Lynn’s Lines
What a great night we had last Thursday at our Changeover. It was so encouraging to see so many official and other guests supporting our small club. Again I would like to thank Ange on behalf of all our members for stepping up yet again as President to fill a void to enable our Club to regroup and even grow. Everyone enjoyed the evening, food and good fellowship.
I am looking forward to working with a great team this year with many fun times ahead.
Please note next week, Cinders in Moruya has been postponed to Spring, but the Board will look at something for next Thursday 13th. Please see below.
THIS WEEK
No Dinner meeting this Thursday 6 July, being first Thursday in month.
Friday 7 July 4.15pm: Board meeting at Narooma Golf Club.
The Week that Was
Changeover last Thursday
Last week’s Changeover marked the end of one Rotary year and the beginning of the 2023-2024 Rotary year. It proved to be a most enjoyable evening with over 40 guests, including Member for Eden Monaro Kristy McBain, Past District Governor Phil Armstrong, Eurobodalla Mayor Mat Hatcher and Deputy Mayor Alison Worthington. Great to also welcome President Shirl from Moruya Rotary, Area Governor Adam De Totth plus representatives from many local organisations. As always, David McInnes proved a wonderful MC keeping it light and interesting.
In reviewing the past year, Ange Ulrichsen said our Club continued to support many community and global programmes while also having fun. A great example is the annual Great Australia Day Duck race which this year raised funds for both the Carers’ Accommodation project for the new Eurobodalla Regional Hospital and Prostate Cancer research.
She outlined the considerable benefits Narooma High students gain from participating in Rotary youth programs, like the Model United Nations Assembly, Rotary Youth Program of Enrichment and the Rotary Driver Awareness Program for Year 11 students. Hearing from all three current Rotary Tertiary Scholars enriched the evening. Our two major Vocational Projects –Pride of Workmanship Awards and Business Networking Breakfasts – continue to enhance relationships with the local business community.
The Club provided about $23,000 from fundraising in the 2022-2023 year to local and international causes and $13,500 in Tertiary Scholarships, thanks to several benefactors.
Another highlight of 2022-2023 was welcoming five new Rotarians to the club – Francoise Cleret, Nicole Keith, Annemarie Narraway, Ana Koen and Greg Heath – all young professionals.
Ange thanked the Board, all Club members, partners and Friends of Rotary for their work, support and assistance throughout the year. She named Susanna Chung the Club’s Rotarian of the Year, noting Susanna’s passion for International Rotary Exchange and the assistance and encouragement she gives to Narooma High student Lachie Penglase now selected for the 2024 Youth Exchange Programme.
Presentations were made to Marine Rescue, Narooma Surf Life Saving Club, the Men’s Shed, and Narooma Rescue VRA.
Incoming President Lynn Hastings introduced the Rotary International theme for this year of ‘Creating Hope in the World’. She said the Club would continue on its steady course through 2023-2024 with an additional fun event during the year, details of which would be announced soon. She also introduced the new Board (see photo).
It’s the Changeover season
It’s been a week of Changeovers with our immediate neighbours Moruya Rotary last Tuesday, and Bega’s on Friday. President Lynn and Vice President David attended Moruya’s which saw outgoing President Shirl Cornish hand over the chain of office and charter to Derek Anderson. It was a night of laughter, fun and even song with local singer Golden Carmichael and over 60 Rotarians and guests celebrating RI President Jennifer Jones’ theme ‘Imagine’ with a rendition of John Lennon’s classic.
Bega’s President is again Phil McDonald who “presented himself with the Rotary Collar”. Charlie Blomfeld is Treasurer, and Richard Kleine/ Anne Ducray Secretary.
Out and About
Our Club again sponsors MUNA
With Ange Ulrichsen’s encouragement, Narooma High has again registered a team for this year’s Model United Nations Assembly (MUNA) under the guidance of teacher Monique Wicks. Our Club will sponsor the team ($1,800). This year’s team of three Year 11 students are Coby van Teulingen, Sandy Loudoun and Ella Marshall. They are yet to hear which country they will represent.
MUNA takes place 11-13 August in Canberra in the Museum of Australian Democracy (Old Parliament House). Ange encourages us all to try and make time to look in on the proceedings in Canberra. “It’s great to also show our presence, however brief,” she said.
Bega Rotary Winter Book Fair this weekend
Bega Rotary’s major fundraiser – the Book Fair is on this weekend 7-8 July at Bega Showground. Bega Rotarians will be on site from Wednesday setting up and sorting. They will take some small boxes of books at the Fair but no big collections.
On the RI theme
Rotary International President Gordon R. McInally’s 2023-24 presidential theme is ‘Create Hope in the World’. He urges members to promote peace in troubled nations, help those affected by conflict, and maintain the momentum of initiatives begun by past leaders.
“The goal is to restore hope — to help the world heal from destructive conflicts and, in turn, to help us achieve lasting change for ourselves,” he said. “A significant way to bring hope to the world is to put a greater emphasis on peace. Peace is the soil where hope takes root.” He cited the action Rotary members have taken in the past year in Ukraine where Rotary has made humanitarian relief a priority. But true relief won’t come without peace — not just in Ukraine, but in Yemen, Afghanistan, Syria, and dozens of other places around the globe.
McInally also emphasized the power of continuity, particularly noting that polio cases have emerged in many areas making it more crucial than ever for Rotary members to lead the fight against the disease.
McInally also urged Rotarians to offer hope to those affected by mental health challenges — a crisis exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. He said Rotary should be known as an organization that takes care of its members as well as the people it serves
“Rotary helps create the conditions for peace, opportunity, and a future worth living,” he said. “By continuing what we do best, by remaining open and willing to change, and by keeping our focus on building peace in the world and within ourselves, Rotary helps create a more peaceful world — a more hopeful world.”
NEXT WEEK
Tuesday 11 July: Our scheduled annual Cinders Trophy Trivia Challenge to be hosted by Moruya Rotary has been postponed until Spring. New date will be announced soon by Moruya Rotary
Thursday 13 July: With the Moruya visit out, the Board this Friday will discuss possibly going to dinner somewhere other than the Golf Club; the Golfie’s kitchen is being renovated next week so we can’t dine there. Suggestions welcome.