Andrew’s Thoughts
What a great Business Breakfast we enjoyed with Paul West on Thursday. He was as fascinating as always. The meeting had a great vibe, the location continues to deliver, and the choice of breakfasts seems to have been greatly appreciated. It was also fantastic to see how our Rotary team all pitched in to get the venue ready and then clear up with no fuss. Great work everyone. See Laurelle’s report below.
I hear the MHERV visit on Friday was a big success. Many thanks to everyone who filled the roster to help MHERV nurse Bill Powers book people in. Thanks again to Chris O’Brien for looking after the MHERV’s Narooma arrangements. Interesting to hear of the numbers of women who also attended. Laurelle has more below.
The bad news from me though is I am in hospital in Brisbane having had a stroke in my left eye and permanently losing sight in that eye. I am not allowed to drive for three months so shall be ‘Lynn dependent’, but we’ll work something out. I still hope to be at the dinner with Bega Rotarians at Cobargo on Thursday, all being well.
Nevertheless it is still onwards and upwards mes amis.
THIS THURSDAY 24 February
We finally catch up with Bega Rotarians at Cobargo Hotel at 6pm. Bega is our ‘mother club’ and over the years we have tried to make this an annual event. If you’re coming, you should have already told John.
Andrew and Bega President Anne Ducray have been planning this for some time so hopefully Andrew can make it. Hope you can make it.
Just a refresher on a few of who’s who in Bega Club, apart from President Anne. Secretary Suzanne Simon, Treasurer Charlie Blomfield, Membership Dorothea Polonyi, President Elect Phillip McDonald and Public Image Phil Elsey.
The Week that Was
Breakfast with Paul West
As Andrew said, there was a great vibe at Thursday’s Business Breakfast after our break over the busy tourist season. Paul West was a popular choice as speaker attracting about 40 people, our biggest so far, and included 12 Rotarians. Paul moved to the area in 2013 to host ‘River Cottage Australia’ for several years and now lives at Bermagui. Paul has “never written a speech in his life” and only decided on his topic while driving up from his home in Bermagui.
He spoke about five guiding principles that have stood him in good stead in shaping his business career over the last 10 years. He hoped they might have some relevance to others.
- Being true to his core values when making any business decisions. A major one is his family and spending time with them; another is his artistic values. This has meant that as a freelancer he has turned down some lucrative commercial offers… It’s a balancing act.
- Importance of relationships. Particularly important in small regional communities, noting while life is short it is also long.
- Adaptability to survive in a changing world. Paul noted “that no one in this room hasn’t had to do this over the last two years”.
- “Not being afraid of things going to shit”. Try new things; everyone starts somewhere, even small extra improvements.
- Recognition. It’s important you recognise what you do and its impact on your community. Referring to Rotary, he sang its praises and the pride in being part of a team that makes a difference to people’s lives
Quite a few questions followed. One was about his River Cottage co-star Digger who is now nine, “an ever faithful companion”, “who fancies himself as Canine King of Bermagui”. Interestingly, Paul said Digger came from Dalmeny and was advertised on the IGA noticeboard.
Paul is a chef and a passionate advocate of real food, community, regional living and sustainable agriculture. Paul regularly hosts cooking demonstrations at food festivals around Australia and is an occasional guest presenter on ABC Television. He is also the Narooma Oyster Festival.
MHERV visits Narooma
We hosted the Narooma visit of the Men’s Health Educational Rural Van (MHERV) at Narooma Plaza on Friday. This van is a Rotary initiative and provides free blood pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol checks.
MHERV nurse Bill Powers was delighted with the response in the Eurobodalla Shire. In Batemans Bay he saw 14 people, 9 of whom were women. Moruya on Wednesday was his busiest day on the job so far with 34 customers including six wives, while in Narooma on Friday he saw 18 people, four of whom were women. Bill said although MHERV targets men because of their general reluctance to go to the GP, everyone is welcome. It’s all about keeping people healthy. From Narooma he headed to the Bega Show and then to Tathra.
Tonga Disaster Appeal
You will remember our collections at the January Market and the Duck Race for the Tonga Volcano Eruption and Tsunami Disaster Fund. That raised close on $1,750. The club doubled it to $3,500. That money has now been forwarded to the Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS) which registered a Rotary Australia Relief Fund to seek financial assistance from Rotary Clubs, the public and private sector. RAWCS will work with the Rotary New Zealand World Community Service (RNZWCS) and the Rotary Club of Nuku’alofa (Tonga) to provide aid and assistance to the affected communities.
Clean Up Australia
Our Club has now booked our usual clean-up site from the Mill Bay boatsheds to the Apex Park boat ramp for Sunday 6 March, the official Clean Up day. The best time to do this is around low tide which is about 6.30am or 6.30pm that day. So Laurelle who is the site manager suggests maybe 7.30am-8pm at Mill Bay, or 5-5.30pm. Names and feedback re times please to Laurelle.
Out and About
Film Night to raise funds to End Polio
Ange has arranged with Jade Griffiths at the Kinema to screen The Duke on Thursday 31 March as our fundraiser for the End Polio Campaign.
Sydney Harbour Bridge’s 90th Celebration
Moruya Business Chamber is organising a celebration on Saturday 19 March to recognise the 90th birthday of Sydney Harbour Bridge. The plan includes a street parade, river lights, music performances and food. Moruya Rotarians will play a role in helping to organise the event, possibly assisting with food, crowd control and moving barriers. There’s even a possibility of constructing a Rotary Wheel river light. More information soon. Moruya Rotary Club is donating $2,000 to the Chamber to help pay for the event.
District Conference at Temora 18-20 March
Registrations are now open for what should be an excellent Conference programme. Temora is home to the Aviation Museum and guests will find themselves buzzed by its rebuilt Spitfire. The convention dinner takes place in the Museum hangar.
NEXT WEEK Thursday 3 March
D9705 GOVERNOR’s VISIT – likely to be by last year’s DG Michael Moore who is currently deputising for DG Leo Farrelly. Please let John Rungen know if you are coming.