachel McInnes on her role in the volunteer organisation WIRES, including the high and lows.

Our Rotary Business Breakfast last week was well attended with 30 mainly business people coming along to hear guest speaker Cath Peachey of Narooma Rocks talk about the 2024 Narooma Oyster Festival and beyond. (See Report below)

The Week that Was

Our Business Networking Breakfast

It was great to see several new business faces at last Thursday’s Business Networking Breakfast, attracted by our excellent guest speaker Narooma Rocks (NR) Chair Cath Peachey. NR organises the multi-award winning Narooma Oyster Festival (NOF).

Cath reported on the analysis of the extraordinary amount of data on the NOF that can now be accessed, thanks to technology. This year’s NOF, Australia’s premier oyster festival and Southern NSW’s largest food and drink event, injected over $4m into the local economy, attracted 86% of visitors from outside the Eurobodalla, increased average stay, created a real buzz around the region, and continued to showcase local and regional produce.  It’s also home of Australia’s Oyster Shucking Championship and Australia’s Biggest Oyster Competition. Narooma Rocks is a not-for-profit company that seeks to be a catalyst for tourism to the NSW South Coast and surrounding region and contributes to marketing the South Coast, particularly Narooma, as a year-round tourism destination. It couldn’t happen without the efforts of 150 volunteers.

Our Rotary Business Breakfasts are now firmly established and have enhanced Narooma Rotary’s profile and credibility in the local business community.

THIS THURSDAY 26th

Dinner Speaker Rachel McInnes on ‘Being a Wildlife Rescuer and Carer’. Rachel has been a wildlife rescuer and carer with WIRES, Australia’s largest wildlife rescue organisation, since 2016. She will give us some insight into what wildlife rescuers and carers do and how they make a difference for our precious wildlife. (For those who love acronyms… WIRES stands for Wildlife information, rescue and education service.) 

6 for 6.30pm at Narooma Golf Club. Please make sure you book with Gero including any guests by noon Tuesday so she can notify the Club of numbers.

Out and About

From Bega Rotary Club

Bega Rotary’s next Rotary Bookfair, its major fundraiser, is on 4-5 October at Bega Primary School. Usually it’s at the Showground but current ongoing works there necessitated a change of venue.

District Conference in Mittagong

25-27 October: See https://www.discon24.com/about-8 for full details

NEXT WEEK

Wednesday 2 October 6.30pm: Prostate Cancer Support Group, Narooma Golf Club

Thursday 3 October: No Dinner Meeting. 6.30pm: BOARD MEETING

The Week that Was

Julie was away so David was in the chair for both a fun and a serious evening. It was great catching up again with our Exchange Student Hilma, host mum Julie Penglase and daughter Ellie, plus we had a surprise guest DG Elect Rob Shore of Batemans Bay Club.

It was great to hear from Hilma about the last few weeks including going to the Snowy Mountains to ski (but finding hardly any snow!), joining the school’s volleyball team, going to watch an AFL match in Melbourne, and having her first swim in the ocean. Julie also mentioned Hilma’s great success in mathematics.

Ange Ulrichsen presented the banner from the Bali Action Club meeting she attended recently; it’s one of 22 Rotary Clubs in Bali and is an English speaking club that focuses on the environment

President Julie wants Magic Moments to be a regular feature of our meetings. Well for last week’s Magic Moments David encouraged everyone to tell something about themselves that no one else at the meeting would know. Well we heard some really interesting tales including Gero Mitchell building a toilet for Elton John in Greece, Lynn Hastings sailing from the US to Australia in a 44ft yacht (well she got off in New Zealand), Julie Penglase’s grandmother being born in the back of a covered wagon in the United States, Susanna being a Taiwanese dancer (and no, she’s not Taiwanese!), and Laurelle Pacey being Australian Ladies Tractor Pulling Champion (twice).

The serious part of the evening was a Rotary presentation on Working with Children. David urged everyone who has still not completed the paperwork to please do so.

THIS WEEK

This Thursday 19^th September

Our Narooma Rotary Business Networking Breakfasts resume (Narooma Surf Club 7am sharp) with guest speaker Narooma Rocks Chair Cath Peachey.  Narooma Rocks is a not-for-profit organisation that organises the Narooma Oyster Festival each year. Narooma Rocks has analysed all the data and surveys from the 2024 Festival and Cath will share some insights from this data, as well as outline Narooma Rocks’ recently finalised Strategic Plan to 2028.

Bookings are essential. Please book with Laurelle by Monday 16^th at the very latest.  Breakfast costs $10 (please tell Laurelle if you do not require breakfast).

This Sunday 22^nd ROTARY MARKET

David will send around the roster with the link for you to hopefully fill in yourself.

Out and About

From Moruya Rotary

Calling Narooma Rotary Golfers! Moruya has a Golf and Dinner Charity Day on Friday 25 October in aid of the Carers Accommodation at the new regional hospital, in association with Moruya Golf Club. More golfers are needed.

