Important: Apologies/Guests to PP Russell by Mid-day Thursday.
Russell’s email is: suttoncourt@bigpond.com.au
As meals ordered must be paid for, please notify of the non-attendance of yourselves or partners.
Meeting Venue: Rochester Wine Bar
Next Meeting 4th September
My Job: PP Ray Lewis
Following the traditional opening, Pres. Noel welcomed members Stewart McDonald, Ray Lewis, Russell
Anderson, and Graeme Nelson and Rotary Partners Pam McDonald, Jeanette Nelson and Robyn Lucas
Leave of Absence: PP Heather and Rtn. Joe with apologies received from Noel Schier and Bryan
Griffiths.
The AGM was conducted prior to the monthly Board Meeting.
Reports from Directors:
FARSE: Chairman Graeme thanked all who had assisted in setting up for the event and on the day. 696
students from 11 schools attended with their teachers. Evaluation sheets already returned contained many
positive comments from both School staff and Exhibitors although supervision of some groups of
students in the vicinity of heavy, static machinery was a concern.
Sponsorship is becoming harder to obtain and it has been indicated that the category for sponsorship
needs to be reassessed by the Shire. Material distributed in the show bags is also becoming more difficult
to obtain. The BBQ’s manned by Probus, Lions and the A&P Society were well patronised.
A full-page report of FARSE appeared in this week’s Campaspe News.
International:
“What’s in the Box?” – Another box presented by PP Stewart for the Cambodian team.
ANZAC Grants – Stewart is to investigate the availability of grants to recognise members who have
served in the Armed Forces.
Community:
Members are to assist with the pegging out of the Elmore Field day site on Wednesday 10th Sept.
ROADEC:
20 students from St Augustine’s School, Kyabram completed the 2 day course this week. Trainers were
impressed with the behaviour of the group and by the thoughtfulness of questions they asked.
The Police representative, in addressing the students informed them that there have been 18 road deaths
between Rochester & Heathcote in the past four years and that the P Plater clocked at 178km/h in a
100km/h zone, had only the day before attended the funeral of a mate killed the previous week in a crash
on a private property.
Court House:
The roof is now completed and the floor contractor is only awaiting the supply of the skirting boards.
Working bees will need to be conducted to repair wall plastering and to reinstate external drainage.
President’s Report:
*A reminder that Bunnings BBQs are to held Sunday 7th September, and Sunday 5th October. Please keep
these dates free.
* Pres. Noel, Robyn & Rtn. Bryan attended the 50th Anniversary of RC Richmond, a very pleasant
afternoon.
* Club Vision – It has been decided that Sunday 23rd November be set aside for the main event of the
vision programme.
News from Ainaro:
Heather & Carmel have had an interesting and disrupted week with one of the highlights being the
Inauguration of the refurbished Catholic Church on Friday and Confirmation of an estimated 450 people
on Sunday. On Thursday the visiting Bishops arrived in Ainaro, escorted by police cars with sirens
blaring and hundreds of locals on motorbikes. Elders dressed in traditional costume gave a welcome
dance and speech and everyone walked to the church past the roadside decorations.
Some of Heather’s lessons this week have been about food and she took the opportunity to introduce the
students to vegemite. Not popular! They talked about the amount of meat –buffalo, pig, chicken and dog
that is eaten at celebrations. Rice is eaten with every meal and for some families rice is all they have
more often than not, but usually with some chicken and a few vegetables. The students were horrified to
hear that we eat creamed rice as a dessert.
Russell’s thought for the week: Some people bring happiness wherever they go, others whenever they go.