Visitors: Peter Garnett (DG 9910)
Welcome From President Lynda Burch.
Announcements – Jim is now the roster man. His message is:- Let him know of any possible speakers, check the duties each week, if you don’t want to be sergeant, reconsider, tech volunteers are required, ditto bulletin editors. Thanks Jim.
Auction – The Annual Rotary Auction is on this coming week, so bring a friend along if you have one. Grant Child form Eves will again wield the auctioneer’s hammer. Talk to Les Geraghty if auction items are still to come in. Proceeds will go to Shelter Box and Vanuatu projects.
Treasured Art- The first planning meeting for this event is underway so some in the club are now in Treasured Art mode. Venue and date still to be finalised but it will run for a week in mid-May somewhere near you. The first notifications to artists and buyers will go out this week.
Badges – are being renumbered – Be careful not to be masquerading as someone else next meeting.
Speaker – The Drain-Sock was listed as the guest
speaker, but
Michele Beaton stepped in at the last minute and undoubtedly did a better job. Her biggest challenge, she claimed was sticking to time, and so it transpired. The Drain-Sock, was apparently Nathan Capper’s idea – always blame the guy who’s just left. Plastic is a big issue for the ocean environment, with 90% of (dead) seabirds having a bit of plastic sequestered away in their crop, which from all accounts has not enhanced their wellbeing. Not only that, there is, apparently a Great Pacific Garbage Patch, where all things plastic accumulate. Fortunately, we are able to blame Asia for this state of affairs, having protected the Pacific locally with our drain-sock.
Given the time pressure, Michelle took us through a whirlwind of stakeholders, funders, designers, sign- makers, oyster saboteurs, blessings, news stories and sock repairs. “Darn it”, some wag suggested. The next step is to get other Rotary clubs involved, with a drain of their own, then there’s only sediments, minerals, hydrocarbons, metals and microbes to deal with. Good stuff.
Paul Harris Award: It turned out there was a reason Perter Garnett, was visiting. Peter is taking over from our own
Glenys Parton as the Regional Chair for ROMAC. He was also there to award Glenys a Paul Harris, second Sapphire Pin. This got most members excited, with a spontaneous standing ovation. Glenys responded by telling us that ROMAC sustained her in Rotary and drives her as being a member. She also thanked her “Rotary family” for their support after the recent death of her mother. Well deserved, Glenys.
Sergeant Session: Phil Mangos, took us where some members, didn’t want to go:- The volume by aliquot, and other attributes attached to flatulence. Too much detail, some claimed. Others huffed and puffed. He claimed it could be enjoyed at all levels. Thanks heaps Phil!
Parting Thought Barry Fredhiem:
“But the most beautiful things in life are just not things. They’re people and places, memories and pictures. They’re feeling and moments and smiles and laughter.”