Greetings to you all. my fellow Rotarians! What a busy and productive time we have had. Thank you everyone for the time and effort that you put in on such a large scale so that all the elements of last Sunday were able to come together so well.
The logistics were massive and a fine team sorted all the putting up and packing away and transporting of SBA van, caravan, BBQ trailer and float trailer as well as the District Governor Tim Klar participating in about his 8th Christmas Pageant with the Rotary car well decked for the season.
The finished product. DG Tim Klar with his Rotary and Shelterbox branded SUV
Santa's elves. What a team!
It was great that we got a float together and were able to show our community that we are proud Rotarians. Not only that, we had the Catering caravan and the BBQ trailer as a team at the oval. No matter how much food is cooked and sold it still requires the same amount of work. The main point in community events is the exposure that we get from the general public by constant awareness of our Rotary Brand.
From my position on the commentary podium, I was able to give our club a good plug as they passed by. I must say it was hot up there but David Evans and I somehow survived it!
The best (but precarious) seat in the House! Great weather and a great crowd!
Because about 20 of the original participants in the pageant parade were unable to be there the following Sunday, it took less than an hour compared to the usual pageant length of one and a half hours.
To every one of you for the effort you put in, whether float assembling, donation of time and energy or goods, walking or riding in the procession, preparing and cooking food, serving to customers, transporting vehicles and equipment, cleaning up and packing up or anything I have forgotten to mention.
THANK YOU ALL AND WELL DONE!!!
Monday morning saw Greg Russell, Mark Ramsey, Pauline Annear, Michelle Lesiw, Malcolm Horton and myself gathered with a few members of the Heathfield High School Interact Club, Principal Roy Page and teacher Jayne Fulbrook and staff of Piltarilla to formally present the Charter of the Interact Club from Rotary International.
It was duly celebrated with a cake to mark this second important occasion in the forming of the Interact Club. There will now be two framed Certificates in the Entrance Hall of the School to mark the club’s presence. There are already many plans under way for next year.
Before Monday’s meeting, I attended a meeting of the sculpture exhibition committee. Jan Lyon and Tim Boon have plans at a very advanced stage now. They are looking for reassurance from all of us that we will give physical support next year when it happens from 19th April to 3rd May 2020. Please mark your diaries now. It is a very valuable part of our club and even though soon after the Small Acreage Field Day, I want to see strong support for both. They will both be the large part of our fundraising for the year.
At our meeting on Monday evening we had a great talk from guest speaker Simon Jones, who is a former AHC Councillor and the current President of the Stirling Business Association.
L-R, President Susanne Marie, Simon Jones and
Rob Hill, Chair for the evening, who thanked Simon for his illuminating talk.
Simon is very passionate about Stirling and the SBA has a number of projects under way to enhance our wonderful town. We had a mental walk through Stirling with Simon as our guide.
An urgent call to Action!
The Old School Community Garden, supported by SBA and our club are all stakeholders in the Old Stirling East Primary School which is at risk of being reverted to the State government and an uncertain future. We can show our support by being attending a Council meeting on Tuesday 17th December in the Council chambers behind the Coventry Library. Click HERE for more information and the call to action!
To all our Rotarians or partners who have current health challenges, we wish you all a very speedy recovery and may your various treatments be highly successful.
A reminder, early bird bookings for the conference in Mildura close on the 31 December. Let us have a good contingent for the last 9520 conference!! Click HEREfor more information.
Please note that this will be the last newsletter this year and we will resume on 3rd January before our first meeting on 6th January.
I look forward to seeing you all at the Christmas Party at Mark Higgins on Monday evening.
Yours in Rotary
Susanne Marie President
Click HERE for a summary of Shelterbox activities in 2019 and an update on current deployments.
Click HEREfor the categories and information about how to nominate someone