Moruya Rotary also has a new venture – their Community Grants Project. Moruya’s Steve Picton has developed guidelines and an application form. Typically a grant would be for up to $1,500 to help build or fix a community facility or perhaps run a volunteer event and would be within Moruya Club’s defined area. The website sets out the selection criteria and the financial details required. Successful applicants would be expected to publicise Rotary’s involvement and to keep the Club abreast of developments. Selection will be subject to the Board’s approval.

From Bega Rotary

Calling potential mature students! UOW Bega Valley Campus will be hosting a ‘University Taster Day’ on 21 September for anyone interested in learning more about university. Those that attend will receive information on the degrees offered, including Nursing, Teaching, Arts and Business, and will have the opportunity to explore the uni’s interactive learning spaces.  All are welcome and you can find the link on the Bega Valley Campus home page: https://www.uow.edu.au/about/locations/bega-valley/

District Conference

District Conference in Mittagong 25-27 October: See https://www.discon24.com/about-8 for full details. Rotarians from Moruya and Bega Clubs are going; anyone from Narooma?

Next Thursday 26^th September

Dinner Speaker Rachel McInnes on ‘Being a Wildlife Rescuer and Carer’. Rachel has been a wildlife rescuer and carer with WIRES, Australia’s largest wildlife rescue organisation, since 2016. She will give us some insight into what wildlife rescuers and carers do and how they make a difference for our precious wildlife. 6 for 6.30pm at Narooma Golf Club.

Julie’s Jots

Exciting news for Michelle McNeill of Batemans Bay who has won the ‘Experience Narooma’ Community Raffle, valued at over $1,200. It was drawn on Saturday morning at Narooma Charters’ shop. Thank you to everyone who helped make our community raffle a success, especially our wonderful VP David McInnes.

At our meeting this Thursday, Hilma will give us a rundown on what she has been doing over the past couple of weeks, and David will show members how to use the digital market roster.

Happy moments will be returning to our meetings, but renamed ‘Magic Moments’. If you have something you would like to share with us, it will be a $2 donation; if it is longer than 2 minutes (cut-off at 5) it will be a $5 donation!

I also remind any members who have not returned their working with children check to Gordon, to please do so as soon as possible. Thank you.

THIS THURSDAY (12^TH)

Our Club Dinner 6 for 6.30pm: Please let Gero know if you’re coming or not by Tuesday noon at the very latest; it affects which room we have. Being a Club Dinner, we will order from the bistro.

At our meeting this Thursday, Hilma will give us a rundown on what she has been doing over the past couple of weeks, and David will show members how to use the digital market roster. David and Gordon will also do a presentation on youth protection paperwork.

The Week that Was

More on the Raffle

The Club’s Whale Watching Raffle has been a regular fixture in our calendar since at least 2013, an initiative of Ange Ulrichsen in association with Narooma Charters. For many years proceeds purchased ShelterBoxes for distribution to provide shelter for families affected by disasters. Since then proceeds have also been directed to other worthy community projects.

This year the raffle has been expanded with more prizes and embraced as a community raffle with the focus on ‘Experience Narooma’, organised by Vice President David McInnes and still including a whalewatching prize.

Various local organisations have sold tickets in the raffle including WIRES, the Tilba School P & C, Bodalla Soccer, Narooma Lions AFL, Narooma devils JRL, MACS and Oz Harvest, with those groups retaining 80% of proceeds for their causes. The balance goes to Narooma Rotary to cover costs and to contribute to the Eurobodalla Rotary Clubs’ long term community project of the Carers’ Accommodation project at the new Eurobodalla Regional Hospital (CAERH). Three thousand tickets were printed and the bulk of these were sold, each costing $2.00.

Thanks to the generosity of local businesses, Michelle McNeill of Batemans Bay wins a substantial prize valued at over $1,200. The prize is:

• A whale watching tour for two (Narooma Charters)
• Two nights’ accommodation in a waterfront cabin* (Easts Holiday Parks Narooma) *Easts’ prize can only be redeemed outside of school holidays.  
• 2 x 4hr E-Bike Hire with Gourmet Picnic (Southbound Escapes)
• 2 x $70 Meal Voucher (Club Narooma/ Club Dalmeny)
• $30 voucher (Montague Coffee, Narooma)

The raffle is also supported by Narooma Chamber of Commerce. The whole model of the community raffles will be reviewed and possibly tweaked for subsequent raffles.

Out and About

From Moruya Rotary

Moruya Rotarians are getting quite a reputation for their catering prowess. Last Wednesday Jan and Steve Young and their small band of merry helpers did a great job catering for the Meals on Wheels volunteers’ high tea. Rotarians donated goodies, made sandwiches on the day, shifted furniture, laid tables and generally made the venue look fabulous for the visiting volunteers from Eurobodalla and Shoalhaven South. There are 180 plus volunteers overall and they only had 70, which is a rather good turn-up. This was Rotary’s third year of doing this function so they are obviously doing something right!

