IN & OUT OF THE SQUARE:
No, it is not one of Peter’s deliberate mistakes, but with an Assembly next Thursday 6th I thought it would be an opportune time to reflect on what we have done so far this year and what we should be doing in the remainder of our Rotary year.
It seems for many of us that there is little time to consider where we are at and where as a Club we want to be. What with Whale, Race Day and Duck raffles, requests at the last moment to put on BBQ’s for Aqua Aerobics, Craft Fair and the significant commitments some members have with the Renewable Expo , Constitution/ By-Laws we should take the opportunity over the next few months to consider what we really want to do as a club.
Possibly a good place to start is the September issue of Rotary Down Under as it gives some useful tips on how other clubs have changed with very positive results.
Think for a moment, with a club of approximately 20 members paying approximately $1000 to $2000 per year to be an active member ( $20k to $40k per annum – approximately what we raise each year), do you think you are getting a happy and productive return on your investment.
Maybe just go OUTSIDE THE SQUARE FOR A MOMENT if you think you could get a better deal for yourself and reflect on how we as a Club we can do that for you.
This is what the Assembly is for and hopefully we can get a positive debate going.
Just one idea, and not one I am necessarily advocating, could be -: Do we really need to consider at a Club and Board level every expenditure for the Youth program, or should we look at what is the range of money we have spent on MUNA, RYPEN RYDA etc and unless the cost is going to be outside the parameters we set at the beginning of the year let the Youth team get on with it. I mention team as I feel our Youth Program is our great strength and what I am sure many of you would like us to be remembered by and not the demise ( however temporary) of donuts and maybe we should add members so the burden can be shared more evenly, such as one member doing MUNA, another RYPEN etc. Again there are other programs that could be treated the same way particularly in terms of expenditure.
Another thought that was raised with me, was why do we not select a project that might take 3 or 4 years to complete so that we can our teeth stuck into something substantial. Great idea.
As a Club we do a number of significant activities with major commitments from some members, such as the markets, and so we will need to be careful that we do not over extend ourselves which we seem to do at times. So are there some things we do that could be cut out or reduced? I simply don’t know so again suggestions discussion and positive options are the order of the day.
Now INSIDE THE SQUARE AGAIN, this last week was a fairly busy week.
Last weekend I attended a very intensive planning weekend for Friends of Rang’I at Lake Macquarie, conducted by the Chairperson of our Board , Rachel, who is an event and fundraiser for a large charity. It gave me a number of interesting takes on fund raising, and ideas for Narooma Rotary’s 1000km walk in April.
On Monday I went to Canberra to find out that I am seriously allergic to Red Meat ( that includes Pork and Whale meat – mammals) and gelatin . What I did not know was only 3% of allergies are to Red Meat and the reaction does not happen each time you eat red meat. What a LOTTERY to participate in.
On Tuesday Donna and I attended a volunteers Meals on Wheels lunch at the Fishing Club in Narooma and while I attended as a volunteer, Rotary obviously came up in the conversations we had over a long lunch.
Thursday saw Donna step-in as our speaker as our scheduled speaker had to suddenly go to Sydney. Donna spoke on The Official Visitors Program to mental health facilities and services in NSW. It appears not too many had heard of the program, even those who have had to deal with the providers of mental health services but it has been in existence since 1865. I suspect it came as a shock for some members to learn that resident psychiatrists in rural areas are a thing of past in many, even quite large, rural areas.
On Friday I attended the 40th anniversary of Probus commencing in Australia at Moruya. Moruya and Batemans Bay Rotary Clubs were also represented and our District Governor Steve Hill was also in attendance. A picture should appear shortly on our Facebook page. Not putting one here so to get you to have a look at the work Charmaine does for us on Facebook.
Saturday saw me at the Newsagency for over 4 hours selling Race Day Tickets. It was bitterly cold at times and believe it or not this time last year the temperature reached 37 degrees. See what useless information you get reading this column . I sold 177 tickets and met and chatted to a lot of people about what you all do for the community in Narooma.
Sunday nothing but composing this, which you no doubt think how he wastes a lot of time .
Next week looks quieter
Cheers,
Pres. Michael
LAST WEEK’S MEETING:
Attendance: 11 members and 1 guest (Donna Anderson)
Wheel: Eggs – Mike Young (29); Fruit Platter of Irish Mandarins – Peter Bull (4) & Chris O’Brien (42); Chocolates – Sandra Doyle (1); Bread – Sandra Doyle (45); Port – Mike Young (29) & Wine – John Rungen (11)
International Toast: John Rungen proposed a toast to the Rotary Club of Grand Baie, one of five clubs in Mauritius District 9220 & Chartered in 1981.
Rotarians Abroad: Further correspondence by way of photographs has been received from editor-at-large, Bob Astin, on another gruelling leg of his World Rotary Fact Finding trip.
PDG Jack Ings AM: Past President Narooma & Past District Governor and Honorary Member of Narooma Rotary Club has sent a note regarding his Rotary activities as he approaches his 91-st year (excerpt below):
Each year I send Narooma High School my cheque to enable them to make the Art prize in my late wife’s name and as I am now resident in Melbourne and handicapped I cannot accept their invitation to attend the ceremony and make the presentation. Therefore I ask each year, if you would be willing to nominate a Rotary member to make the presentation on my behalf. Joy and I worked in many roles to assist the children at the School and she was an artist who worked using the Chinese Brush painting technique and was a foundation member of the Narooma Art and Craft Society. Although she was a Quotarian while we lived in Narooma she was made a PHF by our club and later when we went to live in Shoalhaven Heads, became a Rotarian with me in Gerringong. I have informed the Principal of the High school of my request, as per attached. Please pass my good wishes on to all the club members. I am still in Rotary and will shortly be 91. I am able to do so through the miracle of the computer and am a member of the Eclub of Melbourne. I am still on the Board, write the bulletin and am Program Director. All the best. I hope to eventually be able to bequeath a sum to Narooma Rotary to make the award in perpetuity. I miss the rough and tumble of a conventional Rotary meeting but it is interesting to be working in with much younger, more savvy, techno members from all over. One member of our club is a resident of Mumbai in India and this week’s speaker will be talking to us from Cambodia and probably we’ll have at least one other overseas participant, probably from the U.S or France. I am their showpiece (old fogey!!!) that they trot out on a huge banner every time there is a Conference or Assembly.