It was great to see Erwin Biemel back with us on Monday night as well as Les and Marilyn Woodland from the Rotary Club of Preston, Victoria accompanied by their friend and prospective member, Anne Edgar and our exchange student Anna Longlune from Belgium. I'm also looking forward to welcoming Steve Pusey back from his leave of absence, possibly as soon as at the next meeting on 20 August 2018.
It was great to have our newest member, Bernard Crooks, give a thumbnail sketch about his family, life and times. The range and depth of knowledge and experience which members bring to the Club, never ceases to amaze me. We report on Bernard's presentation below and have also included one given by Stuart Diggins toward the end of last Rotary year.
We have received a timely reminder from District that August is Membership and Extensions Month
Well every month is really-but the special emphasis in August is to encourage us all in our efforts to obtain and retain new members. One thing is certain, if we want to increase our membership, we need to reach out to business people and professionals in our area and demonstrate to them the good work that Rotary does as well as the many benefits (both social and networking) of joining our Club. So I ask everyone to be on the look out for prospective members. Please be proactive and invite them along to a meeting and do let our Acting Director of Membership, Vic Camp know about them. Together we can grow, prosper and continue our Good Works.
Speaking of growing, I'm happy to report that the trees we planted in
Magaret Harrison Park are thriving although the same cannot be said of the many drought stricken farmers in NSW and Queensland. We have an opportunity to assist them through
Fighting For Our Farmers a fund raising appeal initiated by the Rotary Club of Southbank, Victoria in conjunction with the Channel 9 Today Show and the National Farmers Federation. To donate
Click here.
We also need more prizes for our Club raffle the proceeds from which help subsidise some of our Club and social activities, such as our Christmas function and Changeover.
This week we are reporting two International toasts, one in retrospect from Stuart Diggins and one fresh from Monday night given by John Erkins
Next week we have a Board meeting on Wednesday 22 August where we will finalise our annual budgets; on Friday 24 August the Vocational Service Committee led by Kevin Baruffi, will be providing lunch in support of the Kulbardi Indigenous Open Day at Murdoch University ; and on Monday 27 August we'll be meeting at Metamorphosis Gallery 16 Yampi Way, Willetton where artist and gallery director, Jana Vodesil-Baruffi will guide us through an exhibition of art before we go off to dine at a local restaurant. This is a partners night.
And finally Club Director of Youth Service, Simon Cubitt, reminded us that applications for the September Camp of the Rotary Youth Programme of Enrichment (RYPEN) close on 31August 2018.
Simon is also still seeking applicants to participate in the Club heats of the Four Way Speech Contest; and he has ordered the Rotary Shopping Bags for on-selling.