Bulletin of the Rotary Club of Ocean Grove Inc.
www.rotaryoceangrove.blogspot.com
Volume 26 No 24
December 11 , 2007
Notice for the meeting at the Ocean Grove Hotel, Tuesday 18th December, 6.00 for 6.30
Subject Our annual Chrissy party Chairman Trevor McArdle [with Coral Barker as assistant]
Assistant Cashier The first unaccompanied member to arrive. Greeter & Ass’t Sgt. The second.
Members are required to apologise by noon Monday 17th Dec. if they do not plan to attend, [or suffer a penalty of $20] and guests, including partners, have to be registered with Hans, following the same timetable.
There will be no meetings on 25th Dec. or 1 Jan And no Rotary on those two dates
Birthdays & Anniversaries
20th Peter & Annette Cullen. [also the day, in 1957, when Elvis Presley got his draft notice for two years in the U.S. army, and Paul Keating became PM, knocking off Bob Hawke, in 1991.]
24th Geoff Brentnall. [also King John of England 1167, Howard Hughes 1905 & Ava Gardner 1922]
25th Jesus, in Bethlehem, Judea 36 b.c.[also Isaac Newton 1642, Conrad Hilton 1887, Helena Rubenstein 1870, and Humphrey Bogart 1899]
28th Colin Brown. [also Woodrow Wilson 1856, John Fitzgerald 1960 and Patrick Rafter 1972]
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The next meeting of this club will be on 8th January, at the hotel, and probably in the form of a barbeque and a purely social evening, 6 for 6.30.
The 8th January meeting will require your attendance or your apology, as usual.
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The short fortune-teller who escaped from prison was a small medium-at-large.
Club Incorporation. – A two-edged sword
Members of Australian Rotary clubs, and particularly Board members, are advised to read the article as headed above, appearing on page 29 of issue no. 490, November 2007, of Rotary Down Under. I quote below, just one paragraph.
‘Many clubs believe they can incorporate using the “model rules” provided under most State/Territory legislation but subsequently use the Rotary documents [constitution and by-laws] as their constitutional documents just as they did when they were unincorporated.
This is clearly unlawful. It is also dangerous. Just think, if the club has to expel one of its members, which set of rules will apply? Whichever is chosen it is almost certain to be held by a court to be the wrong one. Courts are not impressed by incorporated clubs using the equivalent of two sets of books.’
The author of the article, PDG Ian Knight, states “ The club I belong to [Werribee] had a set of rules and by-laws developed for us by Ross Blair, of McKean & Park, a firm of Melbourne lawyers. That form is now available to clubs in all states and territories in Australia because it is designed to comply with the eight separate Acts that apply. Yes we have to pay for the service but we can be certain that the problems I have commented on have been avoided. We also have the normal protection afforded to those dealing with members of the legal profession. McKean & Park’s website www.mckeanpark.com.au contains full details.”
Your editor’s footnote: Ross Blair was a fellow member of the Rotary club of Robinvale for more than 25 years.
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Acupuncture is a jab well done.
Rotary Membership: too expensive or a bargain at twice the price?
Like so many of the best things in life, Rotary club membership comes with a price. Annual membership costs typically include club and district dues, meals, contributions to Rotary-related foundations and service projects, and a magazine subscription – all of which vary greatly, even from one club or district to the next.
The only universal membership costs are the current semi-annual per capita dues of US$23.50 paid to Rotary International.
According to a recent survey conducted by RI’s Membership Development Division, meals account for the largest portion of membership costs in 11 of the 14 regions studied, reaching as high as 58% of the total. [I reckon ours would be more than that!]
What should Rotarians be getting for their money? “Good programs, acceptable meals, good leadership, good projects and good fellowship”, says Chris Offer, 2006-07 chair of Membership Development and Retention Committee.. He thinks that these are the membership benefits in which Rotarians want to invest their time and money.
“I don’t believe that Rotary is too expensive,” Offer adds “ So when I hear someone say Rotary costs too much or takes too much time, what I hear them saying is that they don’t value Rotary and that their club is not offering value for money.”
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More extracts from ‘Instructions for American Servicemen in Australia 1942’ - ‘Australian Slang’.
Stonkered Knocked out Boko Nose Shout To buy drinks for the house
Zack A sixpence Ding dong swell Yakka Hard work
Bonzer Great, super Cobber Pal Wowser Stuffed shirt, sour puss
There’s more! Just wait until you get to ’Whacks’ and ‘Rubbadedub’
This Day Tonight
• Heather Wallace was a guest of Trevor McArdle, and Tahlia Justice [ our year 11/12 student recipient of our assistance award], was our guest, along with her mum.
• Community Service chair Marion expressed thanks to the multitude of members who helped make the Senior Citizens’ Christmas dinner such a success, and passed on the comment from several guests who would like the Rotarians to mix more with their guests. The Stephanie Alexander Gardens are due to be officially opened tomorrow – Wednesday 12th, at 1.40. Our invitation is a bit belated, but be there if you can. There is more work for us during the summer hols.. The Barwon Heads Community Gardens project has gained a shed, and we may be asked to help with restorative work.
• Tim Kemp reported an excellent collection for the Donations In Kind project, and thanked John Wynn for his generous donation of time and truck.
• Youth chair Paul Gleeson introduced ‘Cyber Netrix’- an Internet Safety Education for Secondary School Students – www.cybernetrix.com.au as a worthwhile reference during the summer holidays.
• ‘Carols in the park’ is our club project for next Sunday at the Ocean Grove Park from 4.00 pm, to be followed by our escort of the Sudenese Choir on a bus tour of the immediate district, followed by a BBQ at the Ocean Grove Main Beach. If you want more details, contact Richard Grimmett.
• Market chair Judy Greer reminded us of the January 6th Market, the roster for which will be reprinted next week. 62 stalls booked so far.
• Geoff Ford’s car raffle received good support from those present, but if you weren’t present tonight, how about you phone him and offer assistance during the Xmas period.
The Bellarine Historical Society
Treasurer Lynette Wiley was our guest speaker. Occupying the old Drysdale Courthouse since June 1976, this museum of historical collections is open Sundays for the miserly fee of $2.20 [kids free], and is well worth a visit. They seek a digital camera and laptop computer in 2008, in order to continue their valuable research. The Society covers the entire Bellarine Peninsular
