29th June 2010
This Day Tonight……………Induction of Noel Emselle as President for 2010/11
· Visiting Rotarians tonight included District Governor Jessie Harman and Andrew, PDG Henry Hudson and Isobel, DGN Helen Trigg and Richard, AG Maggie Isom, several Greers and a multitude of Emselles. There were numerous other visitors, including visiting Rotarians from Drysdale and Queenscliffe.
· A real highlight of the proceedings was the presentation of a Paul Harris Fellowship to Norm Elliott. Was there ever a more deserving recipient? Norm has been a tremendous contributor in our club, and never more so than as the head of ‘The family of Rotary’.
· Gerry Spencer proposed the toast to Rotary International, and PDG Henry Hudson responded.
· Geoffrey Cummins has graciously accepted the temporary duties of market co-ordinator during Mick Cummins [no relation], tour of vocational duty for the next six months.
· A comprehensive printed annual report for 2009/10 was distributed after the excellent dinner served by Barwon Heads Golf Club staff, and outgoing President Rod Greer augmented the formal stuff with a warm round of thanks to his team of directors and committee people. Rod can be justly proud of his year as our leader.
· DG Jessie Harmer, inducted to that high office just three days ago, then inducted Noel Emselle as our President for 2010/11, in a warm and eloquent address. Noel thanked his fellow Rotarians for his election and promised that he would not let us down.
· Brand new Sergeant at Arms Gary Golding, heading a committee of rotating sergeants, extracted a fair sample of loose change in an open session, including ‘heads, tails or both’, plus a quiz session in which no table scored the maximum 10, but Australia was permitted to be either the largest island or the smallest continent, depending on your point of view!
· Dick Clay was the best footy tipping member over the split round.
· It was a bloody good night.
Three fascinating, but otherwise quite useless pieces of information
· When it attacks prey, the great white shark rolls its eyes backwards to protect them.
· Bats always turn left when they fly out of a cave.
· Richard 1 of England [the Lionheart], died from an arrow wound that became gangrenous.
Notice for the meeting at the Ocean Grove Hotel, Tuesday 6th July, 6.00 for 6.30.
Subject ‘What’s planned for this year’. Chairman President Noel
Assistant Cashier Geoff Brentnall Greeter & Assistant Sergeant Rod Birrell
Birthdays 7th Tony Haines, 8th Peter Cullen, 11th Lois Dawborn
If you wish to extend apologies for this or any future meeting, phone 0457 315 900. NOT TO HANS
Sign in a non-smoking area ‘If we see smoke, we will assume you are on fire and take appropriate action.]
Notice for the meeting at the Ocean Grove Hotel, Tuesday 13th July, 6.00 for 6.30
Subject The Church of Christ Community Meals Programme. Speaker Colin Hastings
Chairman Marion Walton Assistant Cashier & Thanker Colin Brown
Greeter & Assistant Sergeant Rod Bush Birthday 13th July Barbara Cummins
Record apologies or guests in the book, or phone 0457 315 900, BUT NOT TO HANS!
On a Maternity Room Door ‘Push, Push, Push’
The TITANIC artefact Exhibition ………………at the Melbourne Museum until 17th October
If you haven’t already been to this fabulous exhibition, it should not be missed. It is divided into 9 distinct divisions – ‘Construction Gallery’, ‘Departure Gallery’, ‘First Class Hallway & Grand Staircase’, ‘Passenger Gallery’, ‘Third Class Gallery’, ‘Iceberg Gallery’, ‘Seabed Gallery’, ‘Memorial Gallery’, and ‘Australian Stories’. It s extremely well done. There is a huge sheet of real ice in the iceberg gallery!.
On April 15th, 1912, more than 1500 of the 2340 passengers and crew died in the icy waters of the North Atlantic. The sea temperature was -2 celsius. The pride of the White Star fleet, she was proclaimed unsinkable because of her 16 watertight compartments, but she sank within hours of hitting an iceberg. She lay undiscovered for more than 60 years, almost three kilometres below the surface, but remarkably, many fascinating artefacts have been recovered by an immensely pressure-resisting submersible vessel. Safety at sea was enhanced as a result of this tragedy, as the original 32 lifeboats on board were reduced to 16, prior to her maiden voyage. Such space-saving would now be illegal Incongruously, most of the dead did not actually drown but died of hypothermia as a result of the -2 degrees sea temperature.
Three millionaires got away in the first boat, but others acted heroically. Colonel John Jacob Astor helped his own new bride and many other women and children into the boats, but remained on board until the end. Some wives chose to die with their husbands, rather than be saved alone.
The Internationality of Rotary
Kalyan Banerjee of the Rotary club of Vapi, Gujarat- India, was elected president of Rotary International for 2011-12 by delegates during the 2010 RI Convention in Montreal, Canada.
Directors of RI are elected for a two-year term, and those elected for 2011-13 were Rotarians from Sao Paulo- Brazil, Kerman- California, USA, Ambala, Hayana- India, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan- USA, Elland, West Yorkshire- England, Weesp- The Netherlands, Calcutta-Mahanagar, West Bengal- India, Suncheon, Jeonranam- Korea, and Decatur, Alabama- USA.
It’s the Oirish
An Australian tourist was booking into a pub in Killarney.
“Will you have a room with a bath or shower?” asked the receptionist.
The Aussie, considering his budget, asked what was the difference.
“Well”, said the receptionist, “with a shower, you stand up”
‘The influence of Rotary in world events” From the pages of Rotary’s history.
Rotary had barely been established in Europe when ‘the war to end all wars’ broke out in 1914. Further challenges to the organization’s very existence came along in the Great Depression of the early 1930’s and the Second World War a decade later..
During the worst days of World War 11, Rotarians in England convened a conference on education and cultural exchange, and that meeting subsequently led to the formation of UNESCO, one of the agencies of the United Nations. When the UN charter was signed, Rotarians were serving as ambassadors and ministers, captains of industry, and religious leaders of all faiths. The Rotary organization that the UN invited to observe and consult on matters of world peace in 1948 was far stronger and more influential than that first meeting in 1905 [the year of Rotary’s founding]..
It’s too late for a bit of boring history, so it’s back to the bloody Irish!
An Irishman is cleaning his rifle and accidentally shoots his wife! He dials 000 [or the Irish equivalent].
Irishman: “ It’s me wife! I’ve accidentally shot her; I’ve killed her!”.
Operator: “ Please calm down Sir; can you please make sure she is actually dead.”
· Click* *BANG*
· Irishman: Okay, done that. What next?”