Can anyone go to the District Conference

Bookings are now open for our District 9705 Conference on 25–27 October 2024 at Mittagong RSL. Keynote Speaker will be Australia’s Human Rights Commissioner Lorraine Finlay. The first 300 registrations receive a special Conference bag. Information and bookings www.discon24.com

NEXT THURSDAY (19^TH)

Our Narooma Rotary Business Networking Breakfasts resume (Narooma Surf Club 7am sharp) with guest speaker Narooma Rocks Chair Cath Peachey.  Narooma Rocks is a not-for-profit organisation that organises the Narooma Oyster Festival each year, now recognised as the largest food and drinks event in southern NSW and recently awarded the Outstanding Visitor Experience at Eurobodalla Business Awards. Narooma Rocks has analysed all the data and surveys from the 2024 Festival and Cath will share some insights from the data, as well as outline Narooma Rocks’ recently finalised Strategic Plan to 2028.

Bookings are essential. Please book with Laurelle by Monday 16^th at the latest.  Breakfast costs $10 (tell Laurelle if you do not require breakfast).

Julie’s Jots

Thursday was such a great night with this year’s MUNA students.  It’s always a fascinating night when they report back from such an extraordinary experience in Canberra. I know our guests, including parents and new Narooma High Principal Tracie Scobie, enjoyed it immensely.

It was also a night to catch up with Hilma and hear how she is settling in to life in Narooma-Bermagui. She also really enjoyed herself the previous weekend at her orientation weekend in Canberra; during a pause in the programme everyone celebrated Hilma’s as well as two other students’ birthdays.

Although I wasn’t at Sunday’s market, I hear it was a good market despite a few early drops of rain, beng traditionally our quietest market, the loss of Riverside Pizzas, and the footie finals on Bill Smyth Oval. Treasurer Lynn reports Gate takings $820, Wishing Well $100.50, and gross van takings $933.50. Thanks everyone who helped on the day, a great Team effort.

THIS THURSDAY 29^th August

No Meeting this week being the fifth Thursday in the month.

The Week that Was

MUNA continues to inspire

Narooma High’s three-member team have been inspired by their experience at the Model United Nations Assembly (MUNA) in Canberra the previous weekend. The team of Harmony Cannon Yr 11, Ruben Smithers Yr 10 and Bethany Owen-Roberts Yr 10, with teacher Monique Wicks was sponsored by our Club. The venue was the Museum of Australian Democracy (Old Parliament House – House of Representatives) in Canberra.

They impressed Rotarians, guests and parents last Thursday as they explained the challenges of debating a range of world issues from the United Kingdom’s perspective in a United Nation’s style forum against 14 other school teams representing other countries.  The resolutions included the current crisis in Gaza, the situation in the South China Sea, the state of global food security, and preventing crimes against the environment. The experience made them more aware of world issues, increased their confidence and made them new friends by mingling with students from the other schools.

The winning school was Macarthur Anglican School representing Sweden, followed by the Central Coast Steiner School with New Zealand, and Unity Grammar School with Russia.  The team from St Peter’s at Broulee, representing the Solomon Islands, won MUNA’s Totenhofer Peace Prize. This is presented each year to the delegation that contributed most consistently to world peace over the weekend. They were sponsored by Bateman Bay Rotary.

A highlight was the special dinner on Saturday night with the keynote address by Australian Human Rights Commissioner Lorraine Finlay who had acted as UN General Secretary’’ over the weekend.

Ange Ulrichsen reports this was the 25^th MUNA organised by the Rotary Club of Canberra Sunrise. MUNA is organised and sponsored by Rotary Clubs across Australia to build international understanding and promote goodwill for world peace; in the process it builds student confidence in public speaking and debating skills

Toast to RI’s Polio eradication campaign

Françoise Cleret’s International Toast last Thursday was to Rotary International, recognising its initiatives to eradicate polio across the world, since taken up with partners in a Global Eradication programme that had resulted in a 99.9% eradication of the disease worldwide. Until recently, Afghanistan and Pakistan were the only two countries still registering endemic cases.

Francoise’s Toast was prompted by two things – her brother-in-law who had polio and the discovery of a 10-month-old in the Gaza strip with polio in an area that had been free from polio for 25 years.

Among the devastation caused by the war in Gaza has been the destruction of over  70% of its water sanitation facilities. The United Nations chief has called for a ceasefire in Gaza so 640,000 children can receive the two doses to ensure they are vaccinated against polio.

Rotary VP initiates Pop Bench restoration

There was rejoicing at the pool this week with the installation of the newly restored ‘Pop’s bench’ at Narooma swimming pool, a project initiated by Narooma Rotary VP David McInnes. The bench was restored by the Men’s Shed. Pop Brown was the driving force behind the Narooma community’s relentless campaign to cover the pool, opened in 1993.

NEXT WEEK

Wednesday 5 September 6.30pm: Prostate Cancer Support Group Narooma Golf Club

Thursday 6 September:   5.15pm Board Meeting; No Dinner Meeting