BULLETIN of the ROTARY CLUB of OCEAN GROVE INC.
Winner of the Holmes Trophy for the best attendance by a Club at the 2006 District Conference
Volume 24 No. 35
Notice for the meeting at the Ocean Grove Hotel, on Tuesday 14th March, 6.00 for 6.30.
Speaker –Returned outward exchange student Jack Madden. Chairman David Tyrrell.
Greeter and ass’t Sgt. Geoff Chandler. Ass’t cashier and thanker Rod Bush.
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Coming up
MONDAY 20TH MARCH Change of date, time, venue, and activity. Meet at the Queenscliff Bowling Club at four bells in the afternoon watch, [I think that’s 6.00 PM] to join the members of the Rotary Club of Queenscliffe for a social bowls night, followed by dinner. Apologies to Hans if you are not going to be there.
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Last Friday, we invaded Portland
We won the above trophy, [% of members attending X the distance travelled] from the other 60 clubs. Tim Kemp would have led the club to victory for the greatest net membership increase in 2004/05, if it hadn’t been for Henry Hudson pinching 5 of our members to Queenscliffe, and I would have won the bulletin award if the 47 better bulletins had been found guilty of plagiarism. Fair dinkum!
Our contingent of the Browns, Calnins, Chandlers, Fords, Foxes, Frankens, Greers, Kemps, McArdles, Steains, and Triggs, plus a Barker and a George assembled at the Richmond Henty Hotel on Friday evening for dinner, and then on to the Friday night’s sessions at the Civic Centre.
Portland has a population of close to 10,000 and boasts two Rotary Clubs, which jointly hosted the conference. The emphasis of the entire conference was on youth.
With distinguished international Rotarian and RI Director Noraseth Pathmanand representing our world president, the national anthems of Australia and Thailand were both played at the opening, [Commonwealth Games organisers take note]. Noraseth and Ryla delegate to Gallipoli Sallie Millington were the outstanding speakers at this first session.
Eight separate breakfasts were organised for Saturday morning. The McArdles, Chandlers, Greers, Foxes and Alison scored the golf club and vocational service. Features of the Saturday AM session included excellent illustrated addresses from Noraseth and two presenters of the first of three ‘Channel 40 News’ segments featuring various district club activities. But the best was [in my opinion] Peter Kenyon on a wide-ranging exploration of social and environmental concerns, e.g. 70% 0f rural towns in Australia are dying! Mervyn Edwards, a recently retired police officer from London, a specialist in security and anti-terrorism was equally impressive after lunch.
Saturday night’s three course dinner for 630 was excellent and catered for by a Mount Gambier firm!. We grubbers, and other club delegates, were split up as an experimental [but unpopular] idea..
The after-dinner speaker was bone marrow transplant recipient Sophie Morell who was truly outstanding. Sophie, a very successful athlete ,will compete in the transplant games at Geelong in September where we have been rostered for a day of duties on Thursday 21st.. After listening to her, I believe the games will be assured of at least 24 supporters from this club.
The conference was a great success, and not expensive. There were several excellent speakers, and in my humble opinion, only one dud. Our double rooms at the William Dutton Motel cost $140 for two nights. The RI president’s special representative stayed there! Book now with JC for the 2007 conference at Warrnambool from 2nd to 4th March. It will only cost you $50 deposit at the Mid City Motel., and you will be at least assured of accommodation. This reservation expires on 19th March.
A sobering thought
In Bully no. 34, I made brief reference to the wine industry. Have you ever thought what a wine grape grower gets, for the grape juice, in the average, [say, $12 retail] bottle? About $1, $2 if the grapes are of a superior quality and variety. And do you know what most restaurateurs charge for that same bottle? About $25 to $30. [200% 0n cost] Your meal is probably cheap, sorry, inexpensive, if you drink water!.
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More wicked Wisdom
Charm The ability to get the answer ‘Yes’ without having asked the question.
Chastity The most unnatural of the sexual perversions.
Chess A game it’s impossible to win at gracefully. No man has yet said ‘Mate!’ in a voice which
failed to sound to his opponent bitter, boastful and malicious.
Chop A piece of leather skilfully attached to a bone, and then served to patrons at restaurants. _______________________________________________________.
Our P.A.D. [Public Access Defibrillator] and shop-front opportunity.
A hand-over function will be held at the Market Place shopping centre at 5.00PM on Tuesday, March 14th. Members are requested to attend. With the loss of the ‘Ocean Grove Voice’, we also have an opportunity at the Market Place Centre to gain the temporary use of a vacant shop to showcase the activities of this Club. Wal. Kelly has details.
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Last night’s meeting
Rotary stages some really outstanding programmes, but the Kemp’s illustrated tales of their two years on the canals of England was truly one out of the box. To attempt a summary would be doomed to failure ………………………………………………………………………
Snippets
• Chairperson Judy was well pleased with the March market and high in her praise of deputy Rod Bush. Fine, warm weather, 72 sites, 580 cars and $145 for the raffle. Two markets to go!
• Red Cross Calling is about 66% finished. Progressive total $2626.
• We are the fourth biggest sellers of the car raffle tickets. Queenscliffe club sold the winning ticket, [to a Queenscliffian] Our Wal was a great help to Geoff Ford with our end of this big fundraiser
• If you have an idea for a club project, mention it to Pres. Helen before the next board meeting.
• Our sister club of Southampton in Canada has submitted its $335A for their share of the joint project costs. Hey, Southampton, how about reciprocating with your bulletin? After all, you have been getting ours for a few months now!
• Geoff Brentnell reminded us of past exchange student Jodie, who is now a presenter with the ABC studios in Launceston. She will shortly be married.
• Don’t forget next Tuesday at 5PM at the Market Place shopping centre to take part in the presentation of the public access defibrillator. Wear your Rotary shirt.
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A disturbing bit from conference speaker Arron Wood.
Australia is the driest inhabited continent, but one of the highest per capita users of water. And don’t we waste it. Why do we permit the growing of rice and cotton? Two billion of the world’s population, [1/3], have no access to clean water.
End Bit
A traveller arrives at a country pub hot and very dusty. He orders a meal and a glass of water. After a while the meal arrives but not the water. “What do you have to do to get a glass of water in this dump?” demands the traveller. The cook replies, “Well, you could try setting fire to yourself.”
