Julie’s Jots
We launched new signage on our food van at Sunday’s busy market; it features Rotary International’s new branding ‘People of Action’. It looks terrific thanks to Mick Pepper of Waratah Signs and the collaborative input of members. As our Club’s ‘billboard’, it will be an excellent promotion when the van is on NATA Oval. Well done to all who have made the new van and its trimmings possible.
Thank you to all who made our Business Networking Breakfast such a great success last Thursday. An amazing 40 people booked in to hear from our guest speakers (please see report below).
On Thursday I went to the AGM of the Carers’Accommodation Eurobodalla Regional Hospital; everyone on the committee retained their positions. On the car raffle – less than 600 tickets left. President of Pambula Rotary Lynne Koerbin, gave a talk on the trials and tribulations of the Carers Áccommodation at Bega Hospital.
I’m looking forward to hearing from Bronwyn Jewel our guest speaker on Thursday about her time living and working on Thursday Island. Hope to see you there.
We have a Board meeting on Wednesday. One item on our busy agenda is possibly lowering our annual fees; any decision will then be run by all members.
I would also like to thank the members who stepped in for me while I was away over the past couple of weeks.
The Week that Was
Rotary Buzz at Business Breakfast
What a great turnout of enthusiastic business people at our Business Networking Breakfast last Thursday, the last for 2024. Forty people booked to hear from four local businesses about their expectations and challenges for the coming summer season. Networking continued long after the speakers finished.
Teaghan Abbott, Easts Holiday Park manager with husband Roger, said “this is a great time of the year”. Their business has changed over the last 12 months; some customers have cancelled what have been regular bookings because of cost of living pressures, and because their business is largely dependent on the weather, many are booking later to see what the weather is doing. Staff is an issue; while they have the right number now, it’s difficult in peak season. Challenges over summer include theft but they warn customers to take care.Teaghan advised businesses to make sure events are listed on the Eurobodalla What’s On webpage (they point their customers to this) and ensure their social media is up to date especially opening hours. They advise customers to book with restaurants to avoid disappointment.
Sally Bouckley of Southbound Escapes runs six businesses from the ‘former Visitors Centre building – a café, E-bike hire (loads available all year but totally booked over summer), accommodation bookings, tourism bookings, Mountain Bike shuttle bookings, and manages the Visitors’ Centre and Lighthouse Museum. On mountain biking, they get a lot of inquiries but bikers tend to book at the last minute. They are expanding their accommodation booking service and asked businesses to please advise re availability. Sally said they advise visitors to book in advance at restaurants.
Victor Costa is overall Manager for Merivale’s five Narooma venues and has lived in Narooma since Merivale first arrived here 3½ years ago. He said they were getting more international visitors, thanks to the power of social media. Victor spoke of the difficulties of predicting the volume of business on any given day and stressed the importance of booking at restaurants in advance. Staffing is a major challenge with the long quiet winter and shorter and busier summer. Keeping staff motivated and interested in winter is hard. Chefs’ reliability is tricky’; any sickness can impact the clients’ experience. It’s all about the experience for the client.
Tania McCue from She Narooma and Bermagui said their family business has grown to now employ 10.5 staff and they’re about to also open a shop in Bega. She said they don’t know how the season will go, but their Narooma shop is well located on the Flat opposite the caravan park and they’re also getting some business from the increased popularity of mountain biking.
Our Business Breakfasts resume on Thursday 20 February (7-8am). We already have a great line-up of potential speakers for 2025.
THIS Thursday 28th – Dinner Speaker
Our dinner speaker Bronwyn Jewel will share with us her ‘Slice of Life in the Torres Strait’. Bronwyn worked on Thursday Island for nine years as both the Manager of Gab Titui, the Cultural Centre, and as a Program Manager Culture, Art and Heritage for the Torres Strait Regional Authority. Her talk will centre around the film Ailan Kastam and the arts and culture of the Torres Strait Islanders and the Aboriginal people of the region.vPlease let Gero know if you are coming and if you are bringing any guests (please include their names) at the very latest by noon Tuesday (26th).
Out and About
Christmas lights from Moruya Rotary
For the past 20 years Moruya Rotary and Moruya Business Chamber have jointly funded the annual Main Street Christmas Lights project (over $3,500). When the lights were taken down last year it was clear major refurbishment was needed. Col Jay and Rohan Gleeson met with the Moruya Community Shed coordinator Vince Hayes; over the winter, Vince and Chris Zammit stripped the old tinsel and LED lights from the 13 old frames. They then sanded back and cleaned the frames, removed the rust, and then repainted. They’ve also added three more frames. Then began the laborious work of rebuilding the frames with new tinsel sourced from a specialist supplier on the Gold Coast to met the strict weight and density of materials required to meet Essential Energy’s requirements and the engineering certificate specification. New LED lighting was added, soldered and wired to give the single point of connection needed to connect to the street poles. They go up soon.
Rotary Clubs unite against Domestic Violence
Rotary Clubs of the Bega Valley are joining with other community agencies to take action to raise awareness and advocate against domestic and family violence. As part of the ’16 Days of Action 2024 against domestic violence’, they will have a stall at the Bega Produce market on 29 November. Their aim is to raise awareness and promote positive actions to overcome domestic violence. Domestic, family and gender violence is an issue that cannot be ignored. They encourage all people to recognise domestic and family violence in its many forms; then speak out and say NO to unacceptable behaviour.
NEXT WEEK
Annual General Meeting 5 December
Please think seriously about nominating for a position on the 2025-2026 Board. Nomination forms have been circulated to all members and will also be available at this week’s meeting. See Secretary David.